HomeServe USA Corp.

Review: Business said I signed up for there service in July of 2014. Business has been billing me for the past year and a half on my Electric bill for $5.49 without me knowing it. I would never sign up for a service like this. Business will not refund me the money. Business has somehow signed me up without my knowledge.Desired Settlement: Refund of $87.84 needed

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of Mrs. [redacted]’s complaint and regret to learn of her dissatisfaction.

Our records indicate that Mrs. [redacted] enrolled in our optional Exterior Electrical Line Protection Plan (the “Contract”) by mail on 7/15/2014. Mrs. [redacted] signed the enrollment form (enclosed) directly below the following affirmation: “YES, please sign me up for the Exterior Electrical Line Protection Plan from HomeServe and include the $4.99 monthly charge on my electricity bill (if available). I understand that this Plan is billed on a monthly basis and based on an annual contract that will be renewed automatically at the then-current renewal price.” Further, on 9/2/2014 and 9/28/2015, HomeServe mailed Mrs. [redacted] notices regarding changes to the Contract.

On 10/20/2015, Mr. [redacted] contacted HomeServe and requested that the Contract to be cancelled. Per the request, the Contract was cancelled effective immediately. A refund check in the amount of $5.49, representing the 10/2/2015 Contract payment, has been processed and Mrs. [redacted] should expect the check in 10-15 business days.

In response to this complaint, a member of our Customer Advocacy Team (“CAT”) made two unsuccessful attempts to contact Mrs. [redacted] by telephone to discuss her concerns. We invite Mrs. [redacted] to contract our CAT team at ###-###-#### should she wish to discuss this matter further.

We trust this response adequately resolves the issues set forth in the complaint, and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Review: This company sent a deceitful and confusing letter to my elderly parents. The letter reads as if the recipient must purchase their service in order to be compliant with [redacted]. The letter states that the heating system at my parents specific address requires a specialized HVAC technician. I came home and found my mother very confused and concerned as a result of receiving this letter as we take care of my father who suffers from a chronic illness. I can only imagine the amount of elderly individuals who live alone and get scammed because they do not understand what type of heating system they even have. The advertisement is for a natural gas system. The letter states that my parents have a natural gas system, which they do not, and that the

system requires their soecialized services and requests money.Desired Settlement: The company should be forced to stop sending confusing and deceitful advertisements.

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. [redacted] and are sorry to learn of her dissatisfaction with our optional Premier Heat Plan offer. Ms. [redacted]’s assertion that HomeServe USA’s (“HomeServe”) mailings are “deceitful and confusing” and a “scam” is wholly without merit.

HomeServe is a legitimate company with operations in 48 states that has been serving customers in North America since 2003. Over the past three years, HomeServe has provided over $192 million in services to its customers, representing 890,000 service jobs across its product lines. We serve more than 2 million customers across North America, including Canada, holding over 3 million service contracts, and have a 98% customer satisfaction rating among customers surveyed after using our repair services. HomeServe is accredited with the CT Revdex.com and has an “A” rating.

The Premier Heat Plan coverage mailer received by Ms. [redacted] offers homeowners protection from the costs associated with the repair of their natural gas heating system. Responsibility for repairing these components typically rests with the homeowner, not with the local utility, and basic homeowners insurance typically does not cover the costs of repairing the natural gas heating system.

Importantly, HomeServe does not target recipients of our mailers on the basis of age, race, creed, or any other discriminatory factor. We utilize standard direct-marketing methodologies to periodically send mailers, like the one received by Ms. [redacted], to residential addresses to inform homeowners of optional home service contracts available in their area. The mailers are not intended to alarm potential customers, but to inform them of services that have been an enormous help to tens of thousands of homeowners, including those in the state of [redacted]. We encourage homeowners to read the information in our mailers carefully and consider the benefits before purchasing our optional service contracts.

