Sep 20, 2007 12:50 am US/Pacific
Call Kurtis: Harmful Home Warranty
by Kurtis Ming
(CBS13)
Kathryn Cook likes her rural spread in Elverta, but when the temperature hits 90 degrees, she says the air conditioning just gives out.
"It would quit working, blow air into the home, but no cool air," said Cook.
Kathryn bought her place in January 2006. The seller bought her a one-year home warranty, which included the air conditioner. When the air conditioning failed on Memorial Day, 2006, Kathryn called Fidelity National Home Warranty.
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"They said they would send somebody out, but we would have to wait through the weekend. We had to wait the holiday. We had to wait through the two-business days that they're given," said Cook.
When the technician looked at the unit, Kathryn says he told her it wasn't a warranty repair.
"At some point it had been installed or repaired incorrectly," said Cook.
So Kathryn picked up the tab for that first fix. She says there were plenty more to come.
"It seemed to work for a while. Then it started getting hot in, I'm going to say, June of 2006 and it quit working again," said Cook.
This time Kathryn says, the technician who came out said he couldn't fix the system and left. Fidelity sent out a different company and their crew replaced a switch. Kathryn says once temperatures hit 90 again, she had no A.C. The company came out and replaced something else. Again, Kathryn says the first 90 degree heat knocked out the system.
"Those two parts did not repair it. They came out yet another time, and said the compressor needed to be replaced," said Cook.
By this time, the realtor who sold Kathryn her home had brought by a small window unit, so there'd be at least one cool room. By the end of summer, Kathryn says she got her new compressor. When her warranty ended in January of this year, she told Fidelity she wasn't pleased with their service, and decided not to extend.
Then, when temperatures hit 90 again this summer, the system failed again. The repair company recommended Fidelity Home Warranty replace the whole thing. Kathyrn says at first Fidelity agreed, but when a possible change of contractors came up, she says Fidelilty said they'd only pay for a new compressor, and she was on her own for the rest, because she was no longer covered. That's when she contacted me.
We contacted Fidelity National Home Warranty. They argue their offer of a new compressor is generous since Kathryn doesn't even have a current warranty.
"My opinion is they have yet to give me an air conditioner that works when the temperature outside is above 90 degrees," said Cook.
After we called, Fidelity agreed to make a one-time exception and pay to replace Kathryn's air conditioner.
Even though her warranty is up, the company stepped up. Service calls under this kind of warranty are not free, you have the equivalent of a co-pay. In Kathryn's case it was $50 per visit.
A one-year home warranty generally runs between $200 and $350, but only covers problems listed in the contract.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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