Beltone Hearing Aids

Ken of Emerson, MB October 29, 2009

My father purchased his hearing aids 6 years ago from Beltone and has had nothing but problems with them - they have been rebuilt costing him hundreds of dollars and now today just got an estimnate back from Beltone telling us that because the aid is more than 5 years old rather that costing 375 to repair the new estimate is 625 because they have to look for parts. Does this mean that Beltone thinks we should change the hearing aids evry 5 years - what a bunch of crap - if I ever need hearing aids it will certainly not be Beltone that I will go to

PAUL of CLERMONT, FL October 6, 2009

At first I went this Beltone store in January 2009 to try out their hearing aid. After I try them out most their hair aid does not fit right. I could't hear anything just blocking my hear canal that I told him about this is problems but he shave off end of the hearing aid so fit in right. So 1 wk I came back on almost every Monday I got the way. I got sick of it. I told him I want the money back. He said is under store policy.

Well I research on my computer I find this is a law is call "Grace Act Law". They must refund or exchange it another hearing aid. But he said no way. So I told him ok then I will see him in court. This last hearing aid is so much problem this is top of the line. Let see that will work,

"No" did't work because is still blocking my ear canal and wired stick out and I did't not know and this hearing aid almost came out of my ear. Some sore out side my ear get wet. This is my first time went through this. I been wearing hearing aid since I was 9. Today I am 57. This is so bad. Now I am not wearing only go to church I have to hear. I even hard time hearing my girlfriend. She get made at me. I really hate this. What a rip off. What can I do now? Made my inter canal red & sore.

robert of phoenix, AZ September 9, 2009

I have been trying to get beltone A. Whitmore to fit me with a pair of hearing aids for over a year now. He keeps telling me that I need to get used to them. I have returned the aids so many times I have lost count. In the first 90 days He had them more than I did. It was not until almost 10 months into the exchange, refit, adjust, make new ones, refit etc etc that he told me that I only had 90 days to be able to get my money back.

I again have a new pair and this time the company sent them to me with NO batteries and no way of adjusting them and they are NOT the type I originally was told I was buying. I also have a card from the company telling me that the warranty ends in feb. of 2010. I have now contacted the BBB and they are trying to get A. Whitmore to refund my money. I do not think even they will have any luck as I have been told by 12 on your side that each hearing aid center from beltone is individually owned and operated and they seem to be able to do whatever they want. Does this also mean that they can stick it to the consumer if they want to?

I have paid A. Whitmore 5400.00 for the pair and an additional 26.00 for a dryer for them as Whitmore told me because I sweat so much that I needed to by this dryer to keep the aids dry. He also told me that I should NOT wear them during the day when I would be sweating so much (If possible) I thought that is why I was buying them and I told him the same, to be able to wear them all day long.

I also complained about the batteries not lasting more than a few days. I made it very clear that my previous aid would not need to have the batteries replaced more than 30 to 36 days. He said that 4 to 7 days was normal for hearing aid batteries. NOTHING he has done has worked. I just want my money back. Is there anything that can be done?

I forgot to tell you that when I went into him I did have a hearing aid in my right ear but it finally gave out after about 5 years and this is why I went to him. The original aid was also a beltone. I have talked to A. Whitmore and he is only upset that I went to 12 on your side and then to the BBB about this problem.

John of Memphis, TN September 4, 2009

On 03/30/2009 I contracted to buy a hearing aid from Beltone Hearing Aides of Memphis through their Bartlett TN office. The price for this device was 3095.00 I made a downpayment that date of 295.00 I was told at that time and on several other occasions that if I was not satisfied I could return the device and have my money refunded. The hearing aid was never able to provide satisfactory results despite numerous attempts to tune it and affix it in my ear canal properly. Once I left the office where it was calibrated, it failed to perform in real world environments. I could not even hear a person talking to me from 5 feet away. I continually expressed my dissatisfaction to the Beltone representative and each time was told that "sometimes it takes a while to get used to it" and that "what I needed was a different piece of equipment" or that "perhaps we should recalibrate it". The first Beltone representative finally passed me off to the owner of the Memphis Beltone (her sister) in desperation. I went through another three weeks of dissatisfaction with the hearing aid and finally declared I had enough and that I was returning the device.

After returning the device, and Only after returning the device, I was told of the applicable "fitting fees". These fees are nowhere in my signed contract and are twice the amount stated for the return of merchandise. Over the course of this purchase and return, I made an additional 4 payments of 77.00 each for a total outlay of 603.00 which has been held by Beltone of Memphis. I was told (after the final return) that I was being charged "fitting fees" that were 10% the first month 15% the second month and 20% the third month. This is nowhere in my signed contract. This company (a franchise) pushes the most expensive hearing aid they have and then drags out the adjustment process in an effort to retain the most money they can. I was Never shown a less expensive hearing aid, even though my hearing loss is not bad enough to demand the most expensive device. I am now out 603.00 for a hearing aid that I do not have and that never produced satisfactory results. I contacted the Beltone corporation and was told that each franchisee can assess whatever fees they wish.

Ted of Lynchburg, VA August 10, 2009

Paid over 5.000 for hearing aids about 2 yrs ago. I can't hear any one talking for other people talking on the other side of the room. Bern will take them and fix then they way he thinks they should work not the way I ask him. They are never rite. I have been back at least 50 times. Now he said he does not know what to do. Should I get my money back!!!

william of Mount Washington, KY July 11, 2009

I purchased beltone hearing aids from a beltone rep in middletown Ky. I notice I was not hearing anything in the right ear. So whe I went to take them in for repair the office wen out of Business. I found a dealer in clarksville indiana and that said the right one was not working and sent it back for repair. I took them 3 weeks to find it. and know i have had in back for 1 week and it has nothing but static in the right ear and the batteries last less than a week

Peter of Pompano Beach, FL June 9, 2009

Answered an add for free hearing test and free two week hearing aid trial. After filling out several forms, I was informed that the Beltone Hearing Center was out of free trial hearing aids and high pressured to buy a hearing aid. I DID NOT BUY AND IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME.

Dorothy of Hollis, ME March 30, 2009

Dorothy of Hollis ME (03/30/09)
I paid alot of money for this hearing aid and I went back several times after I received because I still couldn't hear, I gave up. I went back last week and they told me it was not working and they would fix it. I got it back Friday saying it had been fixed, It had not. I still can not hear with. I also find that other people have only paid 800. or 900 for the same thing that I have aNd I paid 1600. I think it is out rageouse. I will never buy another Beltone and will not recommend it

Phil of Parrish, FL March 11, 2009