In her letter, Ms. [redacted] noted that her mother does not have a natural gas heating system in her residence. Notably, HomeServe obtains publicly available information for its mailings through third party vendors. The age and accuracy of the information is subject to the records utilized by our vendors in aggregating this data. Unfortunately, an erroneous name or address may be included in that information from time to time. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

As a courtesy, we have added Ms. [redacted]’s address, [redacted], to our internal “Do Not Mail” list and ask that she please allow 4-6 weeks for her request to be implemented. In the meantime, Ms. [redacted] may continue to receive pre-scheduled solicitations while our system updates our files.

We hope this response will provide Ms. [redacted] with a better understanding of the offer and potential benefits our products and services provide for [redacted] homeowners, and that you will reassure Ms. [redacted] that the offer and our company are legitimate.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

Sincerely,

[redacted] My issue is with a their advertising. The letter was outright deceptive and I want my mothers address removed from their list.

Review: I cancelled coverage on a house that I sold. They keep billing my checking account for the monthly coverage. Tried to go to website to lodge complaint, but website is not active. Nobody answers the phone.Desired Settlement: Refund my money

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Mr. [redacted] and are happy to report that we have resolved this matter to his full satisfaction.

According to our records, Ms. [redacted] contacted HomeServe on 1/25/2016 and informed our agent of the sale of their home in November and requested cancellation of their Exterior Water Service Line coverage (the “Contract”). HomeServe cancelled the Contract effective 1/25/2016 and issued a pro-rated refund in the amount of $3.43 to the checking account on file.

In response to this complaint, a member of HomeServe’s Customer Advocacy Team (“CAT”) contacted Mr. [redacted] and apologized for any frustration he experienced following cancellation of the Contract. Our CAT agent advised that HomeServe issued a pro-rated refund following cancellation of the Contract on 1/25/2016. In an effort to exceed customer satisfaction, our CAT agent offered to provide Mr. [redacted] with an additional refund in the amount of $7.55, representing the refund amount Mr. [redacted] would have been due in November, less the $3.43 previously paid by HomeServe. Mr. [redacted] should expect to receive this refund check within 5-10 business days. Mr. [redacted] was appreciative of this offer and thanked us for the call.

We trust that this response adequately resolves this matter and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Junk mail spammers. This firm sends mail to my address several times a year that looks "official" as if it were from the local water department and that it's an "important letter". Trying to sell me some sort of "insurance" on my water lines. I don't own the home I live in, so leave me alone.

Review: Homeserve is absolutely an abominable company & should lose their licenses. I do not have time now to relate an experience I had this winter concerning emergency heating at the [redacted] address but perhaps I will follow up later on with that incident which caused untold discomfort and illness to my tenants at that address due to Homeserve's imbecility & incompetence. Instead I will just relate today's history.I had an appointment today (May 22, 2013) for a central a/c unit tuneup at an adjacent address [redacted] XXXXX), an appointment that was set up back in March for between 8:00 a.m. today and 12:00 p.m. The serviceman called me at about 11:30 - 11:40 a.m. to say he was on his way and would be here shortly. I told him I was home and waiting for the service call.Shortly afterwards 3 calls came in to my cell phone from a Florida location, with no ID name. I mostly don't pick up unidentified calls (certainly not out-of-state). Approximately one hour later I listened to messages & heard one from Homeserve corporate headquarters in Florida stating that the serviceman couldn't find my home and so left. I had forgotten to mention to him that the numbers on 2 houses are not consecutive and he should just look for the next house. He was obviously too lazy to get out of the car to ask someone where 1161 was and left. I have lived in this house 25 years and NEVER had anyone leave without finding the house which is just one more house over.I have no time or space to tell you about the 4 subsequent phone calls I have made today to Homeserve's NONrepair line only to be put on hold or disconnected or transferred to the wrong department or told I had NO account. I finally was able to reach someone who rescheduled me for JULY 8. This is not satisfactory considering this was all their fault & I arranged everything properly.This company should really be shut down as their service is ATROCIOUS!! I will follow up this complaint with the story from last winter which was unbelievable.

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Other (requires explanation)

I realize this won't happen but this company really stinks and should be closed or least have some competition. Come to think of it, why don't they? do they have some kind of monopoly? Why hasn't anyone else gone into this business?

