HomeSmart from Xcel Energy

I spoke with Ms [redacted] on 1/6/17, and apologized for the delay in processing her reimbursement claimI advised that we submitted claim on 1/6, and she should receive a check in about weeksCustomer was satisfied with the outcome

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 14, 2015/04/03) */ HomeSmart has reviewed this matterThe inducer motor has been replaced HomeSmart agrees that it would have been prudent to replace the noisy inducer motor under the circumstances described and apologize for the inconvenience caused by this decision HomeSmart is no longer working with the service provider Midland and has reassigned this area to another service provider As a goodwill gesture and resolve this matter HomeSmart has issued a month credit for the HomeSmart service plan charges

Thank you for alerting us for the opportunity to resolve the concerns of Mr [redacted] We have reviewed this issue and prepared the following responseTo resolve this matter, we have verified the cancellation of his service plan and will issue a refund of $238.80, which are the HomeSmart charges incurred this last year for Mr [redacted] We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.Only thing is I do not see that Excel energy has yet refunded me the amount they mentioned in the letterIs it possible for me to keep the complaint open till I see the refund posted? Or should I close the complaint amd wait till next billing cycle to see the refund and reopen this complaint if they do not post the refund amount2nd: I am very grateful to Revdex.com for looking into thisIt is extremely important to have organizations such as Revdex.com who are consumer advocatesOtherwise there is no way available for consumer like me to appeal honest requestConsumers like me typically do not have time and resources to pursue big companies in courtsSO THANK YOU, THANK YOURegards, [redacted] ***

I have been a HomeSmart customer for several years and recently experienced the need to utilize the appliance replacement plan for my clothes washerHomeSmart advised that they received my completed paperwork on 3/15/and I began to call and inquire about the status of my reimbursement check in mid AprilAfter being told "it takes 6-weeks" well after weeks had passed, two supervisor escalations and unfulfilled promises of return calls; I was finally advised that the check request was resubmitted to accounts payable on 5/11/and I should receive the check in 7-daysAn outbound call was not made by HomeSmartI only found about about the re-submission because I called again Each of my inquiries was met with what seemed like defensiveness, apathy and lack of corporate accountabilityWil- "No, you can't talk to a supervisor directly...Since it's not my fault, I don't think I have to apologize." Otto "I will definitely call you back about this." No call backThe last rep I spoke with finally agreed to waive month of service fees at my requestA voluntary offer on the part of HomeSmart would have demonstrated more accountability and good will Now that the opportunity to provide adequate follow-through has been missed several times, I no long need a call back or response from the businessDisappointing

Mr [redacted] : Our findings: 4/25/called to add Clothes Washer to HomeSmart Plan I listened to the phone call where the representative explained in detail the day pre-exist period This is also outlined in our terms and conditions that are given upon sign up and every year approximately one month prior to renewal The HomeSmart Repair Plan Terms and Conditions is also available on our website at www.homesmartminnesota.com 5/25/called in a repair request for Clothes Washer stating it is making noises and not draining The representative that was on the phone went over the day pre exist and explained that the customer’s charges will be split up into three equal instalments over the next days of billing 5/Bilder Appliance came out to diagnose the Clothes Washer which is an $charge After leaving, Bilder ordered control board to fix the Clothes Washer On June 1st, Customer called HomeSmart to check on part/ repair status On June 2nd, Bilder returned to replace control board, however customer did not want to pay for chargesBilder did not complete repair 7/ [redacted] requested to remove everything from HomeSmart plan except Furnace, Air Conditioning, Range and Clothes Washer, and to cancel HomeSmart completely at renewal which is 1/11/ Resolution: Fred’s HomeSmart account has been credited $57, which is two installments of the diagnostic charge added He will not be billed for the third installment His HomeSmart account is set to be cancelled as of 1/11/which is renewal date Disclosure of day rule before scheduling did happen at time of adding new appliance to the plan, at the time that the repair request was phoned in, and when the service provider came out to the home to install control board Disclosure of the contract is mailed out to all customers within a month prior to renewal periodHomeSmart Repair Plan Terms and Conditions are attached as well as the current coverage that Mr [redacted] has Please let us know if HomeSmart can be of more assistance

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/07/02) */ Another service provider was assigned to resolve this situation and to provide future serviceThe new thermostat has been installed and the system was tested and is now operationalWe apologize for the delay and inconvenience Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (2000, 7, 2015/07/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

