American Home Shield

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Home Warranties • American Home Shield • Buyers Home Warranty • Choice Home Warranty • First American Home Warranty • Home Warranty of America • National Home Protection • Nationwide Home Warranty • Old Republic --- • Home Warranties Not Always What They Seem • Old Republic Responds • Think Twice Before Buying an Extended Warranty --- • Home Warranties Not Always What They Seem

It seems like a good idea -- prepaid home maintenance, basically a service contract or extended warranty on your house.

The AHS booklet states, "Commitment to your total satisfaction"� "That's why we back every job we do with the unique money-back guarantee shown on the back of your home warranty" ... "AHS guarantees that all approved covered service repairs will be completed to your satisfaction. If for any reason you are not satisfied with that service received, we will work with you until you are satisfied or we will refund the trade service fee."

Unfortunately, consumers tell us it often doesn't work out that way, as David Wood reports in his report, . The complaints to the right break it all down into neat little categories ... whereas those below sort of sum it up.

Kousheh of Thousand Oaks, CA August 2, 2009

We recently purchased a house and American Home Shield(AHS) warranty was sold to us in escrow. Needless to say we are having problems with them and plan to take legal action.

Susan of Fairview, NC August 1, 2009

We purchased a home in 2004 where seller provided a home warranty with American Home Shield. We decided to renew after one year thinking it would be a good idea and continued the coverage through to 2009 paying over 500 per year for 4 years. In July of 2009 our built in oven stopped working. We called Am. Home Shield and they sent out a sevice man to whom we paid 60.00. We were told that parts were not available so we were allowed to get a "replacement" oven.

Am. Home Shield recommended a GE oven valued at 580.00 stating that was all they would offer to us, (which upon delivery and their serviceman trying to install it DID NOT FIT my space). They then charged me a restocking fee of just under 200 to return the GE oven they recommended.

So now after being into this almost 300 dollars I will end up with a net replacement value of about 280.00 for a wall oven. Wall ovens actually cost at least 800 and up. Had we not wasted our money with American Home Shield we could have purchased a state of the art oven and still been ahead. AMerican Home Shield say they offer replacement of appliances, but in my case they just sent the least expensive unit they could find.

As a result of American Home Shield misrepresenting thier coverage we spent over 2000 in premiums with them and ended up getting 280. to replace a wall oven. We now are purchasing a new unit which will run about 1,400. Looks to me we are out about 3,400, the premium dollars we wasted plus the cost of a new unit that will fit our space. I would like to sue them, however, they know that most people will not sue over small amounts of money because it is economically impractical. I am filing this complaint hoping other consumers will not do business with this company

Lori of Plano, TX July 31, 2009

On Tuesday I reported that my garbage disposal was not functioning. I was told that a contractor would arrive on that following Friday. On Friday the technician arrived, failed to introduce himself and proceeded to my kitchen. I sat patiently in the adjoining living room and approx. 5 minutes later (after alot of clattering and clanging around) , he called me to the kitchen, shone a flashlight into the disposal and asked me if I knew what the green piece of plastic was. The piece of plastic was 2 cm in length and lime green and was sitting freely in the disposal. He left for a brief time and when he came back into the house, he told me that AHS had denied the claim based on the assumption the plastic caused the motor to burn out.

When I asked for his name and name of his company he jerked his clipboard away. He gave me the option of not paying the 60.00 service fee, but if I wanted the information , I would have to pay the 60.00. I paid him the fee, and wrote a rebuttal on the paper--a copy for me and one for him. I reported this to AHS, and after holding for 20 minutes, was told that I could receive a second opinion. I am currently waiting for a second opinion. After the technician left, I went back to the sink with a digital camera and flashlight to take a picture of the evidence and it was no longer there. I should have never let this tech out of my sight. I believe AHS and this technician are fraudulent, and I intend to follow through on this.

Shamika of Houston, TX July 29, 2009

First, I have had AHS for 15 years and it DOES work IF you are intelligent and manage them properly. I don't doubt any of the stories listed here at all, in fact I use to experience this myself with them. Be forceful, demanding and don't let them push you to a "non covered" situation.