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/06/07) */

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s concerns to our attention.

Customer satisfaction is very important to HomeServe, and we strive to promptly resolve any issues that arise. HomeServe currently services over 1.3 million customers across the country; ninety-six percent of customers surveyed after using our repair services would recommend HomeServe USA to friends and family. More information, including customer testimonials, can be found on our website at www.homeserveusa.com.

Our records indicate Ms. [redacted] was scheduled for an air conditioning tune-up on 5/22/13. Unfortunately, as Ms. [redacted] stated, our technician was unable to locate the home and our attempts to contact her at that time were unsuccessful. Ms. [redacted] called back to reschedule, and was provided with a date of 7/8/13, due to a high number of service calls. We regret any inconvenience Ms. [redacted] experienced. Upon receipt of this complaint, we contacted Ms. [redacted] on 5/29/13, and her tune-up was scheduled and completed the following day. We advised her we would promptly address her customer service concerns internally, as well as research and address her concerns regarding her service last winter.

Ms. [redacted] was satisfied with the resolution, and, as a valued customer, we look forward to serving her in the future. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address Ms. [redacted]'s concerns.

Review: charged for water line service I never requested. they charged me $429.14 for 7 years and 2 months @ 4.99 a month.Desired Settlement: home serve paid back $289.46 I want the full amount back. they still owe $139.68

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Mr. [redacted] and regret to learn of his dissatisfaction.

According to our records, on 3/10/2008 Mrs. [redacted] enrolled in the Exterior Water Service Line Coverage (the “Contract”) via telephone and authorized a $4.99 monthly fee to be added to her [redacted] Water bill. On 8/31/2010, the [redacted]’ account was deleted out of HomeServe’s system when another [redacted] Water customer enrolled for coverage with HomeServe and inadvertently provided the [redacted] Water account number. While the [redacted] information was deleted from HomeServe’s system, the monthly Contract charges continued to appear on her [redacted] Water bill. On 3/17/2015, Mr. [redacted] was reimbursed $289.46 for the total paid between 08/2010 and 02/2015.

In response to this complaint, we are issuing Mr. [redacted] a check in the amount of $139.68, representing the full amount paid to HomeServe by the [redacted] for the Contract from the date of enrollment through 07/2010 original enrollment. We appreciate Mr. [redacted] patience in resolving this matter. Mr. [redacted] should expect to receive the check on Monday, April 13, 2015.

We trust this response satisfactorily resolves this matter and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Review: First, I am a Senior Citizen that's on a fixed income and any price increases can caused financial issue. HomeServe USA sent a letter stating the service cost will increase so I called them, I spoke to a representative to cancel to stay within my budget. The rep told me to wait until the actual price change because she could make any discounted offers. I waited and called back and was told they do not give discounted offers. I told them their rep told me to call back which was to keep me from cancelling. They were told to debit my checking on the 3rd of each month but earlier this I had to call my payment in. It was on the 2nd when I made the payment but I wanted to debit my account the day my Social Security fine on the 3rd of each month. Since some months after the 2 or 3 of month fell on Friday or weekend, It did not affect my account. This month the debit came in on 12/2/15 which caused 2- $30.00 fees ($60.00). I cannot afford extra funds deducted from my account so I spoke another HomeServe rep. I asked what the record reflects for a debit date and was told the 2nd. Due my Social Secuity Check arriving until the 3rd, the debit shouldn't be before that date. I told him if it this issue not resolved that would cancel. Homserve uses deceitful practices and misleading information to keep customers.Desired Settlement: I want HomeServe to refund my 2-$30.00 fees or refund the money debited from checking immediately for their services then cancel the coverage.

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. [redacted] and regret to learn of her dissatisfaction.

