Totem Appliance & Refrigeration Ltd

Rating: 2.1 out of 5

Totem Appliance & Refrigeration Ltd reviews (33)

  • Review from Julie Tremblay Hubert
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 3 Jan 2019

    Don’t hire them !!!!!!!!!

    Called them 3 weeks ago because my main oven wasn’t working. The first tech came amd broke the griddle ( remember issue is the main oven )and then a second tech came 1 week later because the first one never gave it’s report back. I have been waiting for the quote from the second tech 4 days . Then call them back today and apparently the parts I need are discontinued . So I called the manufacturer... guess what ?! The parts are in stock !! Call back Totem appliances and now the supervisor John is telling me that the boss ( who he is not allowed to tell the name and phone number) told him that they wouldn’t fix my oven and or give me any kind of compensation for the broken griddle because it was a too complicated situation! HA !!! You must be joking John I said ! Mmmmm no I am not he replied that’s what the boss said !!! I wonder how these guys are still in business!? I gave one star because you have to or else it would be a zero !!!!!!!!! Do yourself a favor , don’t hire them !

    Answer from pro:

    Hi Julie, thanks for leaving your feedback. Unfortunately your range is 13 years old and certain internal pieces can be brittle. In this case we were made aware that the range was purchased second hand; we do not know the previous history on the unit and what someone else has done to it. We have confirmed that the part required is not available from the manufacturer; they show it as obsolete. I'm so sorry that someone from the manufacturer may have told you they have it in stock. Regretfully there is nothing more we can do (we did not charge you for any services) due to the age of your range. Thanks again.

    Reply created 17 Jan 2019
  • Review from Brandon Bromley
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 21 Dec 2018

    AVOID THIS COMPANY!!!!

    Washer machine serviced. Technician while servicing poured water out into a turkey pot & water flooded into the floors and came poured through celing Gagan was the technician. He poured water stuck in the machine into a turkey pot (not sure why he thought this was a good idea). We offered to get him help 3 times with someone to help him. Gagan declined the assistance all three times. He proceeded to empty the machine and water poured out all over the floors. It then leaked downstairs and water was pouring out of the light fixtures and ceilings getting all over our floors furniture and counters. The rep admitted fault (on a recorded call) and said that Totem has insurance and accepts responsibility for the accident and would talk to his manager and get back to us. Its now been over a week no word. VERY unprofessional. I called the Head Office in Calgary and spoke to a call center lady who also wasnt helpful. She said there was no manager on and no way to get a hold of them. I asked if they could call their cell or email them and she said she wont due to it being Friday. Again terrible service. Was told a manager would call me back on Monday. That was over a month ago! We want a claim filed through their insurance the insurance company details provided and a restoration company sent out to our house to do an estimate and evaluation on the damage.

    Answer from pro:

    Hi Brandon, standard procedure in this type of situation is for your home insurer to contact our insurance provider to reach a resolution. If there is an issue where our company is deemed to be at fault, our insurance provider will definitely look after the situation. This has been suggested to you during your conversations with our Customer Service Manager over the past month. Please have your insurance provider reach out and they can discuss further options. Thank you.

    Reply created 24 Dec 2018
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 1 out of 5
    Review left on 9 Oct 2018

    My experience with Totem

    Unfortunately somethings never change - please read my most recent review. -------------------------------------------------------- Below was my initial review of Totem. However after I posted my review management did contact me and apologized for the poor service as well as fully refunded me everything I paid. As a customer I consider that an honorable thing to do from a business and show that they do stand behind their service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had an issue with a Beaumark dryer that made loud noises every time I used it. I scheduled a service call and technician came by the first time and didn’t check the dryer but assumed it needed a roller. He came back for a second visit with the roller but Discovered That this Model Does Not Have Rollers. So only changed the dryer belt, inspite of the fact that he had it on him all along at the first visit. He charged me for 2 visits inspite of the fact that he said that he will only charge me for 1 visit. $268.26 later for replacing a belt that cost $10 & the dryer is not repaired and made the same noise!! I called Totem and explained what happened and here is what receptionist who was super unfriendly told me :- 1. Sorry the technician made the wrong diagnosis but we still have to charge you for 2 visits 2. We guarantee our work for 30 days only so yes we will send you the Same Technician again but if he finds out that it’s a different problem we will charge you again for his visit ! To summarize they will charge me for every visit regardless; even if the Technician makes the wrong diagnosis every time! I asked to talk to the manager, she said I can’t but she will talk to him and get back to me. She came back saying the same thing. At this point I decided to end the bleeding and I called an another service company who did look at the machine before deciding what was wrong. Ordered the parts needed and the dryer is repaired!
  • Review from Ned
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 23 Jul 2018

    Dryer heating repair

    The tech arrived and it was an easy fix. It only took one hour to do the entire repair. The repair involved easily replacing the heating element which was a part that could just be snapped out and replace with a new one much like you would replace your smoke detector. I was charged their minimum one hour diagnostic charge plus an additional hour. The cost of labour was $245. The part was $113. I also spent time helping him turn the power on and off so he didn’t have to go up and down two flights of stairs. Anyway I feel I was overcharged beyond belief for the labor. I will not be using their services again. It would make more sense to take that money and have my appliances replaced . Guess what folks, the washer died two weeks ago and I replaced everything with top of the line appliances. I will never use Totem Appliances again. The dryer I paid to have fixed it now junked. Lessons learned....

