Is there a better option than AHS for this service? Our house came with a one year contract, but we've kept them for the last three years because our A/C unit is so old. It's 23 now, and probably ready to kick the bucket any day.
There may be and maybe my problem was isolated. BBB currently shows 3161 complaints in the last 3 years. While they have an A+ rating, that means 3161 people had to file a complaint with the BBB to possible get it resolved. That does not mean it was resolved to the customer satisfaction. It also does not mean the customer was right, I know that.
I may not have been a good candidate. At the time we purchased the house we were over extending ourselves (by our standards, not by the lenders standards). We were preparing for our existing home to be on the market for a year and having to maintain both while getting the other ready to sell etc. A 3K bill to replace an AC unit would have hurt and we thought the warrantee might be a good idea. We even bought the “SEER†the insurance add-on in case a unit had to be replaced. This would have brought it up to current EPA standards.
4 months later the AC did fail. The techs recommendation was to replace the condenser. AHS refused and fixed it the cheapest way they could regardless of it being the correct way. Also they did not care for the discomfort we would face by not having it for a long period of time in the hottest time of the year. I offered to pay to get a new condenser unit (and A coil) from a local supplier and they reimburse what they would have paid to fix it their way. They refused. I ended up with a half baked repair on a 9 year old unit. My fix would have resulted in a better repair within a week. (within 2 days if AHS was not involved at all)
I have had to fix the unit twice since then, although it was minor repairs I made myself. Once a start capacitor, the second was a failed condenser fan.
Maybe I’m not a good candidate for any home warrantee program. I believe in repairing things correctly with quality parts so it is a long term repair. I’m also capable for some repairs myself so your results may vary.
These programs are like most insurance deals. Most people in the long run will be better off without them if you look at total dollars spent. However for some a item failure can be a serious financial strain. So I understand the need.
I don’t know who is best but I’d research candidates carefully. Customer feedback (remember the dissatisfied ones are more likely to give feedback) and look at the fine print. How long do they have to repair an item, etc. They all have been doing it a long time so they can twist the contracts (and circumstances) to their favor very easily.
Anyone ever deal with this company? How can the send me to collections for future services?