HomeSmart's Appliance Repair Plan is a month program if the customer has Xcel Energy, or customers who do not have Xcel Energy as one of their utility services can still sign up for HomeSmart by pre-paying for the full month commitment HomeSmart does offer to transfer the services to the new residence if within the HomeSmart/ Xcel Energy service area HomeSmart's Appliance Repair Plan does NOT give exception to sale of residences and is clearly stated in the Terms and Conditions We apologize for any inconveniences and that is why we have the customer sign/ check the box that is for agreement to the Terms and Conditions as they are outlined

Hi Mr [redacted] , I am a manager at HomeSmart and I have researched your case You signed up for HomeSmart on 12/28, and your monthly fee was supposed to be $18.99/mo, as you stated, with a free-tu(value of $9.99/mo) to be provided to you at no charge during your first year of service Your January bill correctly showed a charge of $ However, your February bill incorrectly charged you for the free tune-up, for a total of $ A $credit has been applied to your account which you should see on your next billing statement month from now, as HomeSmart, like Xcel Energy, bills you for services received during the past month, not for services in the month ahead I also see that they did go ahead and cancel your HomeSmart account, so this should resolve any billing concerns or disputes (On a side note, I also see that you did receive your free tuin January by one of our technicians) If for some reason the credit does not appear on your next bill, or you receive another HomeSmart charge, let us know since you shouldn't as the account has been cancelledRegards,Jeff H***Manager, HomeSmart

Thank you for the opportunity to address Mr [redacted] 's complaint today When a customer uses our website to sign up for the plan, at the bottom of the page it asks them if they agree to the terms and conditions of the plan, as well as to consent HomeSmart for payment through their Xcel Energy billing That is the sign up and payment becomes active at that time The confirmation email and welcome package is to provide the customer with documentation of the services offered The Business Reply Card that our customers receive in their package is to be returned to HomeSmart once the customer fills out make and model number and serial number of the appliances they would like to cover And at that time, they are also allowed to change their coverage, add to it or decrease from it with the information gathered from the card Because of the confusion, I have entered a credit for two months HomeSmart charges to Mr [redacted] 's Xcel Energy Bill He will see it as a credit of $on his next billing statement We apologize for the confusion, and as always, Mr [redacted] can call HomeSmart directly if any further questions or concerns

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 7, 2014/06/24) */ Typically the Replacement Helper is handled at the front end of the sale which may have unnecessarily caused confusion in this situationWe apologize for the confusion and the payment delayThe check was mailed today June 24th

I am rejecting this response because: Thank you for taking it the AC off the plan and issuing a partial refundI would like to point out a couple things hereI called for AC service days ago and the day you respond to my complaint is the day the tech comes outLooks like you putting on a show for the Revdex.comI was never informed when I signed up that there is only company that homesmart will have service my AC and that one company will only sell me one brand of AC unit which is the same brand I have the same one that failed after less than month when they should last years I am very disappointed in your AC acoverage

Thank you for alerting us for the opportunity to resolve the concerns of Mr [redacted] We have reviewed this issue and prepared the following response To resolve this matter, we have verified the cancellation of his service plan and will issue a refund of $238.80, which are the HomeSmart charges incurred this last year for Mr [redacted] We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused

Thank you for the opportunity to address Mr [redacted] ' concernsI apologize for the service you have received HomeSmart does not have a representative with the name of David, he must be at our overflow call center The call will be listened to and will be addressed appropriately Supervisors and managers are available, however the escalation of complaint is put in through our customer service representatives and then researched prior to the customer call back As far as the air conditioning repair, HomeSmart does not dispatch air conditioning repair calls unless the weather is consistently above degrees; on April 21st when you called, it was far too cold It can do damage to the air conditioning unit if run during colder periods [redacted] Home Services has not been out to your address under HomeSmarts plan since you started in June of 2016, I am not sure if you had them out prior when you did not have our plan I have contacted [redacted] Home Services and they will be giving you a call today to schedule your appointment Please note that the air conditioner repair cannot occur when it is raining with the condenser unit being outside in the elements If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to call ###-###-####

