Linda M Lukas Linda Lukas, Lukas Properties Didn't pay us penny one for services rendered then badmouths us online Orange California

Linda M Lukas ripped us off for $200! 

"A customer who does not pay is not a customer.  A customer who does not pay is a thief"

Did not pay one red penny for labor.  Linda Lukas hired us on Monday March 24, 2014 to clean her pool filter then drain her swimming pool and spa.  The agreed upon price was $200.00.  We cleaned her pool filter in the backyard right in front of her.  During this time while disassembling the filter it was discovered the manifold which holds the grids was split down the middle; this was pointed out to Linda Lukas along with replacement cost of $88.99 for the part, this doesn't cover labor and is a separate charge.  Linda Lukas approved replacing the broken manifold which was completed at the same time, the old broken manifold was left, the filter was reassembled.  Next we placed our submersible pump in her swimming pool to begin the process of draining.  Over the next several days we received calls from Linda Lukas stating our pump has stopped.  A total of 5 additional trips to her home were made between March 24 and April 1st (one week). 

The first visit it was discovered her GFI had tripped, we reset it and the pump resumed draining the pool.  Next trip further inspection of our extension cord revealed it had been chewed and was torn; unsure at the time how this occurred the cord was replaced and we left again with the pool draining and pump working.  The next trip GFI was tripped and we suggested when they get back home they plug it directly inside the house in a non-GFI receptacle in which they called and said the pump stopped working again.  Another trip and another chewed extension cord on Friday March 28, 2014 the spa was 100% empty and the swimming pool had less than 3 feet of water remaining.  Thankfully no more calls until the following Sunday night or Monday morning letting us know they were done with our pump and we could retrieve it on Monday, it would be in the front courtyard.  

Monday March 31, 2014 one full week after we began the process we arrived at Linda Lukas' home to pickup our equipment.  The extension cord we had just replaced was mangled up.  We knocked on the front door and showed Linda Lukas "look at what your dogs did, AGAIN".  "This is why the pump stopped working, because of YOUR dogs".  She gives us a cheap replacement extension cord and we leave.  Fortunately her dogs were not electrocuted in the process.  We hear nothing further from Linda M Lukas.

We mailed 2 bills to Linda Lukas.  One invoice for $88.99 for the REPLACEMENT PART.  and One invoice for $85 filter cleaning and $115 to drain pool.  No additional charges for our extension cords or 5 wasted trips. After several months we mailed the invoices repeatedly.  Linda Lukas did finally pay for the replacement manifold but NOT A SINGLE PENNY for the work we performed, NOT A PENNY for the filter we cleaned in front of her.  NOT A PENNY for draining her pool and spa.  We called numerous times all to be ignored.  We sent Linda M Lukas to collections; they too were ignored.  We sent her a lien notice and we get a response.  Not only does she call us saying "I'm going to sue you blah blah blah", but she goes on Yelp and badmouths our company.  Because we did something wrong? NO, because she thinks it's ok to not pay her bill and if we attempt to collect she'll badmouth us.   The ONLY negative reviews we have on Yelp are all by people like her, people who don't pay their bills, people we sued and we won! 

Linda Lukas' Yelp review after receiving lien notice 8/24/2015:

This company was hired to drain our pool and we agreed to pay $200 for them to do that. They were also paid to repair our filter. They dropped the pump into the pool. Shortly thereafter the pump quit working and shut down the GFCI outlets in our house so that we could not use them in the kitchen and bathrooms..... so we called them and called them and called them. Finally, we hired and paid someone else to do the job. They finally turned up and complained that our dogs chewed up their extension cord and said they had been calling us but their number never showed up on our cell phones. They stated that the dogs chewing their extension cord was why the pump quit. That is not a good excuse for ignoring our calls... We gave them another extension cord even though we knew that the dogs did not chew their cord. It was a very ratty cord when they brought it over. We stored their equipment for a week after the new company removed it from our pool and put a working pump into the pool. They were paid the $89 for the work they did but have filed a mechanics lien because they want to be paid for the work they did not do. Don't get involved with this company. There are lots of good companies to deal with

Her review is riddled with mistruths and a serious lack of personal responsibility on her part.  Anything to deflect the fact she doesn't pay a penny for services.  Linda Lukas writes:

"This company was hired to drain our pool and we agreed to pay $200 for them to do that." True but the problem is Linda Lukas didn't pay a penny of the $200 she acknowledges she agreed to pay us.

"Finally, we hired and paid someone else to do the job."  Interesting how you have no proof and no receipt of paying this phantom company

"They finally turned up and complained that our dogs chewed up their extension cord and said they had been calling us but their number never showed up on our cell phones" Yes, we "finally" turned up.  FIVE ADDITIONAL TIMES!!!!