    Answer from pro:

    Thank you for your feedback. We follow the North American Flat Rate guide for our pricing, we do not charge by time spent on the job. I am sorry that you thought our trip charge included the first hour, but it simply covers our trip to your home and a diagnostic of the appliance. The technician may make a job look simple, but please note that he is a journeyman who has been honing his craft for many years; he knows how to repair your appliance efficiently and effectively. Our pricing does reflect our cost of operating a service company in the Metro Vancouver area, we feel that our level of service is very high compared to others in our industry and we take pride in being able to deliver this to our customers. If our quality of service did not meet your expectations please reach out to us at service@totemappliance.com, thank you again. Totem Management.

    Reply created 24 Jul 2018
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 12 Mar 2018

    Washer

    Charge me $600 to fix the washer and labour for 45 minutes for the labour $400 then the washer didn't even get fixed I had to go to the laundromat on the weekend because they have no weekend service. Don't give them your money rip off
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 4 Dec 2017

    Samsung Refrigerater

    Had the service guy come out, he was very friendly, efficient, and on time. I would recommend them to anyone with a Samsung fridge, as they can be difficult to fix. This was under warrenty so price is not accurate.

    Answer from pro:

    Thank you Tyler!

    Reply created 5 Dec 2017
  • Review from Customer of Totem Appliance & Refrigeration Ltd
    Rating: 4 out of 5
    Review left on 13 Jul 2017

    Fridge repair

    This is one of only 2 companies that services Samsung fridges. They were able to have a tech come out the same day my fridge went down. Unfortunately, they did not have the parts in stock and had to return another day. The first diagnosis was incorrect as after 12 hours my fridge stopped working again. It would have been better for them to try multiple swaps of parts to rule out certain issues, as in all they had to make a total of 4 trips to my place. However, I am still giving them a 4 out of 5 as the tech did everything to ensure the costs were minimal and answered a lot of technical questions I had. Also, the second time my fridge stopped working they sent a tech the same day again. The service charge is higher than some of the other companies but I don't mind this because it means that I was not charged additionally for their returning visits and labor is not billed by the hour but by job. So even though the first diagnosis was incorrect, which I think was somewhat unavoidable due to the unusual root cause of my fridge issue, I did not incur any extra charges. The service charge is good for 30 days - so if something goes faulty in the meantime and they need to return you don't pay more which is great because I don't feel like I'm being taken advantage of on cost of labor. The tech was very courteous and would phone me in the morning to let me know when they would arrive. He also made a very appreciated effort to come back as soon as possible knowing that I have a medical condition that makes not having a fridge very difficult. Only negative is that they don't service on the weekends so would be a pain if you have to take time off work to stay home.

    Answer from pro:

    Hello and thank you for your feedback. I am unsure about the particulars of your service call without knowing your information; however, we can say that these fridges can be extremely difficult to diagnose accurately when they fail. We do not stock many of their parts because the manufacturer will not allow us to return the parts if we do not use them. We do everything possible to repair these fridges as accurately as possible, and definitely regret the amount of time it took to get yours fixed for you. We do stand behind our work though and will stay with it until the issue is resolved, we appreciate your patience in this case and hope that you will call us again if the need ever arises. Thanks again!

    Reply created 14 Jul 2017
  • Review from Jill Gwilliam
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 24 May 2017

    Washing Machine

    WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!!! Never purchase or have anything serviced by these people. Was charged $425 for a new machine that was still under warranty. The service man came to my house 5 times for a brand new machine and still never fixed it. WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!! I called Frigidaire myself and they said all parts covered for 2 years. They did not tell me the truth and said the company didn't cover them, but said they were going to talk to Frigidaire to try to cover them, but Frigidaire told me they never had anyone from Totem call about this appliance because they track all calls with the serial # of the appliance. So they never called Frigidaire and then just charged my Visa a month later without calling me or emailing me, zero follow up, not even calling me back on my messages. I put in a request to talk to a manager twice, and they said sure I will get him to contact you and no one called me back EVER. Worst service of my entire life. I also found out that the machine could have been warrantied after the second visit. Now I am stuck with a new machine that STILL does not work and a charge on my Visa of $425. I had to call them to send me a copy of the receipt because I never even got one, and now I have to try and work with Frigidaire to try and get a refund of the parts that were charged to me that should ever have been. At least Frigidaire was good to see that Totem totally messed up and are trying to make it somewhat right. DO yourselves a huge favour and never ever use this company.

