For months, a Valley senior said she was left without a functioning microwave, waiting for her appliance warranty service to send a person to install a replacement microwave.
The wait dragged on until the Let ABC15 Know team stepped in. Carolyn needs her microwave. She said she was having a problem with her microwave door.
“I have to push it real hard for it to close,” said Carolyn.
She says she reached out to her appliance service company; she has been a loyal customer. “We always used Sears, and I had no problems,” said Carolyn.
First, the company agreed to replace the door, but it took a long time for the door to arrive. “June, nothing came. May, nothing came. August, nothing came,” said Carolyn.
Finally, Carolyn received a letter in the mail from Sears Home Services about her Maintenance Protection Agreement saying the part was no longer available so she would receive a brand-new microwave.
The new microwave was delivered to her home, but that was it.
Carolyn said, “Nobody picked your ticket up, (to have the microwave installed.)” Carolyn was told it would take three months for someone to install her new microwave.
“I said no, no this is no good because I’m going to take a vacation now!” she said.
The company did give the option to find her own installer, and they would reimburse her. That’s what Carolyn did.
Carolyn said she paid for installation service, through another company, a total of $329.
However, when she asked for reimbursement, she said her Master Protection Service with Sears Homes Services would only pay the standard reimbursement is $180.00.
Carolyn said the company couldn’t reimburse her the full amount of the installation service.
She reached out to Let ABC15 Know for help. We reached out to the company, and in good faith, they agreed to refund Carolyn the full amount.
According to a spokesperson, Sears Holdings Corp. filed bankruptcy in October 2018, and in February 2019, was acquired by Transformco. Eddie Lampert oversees the company and has been the CEO of SHC. The transition happened but the company is still under Sears Home Services.
Note: The following statement reflects a response to a separate case not mentioned in this story.
In a part statement from Eileen Jaffe, Senior Manager, Customer Experience, of Sears Home Services:
“At Sears Home Services, our top priority is the satisfaction of our customers. We regret the difficulty both of these customers encountered when they were seeking a resolution to their issues.
With Ms. (Carolyn), we had delivered her replacement item, but we were unable to find an installer in her area. We did resolve the issue for her by sending her a check to reimburse her for the amount she was charged to have the contractor of her choice complete the installation.
We apologize to both Ms. (Carolyn) and Ms. (sic) for not meeting the expectations they had when they initially contacted us with their problems.”
Know What’s in Your Plan
Consumers with appliance service plans or warranties should make sure they know what’s covered under their plan.
If you must take pay for services and be reimbursed later, for the expense of a repair or installment service, double-check with the plan to make sure you know how much the company will offer for reimbursement.
Also, if you need a repair, replacement, or reimbursement follow the company’s instructions exactly. Any mistake gives them an excuse not to pay.
