First American Home Warranty Consumer Reviews - Page 4

NORTH CAROLINA -- At their direction, I called First American's plumber, who promptly came out and told me he couldn't fix the problem until someone else opened up the wall. Once we had the wall opened, the plumbing company would not answer or return my calls. I called First American, who had to call the emergency line to reach their plumber. I was told to call the plumber again to make an appt. Again, the plumber did not answer or return my calls. Because my relatives were coming in a few days and we'd have 7 people using one small bathroom (which the 5 of us had already been using for 2 weeks), I had the problem fixed by another plumber. I called First American again and was advised to submit my receipt for the work, which took me some time to do via their website. I then promptly received a response that, since the work wasn't done by their plumber, First Am would not pay for it. What a waste of my time and $. I will never knowingly purchase a home warranty like this again.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- On May 14th, we contacted FAHW due to our pool/spa heater stopped working regularly. The heater will start — but shuts itself off after a while. As of 6/26/17, the problem has not been resolved! This is Work Order **. Worse is that we have stayed home waiting for contractors who NEVER shows; others do NOT know what they are doing & cannot resolve. Each time we complain to FAHW they transfer us to their Complaint Service Department! Each time, they offer another contractor who does not show or delays repairs another week. Extremely frustrated and we are planning to terminate contract! Never use FAHW!!

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- My HVAC system was never repaired. Going on 5 months.
First American Home Warranty (FAHW) is not what they represent themselves to be. When you open a service request, it takes them 48 hours or longer to schedule an appointment to come to your home. The problem, what ever it is, will not be resolved, and you will be very unsatisfied with the technicians they send to your home.The contractors they use are either new companies that have not built up their own clientele or companies that have done an extremely poor job servicing their own customers and fail to get enough recommendations. FAHW is a very "hands off" company. They contact the service technicians, and then it's "hands off." There is no follow up to see if the issue was resolved. You, the customer, are expected to contact the technician if they do not contact you within 48 hours. I have had an issue with my HVAC since last November (5 months). A variety of techs have been to my house each finding something different and each passing the buck onto a different group. The HVAC compressor was held together with wire and string put there by one of the techs sent out. We finally paid a reputable company to look at the system and take care of the problem. The contractors used do not want to actually fix the problem, they are there to apply bandaids only. They are only paid pennies on the dollar to fix your problem. FAHW does not allow them to purchase parts or do work other than very minor fixes. Do not waste your money or time using this company.

TEXAS -- I am VERY dissatisfied with this company. When my electric range stopped working, First American sent an electrician out to take a look. The electrician was unable to fix the problem without ordering a part. Because LG no longer makes my range and the parts are no longer available from the manufacturer, First American is bullying me into ordering a part for my range off of eBay!!! I personally looked the part up on eBay, and it does not appear to be in good condition. This part could be from a junkyard, a pawnshop, or perhaps some high schooler's technical school project, and they want to install it in my home??? This puts me and my family at RISK.

I asked First American if they would help to cover this cost when my house catches on fire, and they responded that they are only responsible for parts covered by the contract. First American clearly does not care about the safety of me or my family and only wishes to take the cheapest route for themselves.

I have been working my way up the chain of supervisors and have yet to receive a resolution. First American is only willing to cover the cost of parts and service: $268.95, which is less than half of what it will cost for me to replace the range. To me, the only safe and acceptable option is to replace the entire range. I refuse to allow First American to place potentially faulty and dangerous equipment in my home. I, and my family, will not be using this company in the future.

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA -- How do we fix this? You guys sent out a very untrustworthy to my home with my family there. They lied, strong-armed my wife and did not do a complete job. Charged us for service not done, did not complete the job, ask my wife to replace filter, put duct tape on thermostat, and wrap outside pipes for tech. Charged us for a new Thermostat but did install it until we ask as he was in his truck going to leave, yet told warranty company AC would not work with old thermostat with new AC unit, yet it worked perfectly.

Charged us for a Electrical upgrade for $577.00 but did not do a thing to any part of my electrical system. None. They did upgrade or change a thing other than the AC unit outside. Did not upgrade a thing inside or out. This company told my wife if we did not pay now they would take out AC unit and when ask for would not give her a record of him receiving our $500.00 in cash and $77.00 dollar check.

They did not check the system, it is leaking water into our furnace and now we have a new leak in the wash and upstairs shower all next the AC. I have taken video and picture of all issues and have had wife write a statement of fact regarding this issue. I would our AC and plumb issues fix by a different AC plumbing company and a full refund of $577.00. Rollin Air also left the old AC unit in my driveway leaking oil.

