OneGuard Home Warranties

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I have attached two receipts showing Freon (refrigerant) was added on two separate occasions.  The first receipt from Cool Blew was where 2 pounds of R22 refrigerant was added on 3/1/2013.  The second receipt shows Comfortable Living A/C Heating LLC added an additional 1 pound of R22 refrigerant on 1/22/2014.  Both Cool Blew and Comfortable Living were sent by One Guard when I reported the heat pump was not heating my home.  This documents that refrigerant was added on two separate occasions within the One Guard contract period proving the system was leaking.  If the system wasn't leaking, refrigerant would not have to be added (twice).   I have also attached a copy of One Guard's warranty.  If you require additional information, please let me know.

Regards,

Dear Revdex.com,We have reviewed the entire timeline with respect to the homeowner’s complaint. OneGuard Home Warranties has always acted in good faith and within the parameters of the service agreement.  We have done our due diligence by communicating directly with the homeowner on numerous occasions, offering to create a new work order on his behalf to assess the unit.  We have been clear and advised a new service fee would be applicable.  We have also spoken with the service technician that performed the service and he advised the noise he was experiencing was pre-existing.  As a professional courtesy he looked into the situation on the homeowner’s behalf.  Lastly, we have explained that noise is not covered under the service agreement. Unfortunately, he responded by cancelling his policy.  Therefore, per his request, we have cancelled the policy, issued a pro-rated refund, and the check has cleared the bank.   The details of the pre-season tune-up OneGuard Home Warranties offers are explicitly stated in the terms of the service agreement.  Please see the excerpt below which varies from the information he provided in his own search:  15. A/C & HEATING SYSTEM PRE-SEASON TUNE-UPS (page 4 of 6)COVERED:  For the applicable service fee, OneGuard will calibrate thermostat, test temperature split, check refrigerant levels & system pressures, perform amp draw on condenser motor, evaporator motor and compressor, rinse condenser coils, check contactors, check condensate lines, clean or replace filters (owner supplied), clean & tighten electrical connections, test capacitors, and check heat operations, inspect pilot system, test safety switches, test limit switches, and clean burners. Note: OneGuard will perform 1 A/C Pre-Season Tune-up between February and April and 1 Heating System Pre-Season Tune-up between October and November. The contract holder is responsible for scheduling the tune-up during the Pre-Season period by calling [redacted]. Service fee for tune-ups must be paid at time of service request. In closing, OneGuard Home Warranties has made an effort to address the homeowner’s concerns.  We will not be issuing any additional money to him.  We hope this additional information helps and request for the complaint to be closed ‘Administratively Judged Resolved’. Sincerely,OneGuard Home Warranties

Good Morning,
There are several inaccuracies in the response provided by One Guard.  The most obvious and blatant is that Authorized Contractor reviewed my home inspection and identified that there was a leak in the laundry ceiling. In fact, the contract spoke on the phone with OneGuard Authorizations MANY times and even sending photos to Josh.  They both agreed that the inspector did NOT identify any type of leak in the laundry ceiling.  The ONLY item noted by way of the laundry or plumbing was the evidence of a PAST leak from the washer drain so unless gravity has been defied and water can now travel upward 8 feet this is unrelated.  Both the contract and Josh grudgingly conceded that the leak was NOT identified on the home inspection.
If the leak had been leaking as they've indicated over time the ceiling most certainly would have collapsed.  It was leaking at such a rate (the one time that it leaked) that I was catching the water with buckets.  It was a sudden and spontaneous break as confirmed by a neutral licensed and bonded plumber.  I've attached a photo of the wood underneath the drain pipe which even an untrained eye can tell has NOT experienced the water damage they indicate it had.
Further, my policy has a clause for pre-existing existence coverage which would apply here since it was NOT identified during my inspection as confirmed by both their "authorized" contractor and Josh in Authorizations.  Certainly they record their calls and can verify this fact has been confirmed multiple times.
Lastly, while their contract does indicated that they do not reimburse for outside contractors work customarily they violated the terms of the contract when they denied the claim, therefore forcing me to seek outside help.  Had they complied with the contract they wrote at the time of the claim I would not be seeking reimbursement. 
Sincerely,

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for the information and allowing OneGuard Home Warranties the opportunity to look into this. Please know we have spoken directly with the homeowner and believe we have amicably achieved a positive outcome. We have reimbursed the homeowner in the...

amount of $151.79 and she has accepted, and she should receive the check within the next ten days. OneGuard respectfully requests for Revdex.com to close this complaint 'Resolved." Thank you again for your time and consideration and please let me know if you need additional information. Warmest regards,[redacted]OneGuard Home WarrantiesCustomer Relations ManagerDirect: ###-###-####

The best home warranty company!!!