Currently, they owe me a very large refund for what one of their "robots" called non covered work. They said it was an inproper installation. The joke is that AHS is the one who inproperly installed the work and caused a fire ! But AHS destroys their internal records so, they could not idetify the previous repair. I had my proof, submitted it and was told I'd be reimbursed promptly. 3 months later, numerous phone calls, excuses, more stupid phone people and -0- has been sent to me.

A friend told me her a/c guy told her he has not been paid by AHS for 4 months and won't do work. I asked AHS if they had financial problems and they deny and said it is a contractor that apparently is mad about something ( yeh, he has not been paid either! ). Told them his story matches mine and all I know is 3 months later, many promises and lies and no money.

So beware, the warranty does work, but its not easy to use. PS- my neighbor got cancelled from AHS for "over usage", so don't think you can get a lot repaired on their nickel-- they watch their own money closely and will cancel you if things go in the wrong direction for their company. Too bad they don't care as much for their customers concerns.

Carol of Saint David, AZ July 29, 2009

The seller purchased AHS to protect the us, especially the heat pump (a/c unit). The condenser went out & we called the AHS thinking that their slogan "your comfort" would be honored. Not only did they not return calls, they requested a 2nd opinion & then the request went to a review board. The temperature inside our house was in excess of 95.6 degrees with the outside temperature @ 110 degrees. AHS finally decided to ship a condenser from Georgia to Arizona with a destination time unknown.

We went without air conditioning for 5 days before we had to make other arrangements to get some relief. Not one single time did a representative from AHS call to advise us of times, dates or decisions. I will not recommend this company to anyone thinking this is a safety net. AHS has been frustrating to work with and has no intention of compensating their customers in any way.

We are in the 60+ age group and were not treated with any respect for the live conditions we were forced to endure. A 2-3 week timeframe is unacceptable. After going for 5 days without any relief or resolution from AHS we were forced to purchase a new heatpump unit at the cost of 6,000.

Mikki of Port Arthur, TX July 29, 2009

I was told my home came with a warranty that would cover any issues. My AC was a specific concern since it was very old. They said they especially covered it, they would maintain it and if it died they'd replace it at full cost minus my co-pay. The AC died and they said they wouldn't replace it because that type of AC wasn't covered. They said to renew my policy and the new policy would cover that AC/Heater Unit. I renewed my policy and they said #1 it was pre-existing so of course they wouldn't fix it, even though they pressured me to buy a new policy so they could repair it. #2 They said it was electrical not AC. #4 Electrical people they sent out came and said it's AC, not electrical. I have had no heat or ac since last fall.

My warranty covers improper installation. We discovered that the gas piping for the house was incorrectly done in copper and is not safe. AHS sent plumbers out, the plumber said that the pipe was dangerous but AHS would not repair it because it was the whole house and would cost too much. One way after another they have ripped me off.

Vladimir of Baltimore, MD July 28, 2009

Do not buy AHS warranty. Their advertising is misleading you to think that you will be covered, when in fact when something does break down they often find a way to deny the repairs. There are thousands and thousands complaints about them on the web. I signed a conract with them 2 months ago and now I regret about it. Do not repeat my mistake. When my Air Conditioning unit started leaking and flooding my neighbour downstairs I called AHS to request service. An AC contractor came the next day, inspected my AC and identified the problem - leaking collector pan. He charged me my 60 deductable and told me to wait for AHS authorization. I asked him how much these repairs would cost me if I had to pay myself, he said 500 - 800. At that moment I was so glad I had AHS. How naive I was...

Few days after AHS called me and told me that they did authorize the repairs, but since that collector pan was no longer manufactured, they would have to install a different one, and in order for it to fit they would have to do some "modifications", for which I would have to pay 725. I tried to explain them that I did not request any modifications, and even if they are required to repair a leaking AC they should not be my problem and responsibility. I bought a warranty, then my AC which is covered under that warranty started to leak, why do I have to worry about how they should fix the leak? If for some reason they cannot repair my AC then they have to replace it. That's why it is called "warranty"! Why are they asking me to pay 725, what kind of "peace of mind" is that"? Now I see that AHS is a rip off. People warned me, I should have listened.