According to our records, Ms. [redacted] contacted HomeServe on 9/19/2015 and requested cancellation of her Water Service Line and Sewer/Septic Line coverage (the “Contracts”) due to a scheduled price increase. Our agent informed Ms. [redacted] that the price increase would not go into effect until the time of renewal, 10/16/2015, and that she could re-contact HomeServe by 10/13/2016 to check for available promotions or to cancel her coverage. Ms. [redacted] agreed and indicated that she would re-contact HomeServe when the Contracts were set to renew.

On 11/05/2015, Ms. [redacted] contacted HomeServe and inquired as to the availability of discounts on the Contracts. Our agent advised that no discounts were available in [redacted] and apologized for the incorrect information that she had previously been provided. Ms. [redacted] understood and elected to continue her coverage. On 12/03/2015, Ms. [redacted] contacted HomeServe again and indicated that she had incurred overdraft fees due to her account being debited on 12/2/2015, rather than 12/3/2015. Our agent advised Ms. [redacted] that the Contracts’ payments had always been debited on the 2nd of each month and apologized for any confusion.

In response to this complaint, a member of our Customer Advocacy Team (“CAT”) attempted to contact Ms. [redacted] on 12/8/2015 and 12/21/2015 to discuss her concerns, but was unable to speak with her. In an effort exceed customer satisfaction, HomeServe has processed a gratuity check in the amount of $60.00, representing the overdraft fees incurred by Ms. [redacted]. Ms. [redacted] should receive the check within 10-15 business days. In addition, our CAT agent modified Ms. [redacted]’s payment date so that future debits will be made on the 3rd of each month, rather than the 2nd. Should Ms. [redacted] wish to discuss this matter further, she can contact CAT directly at ###-###-####.

We trust this response adequately resolved this matter and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

I acceptance is contingent upon the receipt of the accused fees.

Sincerely,

Review: I feel this company attempts to prey on the elderly

and uninformed by using an "official" looking document to solicit business.

Home Serve, by using a logo containing the state

of Arizona, and a two-part form calling for action

to protect water service lines, has misrepresented

themselves as an official service of the water company. While it states in fine print that they

are not affiliated with the utility company, most

elderly people would not see that statement. This type of advertising is clearly predatory.Desired Settlement: cease this type of advertising.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2013/07/22) */

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s concerns to our attention.

Utilizing direct marketing methodologies, HomeServe periodically sends mailers to residential addresses to inform homeowners of optional home service contracts available in their area. We obtain publicly available information for our mailings through third party vendors, as do numerous companies. Please be advised that in no event does HomeServe target recipients of these mailers on an age basis. The mailers are not intended to alarm potential customers, but to inform them about services that have been an enormous help for tens of thousands of homeowners. HomeServe currently services over 1 million customers across the country; ninety-six percent of customers surveyed after using our repair services would recommend HomeServe USA to friends and family. More information, including customer testimonials, can be found on our website at www.homeserveusa.com.

We encourage all homeowners who receive our mailings to read the information carefully and consider the benefits before purchasing our coverage, and we provide a toll-free number for homeowners to call if they have questions about the offer. Homeowners who do purchase the coverage also have 30 days to review the plan to decide if it is right for them. If they choose to cancel within that time frame, or if they have duplicate coverage provided by others, they can get a full refund.

HomeServe never attempts to present itself as a utility or government. Our mailers state explicitly that HomeServe is "an independent company separate from your local utility or community." This disclaimer appears in our mailings in italics, adding emphasis. We also include the word "optional" in our mailings, not just once but 3 times. We do not believe that any consumer who reads our solicitation can reasonably claim to believe that the mailing is from either a local utility or a government entity.

We are sorry to learn that the mailing may have caused Ms. [redacted] any inconvenience. We have removed her address from our mailing lists. While this request was immediately addressed, it may take up to 30 days for the information to be completely removed from all mailing files, so it is possible Ms. [redacted] may receive one more mailing.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond.

