Complain about a product or service

American Home Shield
Air Conditioning

American Home Shield •Plumbing •Air Conditioning •Heat •Appliances •Water Heaters •Electrical Problems

W of Lubbock, TX (8/29/05)
I have a home warranty on my major appliances and heat/cooling system. The warranty cost me $500 a year, with a $50 service charge for each call. On Saturday I called for service on my air conditioner. The technician that American Home Shield (AHS) sent to look at the unit told me that it was old (30 years old) and inefficient. He said he would have to get an authorization to repair it and it might be more reasonable to replace it. The technician said he would get back with me on Monday and charged me $50.

AHS denied the claim because the unit needed to be cleaned. This is an outside unit and it has been windy, rainy, and hot and muggy.

This is August in Texas. My family has been at each other's throats because we are hot and uncomfortable. And I still have to buy another unit that I thought was covered under the warranty.

Fern of Tower Lakes, IL (8/28/05)
Currently, I am awaiting installation of an OFF BRAND 10 SEER air conditioning unit. Fortunately, the temperature has lowered to the tolerable low 80's. I have been told that the contract calls for AHS not to replace with the same or like brand, dimensions, or color air conditioner. We are furious because we feel that it could cause potential damage to the value of our house. Beside the $60 service call, I find that I will also have to pay $225 for the disconnect and recapture of the Freeon.

I am a Realtor, I have had AHS since the 1980's. I have sold AHS to clients, and I can say that I am probably not going to renew.

Jennifer of Springfield, VA (8/1/05):
I have been waiting, since the beginning of June, for my air conditioner to be replaced per my warranty agreement with American Home Shield.

AHS has sent four companies to look at the broken air conditioner and give a "second opinion" on replacing it. Of course I had to wait weeks in between these four visits. My new unit was supposedly ordered on July 11th - but here it is the beginning of August and the status is still unknown.

I have been calling AHS almost every day for two months, yet the customer service reps seem clueless as to my situation. I have, however, received at least SIX letters in the past two months reminding me that my policy will expire Aug 31, 2005 and to be sure to send in my payment for renewal!

Damages: I lost a rental tenant because of the heat; had to purchase a window AC unit and have wasted hours on phone calls and “second opinions”.

When the air conditioner began leaking, they sent someone out who cleaned out the line and said that if that did not fix the problem we probably needed a plumber to check the pipe. Two weeks later it began leaking again. When we called Home Shield and asked for a plumber they decided it was "IMPROPERLY INSTALLED" because is was OLD PIPE and they "only cover PVC pipe" ...

They told us we were entitled to a second opinion but if the second tech agreed with the first we would have to pay yet another 50.00 for the "service call". Since we were being told it was the pipe we declined. When I complained to the head of customer service that I felt this "improper install" business was a scam his response was to ask why we had kept Home Shield for over 5 years if we thought it was a scam and started reading me the history of our service calls...

When our water heater went out the guy they sent us wired it wrong. It shorted out and caused a fire. This was on a weekend so they refused to call it an emergency. When our dishwasher went out (the door catch would not lock to start the machine) the guy they sent was rude and said that because my husband had attempted to fix it first he was reporting it as "dishwasher abuse" and it would not be covered.

They came out several times on the dryer. It never stayed fixed and we ended up also buying a new dryer at our own expense.

Steve of Houston (4/14/03):
Refused to repair AC because two plastic "caps" were missing over two valves, one of which leaked at a joint and the other at the valve fitting itself. AHS demanded that I first locate and replace these caps (1977 AC Unit) before they would repair the unit, even though to do so they would have to replace the valves (the ones without the caps) -- caps and all! So what's the point of finding and replacing them if they were going to turn right around and discard them anyway?

The repairman who was out told AHS that the indoor evaporator coil (which had leaked all over the ceiling) was leaking and needed to be replaced as well. As it turned out, there was no leak in the evaporator coil at all! Instead, the water was coming from the ice on the evaporator coil because of the leaking freon caused by the faulty valves they refused to repair. In addition, they said they would replace the evaporator coil but that I would have to pay $300.00 myself to have it "fitted." Again, as it turned out, no such "fitting" was required. Again, the water leaked on to my ceiling because the hose was clogged. This was repaired by simply blowing air through it.

I am very disappointed with AHS who has been receiving my monthly payments for 5 years only to refuse to properly diagnose and repair my AC unit.

Because of this, I replaced the outdoor unit, the drain pan, and will still have to repair the sheet rock. The representatives at AHS were no helpful than a spurned IRS agent. I have spent $1,137 so far for what I thought I had purchased an AHS contract to protect me from. They used every loophole in the book to prevent having to pay for what would have been a simple repair. They get an F- in my book.

Connie of Dallas (4/7/03):
I contacted AHS about service to my A/C unit. I was informed that they would not service it due to the fact the routine maintance had not been performed. I was told when the work was perfomed I was to forward them a fax or mail a letter to them letting them know the work had been done. We contacted an A/C company to come out to perform the work the work was done and the information was sent to them. The next day I contacted AHS again to find out if they received the fax. I was told the information I sent was invalid. They still will not service my unit.

