Image

McCutcheon Air Conditioning and Heating Blog

Is that AC Tech a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing? What the Bruno Total Home Performance State Investigation Illustrates.

Since 2016 Sean McCutcheon’s Air Conditioning and Heating has been working hard to help consumers avoid predatory contractors.

We even created a humorous video series featuring the fictional A.C. Winterbottom, Agent for America’s Repair Force, and an accompanying website (www.AmericasRepairForce.com) that is full of information on how to spot a scam.

Unfortunately, as this recent news story illustrates, there’s no shortage of dishonest contractors trying to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners…

The Florida Office of the Attorney General is currently investigating Bruno Total Home Performance, formerly known as Bruno Air, in Bonita Springs for allegations of shoddy work, overselling and overcharging for products and services, performing unnecessary work, high-pressure sales tactics, and unscrupulous loan practices - including forging customers' signatures on financial documents.

Court records also indicate that Louis Bruno, LLC (d.b.a. Bruno Total Home Performance) has filed at least 3 foreclosure actions and over two dozen liens against property owners in Lee & Collier counties!

Predatory contractors will try anything to separate you from your money.

They’ll claim to find mold and tell you your family is in great danger - some will even claim that they can’t “legally” leave an AC system running in such bad condition. Other companies will strongarm you into signing documents and even refuse to leave before you do - obviously, they don’t want you to get a second opinion. The list of scams goes on…

But there are many ways to see if a company or contractor is reputable.

Consumers can verify licenses with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) online at www.myfloridalicense.com, by calling 850-487-1395, or by downloading the free DBPR Mobile app. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is also a great resource for information and ratings on companies and your local Chamber of Commerce can recommend a business.

Another way to avoid falling prey to unethical contractors is to ask around.

Contact friends and neighbors to see who they recommend and do a little research on the internet – online reviews from Google and others are a great way to get a consensus opinion and see where a company’s strengths and weaknesses are. And don’t just look for high ratings, look for companies with more than a handful of reviews which could have come from their friends and family. Finally, it never hurts to get a second opinion before spending a large amount of money on something.

In the case of Bruno Air, the DBPR shows 2 complaints against Bruno's contractor's license which is “current with probation”. In a rare move, the BBB revoked Bruno Air's accreditation in November of 2015 based on what it saw as a "pattern of complaints;" the new company, Bruno Total Home Performance, has never been accredited. And their online reviews, literally, scream “STAY AWAY!!!”

Click here for more information:

Five things to know about the state investigation into Bruno Total Home Performance
(link to https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/2019/01/17/bruno-total-home-performance-state-investigation-5-things-know/2603815002/)

Attorney general's office investigating Bruno Total Home Performance in Bonita Springs
(link to https://www.naplesnews.com/story/money/business/local/2019/01/15/law-enforcement-presence-bruno-total-home-performance-bonita-springs/2580545002/)

Homeowners shed light on state inquiry into Bruno Total Home air of Bonita
(link to https://www.naplesnews.com/story/money/business/local/2019/01/16/bruno-total-home-performance-still-open-business-day-after-law-enforcement-seized-documents-offi/2591820002/)

Continue reading
  24821 Hits
28 March 2024
AC Blog
You’ve probably heard by now, that Smart Thermostats can reduce your HVAC-related energy consumption by a lot, but energy savings are just the beginning… Before we get into all the bells and whistles, let’s begin by defining our terms… There are 3 ba...
23 January 2024
AC Blog
When it comes to replacing your old air conditioning system in the (usually) balmy Sarasota area, you can turn that old “get it while it’s hot” idiom right on its head… Here in the Suncoast, heating and air conditioning companies are less busy in the...
21 April 2023
AC Blog
In addition to its stated aim of curbing inflation, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which was signed into law in August of 2022, is the largest federal investment to fight climate change in U.S. history. It accomplishes this by offering tax credits...
30 November 2022
AC Blog
Bottom Line: New energy efficiency standards for air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces are going into effect this January 1, 2023 and that means air conditioning prices are going up so, if you’re about due for a new air conditioning system, there...
01 June 2022
AC Blog
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its forecast for the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30 and they’re predicting another above-average hurricane season, with 14 ...
07 March 2018
AC Blog
Thank you to all our wonderful clients who took the time to vote for Sean McCutcheon's Air Conditioning and Heating in the Herald-Tribune’s Readers’ Choice poll....
13 July 2021
AC Blog
Have you been putting off maintenance on your AC system? With a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that made travel all but impossible for several months and mortgage rates at historic lows, many of us (simu...