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.

Pete of Fatetteville NC (06/23/08)
We have had repeated problems with American Homeshield. I wish I had read the similar complaints listed on this site sooner, as I have been continually excusing their poor service and accepting the runaround in an effort to be fair.

My HVAC unit is original to the house, which is 23 years old. We started having problems with it about 2 years ago, with components failing and being replaced by AHS contract companies. In fact, the companies they send out appear to be competent and friendly, but each service order takes a week or more to get someone to diagnose the problem, get AHS to verify the work order, then get parts ordered and get the technician back out to do the repair. The technician blames AHS, and AHS puts the blame back on the contractors, all the while quoting their service agreement and the associated fine print contained therein.

They alternate between two service companies who are unaware of the other's previous repairs, so each service technician is unaware that another company has replaced the compressor or other components and assumes it is the first event. AHS claims that if the technician determines that the whole system is in need of replacement, he or she may suggest it, but how would they know if I didn't tell them that the same part has been replaced within the last 6 months?

Thus far, my heat pump and associated components have failed over 7 times in 24 months and each time it is the same hassle. When I called AHS, I get a customer support operator who does her best to run interference between me and any supervisors, before begrudgingly sending my call elsewhere. We have been promised call-backs and received none, and on several occasions been treated as though we were making a bigger deal out of not having heat or cooling during the hottest or coldest possible months. I'm fed up, frankly. Anyone up for a class-action lawsuit?

B. A. Hendrickson of Pahrump, NV June 20, 2008

B. of Pahrump NV (06/20/08)
Last year my A/C died during July in the desert. It took 2 weeks for AHS to replace it because they refused to use a local contractor, but insisted they had to ship one they got wholesale from their warehouse. Also, I paid extra for the new SEER 13 upgrade, but they put in an older model saying they were off the hook for the Seer 13 as long as they had the older, less efficient model in their warehouse. So I spent 2 weeks without A/C in 104 degree heat. On top of that, I am permanelty handicapped - I had to fight with them the entire two weeks to get the replacement even then. Originally, they had no idea how long it would take - up to a month.

Now, I am having electrical problems and the wiring/breakers are acting up because of the age of the home. So I went for 3 days with no A/C in 107 heat because half the house had no power. Again, it was a non-top battle with them - they were going to send a Vegas contractor out who wasn't going to come to Pahrump until they had more than one job. I was going to have to wait again at least a week with no power or A/C. It took from Tuesday to Friday for me to finally get them to ok a local contractor. Now they also won't fix the source of the problem, just a temp fix AND I had to pay the contractor for all of it up front and wait for reimbursement.

As soon as I get my check back, I'm canceling the policy and going with another company. Every technician I have ever worked with has terrible things to say about AHS. This time, the tech argued with AHS because they kept twisting his words.

The heat, the stress of all of this takes a toil on my health. Also, since this is underlying electrical issue that they refuse to fix, I am concerned that it will cause a fire. Then there is the time away from work - I work form home, but I don't get ANY work done when I have to be on the phone with these people for hours.

Ann Nerney of Colleyville, TX June 17, 2008

Ann of Colleyville TX (06/17/08)
American Home Shield has taken my timely payments for a few years now. On Monday, June 8th, my AC went out. I live in Texas where temperatures have been in the mid-90s all week. On Tuesday, I called AMS. On Wednesday Circle J Heating and Air came out, and diagnosed the problem, needing to order a part. I called Circle J on Thursday and the paperwork was nowhere to be found. No return calls.

On Friday, when Circle J still couldn't find the paperwork, I called AMS and requested a new company. I was told, in essence that I need to put up with the crummy service - they will not replace the company. I left a message for Circle J's scheduler, the supervisor, and the owner of the company. I left another message for AMS for a manager to call me. It is now Monday, June 16th at 9:40pm, and it is 91.9 degress INSIDE my house. This does not qualify as an emergency, I am told. I have not spoken to anyone from Circle J since last Friday when I left the messages, and AMS tells me that they will still not give me a new company to do the work.

This is the most incredible and ridiculous situation that could ever occur! If I DID NOT have this warranty, my home would be cool and comfortable right now because I can certainly find an AC quy in the DFW metroplex that would like some additional work! Because I have a warranty and would like to claim on the dollars I have paid into it, I am getting no service at all. If you have an attorney that would lilke to handle this, I would LOVE to speak with him/her!

Unlivable house, with no phone calls, satisfaction, or any promise of this ever being taken care of.

Teresa Holt of San Antonio, TX June 16, 2008

Teresa of San Antonio TX (06/16/08)
Hot water heater valve broke and all water was draining out of the water heater. AHS would not treat as emergency. The company they sent was late, did not have proper tools to complete the job and never provided a receipt. The came out on Friday 4/18 and I paid the 55 fee to that company (1st Texas Plumbing). They technician said he would try to come Saturday to finish the job. He did not come and I had to call to find that out, he said he would be there first thing Monday (4/21) morning. He didn't show and I called and he said his boss wouldn't let him come because he other assignments.

No one called and I was missing work. I called the boss and they said the would come out on Tuesday 4/22. The same technician was again late but finally finished the job and still had no receipt. Now I keep getting bills from AHS because this company is trying to get another 55 because they came twice, not my fault that they don't carry the correct tools. I have been called AHS for 2 months to get this taken care of. 1st Texas Plumbing won't return AHS' phone calls, but AHS keeps billing me. They won't allow me to email the a copy of the front and back of the check, this is 2008 and I can't email them.

I have asked for a manager to call me back because the AHS reps aren't taking care of anything. No manager has called even though they say one will call within 48 hours, it has been 5 days. I have wasted a lot of time trying to straighten this out but AHS seems unwilling to listen to me or take care of this, but they have no problem with sending me bills that I will not pay!

Time and energy wasted calling them and nothing being done. They keep billing me for the second service fee that this company is not due.

Frank of Wilsonville, AL June 16, 2008

Frank of Wilsonville AL (06/16/08)
Finally got second AC comnpany out to look at our unit. This only took four more calls with the AC co., and three more with AHS - had to force the work order info to be re-emailed to AC co. for third time - never really sure AHS sent 1st 2 times, since AC co. never rcv'd - 3rd time I MADE AHS email to me and AC co. at same time, and MADE AHS stay on phone with me until I received work order email

AC co. showed up once all was clear, and fixed a relatively minor issue. I only pd the 55 as I was supposed to, and it was over quickly. Question is: WHY DID I HAVE TO BATTLE FOR OVER A WEEK TO GET THIS DONE?

Michael Troy Irwin of Spring Hill, TN June 16, 2008

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