Consumer complaint received 2021-12-10
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL (AL)

On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX about a laminate countertop estimate I had done through its online estimator. I put up a deposit of {$360.00} using my Lowe 's credit card on XX/XX/XXXX and was informed that someone would call and set up an appointment for measurements. I was given an appointment by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for XX/XX/XXXX but had to reschedule due to a family emergency. The appointment was rescheduled for XX/XX/XXXX and was told that I would not receive an estimate until about two weeks because the company was backlogged. I waited for about 12 days ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and went online to get an updated, but the pending appointment was still listed. I called XXXX 's again on XX/XX/XXXX and was asked whether I was ready to go forward with the installation, but I never received the official estimate, and was told that the official estimate was emailed. I stated I had not received it and was asked to confirm email address and to expect another email in about 15 minutes. That email never arrived, so I called XXXX 's customer service again and they could not give me any additional information. I complained to corporate, and the matter was transferred over to a rep within the executive office on XX/XX/XXXX. I am not sure what is the problem with that rep, but she kept mumbling -- could not complete a sentence -- and agreeing with whatever I said even though I was just spewing out information to test whether she was lying and blowing me off. I called XXXX 's customer service again on XX/XX/XXXX, but they did not have any updated information. I called again on XX/XX/XXXX, and customer service was able to assist me with new information about the project. 
This morning a.m., XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the installer XXXXXXXX  via email and received a response back asking for the order number. XXXX XXXX are the installers and emailed stating " the measurements are fine, so the price will not change from the price you received from XXXX 's. I never received an official estimate from XXXX 's only the information I had inputted into their online estimator with a guestimate ( emails attached ). I did not understand what was happening until I threatened to file a complaint against XXXX XXXX for not producing the official estimate. XXXX XXXX ' official estimate was almost twice the cost of the unofficial estimate. My antenna went up that XXXX XXXX is not the company I wanted to continue with due to its deception. Then comes the mean emails ( all attached ). Stating that XXXX came out on XX/XX/XXXX and ordered on our next order date of Friday, XX/XX/XXXX. Really! without notifying the consumer of the official estimate? I was originally told that XXXX XXXX was in backlog. This company can not be trusted, so I demanded a refund of my deposit of {$360.00} and cancellation of the project. I was just informed by XXXX 's that there is a {$99.00} trip fee that can not be refunded. This company went ahead and started the project without consulting with me about the official estimate. As stated in their email the materials were ordered on XX/XX/XXXX -- without my knowledge and consultation. I was under the impression that XXXX was backlogged and to expect an official estimate without two weeks.