VALLEY VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA -- The Heat is Off. 12-19-08 ** called First American, who sent a Technician from Kravetz Co. that afternoon. Technician said that he had to order a part which should arrive the first of next week and be installed on Tuesday (Dec. 23). 12-22-08 ** called Kravetz to ensure that part had arrived, left message. No return call. 12-23-08 ** called First American, spoke to ** after a 45 minute wait on hold. She was very nice and said she would look into it and call back. Gave her extension so we would not have to wait if we had to call her. 12-24 through 12-29-08 No call back from **. Left numerous messages.

12-29-08 ** called First American again. Waited 45 minutes on hold. Talked to **. She said she would talk to her supervisor and call back before the end of the day. She did not. 12-30-08 Left messages for **. No return calls. Called Kravetz Co. who said that First American was responsible for getting the needed part.

1-2-09 Called First American again. After another 45 minute wait, talked to **. Still trying to find the part. Spoke to her supervisor ** who said the part was ordered but wouldn't be installed until the 5th or 6th because the Kravetz technician was on vacation. Asked if another technician from another company could be found, he said that that was against policy and could take him hours to arrange. I replied that I thought that was First Americans job; to provide service and he said that he would get back to me. He gave me his extension, at my request, but with two digits reversed. Never heard back from him.

1-5-09 Called First American again. Another 45 minute wait. Talked to ** who said the part hadn't been ordered because "they didn't know the brand of the heater". I told him that it was a Lennox heater. He promised to call back, but never did. ** was able to find an a e-mail address for ** in media/public relations. He e-mailed a brief history of our experience to date and expressed our dissatisfaction. Later, ** called ** again who said the matter was now "in the hands of upper management" and gave us the number for **.

1-6-09 ** phoned ** at First American, who said that our case had come to the attention of the company president and that Ted would let me know what was happening. He called back and said that he was checking with First American purchasing but was also going to contact Kravetz Co. to see if they could get the part. He did not seem to know that they had already said that they could not. He promised to call back, but did not. We called him back at 4:00 P.M. but were only able to leave a message. 1-7-09 10:00 A.M. Left message for ** to call with an update.

2:45 P.M. After no return call, we called ** who said the part had been found back East and would be shipped priority (3-5 business days). We said that this was not acceptable and asked why part could not be shipped overnight. He said he would check with purchasing and call back. He did not. 1-8-09 1:10 P.M. Left message for ** requesting call back on part status. No response.

1-12-08 8:15 A.M. Talked to **. He said that part should be at Kravetz Co. and that he would check with them. If they don't have the part he will check with his purchasing guy, who has a tracking number for the part. If Kravetz does have the part he will try to schedule the install today. Said he would call back and let us know. 10:30 A.M. Returned from an appointment. No call or message from **. Called Kravetz Co. They do not have the part yet and had no call from First American about it. 1-13-09 2:07 P.M. Left message on ** voice mail requesting phone call or e-mail about status of part needed to get heater fixed. No response as of 6:00 P.M.

1-14-09 10:13 A.M. Left another message on ** voice mail requesting status of part. Left our phone number and e-mail address. 2:00 P.M. Still no response from **. Left another voice mail.

VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA -- In our opinion: A very normal, simple pipe started a small leak, so we do the prudent thing and call FAHW. They set up a plumber appointment who did not arrive. We called and were told that plumber does not service our area (an issue we raised with FAHW at the beginning when we saw the plumber's "foreign" area code but FAHW assured us the plumber would be here and that they had "a satellite office serving our area". That was one day wasted with FAHW. (Is your time worth something to you?)

Second day, second plumber... came, saw pipe leak, had no problem with the job and started in to work... he removed the pipe, said he would be leaving to get (small) replacement parts after he telephoned FAHW from his truck -- and then they "denied the claim," why? The plumber would not wait for us to reach FAHW, saying that "the insurance company acts like the Mafia: they collect your money and refuse to fix your pipe leaks..." He indicated he'd had issues with FAHW before. We call FAHW they say, after much fumbling, that the claim was denied because "pipe or nut holding it together was found by plumber to be starting to loosen."

Comment: of course it was, that is why it started to leak (it does not take a rocket scientist OR a professional plumber to figure this out!)... Second day wasted with FAHW. Another call to FAHW and they agree that the denial made no sense... they sent a third plumber (third day) with the advisory that he would be prepared to fix the pipe. He arrives, inspects, indicates no problem fixing it after he buys the small parts to fit, sets up appointment to do the job later in the day. Time for appointment arrives and passes, we get call from third plumbing company that FAHW "denied the claim" again. Third day wasted with FAHW over a very simple two hundred buck (or less) job.

