March 22, 2009
This may seem like a simple, easy, and rhetorical question. But you might be surprised about how the Metro Atlanta Better Business Bureau views former Members that have sexual convicts working for them.
Way back on July 24, 2007, Mechanic’s Responds® has learned that the Metro Atlanta BBB was informed that a current Member of the Atlanta BBB, Hammock's Heating & Air, Inc., among other problems with their company, had a sexual offender working for them. Fred Elsberry, current President of the Metro Atlanta BBB was informed in writing of this fact.
Mechanic's Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC, "Mechanic's", told the BBB and Fred Elsberry the following: "This firm apparently has a registered child molester working for them. Please see the following link for proof: http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbisor/SexualOffenderDetails.jsp?action=SexualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=559801LB6
Our attorneys called to confirm this individual was working there. Why is this information not listed under Hammock’s “Additional File Information”?"
As stated above, Mr. Elsberry and the Atlanta BBB was even provided with a web link proving that the individual in question, Rodger Deer, was a sexual offender.
Any person with an ounce of common sense would think that this type of information is serious and warranted an immediate investigation. Guess What? - That did not happen! The Metro Atlanta BBB took at least 4 months to take any action against Hammock's whatsoever. Even as of the posting of this news story, there is no mention in Hammock's "BBB Reliability Report" of a sexual offender employee. As a matter of fact, Hammock's still has a D+ rating by the Atlanta BBB.
How would you like to place a service call with a company after, of course, checking the BBB's web site to "Start With Trust", and have a sexual offender show up at your home, around you, your wife, and your kids? Apparently, the Atlanta BBB has no problem with this.
In records supplied to Mechanic’s Responds® for this news story, we found that Mechanic's Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC contacted Fred Elsberry of the Atlanta BBB again on December 11, 2007 seeking, among other things, an explanation on why the public was NOT being warned about Hammock's. The Atlanta BBB responded and told Mechanic's Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC that the delay was due to the Atlanta BBB's "limited resources".
Mechanic's Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC responded to the Atlanta BBB in a letter dated December 13, 2007. In this letter Mechanic's encouraged the Atlanta BBB to warn the public and to add the following to their web site to warn customers: "This company has pledged to use our dispute resolution process. This company has submitted answers to questions and we have used limited resources to check them out. We do not monitor them after they join until someone brings up a issue. We don't check public records for bankruptcies, lawsuits, sex offenders and criminal charges. We encourage you to do so."
The Atlanta BBB has never taken this advice.
Mechanic’s Responds® has learned that Mechanic's Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC contacted the Atlanta BBB and Fred Elsberry in the last couple of months in an effort to get the Atlanta BBB to warn the public about the sexual offender working for Hammock's.
In an email sent to Mechanic's dated February 24, 2009, Fred Elsberry of the Metro Atlanta BBB told Mechanic's "Your issue with Hammock is not one we would report as our reports reflect marketplace activity – not personal information."
Well how does that make you feel? Fred Elsberry and the Atlanta BBB thinks having a sexual offender in your home, around your kids, is "personal information"!
This is even more remarkable when you consider that the Atlanta BBB is very interested in what Mechanic's $29.95 Service Call covers, and will report false information about a Mechanic's Service Call in great detail, but does not value telling you of former members who send out sexual offenders to your home!
Instead of "Start(ing) with Trust" in the Atlanta BBB, maybe the Atlanta BBB is a Company you should "End your Trust" in when it comes to your family's safety.
You can reach Fred Elsberry at his work email at fred@atlanta.bbb.org.
You can reach J. R. Adams at 770-425-0000 or via email at News@MechanicsResponds.com.
Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only. The information contained herein is believed accurate but is not warranted. We encourage all interested parties to verify the information contained herein on their own. The information contained herein was derived from public information sources, from our records, or from Reports or Complaints filed with us.
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