American Home Shield Slow, Incompetent, stressful , time consuming and expensive service?" ripoff Carroll Iowa

My old dishwasher stopped working. I immediately called AHS and placed a work order. No one called me back. I called AHS the next day to inform them. They gave me the telephone number of Blue Flame, the company slated to do the repairs. I called them and left a message on voicemail regarding setting up an appointment. No one called me back. A couple of days later someone from Blue Flame just showed up at the house. I was at work. Fortunately, My husband had taken the day off work and was there to let him in. The tech diagnosed the problem. My dishwasher, which is 17 years old, "might" need 2 parts: a Timer and a Water Valve. I was told that Blue Flame had the water valve but had to order the Timer. I was told I would be called when the part arrived.

A week passed, and the tech from Blue Flame called me. I happily answered his call thinking he had the part. Oh no; he was calling to inquire WHAT BRAND OF DISHWASHER I HAD!! He did not remember the name Whirlpool and saw no problem in WAITING ONE WHOLE WEEK before calling to ask.

Needless to say, he had not yet ordered the part. I called AHS and the owner of Blue Flame to complain. I told Blue Flame I did not want that tech working on my machine. I told AHS I wanted another company that knows what they are doing. I was informed that AHS has the right to choose the company and since Blue Flame had done the diagnostic, I had no choice. I was forced to have idiots come into my home to do repairs. The owner of Blue Flame promised to do the repairs himsself.

Another week passed. I made repeated phone calls and another week, part is STILL ON ORDER. Then I get a call from Christine, the wife of the Blue Flame owner stating that they have the part and we set up a 4 HOUR time slot in which I must wait at home for Charlie to arrive. I wait FOR 5 HOURS and no one bothers to show up!!

I call AHS and complain again. They call Charlie. Charlie, at Blue Flame says he does not know who I am and that I never had an appointment!! (At this point, I am beginning to hear the theme of Twilight Zone playing loudly in the background.) Charlie then "remembers" me but, of course, I never had an appointment. In fact, he doesn 't even have the part. WHAT!!

After 3 weeks, I figure you can get just about any part if it exists. I get the number and model of the Timer and call Whirlpool. I am informed the the PART NO LONGER IS MADE and that there is no substiture part for it. I am also told that Blue Flame has known this for 3 weeks. I call the suypplier used by Blue Flame and am informed that the part is "unavailable."

I call AHS. I call Blue Flame. The solution? AHS says that they have a special timer place that they can order from. the cost to repair is almost $300.00, the cost of a new dishwasher. I request a new dishwasher. NO. No, we are going to wait some more to find a nonexistent part for a 17 year old dishwasher.

Whatever. 3 more weeks go by and I STILL do not have a dishwasher, and the dishwasher is starting to smell. I again insist that I do not want anyone from Blue Flame in my house because they are incompetent idiots. They are responsible for the long wait thus far. Again, i am informed by AHS that I HAVE to have Blue Flame because they did the "Diagnostic." Again whatever.mFinallymafter 6 weeks of waiting, phone calls, dishwashing and aggravation, the phantom part arrives. Again I request another company be sent to the house. Again, I am denied.

Charlie, from Blue Flame calls at 8:30 am and I am still asleep in bed. It is Sunday morning of the Memorial Day Weekend.He insists on sending someone that same day, on Sunday of the Memorial Day Weekend. I object because I am having my annual BBQ Birthday party for my daughter that afternoon. Charlie, the owner of Blue Flame says "Don't you want a dishwasher for the party? It'll only take 20 miniutes."

Charlie fails to show up. Another tech shows up. It is OBVIOUS that he does not know what he is doing. He breaks a water valve under the kitchen sink.
Water shoots out 7 feet in all directions. This is after already flooding the kitchen by removing the dishwasher hose. Now it is even WORSE. We have to shut off the main water valve to the house. Now I have a flooded kitchen, a ruined rug, a ruined cabinet and a PLUMBING PROBLEM that I did not previously had and NO WATER.

And guess what. The dishwasher STILL DID NOT WORK!Arrrrggghhhh! Did I mention that I had to call all the relatives and cancel my poor daughter's birthday party. Yeah THAT too. The 20 minute job lasted almost 4 hours and I now have to replace the bottom of my kitchen cabinet.

Then I needed a plumber. AHS would not cover the damage if Blue Flame caused it. Blue Flame denied responsibility. See where this is going? So I am arguing back and forth with 2 worthless companies and I was sure of one thing. I did NOT cause the damage so someone ELSE better pay for it. Fianlly another company was sent to do another "diagnositc." (AHS still would not replace it.) So we start the process ALL OVER AGAIN from square one after 6 weeks!

I don't even want to continue with relating the "travesty of the Dishwasher." I am still dealing with it. So let me conclude:

I have cancelled my AHS contract. If I had not had the dumb contract to begin with, I would now have a NEW dishwasher. The new dishwasher would have cost me HALF of what I have paid in premiums this past year. In addition to that, I would be calmer, nicer and happier than I I have been for the past 6 weeks. I would now be enjoying my NEW DISHWASER.

Instead, I am going to Home Depot to by wood for the cabinet repair. AHS was totally worthless when I actually needed to use them. They are only good for taking premiums. They find every loophole in the book to weasel out of abiding by their contract terms. It's just not worth it.

Sheila
Mesa, Arizona
U.S.A.

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