Review: My aunt [redacted] took out a policy with Homeserve for a house she owned but was uninhabited at the time. I became her Power-of-Attorney several months ago and didn't know about the policy. We rented the house and discovered that the water pipes were leaking. I called a plumber and spent $1,300 in repairs. Then after my aunt went into a nursing home, I went through her bills and found out that she had an insurance policy to cover this event but because I didn't call them first, she isn't being reimbursed for the cost. My aunt is 89 and sometimes gets confused. I feel that the company should at least pay a portion of the cost.Desired Settlement: I feel that the company should help us pay the bills for the leaking pipes. The address of the property was [redacted] and her service agreement # was [redacted].

Business

Response:

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted] concerns to our attention.

Wonderful customer service! Holly was such a joy to work with! She was very patient when enrolling several of my properties and explained everything to me in terms I could understand. I really appreciated her knowledge and passion. She has such a great personality and gave me comfort in knowing Homeserve strives to please their customers. Best customer experience I have ever had. Ask for Holly. I am thankful to be able to know Homeserve has such great employees and that if I need a repair I will be taken care of. Thanks to Holly and Homeserve.

HomeServe USA somehow has fraudulently been charging my credit card for the past 7-8 months. I have written them letters, cancelled my credit card and disputed the charges. I have no idea how they continue to get my credit card number. I would really like them to stop!

Review: Solicitation from them--IMPORTANT INFORMATION,YOUR WATER SERVICE LINE--is the statement on letter head. Appears to be from the city government related to an important need. My concern is, this is being sent to our homestead which is not in My Dad's name He is deceased since 1997. Presently it is for sale and in an estate no one lives at [redacted] However to my real concern.1.If Dad or Mom be alive and receive is mail which appears to be a SCAM they would have bought the service.2. The information is misleading and is such small print. If this is sent to many elderly people this company is giving misleading information. I can imagine that many can be taken esp sine the bottom has ---PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN BY AUGUST--and they ask for credit/debit card information as method of payments

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Other (requires explanation)

I realize there has been compliant and issues to Revdex.com and somehow the Miamioffice needs investigated because my call to them left me thinking there is something not right. They have "No email" I was told.

Business

Response:

Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2013/08/29) */

Thank you for bringing Ms. [redacted]'s concerns to our attention.

Ms. [redacted] alleges that our mailer appears to be from a city government related to an important need. HomeServe never attempts to present itself as a utility or government entity. In fact, our mailers state explicitly that HomeServe is "an independent company separate from your local utility or community." This appears in our mailings in italics, adding emphasis. We also include the word "optional" in our mailings, not just once, but 3 times. We do not believe that any consumer who reads our solicitation can reasonably claim to believe that the mailing is from either a local utility or a government entity.

We are part of an emerging service industry that allows homeowners to purchase protection against breaks in their water or sewer service lines. Responsibility for repairing these lines typically rests with the homeowner, not with the local utility or government, and homeowners insurance typically does not cover the costs of repairing or replacing a broken service line. HomeServe offers a low-cost program to cover such costs.

Ms. [redacted] also notes that we sent this mailing to her deceased father. We obtain publicly available information for our mailings through third-party vendors, as do numerous companies. Unfortunately, sometimes an erroneous name or address may be included in that information. Utilizing standard direct-marketing methodologies, HomeServe periodically sends mailers to residential addresses to inform homeowners of home service contracts available in their area. Please be assured that in no event does HomeServe target recipients of these mailers on an age basis. The mailers are not intended to alarm homeowners, but to inform them of services that have been an enormous help for tens of thousands of homeowners.

Ms. [redacted] alleges our company is a scam, but that is wholly without merit. HomeServe services over 1.3 million customers nationwide; 96% of customers surveyed after using our repair services would recommend HomeServe to friends and family. We are currently rated "A-" by the CT Revdex.com. More information, including customer testimonials, can be found on our website at www.homeserveusa.com.

We encourage all homeowners who receive our mailings to read the information carefully and consider the benefits before purchasing coverage. A toll free number is provided for those who may have additional questions.

Ms. [redacted] states we ask for credit/debit card information. HomeServe offers several payment methods upon enrollment, which include credit/debit card, check or money order, as well as an ez-pay option. These options allow homeowners to choose the payment method that is best for them, should they decide to enroll in one of our plans.