My name is [redacted] and I purchased my home back in may 2015. I love this company they have save me some much $$. In July my A/C went out! And I live in Arizona so it was scortching! One guard sent some one to my home that day. The service from the A/C guy was exceptional an he was very quick! I easily saved $500 on that repair.

Recently my plumbing has been giving me some trouble and I call one guard and they are sending someone to my home early tomorrow. This company is quick and has great customer service. You shouldn't be scared to call your home warranty company and they make it so easy and comfortable! I love it!

If you go with a home warrant company GO WITH ONE GUARD!!

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for allowing OneGuard Home Warranties the opportunity to explain why the homeowner’s claim for the salt water pool equipment is not covered under the OneGuard service agreement due to the breakdown being the result of non-normal wear-and-tear conditions....

A careful analysis has been conducted and this letter will explain why the claim is not being covered by OneGuard Home Warranties.The Customer Relations team reviews the nature and cause of the issue the homeowner is experiencing, and will do everything possible to assist with a positive outcome. Please know we are required to follow the parameters set forth in the service agreement, and favor on the side of our customers when the situation is unclear.Please allow us to address the homeowner’s concerns regarding the salt call replacement from May of 2013. The homeowner contacted OneGuard to report the salt cell cracked and was leaking. A contractor was dispatched to the property to assess the unit and confirmed the failure was from normal wear-and-tear. OneGuard approved the claim to replace the salt cell. After completion of the repair the homeowner contacted OneGuard to discuss the workmanship of the contractor regarding the wire reaching from the control panel to the salt cell. OneGuard spoke directly with the service technician who performed the replacement to discuss the claim. He advised that the repair was proper and the only way to install the equipment. He explained the salt water control board is located on the wall directly across from the salt cell and pool equipment. The board needs to be connected to a power source, and the wires that supply power to the cell are suspended between the units. The homeowner was informed that repairs were proper and met code requirements.In July of 2014, the homeowner contacted OneGuard to report that the salt cell cracked and was leaking again. The contractor confirmed the failure was from normal wear-and-tear and OneGuard covered to replace the unit. The homeowner has not contacted OneGuard to discuss any concerns regarding the install.Here is a review of the specific events in relation to the claim and what led to our ultimate decision. Please note, all information provided has been obtained through system notes and recorded phone calls.On April 26, 2015, the homeowner placed a call into OneGuard’s Customer Care division to request service for the salt water pool equipment for a failure that she noticed today. The homeowner reported that the chlorinator box for the salt cell was displaying a red indicator light that read “no flow”. She also confirmed that she uses a weekly pool service and chemical levels are correct. A work order was generated and forwarded to the service contractor on the customer’s behalf.On April 28, 2015, the service technician contacted the OneGuard Authorization team to provide the following diagnostic information: the flow sensor cord for the salt cell appeared to have been cut from the phone jack connection and needed to be replaced. The broken cord was improperly attached to an electrical grounding connection. Please note, the grounding connection protects the equipment from electrical or power surges, and provides no electricity to the system. The cord appeared to be ripped from the phone jack and sustained irreparable damage. He believed the wire was tripped on or physically removed, causing the damage. Without the flow sensor, the control board cannot communicate with the salt cell to generate chlorine when water flows through the pipes, and the system will become chemically inactive. The damage to the cord was not from normal wear-and-tear. Therefore, the technician provided a Cash on Delivery (COD) cost of $265.00 to perform the repair which would be the responsibility of the homeowner. In addition to his findings, he provided a picture of the connections to support his diagnosis, which we have included for your records. The OneGuard Authorization team took all information into consideration: the professional diagnosis from the service technician and picture showing the current condition of the flow sensor cord, which was damaged and no longer attached to the phone jack. The team determined the breakdown was not from normal wear-and-tear, and the claim would not be covered by OneGuard. On April 30, 2015, a representative from OneGuard’s Authorization team spoke with the homeowner directly to explain why the claim was not covered under the service agreement. The flow sensor cord was damaged and no longer connected to the phone jack, then re-attached improperly to the electrical ground. The homeowner was under the impression the cord was improperly installed by the OneGuard contractor who replaced the salt cell in July of 2014, and requested the claim be reviewed. The representative informed the homeowner that she would research the situation further and follow up with her.The OneGuard representative placed a follow up call to the service contractor regarding the installation of the wiring. She spoke with the technician that performed the diagnosis. He confirmed that the salt cell would not function with a broken flow sensor cord attached to the electrical ground. He explained the electrical ground is not a power source and does not deliver any electricity to the system. The cord was physically removed, damaging the connection, then placed on the electrical ground inside the system. To verify, OneGuard sought the opinion of another pool contractor to obtain a second visual diagnosis. The second