    Answer from pro:

    Hi Jill and thank you for your feedback. Your model of washer definitely has a 1 year warranty for parts and labor on it. We requested a special authorization from them several times without any response. I can not say why you were told that you had a 2 year warranty, but our company would not be compensated for our time if we did the work and attempted to bill the manufacturer for something that is out of warranty. I understand how frustrating the process has been for you; however, Totem Appliance would never maliciously charge someone's credit card without consent from the customer. After a few months we have finally received an authorization from the manufacturer for parts coverage but they will not pay for our labor time. We have credited you for the amounts of all parts you were charged for because of this. Thanks again

    Reply created 14 Jul 2017
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 1 Sep 2016

    Fridge repair

    My fridge was picking up ice last December. It cost $180 to have a tech even look at the appliance. I agreed and asked if they would look at a problem with my dishwasher while they were here. Only if I paid another $180 dollars even though the technician would already be here. I bought a new dishwasher as it would have been cheaper if it needed much repair. It took almost three months before they could look at my fridge including defrosting it twice. After following their instructions the top of my fridge was completely melted and they refused to fix it or even acknowledge it was they had any fault at all. I paid $800 for their tech to come out and spend a couple of hours on my fridge. It is eight months later and the ice is building again. It was not repaired at all, it just took this long for the ice to build up again.Totem wants another $180+ dollars to even look at it and refuses to acknowledge that it is the same problem. I have never written a review before but felt this is such a brutal company, it borders on criminal. Absolutely the worst customer service. job was not done correctly, they don`t care about their customers. The lady on the phone even told me ``if I don`t like it go somewhere else``. even though they charged me for a job they didn't complete. * I would recommend anybody but this company. Absolutely terrible! If I could give 0 or negative stars I would *

    Answer from pro:

    Original service call taken October 22, 2015. We attended the home on November 2, 2015. Customer was charged $125 plus taxes for the trip charge & diagnostics. Dishwasher invoice was created but cancelled at the customer's request. The note on the invoice shows that the customer was quoted $65.62 to look at the dishwasher during the visit for the fridge; we charge half price for the diagnostic on a second appliance. The issue that this fridge is experiencing is well known for this particular model; a model that has been very problematic for many consumers. It is a built in fridge and can be quite difficult to work on for any technician, in order to work on it we had to allow for the large ice build up to melt which can take several days. The manufacturer provides a factory kit for the issue they are experiencing; the price and availability of said part is beyond our company's control as it is preset from the factory. In this case the customer did unfortunately have to pay over $800 to service their fridge, the breakdown is as follows: Service call & diagnostics- $125 Labour to install factory kit- $136 Parts- $528 The service was completed on December 2, 2015, which is longer than we would normally like to complete a service call; however, there were a few factors with obtaining correct parts from the factory, as well as payment card being declined which held up service a bit. If the issue has returned then it may likely be that the same part has failed again. We warrant our labour for 30 days, the manufacturer warrants their parts for 90 days. As this has been a problematic model we suggest that the consumer contact the manufacturer for any assistance. We can definitely understand one's frustration with their product as it is a very expensive fridge to purchase; Totem does not manufacture or sell the product, we can only follow the factory's recommended repairs in a case where the design is found to have a flaw. We have raised our call out rate for this model to $195 plus taxes now due to the amount of time we have to spend on each repair, and that the call back rate is very high based on the model's history.

    Reply created 6 Sep 2016
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 3 Jul 2015

    Maytag top load washer

    i called to have washer repaired in October and it took until Dec. 12 to get part and fixed. In May it broke down again, had them out to fix, same problem but NO LONGER UNDER WSRRANTY 30 DAYS on parts, if part was new why such a short warranty. I don't think it was diagnosed correctly the first time. cant afford to throw good money with expensive company. what is the advantage.

    Answer from pro:

    We serviced this machine and replaced the clutch in December 2014. The manufacturer provides us with a 90 day warranty on factory replacement parts, which we pass on to the customer. This particular model was only produced for a short period around 2005 and then discontinued as it was prone to multiple issues. We waited over 6 weeks to receive the part from the manufacturer in order to complete the repair in December. The machine failed again and we sent a service technician to diagnose the issue on June 2nd. The customer was understandably upset that the same part had failed; however, we are not able to get it covered under warranty and thus have to charge for the repair.

    Reply created 3 Jul 2015
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