Sabrina of Kapolei, HI July 28, 2009

On June 30, 2009, my Range broke and I called AHS, at first everything seemed to be good and I thought what a good investment. The first company that was dispatched never called me or anything, so I called and he couldn't come out to repair my appliances, this was after 3 days. AHS never called me so I called to see what will happened, they dispatched another company and that company came out but couldn't repair my appliances. He recommended that Sears should be the repair company, so he called AHS to advise of the situation, this was July 24, 2009, as of today I still do have my stove working.

I called AHS again today because no one called me, so once again I had to call them. AHS is telling me that Sear's is not one of their provider and that I will have to pay up front and they will reimburse me and I can not fax or email invoice but send in the original invoice if I want to get my money back. I have a problem with that because who's to say they lost the invoice. Once again, I'm at their mercy. I've asked for a refund but they will only refund me for this month.

Tina of Wolfforth, TX July 27, 2009

In March 2009 we purchased a home and was told that we were getting an exceptional deal because it came with an AHS warranty to cover any issues that may come up with the home. Our issues started in May when we were having problems with the AC unit. It was not keeping the home at 74 degrees as the programmable thermostat was set. Instead it was ranging up to 82. We had 3 companies come out that AHS sent. First one told me that we were using the wrong style of air filter for the system. Said that Filtrete filters were not good for the Carrier system that we have. So we changed them out. Then the second guy that came out said that the dryer vent was blowing on the compressor causing it to over heat. Even though the website says the system is designed for extreme temperatures (except for west texas heat of 101 I am assuming). Third company that AHS sent out said that we were low on freon - upon this statement he went back outside and said our valve was bad which he replaced. We paid 60 to each one of these companies and within two days were having the same issues.

Finally I contacted two seperate companies referred to me by my realtor. They each one told me that our system (compressor) had gone bad. I contacted a third company and they told me the same thing. Low and behold we had a new system installed and used the Filtrete filters and my dryer is still running on the unit and it is keeping the house at 74 degrees. Too bad I was not able to get AHS to help me with this issue before I had 78 people in my home for a baby shower. I do not advise the purchase of AHS. After further investigation they contract with companies in our area that are below adequate therefore it is a waste of your money.

Debra of Montgomery, AL July 26, 2009

My home came with a home warranty. I purchased it in 2005. In 2006, I began paying the 500.00 annual premium. I didn't use the service at all in 2006 because I forgot I had it. In 2007, I paid 60.00 co-pay for them to repair the hot water heater. No repair was made and when they told AHS that I needed a new one, they refused the request. If I had kept the 500.00 premium, I could have purchased a new water heater.

In 2008, I called again about no hot water. This time, the company said my hot water heater was too low gallon for my house. They said they would contact AHS; they never did. I paid 60.00 for the service request. In 2008, my shower started leaking. I paid 60.00 for them to come out. They replaced the faucet. A month later the shower was still leaking. They charged me another 60.00 and replaced THE REST of the faucet. Why wasn't the whole faucet replaced at once? I also paid 60.00 service fee to have AHS replace a garbage disposal.

In 2009, I called about the AC. I was charged 60.00 for the service call fee and told that the filter needed to be cleaned at a cost of 400.00 and AHS would not pay for it.

In all, I have spent 2000.00 in premiums, 300.00 in service cost fees, and received approximately 500.00 worth of work--the faucet and the garbage disposal. Remember, however, that I paid 300.00 in fees for the 500.00 worth of work so I really only received 200.00 worth of work.

If I have been putting that money in savings, I could have paid for my own work and used the companies I wanted to use instead of the shady companies suggested by AHS.

Sadly, I have decided not to use AHS anymore. If all their companies are going to say you have an uncovered problem, it is better just to put the 500.00 a year in a household savings account and pay for the repairs yourself. You also get to shop around and choose the company that you have heard good things about and does the work at the best price. AHS requires you to use their contracted companies.

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