Friendly Fires Peterborough - Customer Service
While my experience below was less than I expected, Friendly Fires pulled out all the stops to make things right. On January 30th Jason came and went to work to meticulously dismantle the fireplace and reinstall everything including the addition of a power vent. Working outside in minus 24 Celsius weather and four feet of snow they installed the power vent while inside making the necessary changes to make it all work. All at no additional cost to me and resulting in a much more efficient venting and lively flame in the firebox. Kudos to Friendly Fires for going the extra mile to make things right. My rating has moved fro 1 star to 5
Outlined below is my experience with Friendly Fires in Peterborough, Ontario, detailing the challenges faced during the purchase and installation of a propane fireplace.
Purchase and Initial Communication
• On September 20th we paid a 50% deposit for a propane fireplace, with an initial installation date set for mid-November, pending an on-site inspection.
• After the inspection, it was determined that the chosen fireplace model would not accommodate a TV above it due to clearance issues, leading to internal discussions at Friendly Fires about potential exemptions to manufacturer specifications. Time taken by Friendly Fires to make a determination delayed the entire process and caused us to look for alternatives.
• We researched alternatives and selected a different fireplace model, which was ordered after further assessment. Manufacturer specifications for alternate model met our requirements to have a TV installed above it.
Installation Delays and Responsibilities
• The installation date was initially pushed to December 8 due to the model change, but after escalation, it was moved back to November 17.
• I was surprised to learn of my responsibilities for framing and electrical work, which had not been communicated earlier, resulting in unnecessary expenses on my part.
• Installation challenges arose during venting of the unit, with subcontractors lacking necessary plans, raising safety concerns for me.
Follow-Up and Customer Service Issues
• We experienced poor communication and inconsistent information from staff, leading to multiple follow-up requests for clarification on outstanding issues.
• A telephone meeting with the GM highlighted the need for improved communication practices within the team.
• Subsequent installation of porcelain liners was scheduled, but further delays and lack of responses continue to frustrate us. Despite an undertaking to expedite the needed work and provide a date for same remains outstanding as at January 25, 2026 .
Conclusions and Recommendations
• My review identifies ineffective communication and unclear customer responsibilities as major issues.
• Recommendations include providing communication training for staff, clear written guidelines be provided to customers at the time of purchase and establishing standards for follow-up communications to keep customers informed as to status and progress.
• More than 70 days have passed since the initial installation, and we do not yet have a working fireplace due to work still to be completed. Nor do we have a scheduled timeline for same.
• Having paid the balance owing in full on November 21st we have little leverage to get all work completed.