We regret to learn that the mailing may have caused Ms. [redacted] any inconvenience, as a result of her father's name appearing on the mailing sent to [redacted] XXXXX. As stated above, this information was received from a third-party vendor. Please be assured Mr. [redacted] name, as well as the subject address, have been removed from our mailing list. Our mailing lists are prepared in advance, and it is possible that one more mailing may be forwarded to this address.

We trust this response satisfactorily resolves this matter. Thank you for allowing us the additional time to respond

Review: homeserve refuses to honor their oral and written contract to cover$2500 on internal pipe repair a licensed plumber was sent to inspect the problem,however a homeserve representative spent about an hour arguing with the plumber.The problem was not resolved and the water is turned off.Desired Settlement: I would like homeserve to do total cash value and cover the 2500 I was told would be paid for internal repairs.

Business

Response:

We have reviewed Ms. [redacted] complaint and regret to learn of her dissatisfaction, which appears to have come from a misunderstanding.

Review: We have been a customer of Home Serve for years and pay for sewage and drain line insurance through them. Well, our drain lines just backed up and flooded our finished basement in raw sewage. We called HomeServe to have our pipes looked at and turns out they will only allow you to use their certified contractors. Well, I found out why.....Their plumber came out and was a nice enough fellow. He immediately started to snake our main line which I asked if that was ok. He told me that it is HomeServe standard procedure before they do anything. He also told me that he WOULD NOT run a camera in the pipe because it is expensive and against HomeServes policy. I asked him how would he know whats wrong with my sewage lines? Again, he said HomeServe would not pay for a camera unless my pipe overflows "three separate" times or unless the snake did not go through. During this time, my finished basement needs to be restored due to the sewage that backed up. The plumber left and I had three other companies out since. Now all three are telling me that my main is no longer good and needs to be replaced. I understand that these fellows obviously want to do the bigger job and make the money so I called Homeserve and told them what I was hearing from plumbers. I requested that they have a plumber of theirs come out to put a camera in the pipe and put me at ease since the other companies were telling me it is compromised and will flood again. Homeserve refused, telling me it's too expensive to have plumbers just putting expensive camera equipment into pipes. I laugh at this for two reasons. 1. Of the three companies that came out, two of them did it for free and another wanted $250.00 which was waived to $50.00. 2. Home serve does not own the equipment. I then offered to pay their "preferred" plumber out of pocket to just put me at ease and show me there is no damage with his camera. They flat refused. Bottom line, this company is crooked and they are thieves. You have 0 insurance through them. Be VERY FOREWARNED!Desired Settlement: I would like this company to either send another plumber to out a camera in my pipes and show me there is no issue, or I would like a refund of all insurance money they have wrongly collected form me over the years. I want my situation rectified and be refunded or have my claim handled properly and proffesionally. Homeserve could not even give me the courtesy of talking to a manager. I was rudely pawned off to different entry level reps having to repeat myself many times to no avail. No care!!!

Business

Response:

We reviewed Ms. [redacted]’s complaint and regret to learn of her dissatisfaction.

Review: Bought this coverage was told the repairs are done quickly. I filed my claim back on June 16 2015 it is now July 7 2015 and I am no closer to getting my problem fixed then I was in June. To me a month is no close to quick serve and no one can give me a date to when they will show up and start work. There contracted company has given me 3 dates and each time they have been a no show. No call no explanation as to why they did not show up. When I complained to company all I got is a we understand. But I am the one with 2 months of HUGE water bills and no repair.Desired Settlement: I would like to be compensated for the large water bill and I would like the job done ASAP.

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of the complaint filed by [redacted] and [redacted] and regret to learn of their dissatisfaction regarding their recent service call.

On 6/16/2015, Mrs. [redacted] contacted HomeServe and stated that her water service line was leaking and requested a service call under her Water Service Line Coverage (the “Contract”). HomeServe deployed the job to [redacted]) who was onsite at the [redacted] residence on 6/17/2015. While onsite, the technician from [redacted] contacted HomeServe and advised that there was a leak on the line that was not visible and advised that they would need to return to the [redacted] for additional inspection of the leak.

