Business ProfileforAir Time Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc.

BBB files indicate that this business has a pattern of complaints concerning misrepresentation. Complaints received allege that the company told customers that they needed a specific repair or a new unit. The customer's later found out that no such repair or new unit were needed. On October 10, 2019, BBB submitted a written request to the company encouraging them to address the pattern of complaints. As of today's date, BBB has had no response.

The following describes a pending government action that has been formally brought by a government agency but has not yet been resolved. We are providing a summary of the government's allegations, which have not yet been proven.

On October 4, 2019, the Florida Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Air Time Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. and its owner, Anthony Gonzalez (Case No. 19-CA-010199, filed in Hillsborough County, FL). The counts brought by the Attorney General are Violations of an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance from 2017 and Misrepresentations to Consumers.

The Florida Attorney General allegations include:

--The Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau have received 16 consumer complaints that occurred after the effective date of the AVC, which can be traced to the Defendants. 13 of these complaints were filed by senior citizens.

--Defendants contracted with consumers and did not include the 3-day right to rescission language that is required by section 2.3 of the AVC they entered into with the Attorney General.

--Further, according to several consumer's written complaints, Defendants misled consumers to believe that their air conditioning ("AC") system required new parts and work. This includes but is not limited to new duct work and/or an entirely new air conditioning system. For example:

According to one consumer's written complaint, her 89-year-old mother paid Air Time $21,000 in two-and one-half years, which according the consumer, included costs for unnecessary parts and
services. The consumer's complaint also stated that requests for an itemized bill by the consumer's daughter were ignored by Air Time;

According to another consumer's written complaint, Air Time tried to sell a new unit for $8,000 only one year after an initial AC was installed by Air Time. The consumer further asserts that a second AC company confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the initial unit;

At least two consumers allege in written complaints that Air Time attempted to charge consumers for purported growth of micro-organisms in consumers' air duct systems, but other companies confirmed that no such growth was present;

Other written consumer complaints allege that Air Time attempted to sell products or services that a second company confirmed were not ultimately needed;

Multiple consumers also submitted written complaints alleging that Air Time overcharged for expensive products or services that competing companies offered at a lower cost.

--Defendants have engaged in a pattern of acts and practices designed to deceive and induce Florida consumers to purchase Defendants' products and services.

--Defendants' misleading business practices lead consumers to believe that their existing air conditioning unit requires a new system, parts, and/or other work that is not needed.

--Through false and deceptive marketing and related business practices, Defendants have (1) committed acts or practices in trade or commerce, which shock the conscience; (2) engaged in representations, acts, practices or omissions, which are material, and which are likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances; (3) committed acts or practices in trade or commerce which offend established public policy and are unethical, oppressive, unscrupulous or substantially injurious to consumers; and/or (4) engaged in acts or practices that are likely to cause substantial injury to consumers, which is not reasonably avoidable by consumers themselves or outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or competition. Thus, Defendants have engaged in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce in violation of Section 501.204(1), Florida Statutes.

The matter is pending.