Mr [redacted] , HomeSmart sizes heating and cooling systems based on Heat Loss and Heat Gain calculations, the design of your ductwork is also taken into considerationWhen the calculation was completed on your home it suggested Tons of cooling is required, the design of your duct system would allow enough air to support just under Tons of coolingThis means installing the ton system that you requested would not have been possible On the day of the install, our installer created a hole in ceiling near the mechanical closet; HomeSmart arranged to have the hole patched by a drywall repair company Once the system was installed and had run overnight, you informed us that the system wasn’t cooling as you had hopedHomeSmart added returns to move more air and help your system cool better at no additional chargeHomeSmart also advised that your home did not have adequate insulation which caused the Heat Gain calculation to require above tons of cooling, HomeSmart offered to have our service partner insulate the attic at no additional charge which would help lower the system sizing requirements Your system was installed compliant with code, and a permit was pulledHomeSmart and HomeSmart’s service partners have made multiple attempts to return to the home in order to complete drywall repair and attic insulationHomeSmart has not collected any money to date for this install, as it is still incompleteHomeSmart returned 8/10/and discovered that a roofing nail had pierced the refrigerant line, the refrigerant line is secured to the crawling surface of the atticThis was a result of roofing work that Mr [redacted] was apparently having done by a roofing contractor Here is our proposed resolution for this matter to ensure that all parties are satisfied: HomeSmart would like to 1) have our certified contractor repair the drywall, 2) have our certified contractor insulate the attic, 3) have the installation inspected by city officials to ensure everything is up to code, 4) repair the refrigerant leak caused by Mr [redacted] 's roofing contractor, who had punctured the refrigerant line with a nail, and 5) collect the invoiced amount agreed to for the installationRegards, [redacted]

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

HomeSmart has reviewed the customer’s complaint concerning the contended denied replacement helper claimHomeSmart apologizes for the confusionWe have contacted the customer and agreed there were unclarified details and miscommunications regarding her claimMs***'s replacement helper claim is valid and will be approvedMs [redacted] should be receiving her reimbursement amount of $1,within the next four to six weeksAs a goodwill gesture, HomeSmart has also credited the customer’s service/repair plan account $97.40, the amount of two months charges

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 16, 2016/02/24) */ HomeSmart has reviewed this matter and has had multiple discussions with the customer. We apologize for the length of time it has taken to review this matter, but wanted to fully understand the situation and resolution options prior to... responding. In October of 2015, HomeSmart service provider John's Appliance replaced the impeller and the seal kit on the dishwasher. In December 2015, a HomeSmart service provider, John's Appliance diagnosed that the dishwasher needed to be cleaned of a sludge type material buildup of unknown origin. Cleaning is not a service covered by the HomeSmart service plan. The source of the sludge is unknown. In January of 2016, the customer reported that they hired Sears. A technician from Sears diagnosed that the pump motor was defective and need to be replaced. Presumably this diagnosis did not include any disassembly. In January, a second HomeSmart service provider, Omega Force, disassembled the dishwasher pump assembly and after viewing the internal sludge determined that motor replacement would not solve the sludge problem as several other major comments were damaged or plugged by the sludge material and replacement of the dishwasher was recommended. Two separate HomeSmart service providers have concluded and diagnosed the pump motor failure to be caused by a significant buildup of a sludge type material of unknown origin. It is the opinion of both of the service technicians, after disassembly of the pump motor assembly, that the replacement of the pump motor would not restore the dishwasher to a satisfactory working condition, and both service providers recommended the replacement of the dishwasher. HomeSmart was unable to connect with the Bosch factory to gain insight into the cause of the sludge material that has coated the interior of all of the working components and can only speculate on its origin. Some possibilities include, detergent type, rinse agent or the garbage disposal back flowing and draining into dishwasher due to drain hose loop configuration. As a goodwill gesture and to resolve this matter, HomeSmart will reimburse the customer up to $350 for the pump replacement and suggest this be completed by a Bosch factory authorized service provider, in order to determine sludge build up origin and to ensure that the dishwasher is installed according to and being used according to Bosch requirements. Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 18, 2016/03/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Hello, Thank you for your recent response regarding my BBB complaint. I appreciate your willingness to work with me in resolving this issue. Since we did not hear from Xcel Energy until February 24th (more than a month after the last visit in January) and it was causing a huge delay and inconvenience to us, we ended up replacing our dishwasher with a new Bosch dishwasher purchased at Sears on 2/15/2016. The old dishwasher has been hauled away and no longer available. I am attaching the purchase receipt for new dishwasher and request you to reimburse $350 which you have set aside for resolving this matter based on my discussion with Lisa M. I will accept a reimbursement of $350 towards replacement to consider this matter closed and resolved although it covers only a portion of my loss. I would appreciate a quick response regarding this matter so that both parties can bring closure to this case and no longer pursue other avenues for resolution. Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 20, 2016/03/07) */ HomeSmart from Xcel Energy has requested the payment of $350 to [redacted] on March 3, 2016. He should receive the check in two to four weeks from that date.