Our home is still without air. We have contacted another A/C company to repair the unit. We will spend $300 trying to get our unit serviced. That is the reason we invested in the warranty service to save money.

David of Santa Clarita CA writes (9/10/02):
My air conditioning problem has gone on for a year. It has transitioned 5 contractors, each one more disiterested or incompetent than the next. American Home Shield can only assign other contractors. CONTRACTOR #1: A year ago, 5am in the morning, my ceiling fell in. Water had acculmulated, dripping from my AC unit. Call to AHS, assigned to contractor. Contractor repaired AC in reasonable time. Also had my drywall repaired costing me ~$1,000 after home insureance deductable.

Three weeks later, I notice water dripping from my light switch again. CONTRACTOR #2: I call AHS. They send a new company as after 3 weeks it is a new job to AHS. My wall is not that badly damaged so I accept crack in newly repaired door jam. Contractor 2, slower than #1, repairs job. ~Four months later, my ceiling falls in again.

CONTRACTOR #3 AHS assigns work to new contractor. When I call this contractor, there is never a secretary or receptionist. I am talking to Leon, who is working out of his truck. I can rarely contact Leon and often leave messages that often are not returned. Leon never sends the same person to my house twice. It takes six different visits by 8 different people, some of whom speak no English, to finally repair my AC after two and one-half months. I do not repair the hole in my ceiling as I want to watch and see what happens. Two and one-half weeks later, water drips through the hole in the ceiling.

CONTRACTOR #4/ DISINTERESTED DENNIS AHS sends a fax to contractor #4. I give him a call and talk to Dennis. Dennis has not received a fax but will call me when he does. I get no call. I call Dennis but only get the answer machine. I call Dennis two more times over two weeks and never get a response. I call AHS, and they resend the fax to Dennis. I call Dennis again and leave a message. Dennis calls my home and makes an appointment for the following week. My wife comes home for the appointment but no one shows up. No call, no warning. I call Dennis but only get message machine. I call AHS. They assign Contractor #5.

CONTRACTOR #5 I get a message that Contractor #5 has called. I return his call the next day. Again, no office, just some guy who answers the phone, "Hello?" Kids scream in the background and wind blows over his receiver. I tell him I am returning his call but he doesn't know who I am, and does not have enough English to explain what I as a customer should do. I hang up and call AHS again who is assigning another Contractor.

I am out of pocket over $2,000 for drywall repair. I live in Santa Clarita heat without AC. My carpets are dirty from workmen and drywall. I am angry at the quality of contractor AHS contracts with.

Karen of Port Jervis NY (8/27/02):
I called AHS for repair of my central air conditioner in the end of July. Three days later I called back and was told that there was not a technician to service me in my area but I could get an technican and be reimbursed. I made an appointment with John Heckman of Heckman refrigeration for August 6. Upon inspection of the unit it was determined that it could not be repaired but must be replaced. I called AHS to get an ok for work to be done and was told that they need to speak to the technician. The technician called AHS and was told that they would provide an air handler and condenser but I was responsible for everything else and that I knew this because it is stated in the warranty. I have not received that warranty and called to request a copy the next day. As of today I still have not recieved that copy, so I am unaware of what my obligations to this warranty is.

The technician and I have been calling for the past four weeks to get this equipment shipped to him as agreed to by AHS. As of today the equipment still have not arrived. I called serveral times to find out what the hold up was and was given numerous excuses on why we have not received it. The technician called several times also and have gotten the same response nothing but excuses. The technician explained to AHS that I was pregnant and the heat in the house was too much for me and they really should allow him to purchase the equipment and reimburse him. AHS response was this is not our policy.

Now I don't have to tell you that for the month of August the temperature has been well over 90 degrees everyday. I am six months pregnant and have suffered heat exhaustion and dehydration due to the unberarable heat in my home which was over 95 degrees everyday and night. At this point I am very stressed and upset due to AHS policy and handling there customers. As of yesterday August 26, 2002 the technician still have not received this unit. I am requesting cancellation and refund of all monies that was paid to this company from the begining of this contract to now.

Paola of Chandler AZ (7/26/02):
Our A/C stopped working the evening of 7/25/00 and I called AHS to get a technician. They gave me the number for a local contractor who was supposed to call back between 8:00-10:00am. No one called. I called them and the earliest they could come to our home was 7/28/00 between 10:00am --1:00pm. This means spending another two nights with no A/C when the temperatures are 110 during the daytime. They refused to give me the number for another contractor because they give them 48 hours to respond. So, even though I placed the call on 5/25/00 at night I won't get a tech until 5/28 around mid day.

By the way, I've had the coverage for 2 years which means I've paid over $1,000 and they can't get a tech to come out the same day. This is unacceptable in Arizona. You cannot have someone wait in 110 degrees heat for two days and nights.

I will have to stay at a motel for $60/night for the next 2 nights. Then, when the tech comes out Friday who knows if he will be able to fix the A/C that same day. Which means the week-end in a hotel. AHS rep, Jan Thelen, kept quoting the contract they had that specifies this. I don't have a copy so I have requested one, which should come in the mail in the next 2-4 weeks but they weren't sure. Once the A/C is replaced I will discontinue paying my premiums and will not use AHS again.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Back to the top |