On 6/22/2015, Mrs. [redacted] contacted HomeServe requesting a job update. A HomeServe agent reached out to [redacted] and was informed that the [redacted] had a water line leak on their property and that they would contact HomeServe when they planned to return to the [redacted] residence. On 6/29/2015, [redacted] contacted HomeServe and advised that a 6 foot spot repair needed to be performed on the [redacted] water service line, but that work could not begin until July 2nd due to utility mark outs.

On 7/6/2015, Mrs. [redacted] contacted HomeServe and stated that the contractor contacted her regarding the appointment and she expressed her dissatisfaction with the service call delay. Our agent apologized for the delay. On 7/9/2015, a representative from [redacted] contacted HomeServe and advised that the repair was complete.

On 7/14/2015, a member of HomeServe’s customer advocacy team (“CAT”) reached out Mrs. [redacted] and apologized for any frustration and inconvenience she experienced due to the service call delay. Our agent also informed Mrs. [redacted] that while the cost of water loss is not covered under the Contract, HomeServe would review copies of her recent water bills and consider reimbursement of cost increases associated with the leak.

Following our receipt of Mrs. [redacted] water bills, a member of CAT spoke with Mrs. [redacted] on 7/23/2015 and informed her that HomeServe would issue a gratuity check in the amount of $110.72, representing the difference between her elevated and customary water bills.

We thank Mrs. [redacted] for her patience and trust that this response adequately resolved this matter. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

I am very disappointed with the service appointments. Each scheduled appointment was not satisfactory. In one case, I got a call saying a technician was on the way and no appointment was scheduled. In another, I was told that the technician would be at my house between 8-12. I asked a neighbor to wait. They did not show. 4 hours?? How disrespectful of their customer's time!

Review: Although I enrolled this morning, I wanted to cancel the enroll me and was told they couldn't any enrollment. I was that a employee get the enrollment and manual setup the account so I would need to wait.Desired Settlement: I do not want the enrollment processed for their service. If a payment has been processed, I want it refunded back to my account.

Business

Response:

Thank you for Bringing Ms. [redacted]’s concerns to our attention.

Review: Called to file a claim, the lady was nice. She put me on hold to check and see what coverage I had. Said problem was covered, but I needed to do one more thing and call them back. I did. This time I got a different lady who said she would check coverage. I told her the other lady had already checked, she said yes I see the notes. Then she came back and said I wasn't covered. Now how did I go from having coverage to not having it in less than an hour. This was the first time I tried to use it. I hadn't for almost a year before I found out it was some kind of scam.Desired Settlement: Desired Settlement: Refund

Think I should get the money I paid in back.

Business

Response:

We reviewed the complaint filed by Ms. [redacted] and are sorry to learn of her dissatisfaction.

Review: I am writing on behalf of my elderly grandparents whom I take care of and have been given administrative rights over their water account. We have made several complaints to [redacted] due to astronomical water rates supposedly being used in their one bedroom, one bathroom home. We have tried to resolve this leak with HomeServe since May of 2013, with no resolve. This issue has been going on since May 2013! HomeServe sent out a “plumber” during July of 2013. The “plumber” that they hired did not do any work, was at the residence for around 15minutes and left. We contacted HomeServe with our concerns and they then sent the same plumber out with the same results! The plumber would lie and would not return any of our calls. This issue has never been resolved and we are consistently ignored and offered no solutions. My 87 year old grandfather and 86 year old grandmother are unable to retire due to water bills consistently being over $160.00 each month. There is a clear distinction that the bill went from an average of $35.00 per month to over $160.00 per month. I believe that HomeServe is ignoring this issue due to my grandparents age and the age of their home. We have had the entire house thoroughly inspected with no leaks to be found. We have worked diligently with [redacted] to resolve this issue on our side. [redacted] has now come and put in a new water meter. The technician inspected the entire house and found no water leaks and stated that the leak is between the water meter and the house (just as we have been stating to HomeServe for the past year). The [redacted] technician contact HomeServe today and demanded that someone come fix this obvious leak from the meter to the home. [redacted] was then contacted to have a plumber come to the property and repair the leak. The plumber stated that he would not be able to come out today and should be there tomorrow morning. I would like to know when we can expect this fix to be completed and how HomeServe will be reimbursing my grandparents for this fiasco taking place for over a year. I have over a year of outrageous water bills that need to be addressed. I would like to only be contacted via email for documentation purposes. I have had multiple phone call conversations with HomeServe in which I was given false information and false promises. After over a year of waiting on HomeServe I expect this issue to be completely resolved this week!Desired Settlement: I expect the water leak to be repaired immediately and I expect that my grandparents be reimbursed for the past year and a half of outrageous water bills immediately after the repairs are complete.

