The "DHE Haus- und Gebäudetechnik" provides several home services, like locksmiths, electricians and pest control. We receive frequent complaints about the trader.
According to the imprint, the company is situated in the German city Regensburg. However, consumers tell us that they weren't aware that the company is not Austrian, as they dialed a domestic phone number. The emergency service ranks very high in the results of search engines and advertises with low prices.
Bad service for a lot of money
There are several problems:
In some cases, the handyman doesn't come immediately, as promised, but puts the consumers off again and again. When they then decide to cancel the contract, they nevertheless receive a huge bill. Allegedly, the technician was already on his way and therefore the consumer would have to pay for the transit time as well as a cancellation fee.
If a handyman does show up, he often does a bad job or even produces more damage in order to claim more money.
In most cases, the prices suddenly rise. The company then argues with an extra fee for the emergency services. That would only apply - if at all - when the assigment was actually outside normal business hours. And even then, the trader would have to inform the consumer about the additional costs in advance.
The handymen then pressure the consumers to pay immediately in cash or otherwise they would undo all repairs or assemblings.
Tips of the ECC regarding emergency artisan services
Read reviews: We advise against taking the first company that you find online, even if it's an emergency. Take a little time to search for the company's name. It's a fast and easy way to find out whether it is a trustworthy provider. There are a lot of negative reviews and complaints about the "DHE Haus- und Gebäudetechnik" online.
Ask your household insurance: Do you need a locksmith or is there water damage in your appartment? In those cases, you can turn to your household insurance. Some offer to find a professional service for you and even cover a portion of the costs. Check the insurance policy to see if such a service is included.
Ask your house management: Your house management may also have tips for trustworthy handymen that they had good experiences with in the past.
Clarify details beforehand: Ask the company about the expected costs and if you can pay by invoice or receipt. If possible, tell them to confirm the details in writing, e.g. via e-mail.
Don't let them intimidate you: If the handymen pressure you and request a payment in cash, don't give in. Insist on a bill. If necessary, call the police.
Highly overpriced bill: Ask the respective guild. Maybe they can give you more information about the usual costs for the provided services. You could use their assessment to protest against the overpriced bill. For locksmith services, we recommend to contact the "Kuratorium für Einbruchsschutz und Objektsicherung" (KEO), which is an independent association that gives information about professional providers with a trustmark.
Please also read our article about locksmith services with seven important tips.
