PHOENIX — It's the heat of the summer and the time of year when we usually start hearing about home warranty issues.
Air-conditioning systems break down and homeowners desperately need repairs they can't get through their warranty companies.
Betty has a warranty with American Home Shield. When her A/C went out, she says she called the company.
Yet, after three weeks of visits and calls, she still had no working A/C.
On the day we were at her house, it was 110 degrees.
"They ordered the part, then they didn't order the part," Betty says.
She says American Home Shield gave her a number of reasons for not repairing her system.
"It's always a different story. I don't understand," she says.
Betty says the company offered her hundreds to handle repairs, but it wasn't enough.
And she says they told her the part needed wasn't available.
"I know it's hard to get parts and that, but they should try to do something else, don't you think?" she asks.
Betty wonders if there's another issue.
Her warranty ended one week after her A/C broke down.
"They wanted me to renew it and I told them 'no' because they're not helping me right now, you know," she says.
When Betty let me know, we contacted American Home Shield.
They said, "we sincerely apologize for the delay and frustration." They said they're "working closely" with Betty.
And soon, their promises became real.
A crane removed her old A/C unit.
American Home Shield says the part needed for repairs is on backorder with the manufacturer. So, they replaced the unit with a brand new one.
"I couldn't believe it," Betty tells me.
She did agree to pay a small portion not covered by her warranty.
It's well worth it, she says, to no longer sweat inside on another 100-degree day.
"It feels great. You guys did a great job," Betty says.
American Home Shield says they also covered added costs not covered under her agreement.
Here is American Home Shield's full statement to abc15/Let Joe Know:
"Thank you for reaching out and allowing us the opportunity to review and resolve (Betty's) matter. We take great pride in providing quality service and valuable protection to our customers. If we fail to meet these expectations, we work to do the right thing and ensure the situation is properly resolved.
We sincerely apologize for the delay and frustration (Betty) has experienced. Our customer care team worked closely with (Betty) and replaced her full heat pump package unit, as the replacement part was on backorder with the manufacturer. As a gesture of goodwill, we also covered a portion of the additional costs associated with this work, which was not covered under her service agreement. In addition, we reimbursed (Betty) for alternative cooling, as well as her service fee. Our customer care team confirmed with (Betty) that her unit is properly working.
We deeply value our relationship with (Betty) and look forward to serving her in the future."
Before you buy a home warranty from anyone, check what's covered, what's excluded and read company reviews thoroughly.
Have you had similar home warranty issues with any company? Email me: joe@abc15.com
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