Complaint Review: American Home Shield - Memphis Tennessee

I have used AHS since moving to TX in 2002.  Over the years, the monthly premium went up and the co-pay to the technicians went up. However, the quality of the work was always just a notch above Mickey Mouse.  I dutifully paid my premiums and had no issues with the company until 2012 when stuff actually started needing real repairs.  

First the microwave.  The AHS technician indicated that he agreed with my assessment that something was wrong with the magneto as the paint in the microwave is designed to stand up to certain termperatures and conditions, and it wasn't just the paint that was starting to melt, but the material underneath it was - literally - melting.  I heard the technician's conversation with AHS because he had it on speaker.  We clearly heard the AHS rep indicate that the customer would be getting a replacement unit.  Later on, when we expected a call for information about how the process works, we instead got a call from the same woman the technician talked to, who indicated that this was about paint failure, and that was not covered so they weren't going to do anything.  I escalated the issue - and stressed the potential danger to my children of a microwave that was heating to a point that it had melted the corner of the door and parts inside the unit.  We brought a small, emergency unit we had in box in the attic down and used that.  

Ultimately, AHS agreed with us but could not find a machine that would fit.  They sent us a check to cover the microwave and trim kit. But the microwave and trim kit cost much more than what AHS could get it for, and I did not appreciate that when AHS used the term "Replacement", it meant at the discounted price they could get it for. AHS agreed to send another $100 and we were able to buy a replacement machine and trim kit.  And we appreciated that courtesy and cooperation of AHS for coming through on what was, without question, a serious issue.

In October of the same year, 2012, I noticed the unmistakable smell of cat urine in an upstairs room.  But we do not have cats.  I moved a dresser where the smell was the strongest and the carpeting was soaked!  I had no idea where the water had come from but as the AC unit was housed in a large cabinet in the same room, I called AHS who sent an HVAC person.  The first HVAC person who came out said the water line was clogged and he would need to unclog it.  Not even five minutes later, he left with his mini-shop vac and that was that. But when I went upstairs, nothing seemed any different.  The carpeting was still soaking wet, the AC tray was still leaking and nothing seemed any different.  So I got my Rug Doctor to soak up the water when it became obvious that my Little Green Clean Machine was not up to the task.  The Rug Doctor had to be cleaned out three times.  I set a heater up to dry the carpet and figured all would be well the next morning. But when I went upstairs to turn off the heater I was shocked to find the carpeting was again soaking wet.  I called AHS who said they would send a plumber.  The plumber came out (another $75) and determined there was no plumbing problem, it was probably the AC unit.  So I called AHS again and told them what the plumber said.  They said they would send out the HVAC company again.  The same technician came out and mentioned that I should have a float switch on the line. This is an old house, I had no idea what a float switch was.  But as it appeared this float switch would have stopped this from happening, I authorized him to install it at my expense ($225).  I vacuumed up another two holding tanks of water with my Rug Doctor and put the heater back on.  The next morning, same thing. The carpet was soaked.  Now I was worried; how much could the floor/ceiling take?  I called AHS but they couldn't get anybody to come out until the next week.  

I started searching the ceilings downstairs to see if I could see water coming down.  In the guest bath I found it. It was a dark, wet splotch on the ceiling above the toilet.  It would have to wait until it was dry to determine if it would need to be replaced or..?

For the next week I regularly vacuumed up gallons and gallons of water, dealing with the stench of where a cat box used to be I assumed from the odor.  

On 10/15/12, a new HVAC company came out, ServiceTex. The first thing the technician told me was that the Float Switch that American Air had installed was in the wrong place. It's supposed to be on the drain side of the pee trap, not the side coming out of the unit. American Air had installed the float switch just a few inches outside of the AC unit.  Would that cause this problem I asked?  Oh yeah. And they only charge $125 to install float switches as most HVAC companies did.  And I found out he was telling me the truth when I called around to ask.  Not only had American Air installed the float switch in the wrong place, they had overcharged me by $100 for the honor.

