AQUA SOLUTIONS

Went through many months of contacting: the Manager, Dawn Adair Merlino (who would not give me her name); BBB; Paul Merlino, Owner; Consumer Affairs; Rainbow Vacuum's regional district manager; Secretary Of State, etc. Stopped because going to small claims court was last resort. The Owners to the Manager to the Salesperson (Donna Locricchio) are all about high-pressure sales and lie hoping you will go away. Their contract states "refunds when cancelled in 72 hours" and NOTHING about restocking fees, though they initially tried to say they were keeping $50 as a restocking fee. The good review was probably written by the Merlinos or someone else in the family. You can buy a refurbished Rainbow for a third of what they charge from Florida. STAY AWAY!!

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11/2/2010 Aqua Solutions, Inc. conducted a Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner demo at my elderly parents' house (I am their guardian, POA, etc). ( My mother filled out a card at an expo for the "free" demo in return for a gift of steak-knives). My parents told the salesperson, Donna Lovicchio, that they were NOT allowed to sign contracts because they had a guardian. Donna convinced them to sign the contract anyway for an overpriced ($2300) vacuum cleaner that my 100 lb mother had problems pulling around once it had water in it. We cancelled the contract within the 72 hours period required by federal law on 11/5/2010, Aqua Solutions, Inc picked up their vacuum cleaner 2 weeks later and my parents still have not received the $200 deposit back (8 months later)! I've filed a BBB complaint, FTC complaint, attorney general complaint and submitted a demand letter for payment (mailing cost $15) to no avail. Dawn Adair, the general manager, who would not give her last name but I found out anyway), spent a couple of weeks pretending that she would return my call, ignoring and giving me the runaround by avoiding me because she later said her legal department told her she did not have to talk to me because my name was not on my parents' deposit check (though I don't have to be as I am on their bank account). When I filed the BBB complaint I learned that Aqua Solutions had 15 complaints varying from not reimbursing deposits to lousy customer service, etc. and that Paul Merlino is the Owner and Teresa Merlino also works at Aqua Solutions. Dawn accidentally caught me at my parents' house where she continued the fraud by stating they had been holding the deposit because they thought my parents wanted the vacuum cleaner held on lay-away??? (Doesn't that require a new contract to be signed?) She said my parents tried to make me out to be the bad guy for making them return the vacuum cleaner when they had worked so hard all their lives to buy what they wanted. (Words my parents deny saying and words that don't sound like anything they would say.) My mother NEVER received the demo gift of free steak knives that were promised. Dawn said that Aqua Solutions salespeople decide what gift to give at demos (of course, that was never mentioned up front) regardless, they don't offer steak-knives now) - can you say, "bait & switch"?. Donna said she left a vacation coupon in a white envelope on my parents' kitchen table - which she did not. Dawn stated that since my parents had a guardian they forgot and threw it away. Dawn refused to talk to my mother (though her name is on the check) because she "didn't want to get in the middle" but told me she would send a check for $150 that day to my parents minus the $50 restocking fee the salesperson never mentioned and I've since learned isn't even in the contract. I told Dawn to include the vacation coupon (even though my 85-year old father and 77-year old mother were in no condition to travel anywhere) since they were entitled to it and Dawn said she would have to charge my parents $30 because she'd have to void the coupon they never received. I told her to keep the coupon and send the deposit check. Instead of receiving the check as promised, Dawn responded to the BBB complaint by asking for a Power of Attorney from my father appointing me as his POA during the time the contract was signed in November 2010. I provided the POA to the BBB to fax to Aqua Solutions. Aqua Solutions did not respond to the complaint and the BBB closed the complaint as "unresolved". The Nevada State Department of Aging & Disability also attempted to resolve this and was told by Alexis told the representative that they did not know where to send the $150 check but mailed it. I asked the representative if she could obtain a copy of the check to see the date it was supposedly mailed. No check copy was provided by Aqua Solutions. The rep called me to see if Aqua Solutions had contacted me and I told her 'no' - she called Aqua Solutions again and Alexis told her she would give the 2nd message to the Distributor. On 7/27/2011 - I contacted the Rexaire Area Supervisor who contacted Dawn Adair and was told she hadn't spoken to anyone in 3 months. Regardless she said she would mail a check for $200 today. I requested it include the $15 mailing fees. The Supervisor asked me to contact him and let him know whether or not a check was received. As of today, 8/3/2011, no check has been received. At this point, I can only conclude by their actions that: 1. Aqua Solutions purposely defrauded my elderly parents 2. They have stolen the $200 deposit so I will file a police report for fraud and theft. .3. They used the "bait & switch" tactic regarding the steak knives gift that my parents never received. Please avoid this company like the plague and warn your friends and family!