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 8, 2016/02/17) */ HomeSmart has reviewed this matter and prepared the following response. On January 18th 2016 KB service diagnosed Mr. [redacted] 's Carrier furnace as having a plugged secondary heat exchanger. The technician communicated to HomeSmart... that he explained the situation regarding the heat exchanger including the recommendation that the furnace or heat exchanger needed to be replaced and it was not covered by the HomeSmart service plan. This was also noted on the service ticket left with Mr. [redacted] . Mr. [redacted] contacted the manufacturer to determine the warranty reimbursement options. As you know, HomeSmart from Xcel Energysm is a repair service plan for major home appliances. To keep the price of these plans affordable, there are certain coverage restrictions. While a majority of typically serviced components are covered, unfortunately, not all parts or services are covered for repair. This is common with other service plans offered in our area. This is what happened in the case of Mr. [redacted] , as furnace heat exchangers are not covered by the HomeSmart service plan. I have enclosed a link at the bottom of the page to a copy of our terms and conditions for your reference. Typically in cases of furnace heat exchanger failure either the furnace itself or the heat exchangers requires replacement. This is usually an out of pocket cost benefit decision by the homeowner since manufactures warranty terms can vary significantly. HomeSmart would not be involved in this transaction as the homeowner has sole discretion whom is hired to perform the work. Warranty coverage requirements, including reimbursement amounts are determined and vary by manufacture. Typically the specific manufacture dealer or original installer is involved in this type of warranty option determination. For example some manufactures offer limited heat exchanger warranty coverage, typically considered a life cycle ending component which may or may not include a labor manufacturer allowance for the labor portion. In this situation, and at his own discretion, our understanding is Mr. [redacted] did not agree to the terms proposed by KB service to replace the furnace heat exchanger and chose to hire another firm who was willing to install his heat exchanger according to the manufactures warranty reimbursement terms and reimbursement amount. Our understanding is only the secondary heat exchanger was replaced which may have an impact on the proposal. After reviewing this matter HomeSmart from Xcel Energysm will be unable to honor Mr. [redacted] 's request request for any further compensation for fees or the evaluation of his piping and furnace venting. I apologize for any confusion regarding this matter. If you have additional questions please contact me at [redacted] http://www.homesmartminnesota.com/images/pdf/HS%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Oct...⇄ Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 10, 2016/02/24) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Xcel Energy can hide behind their terms and conditions all day, but the truth of the matter is that they failed to deliver on one of the basic principles of business which is to take care of the customer. Especially a customer that has no heat on one of the coldest days of the year. It's pretty clear that they were caught performing bad/questionable business practices. Trying to strong arm a customer into replacing a furnace for $2000 vs working with the Manufacturer to replace the secondary heat exchanger AT NO COST to the customer is unacceptable. I wonder how much unsuspecting customers Xcel Energy has done this to? Kath Heating and Electrical came on site within an hour of receiving my call. They worked with Manufacturer and they were reimbursed for their time because the parts were COVERED. That is what you call customer service. Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 13, 2016/03/08) */ HomeSmart from Xcel Energy's terms and conditions do not cover the repair or replacement of heat exchangers of furnaces. I have enclosed our terms and conditions as an attachment. HomeSmart from Xcel Energy and it's service providers will only complete warranty repairs on items that we physically sell to consumers, because we are the "dealer" in that case. Homeowners have the responsibility to know if their furnace has a warranty, and if so who they are supposed to call and what is or is not covered. Protocol is normally to call either the company they have purchased it from or the manufacturer of said product. HomeSmart from Xcel Energy and it's providers do not complete other companies warranty work.

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/11/05) */ Thank you alerting us to the opportunity to resolve the concerns of Ms [redacted] I have reviewed this matter and have prepared the following response: HomeSmart from Xcel Energy is a repair and replacement service plan for major home appliancesTo keep the price of HomeSmart plans affordable, there are specific terms and conditionsThe Replacement Helper Plan is an optional reimbursement plan that helps to offset the cost to replace an appliance if a HomeSmart technician during the course of making a repair determines that the appliance is not repairable Typically this occurs when parts are no longer available or in situations with the failure a life cycle ending major component occurs such as a furnace heat exchanger A third party service provider hired by the customer (Mpls/St Paul Plumbing and Heating) diagnosed that the furnace that the heat exchanger had developed cracksOur service provider checked the furnace but was unable to find any evidence of cracks thus no repair was necessary nor was there a failure of a life cycle ending componentOur service provider did issue a yellow natural gas hazard tag due to the age of the furnaceAfter reviewing this situation we believe this hazard tag was issued in error and added to the customer's confusion regarding Replacement Coverage reimbursement eligibilityTo prevent future occurrences we plan to review this situation with our service provider As goodwill gesture and to resolve this matter HomeSmart will make an exception to our terms and conditions and reimburse Ms[redacted] $upon the detailed proof of purchase receipt of the new furnace Please send a copy of the furnace receipt to HomeSmart at, [redacted] , StSt Paul MN Attention Replacement Administrator Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (2000, 7, 2015/11/08) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)