Consumer Paid For Service Contract And Sears Fails To Provide Home Repair Service

This blog has always advocated for consumers. Today's blog post is about the experiences a friend has had with extremely poor home appliance repair service.

In July 2009, Ilene purchased a boiler from Sears Home Improvement with a Master Service contract (including repairs through 2015), for steam heat for her home. When Ilene tried to use the boiler for steam heat in the fall of 2009, it failed to start. Ilene's experience:

"In July of 2009, I bought a boiler from Sears Home Improvement along with a service contract. The first time I fired up the boiler to heat the house [in the Fall of 2009], it failed to work. I called the appropriate number to get service and was told that there were no contractors in my area and they would have to locate someone. I called several more times in the next few days and after 4 days of living in the cold, I called my plumber who not only fixed the problems, but also told me the installers had failed to skim the system and do several other things that were according to code."

Ilene added:

"Sears did send someone to inspect the boiler installation. He admitted to me there were flaws in the installation and said Sears was no longer using that contractor. Nevertheless, when I asked Sears to pay the plumber's bill, they refused, saying they had not authorized me to call my plumber. This caused me to sue in Small Claims Court."

Ilene sued Sears in Small Claims Court in March 2010, and won a settlement of $500. (Don't mess with seniors!) However, the court process cost her a filing fee and a day's lost pay. You'd think that after this experience, Sears would correct any gaps in its residential repair service. Apparently not by March 2011:

"On March 17, the boiler stopped working and after making sure it was not a fuse or thermostat problem, I called Sears Home Improvement for service. I was put on hold for over ten minutes (twice) and hung up convinced this was a deliberate evasion tactic. I was not called back until 5 days after I had lost heat, one day after my plumber had restored it. I was so angry, I told [Sears] it was fixed and I was going to sue them again."

Ilene lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts -- near Boston, a major metropolitan area. She wants to know why Sears sold her a service contract if they don't have any reliable contractors where she lives. And, Ilene also wants Sears to honor the Master Service contract she paid for.

In New England, it is often cold during March, with daytime temperatures in the 30's and low 40's -- colder nights with temperatures below freezing. As a senior citizen who has family living with her, and who recently had hip surgery, a working boiler for heat is critical.

Understandably, Ilene feels like she has been mugged by Sears:

"They certainly are not the same reputable Sears I grew up with!!"

Obviously, a consumer should not have to sue a retailer to get resolution. It seems unbelieveable that Sears cannot arrange reliable repair service for consumers living in a major metropolitan area in the Northeast.

According to The Consumerist blog, at least one other New England resident also went without heat during March after Sears failed to send a repair technician. Seven days without heat is too long. Repair service failures like this are unacceptable in cold weather regions.

It would seem that Ilene's experience of failing to get home boiler repair service from Sears is not an isolated event.

After some online searching, I noticed that while the Sears Home Services Twitter page is active, the Sears Home Appliances Twitter page appears to have been abandoned (with its last tweet dated May 2010). The Consumerist blog advised consumers to:

"... contact the Sears Cares executive customer service line, which can be reached at searscares@searshc.com."

Ilene asked for my help. First, I suggested to Ilene that she write to her U.S. Congress House representative and to her Massachusetts House representative about the repair service failures. Second, on Ilene's behalf to get Sears' response to this repair service failure, I sent an email inquiry to Sears on Sunday, March 27. While I did not receive a reply, a Sears representative called Ilene on Tuesday, March 29. According to Ilene:

"I was contacted by a representative from Sears as a result of your inquiry. She had reviewed the record and said Sears, "had definitely dropped the ball". She is doing further investigation, but acknowledged that I had a Masters Contract to cover repairs. I have an expectation that Sears will pay the bill to repair the boiler and hopefully to replace the pipe clogged up with sludge. Thank you so much for your assistance!"

You can contact the Sears representative, Stephanie, at 1(800) 573-8431, extension 11032.

Has anyone else experienced home repair service problems like this from Sears? If so, what did you do to correct the problem?

