Southern California-based plumbing company Rooter Hero is in hot water after multiple complaints to the state over five years. In 2021, the company was already ordered to repay tens of thousands of dollars to customers in Northern California. Now the California Attorney General’s Office is recommending the company’s license be revoked. Two years ago, Paula Johnson and Bill Heberle called Rooter Hero to fix a strong sewer gas smell at their Auburn home. “They said listen, you guys have a major, major issue here,” Heberle said. “There was maggots, there was sinkholes, they were clogged with tree roots,” added Johnson. The quote to fix it was $50,000. “I have no idea what it would cost to do something like this,” Johnson said. “I’m thinking well then, 50 sounds pretty good I guess.” Heberle signed the contract. But they say concerns crept in right away. “I’m just the guy, I’ve done this my whole life, I just sign,” Heberle said. “Expecting the guy was telling the truth.” According to state investigators, the technician was not a registered home improvement salesperson as required. And the Contractors State License Board says a permit for the project was never pulled. Their complaint is detailed in a formal accusation against Rooter Hero filed by the Attorney General’s Office on July 17, recommending the company’s license be suspended or revoked. Other complaints in the accusation include a Sacramento homeowner told by Rooter Hero her pipes were “leaking profusely and had to be replaced right away or they would explode.” According to the complaint, a second opinion stated no leaks were found. “I’m not one ever to complain but these guys should be held accountable,” Heberle said. He’s not the only homeowner demanding action. A separate accusation from 2021 details jobs as far back as 2018, with Rooter Hero completing a $41,000 contract, and “the value of that work was a total of $6,000.” According to the 2021 accusation, in 2019 the company “willfully or fraudulently overcharged for work that was not required, causing a substantial injury … in the amount of $19,454.55.” As part of the resulting settlement, according to the CSLB, the company was ordered to pay back $170,000 to 10 different consumers. “It’s a wake-up call,” Heberle said. “I figure okay, I’m going to work another four years, okay 70, hopefully I can retire, but now after hearing this I go wait a sec … ‘cause I was hoping to have everything paid off.” As Johnson and Heberle wait to hear the outcome of their accusation and make payments on their own project, they’re hoping other homeowners are diligent, with extra research and second or third opinions. “Listen, if we would have waited one more day …” says Heberle. “You should get three quotes like they always say. Three quotes.” Johnson adds, “I’m a fighter. If I believe there’s something wrong, I’ll fight tooth and nail. Because I do, I think we were wronged.” KCRA reached out to Rooter Hero to request an interview to respond to the concerns from customers. An email response from Bruce Rudman with the Law Offices of Abdulaziz, Grossbart & Rudman reads, “Rooter Hero has fully cooperated with the CSLB investigation and has filed a Request for Review seeking to contest the allegations. Since this is an ongoing investigation, it is our policy that we will not comment on the specifics of the matter. I can say that Rooter Hero performs tens of thousands of service calls per year in California and refutes any claims of wrongdoing.”
Southern California-based plumbing company Rooter Hero is in hot water after multiple complaints to the state over five years.
In 2021, the company was already ordered to repay tens of thousands of dollars to customers in Northern California. Now the California Attorney General’s Office is recommending the company’s license be revoked.
Two years ago, Paula Johnson and Bill Heberle called Rooter Hero to fix a strong sewer gas smell at their Auburn home.
“They said listen, you guys have a major, major issue here,” Heberle said.
“There was maggots, there was sinkholes, they were clogged with tree roots,” added Johnson.
The quote to fix it was $50,000. “I have no idea what it would cost to do something like this,” Johnson said. “I’m thinking well then, 50 sounds pretty good I guess.”
Heberle signed the contract. But they say concerns crept in right away.
“I’m just the guy, I’ve done this my whole life, I just sign,” Heberle said. “Expecting the guy was telling the truth.”
According to state investigators, the technician was not a registered home improvement salesperson as required. And the Contractors State License Board says a permit for the project was never pulled.
Their complaint is detailed in a formal accusation against Rooter Hero filed by the Attorney General’s Office on July 17, recommending the company’s license be suspended or revoked.
Other complaints in the accusation include a Sacramento homeowner told by Rooter Hero her pipes were “leaking profusely and had to be replaced right away or they would explode.” According to the complaint, a second opinion stated no leaks were found.
“I’m not one ever to complain but these guys should be held accountable,” Heberle said.
He’s not the only homeowner demanding action. A separate accusation from 2021 details jobs as far back as 2018, with Rooter Hero completing a $41,000 contract, and “the value of that work was a total of $6,000.”
According to the 2021 accusation, in 2019 the company “willfully or fraudulently overcharged for work that was not required, causing a substantial injury … in the amount of $19,454.55.”
As part of the resulting settlement, according to the CSLB, the company was ordered to pay back $170,000 to 10 different consumers.
“It’s a wake-up call,” Heberle said. “I figure okay, I’m going to work another four years, okay 70, hopefully I can retire, but now after hearing this I go wait a sec … ‘cause I was hoping to have everything paid off.”
As Johnson and Heberle wait to hear the outcome of their accusation and make payments on their own project, they’re hoping other homeowners are diligent, with extra research and second or third opinions.
“Listen, if we would have waited one more day …” says Heberle. “You should get three quotes like they always say. Three quotes.”
Johnson adds, “I’m a fighter. If I believe there’s something wrong, I’ll fight tooth and nail. Because I do, I think we were wronged.”
KCRA reached out to Rooter Hero to request an interview to respond to the concerns from customers.
An email response from Bruce Rudman with the Law Offices of Abdulaziz, Grossbart & Rudman reads, “Rooter Hero has fully cooperated with the CSLB investigation and has filed a Request for Review seeking to contest the allegations. Since this is an ongoing investigation, it is our policy that we will not comment on the specifics of the matter. I can say that Rooter Hero performs tens of thousands of service calls per year in California and refutes any claims of wrongdoing.”
