Problem Solver: Home Warranty Company Covers Repair

What would you do if the air-conditioner in your home broke today? It's a question most of us don't want to face during these penny-pinching times. That's why some people turn to home warranties. The FTC says most of them promise to repair or replace certain elements in your home within a certain time. But one Upstate man says his warranty company has given him more trouble than the policy was worth...and it's not the first time we've reported about problems with this company. Dianne Derby has more in this 7 On Your Side Problem Solver.

Savings, convenience, and peace of mind...it's what Total Protect's website says it offers customers who purchase a home warranty policy.

"You buy insurance for the big losses the catastrophic losses," said Total Protect customer Eddie Richardson.

But Richardson says that's not what he got from the company when his air conditioning unit stopped working properly last month. He says the first technician Total Protect sent said the repair work wasn't covered under warranty. So he forked over $175 to get it fixed. Days later problems continued.

"They sent a technician out here who was sloppy in his workmanship probably sold me something I didn't need and then what they did was they said we're not responsible for any of that," said Richardson.

When we asked the company to help they sent a statement from the parent company, HomeSure services, saying they were working to resolve the problem. They went on to say "nearly 97% of our customers currently give us a "satisfied" to "excellent" rating..."

It's not the first complaint we've worked with HomeSure services to resolve. In fact when we looked into another warranty concern earlier this year we learned from the Better Business Bureau's website the company does business under several different names...some with a satisfactory rating and some with an unsatisfactory rating.

The good news is Richardson says the company offered to refund the money he spent with the first technician and cover any other additional repair costs.

"I said 'I think this is really very interesting that this case was reopened because of your phone call from Ms. Derby. Well it was a mistake'," said Richardson as he described his phone conversation with Total Protect.

It's a mistake that cost him his peace of mind.

If you are considering a home warranty the Federal Trade Commission says it's important to understand what it covers, how to make a claim, and the process for resolving disputes. For more information click here. To check out a company click here.