Comments

[plumbing supplies]

Consumers should be as brave as you are. If something like this happens we should make a proper move to get the right service that we deserve.

[plumbing]

One thing that i am so afraid to come. Well, you do a great job. At least you know what to do.

[Plumbing Supplies]

If you do not have ability or time to repaired around house on your own, you may require a handyman home service improvement. It is desirable to retain the services of repair, refurbishment and maintenance to the home of a reputable company.

[John Duffin]

In the past 6 years I have purchased a microwave, trash compactor, 2 gas ranges, a refrigerator and a washer and dryer at SEARS. I have been a CRAFTSMAN fan for most of my adult life. OVER and DONE. I recently called SEARS for service on a bottom drawer freezer/fridge combo purchased in 12/09 less than 2 years old and the front door panel literally fell off onto the floor. The SEARS SERVICE GUY was more concerned with the heat and how many more stops he had than actually addressing the repair of my fridge. He took a look (visual glance), told me I needed an assembly unit to fix the problem and took my credit card for $160.00 all while having a truckload of tools just outside my kitchen door. After I gave my card expecting some quick resolution he told me the part would be sent in the next 2 and a half weeks and I was to call and reschedule upon arrival. You would think in todays world the depot could overnight from anywhere in the US and be out the next day latest. He suggested I continue using the DUCT TAPE to keep it sealed for two weeks while waiting, he asked me for some string, too lazy to walk to his truck I guess and fixed it to a latch to facilitate closing the freezer. Not satisfied with having NO FREEZER for two weeks I emptied the freezer into coolers that afternoon after work, which is why a called SEARS in the first place (I did not want to do it) took the assembly apart and was able to correct and repair the faulty device in about an hour or so. That same day, I canceled the ordered assembly on the Sears 4MYHOME phone number and begin the pursuit of trying to get a credit to my card for the service call to my home which as it turns out amounts to legal LARCENY in my opinion. Over 2 plus hours logged on the phone, much of that time spent on hold dancing to some crackling (please hang up) music, call centers in numerous parts of the world making statements that are not found on the next follow up call and to date absolutely no resolution that satisfies me the customer. They count on you getting worn out. They are not being green in any way shape or form, guy comes out, leaves the van running while in the house either to keep the truck cool for his lazy fanny or for quick get away, makes little effort to diagnose, sends unnecessary parts that will clutter a landfill somewhere and they keep calling wanting to reschedule the repair all while I am calling disputing the original service call as totally ineffective. Did I say they sent the part anyway even after I called within 12 hours to cancel it? Wasted resources, And, do they think for one minute I want this SEARS SERVICE man back in my house?

An effectively trained and experienced service guy would have had this fixed in less than 40 minutes and be gone. One visit, one happy customer. Perhaps he is trained to sell parts fix little and install the new parts on arrival.

Maybe I should reschedule the appointment and when he arrives call the police, present the unneeded part and demand a refund to my card.

It seems I can not reach anyone who cares and the actual facility that he is based out of is so insulated that you can not even get to on the phone. I wonder why.

For $160, SEARS has wasted an opportunity to continue to watch my family trek to their stores. No more SEARS, No more LANDS END and No more K-MART. BYE BYE BYE.

[Steve Lillybeck]

Sometimes it really is tough to be a brave consumer, but like others said it is super important. Great post, thanks for sharing.

[Dino Trichtokali]

Sears is definitely not the same Sears that she grew up with. I rarely shop there anymore simply because of the fact that their customer service and their horrible reputation for looking out for the consumer.

The only thing that is worth buying there are tools. But I probably wouldn't even take the risk if the tool wa over $100.

Thanks for the great post.

[seattle home renovation]

Sometimes it really is challenging to be a courageous customer, but like others said it is extremely essential. Excellent article, thanks for giving.

[Usher]

Before we hire an appliance repair specialist, we should inspect it first and much better if it is referred by a friend or your neighborhood! =)

[garage door repair Fremont]

It really disgusting while the people are failed to provide service after paying the money..

[Toronto Renovations]

Nice information. It is possible for everyone to be brave and if we have attempt this power then we get the right services that we deserve.