Call again to FAHW... nice lady says claim denied because "pipe was found to have been removed on arrival" by third plumber. Of course it was removed, that was where the second plumber left it after he Vamoosed (he really should have replaced it but he was upset having been sent on a non-paying call by FAHW and he left in a fast hurry). Result of three wasted days: a small leak which actually disabled nothing is now made worse: it is now a removed pipe, rendering the drain unusable.

And all we keep getting from FAHW is nice ladies on the phone attempting to make sense of garbled, illogical notes (that they even admit make no sense)... and more delays and wasted days... So, a very ordinary and very leak repair job indeed a remarkably simple and straightforward little plumbing problem that happens all the time ... and three days of the customer's time wasted by FAHW (plus the time of their contract plumbers also appears to have been wasted by FAHW, at least they surely were not happy with FAHW!)

We do NOT want to try to repair even this simple thing ourselves, we have been paying FAHW for the services of professionally-trained, real plumbers all along to have the work done right each time... and now... This, after customer paid for this insurance for nearly 10 years. We are very, very disappointed with First American Home Warranty and will definitely NOT be using them in future on any property we may own. Sincerely yours for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (and some other, better home warranty firm)...

I am writing this review to warn others away from Alliance/First American Home Warranty. If you are buying home or getting a home warranty, DO NOT use this company. I have had many issues arise with my new home, and this company will do anything it can to find a way out of paying for repairs/replacement.

We recently found out that our toilet was leaking under the floor. After calling the home warranty company, they did not have a local plumber so they schedule one from over an hour away. This company could not come for two weeks, so they sent another plumber after a week. When the plumber arrived, he informed us that he could fix the seal and reset the toilet, but if there was floor damage they would not replace it. We paid a $55 service charge for that info- no work was done. After pulling the tile we tried to get a the warranty company to send the plumber back to fix the floor and toilet flange.

5 times we were told that they were sending someone and that they would call us back, and never once did it happen. After several weeks of calling I finally got a manager (I had to sit on hold for 32 minutes) and they told me that they were denying the claim because the original plumber was now saying that the floor caused the damage. In reality, the floor was damaged (minimally) because of the leak - the plumbers explanation was impossible. The toilet seal simply failed, and should have been covered. Finally, after being without a master bathroom toilet for almost 2 months, I had my own local plumber come do the work.

When they went to reset the toilet, the discovered that the original toilet did not fit perfectly and that we needed a different toilet. All in all we ended up paying over $700 for everything, and this warranty company will not give us a single penny. They have now changed their tune and are saying it was an "improper installation" and is not covered. Its funny how they don't claim that the floor caused it like they said before??

Recently, the handle on our over-the-range microwave broke. We cannot open or use our microwave without prying it open with a butter knife. Each time we do this it damages the frame. When we called, Alliance assured us that it would be covered because it was built-in and couldn't be used without the handle. When the serviceman called the claim in, they denied it saying that they don't cover handles. We are now stuck with a broken microwave and had to pay the $55 service fee for nothing...again. When we called to protest both the non-coverage and the service fee issue, they did not care.

We have also had our dishwasher fail. They did reimburse us for the dishwasher, but not the damage to the hardwood floor. Our floor is now warped form the water that leaked, but these warranties do not cover "secondary damage". My suggestion to anyone thinking of buying a home warranty is DON'T BOTHER! Unless the seller is paying the money, save yours because these warranties and these companies are a FRAUD. There is very little that they cover, and their policies are so full of loopholes that they will even try to find a way out of things that are supposed to be covered. Not only that, but they clearly to not care about customer service.

I wrote a very professional letter to the company to express my displeasure with the customer service and warranty coverage that I was receiving, but it was clear by their response that the letter had no effect. They merely responded by reiterating the denial of the claims without apologizing or providing any restitution for the horrendous customer service.

PHOENIX, ARKANSAS -- Don't be put off by the marginally higher monthly charge. Many home warranty providers promise you low fees, but you should always read the fine print before signing anything. First American lists everything you have to pay and you don't have to worry about any hidden charges.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA -- I was looking for a new home warranty after the old one that came with my house expired, so I asked around. Almost all my neighbors mentioned First American. I called their hotline, told them what I needed, and got a really good warranty coverage for a reasonable price.