"That is not a good excuse for ignoring our calls" A total of 6 trips to Linda Lukas' home in one week is proof we didn't ignore a single call.

"We stored their equipment for a week after the new company removed it from our pool and put a working pump into the pool" You stored our equipment for a week.  How gracious of you... You called after hours Sunday night or Monday morning and we came Monday.. how is that a week??

"They were paid the $89 for the work they did" Incorrect, we were paid NOTHING for the work we did!  The $88 is for a PART inside your filter. We don't get them for free!!

"but have filed a mechanics lien because they want to be paid" Imagine a world where someone has the audacity to expect payment for services rendered!

"Don't get involved with this company" why not?  We have had over 17,000 satisfied and PAYING customers.  You are not a customer, you have paid zilch.   I concur, do not get involved with our company if you are a thief, duplicitous, morally bankrupted and don't pay for services because we don't want you...

Our attorney sent Linda M Lukas a demand letter to remove her false review or be sued.  Clearly she thinks this too is a joke.  Just so you know Linda M Lukas the last two we sued were ordered to pay us in addition to damages over $35,000 in attorneys fees.  And yes, we collected every penny. We reserve the right to sue her in Superior Court for her erroneous untruthful review, defamation, libel, loss of business and will seek attorneys fees. 

On June 24, 2016 we sued Linda M Lukas in small claims for the $200.00 she refused to pay.  We won a judgment in full plus court costs.

Linda M Lukas, who hasn't paid a red cent for services rendered had the audacity to appeal the judgment and go on Yelp and 'update' her review.

Linda Lukas' updated review:

This company took me to small claims court.  He refused mediation and started to threaten me in front of the mediator.  He threatened to take me to court for posting a negative review on Yelp.  He came to court armed with a story that the judge picked apart.  Basically he(Orange County Pools and Spas)  said that my dogs chewed up his cord and that caused all the problems....the judge wisely pointed out that the dogs would have been electrocuted if they had chewed up his cord and that I still owed this company $85.00 for which I accepted responsibility for my oversight.  Since I had already paid him $85.00 for the repair, I overlooked the $85.00 for the part they supplied.  I assumed because I gave them a brand-new 50' grounded outdoors extension cord that they forgave the oversight however, this company is out for blood and I am expecting a judgement for the oversight amount.  

It is sad that this company spends its time pursuing small amounts in small claims court instead of doing a good job and watching the referrals and money roll in.  There is such a big need for pool services in Orange County that it is hard to get on the schedule with the reputable companies. If they want to do only repairs, many of the service companies use other companies to do their repairs......taking people to small claims court and threatening them is not the way to build a business or stay in business for that matter.

Linda Lukas's updated review on how awful we are:

"This company took me to small claims court." Yes, and you LOST- TWICE!!!

"He refused mediation"  Wedon't mediate

"and started to threaten me in front of the mediator" correct reminded her if her false review isn't removed she will be sued again in Superior Court

"He came to court armed with a story that the judge picked apart." Were we in the SAME courtroom??  You mean the story where I won a judgment in full?

"the judge wisely pointed out that the dogs would have been electrocuted if they had chewed up his cord " untrue, and not necessarily you understand zilch about ground fault circuit interrupters and more ignorant about electricity

"and that I still owed this company $85.00 for which I accepted responsibility for my oversight" untrue again, it's $200 plus court fees.  It was no oversight you were sent several notices and phone calls then in your inarticulate diatribe stating you're going to sue us... FOR WHAT!!!!  Furthermore, if "accepted responsibility" where the hell is our money???

"Since I had already paid him $85.00 for the repair" You paid NOTHING for the repair, you paid $88.99 for a REPLACEMENT PART

" I assumed because I gave them a brand-new 50' grounded outdoors extension cord" You are delusional.  It was not a 50 foot cord.  It was a 25' cord you must've purchased in the discount rack at big lots.  It was thrown in the trash.  The heavy duty extension cords we use are almost $100.  Comparing the piece of crap you gave us to the quality we use is another outrageous statement from someone who hasn't paid a single penny for services rendered!

"There is such a big need for pool services in Orange County that it is hard to get on the schedule with the reputable companies" We have >17,000 PAYING and SATZISFIED clients as of December 2014 who would vehemently disagree with you.

"taking people to small claims court and threatening them" we refused to be ripped off by you!!  we also don't threaten, thus far we have done everything we said we will do.. it's up to you really if we proceed furthe

On September 12, 2016 we re-presented our case to the appeals judge and won a full judgment plus court costs.

Today, Linda M Lukas owes us $270.00 and has not paid penny one for services rendered.  We will be filing an abstract of lien with the court and county, then proceeding to writ of execution, levy and if we still are not paid a creditor debtor examination.  Meanwhile we reserve our right to sue her in Superior court when time allows.