ServiceTex removed the incorrectly placed float switch and had to cut and put back together all of the pvc pipe, make a new pee trap, and then install a new float switch on the ther side of the pee trap as it should have been.  Another $125 on me.  He completely vacuumed up the secondary pan and promised the problem was fixed.  

Skeptical, I vacuumed up all the water and put the heater down.  The next morning, it was dry!  Oh halleleujah it was dry!  Now, keeping in mind that I had spent $225 on a bad float switch install, $75 for the initial visit by American Air, $75 for the plumber to tell me noting plumbing related was happening, $125 for the new float swich, you would think that AHS got off pretty cheap since they don't do anything "code related". If I was going to go after my $225, AHS was not going to help, despite it being their contracted service provider who had done the job improperly.

I sent American Air a detailed letter complete with before and after pictures and received a check for $225 the following week.  And of course, through all of this, I was dealing with women (at all times) from corporate, such as Sharon Helmic, Karen Janning and Megan Hathcock.  Sharon went so far as to say to me "It was my pleasure serving you and having a part in helping to resolve your issue.  Please feel free to reach out to me in the future should the need arise.  Sharon"

The "need" did not arise again until May, 2013 when the washing machine stopped draining and I put in a call to AHS. They sent Sears to come.  The Sears tech was in the laundry room for all of five minutes and then left telling me he was a "clogged water pump".  $75.00 out.  When the problem re-occurred in July, I went online to request a follow-up.  That's when I discovered that my contract "expired" June 26, 2012 and was not auto-renewed.  So I called the company and had been told that my contract was "non-renewable". When I asked why I was told it was because AHS had spent too much money.  AHS spent too much money??  For what?  If anyone spent money, it was me!  Was it about the microwave?  Considering all the stuff they say they protect and cover, repair or replace, this was the ONLY time they'd had to replace an appliance. They did have to replace an AC compressor the previous year, but that, of course, as after five or six repair attempts.  So now I can't get a new warranty with AHS because they actually had to pay-out and cost them money.  Nevermind all the people who pay and never have problems.  For $56 a month and $75 per call, that's $126 per call that I am out of pocket.  What money were they out here?  Sending an HVAC guy that I overpaid? Sending a different HVAC guy who was competent and installed the float switch correctly - both at MY expense? Seriously?  

I don't know that there is a good home warranty company around. When we lived in CO, we used Blue Ribbon Home Warranty and they were awesome.  AHS, probably one of the biggest home warranty companies around is dropping me because I actually needed to have service.  Because they actually had to spend money to fix a problem they had been called out for previously and did not fix correctly.  In each situation where a second or third call was required, it was due to the fact that the first technician that AHS sent out was so grossly incompetent at his job, he did not properly repair the problem, requiring additional calls.  How is that my fault?

I can't recommend AHS to anybody; their monthly premiums went from $50 to $56 without any notice, just as I received no notice about non-renewal of my contract. Who does that?  Not even a note! The price the co-pay went from $60 to $75 without notice either.

They employ incompetent technicians, probably whoever gives the lowest bids and are not mindful that you always get what you pay for.  for the $125 per call, even if you made only 2 calls per year is $822 per year. You may find it cheaper to just put the money aside in a savings account for when you need it because the aggravation and frustration you will go through with AHS isn't worth it. 

I contacted Sharon Helmic, Karen Janning and Megan Hathcock via email - al of them.  To which Corporate had some guy named Wesley Barrasso call me to deliver the message that "The System" had generated the "non-renewal" determination and they have no control over the system.  Who does he think he's talking to?  I'm not a moron.  The people who run "the system" have the same power to overrride decisions made by "THE SYSTEM".  If all of what I went through for 2 calls in one year caused "THE SYSTEM" to determine that I should be "non-renewable", I shudder to think what others have to go through due to the false sense of security generated by a company that promises "Our home protection plan is a renewable service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances."  Well, that may be true for a percentage of customers, but the blanket statement above comes with caveats that are not even referenced by an asterisk.  It's not always "renewable" as I just found out and it only provides repair or replacement three (3) times.  After that, you're out of luck.