Complaint Review: American Home Shield

Four years ago, after being solicited through my mortgage company, I signed onto AHS. For $39 a month, it promised to repair or replace any home appliances, as needed, after payment of a $55 deductible.

Over the years I found AHS tolerable, if less than competent. Whenever I had a problem--and it was rare--I'd be told a repairman would call me back within two hours. It never happened. Usually, I'd call AHS at least twice and finally be given the name of the repairman directly. He would come out, having to report to the company the problem by phone before commencing work, all of which took more time and trouble. He would almost never be the same person and therefore would never be acquainted with the history of what he was working on--making for yet longer delay and sometimes error.

Still and all, I eventually began to know how to work the system. I'd insist on the repairman's number straight-away and, if and when he still didn't show up (blaming AHS for their incompetence), I'd arrange my own repairman and bill AHS, as provided by the contract when more than a certain number of hours had elapsed. In short, I made AHS live up to its contract.

Not long thereafter, I receive a letter in the mail from a Kasie Gross telling me that for reasons unexplained my contract will not be renewed. There's no phone number so I call the AHS warranty number and am told that the only way I can find out the reason is by written letter, sent US mail, to AHS's General Counsel's Office! No e-mails, no phone calls. I say hell with them.

The month after I was to have been cancelled, I notice that my mortgage company is still paying AHS their $39. I call AHS and they say, oh no, that was for an earlier month, the mortgage company was late! The mortgage company denies it and, in fact, has scheduled yet another payment, saying that they have no notice that I have been cancelled!

Don't think AHS has heard the end of this story. But you have. Be forewarned.

Charles
Cambridge, Massachusetts
U.S.A.