Review: HomeServe is sending out letters in [redacted] stating that homeowners are responsible for the full cost of repairing exterior water line damage on their property and offering coverage to pay for repairs to [redacted] members for $5.49 a month. No where in the letter does it state that exterior water line damage is covered in some states and is not the responsibility of the homeowner. In calling HomeServe I inquired if this coverage was the responsibility of the homeowner in every state and was told that it was.Desired Settlement: HomeServe should make it clear that in some states exterior water line coverage is not the responsibility of the homeowner and cease sending their letter to those states and stop using any reference to [redacted] as this could confuse people into thinking that this service is endorsed by [redacted].

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of the complaint filed with your office by Mrs. [redacted] and are sorry to learn of her dissatisfaction with our optional Exterior Water Service Line offer.

HomeServe offers homeowners the option to purchase protection against breaks in the service lines on their property, including the exterior water service line. Responsibility for repairing these lines typically rests with the homeowner, not with the local utility or government, and basic homeowners insurance typically does not cover the costs of repairing or replacing a broken service line.

HomeServe utilizes standard direct-marketing methodologies to periodically send mailers, like the one received by Mrs. [redacted], to residential addresses to inform homeowners of optional home service contracts available in their area that have been an enormous help to tens of thousands of homeowners, including those in the state of [redacted]. As noted by Mrs. [redacted], our mailer bears the red [redacted] logo. HomeServe currently has partnership arrangements with municipalities and utilities across the country, covering over 22 million households. Like many municipalities and utilities, [redacted] allows HomeServe to market to their members, knowing that our goal is to free customers from the worries of home emergencies. We encourage homeowners to read the information in our mailers carefully and consider the benefits before purchasing our optional service contracts.

In addition, prior to offering a product in a specific zip code, HomeServe communicates with the local utility and municipality to verify that homeowners are responsible for the maintenance of the service lines on their property. Importantly, in the event a HomeServe customer finds that they have similar coverage, or that their local utility company or municipality is responsible for the maintenance of their service line(s), they can contact HomeServe to cancel their coverage. In such a situation, the customer would be entitled to a full refund of payments made, less any claims paid by HomeServe. Further, should HomeServe discover that the customer has overlapping coverage, or that a utility or municipality has responsibility for the maintenance of a customer’s service line(s), we will cancel the customer’s coverage and issue a refund of any payments, less any claims paid.

We have added Mrs. [redacted]’ address, [redacted], to our internal “Do Not Mail” list and ask that she please allow 4-6 weeks for her request to be implemented. In the meantime, Mrs. [redacted] may continue to receive solicitations while our system updates our files.

We hope this response will provide Mrs. [redacted] with a better understanding of the offer and potential benefits our products and services provide for [redacted] homeowners, and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because: Home Serve states in their response to you that they check with the local utility companies in a particular zip code to see whether water service line responsibility is the responsibility of the customer or if it is covered by the local utility.company. If that is the case, why are they mailing out flyers to [redacted] residents, as the [redacted] told me on two different occasions that repair of the water service line is not the responsibility of their customers. If that is true, It seems to me HomeServe should be required to advise all [redacted] residents of that fact. In addition, HomeServe should advise people to check their homeowners policy to see if they have coverage.