opinion contractor also confirmed the findings, advising the system would not have functioned with a damaged flow sensor cord.On April 30, 2015, the OneGuard Authorization team called the homeowner to confirm the denial of the claim. She explained that the cord to the flow sensor was damaged, not from normal wear-and-tear, and was not the result of an improper installation by the OneGuard contractor in July of 2014.On April 30, 2015, the OneGuard Authorization representative received a voicemail from the homeowner requesting to proceed with the uncovered repairs through the contractor. She also advised that she wanted the flow sensor cord to be installed underground to avoid tripping on it. The representative relayed the request to the contractor to follow up with the homeowner. Please note, the homeowner has not requested any additional assistance from OneGuard regarding the claim prior to receiving her complaint from Revdex.com. Please find the excerpt taken from the homeowner’s service agreement to further explain our position:A. WARRANTY COVERAGE (page 2 of 6)1.In accordance with the terms and conditions of this residential service contract, OneGuard Home Warranties will repair or replace your selected covered items so long as they:b. Become inoperative from normal wear and tear after the effective date of this warranty contract;G. OPTIONAL ITEMS (page 5 of 6)SALT WATER POOL/SPA (1 SET OF EQUIPMENT)NOT COVERED: Any item not listed above such as but not limited to fill lines and fill valves, grids, diatomaceous earth, sand, cartridge elements, fountains and other water features, computerized control boards and related equipment, booster pumps and water feature pumps (unless the Additional Pool Pump option is selected), problems caused by lack of maintenance or abnormal wear-and-tear, liners, structural defects, lights, solar equipment, tile or plaster, inaccessible components, and built-in and in-pool cleaning equipment such as but not limited to salt system chlorinators (unless additional option is selected and paid), ionizers, pool sweeps, jets, pop-up heads, actuator valves (turbo valves), skimmers, heat pumps, and above ground pools and spas.H. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY1. General Exclusions. This contract does not cover:d. Breakdowns that are caused by any condition that is not considered to be normal wear-and-tear such as but not limited to:(1)Misuse or abuse;(3)Improper previous repairs or modificationsPlease note, on May 19, 2015, upon receiving the homeowner’s complaint, a supervisor from OneGuard’s Customer Relations team placed a follow up call to the contractor to ensure accuracy of information. The service technician confirmed that the installation of the wires spanning from the control board to the salt cell is not considered improper, and given the existing layout of the pool equipment, this installation was not uncommon. The contractor advised he would have installed the flow sensor in the same manner. However, the homeowner specifically requested to have the new flow sensor cord ran underground inside conduit, rather than between the equipment. She paid an additional $45.00 to have the technician perform the extra service. He also confirmed that the only improper installation he observed was the damaged flow sensor cord that was re-attached to the electrical ground, and is not the result of an improper installation of the salt cell system. The claim was denied due to the damage to the flow sensor cord sustained from being physically removed and is the result of non-normal wear-and-tear.We sincerely apologize for any dissatisfaction the homeowner had during her interaction with the contractor. OneGuard’s number one priority is to provide a level of service that exceeds our customers’ expectations, and we regret that did not happen with the COD repairs. Please be assured that OneGuard takes this information very seriously and has relayed her specific concerns to our management team for internal review and direct follow up with the service contractor. In closing, OneGuard Home Warranties has denied the claim for the homeowner’s salt water pool equipment due to the damage to the flow sensor cord from non-normal wear-and-tear, and the cost to fix the unit is the responsibility of the homeowner. OneGuard respectfully requests for Revdex.com to close this complaint ‘Administratively.’ Thank you for allowing OneGuard the opportunity to provide you with this information. We sincerely hope it helps.

I had an extremely poor customer service experience with OneGuard Home Warranties. They game me a very poor contractor to fix my dryer and it took over two weeks with excuses from from both parties saying its not their fault. They were more concern with the contractor feeling than providing good customer service. [redacted] is the worst business in fixing dryer. They order the wrong part and still OneGuard gave them credit for a good job. Please stay away from OneGuard and [redacted]s. Both are a disgrace to customer service.

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

At no point did the repair person check or even attempt to check the motor, or transmission to the washing machine. He brought an unauthorized person with him, and was to busy talking to even make an attempt to conduct himself in a professional manner. One Gard has in deed made contact with me regarding this repair in the form of a survey that I rated them an absolute zero. The entire time I have had this warranty it has been one issue after another costing me the consumer nothing but money, and frustration. I would be happy with a refund of the service fee at this point, and do not intend on doing business with this home warranty in the future. In my opinion they should be investigated for fraud, and I do intend on following this up with the Arizona Attorney Generals office. This company should be rated an F, and I would not recommended anyone do business with One Gard the at any point in the near future. One Gard home warranty is both misleading, and fraudulent in the way they do business and in the opinion of this consumer they should be closed for good.

Regards,

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I have been contacted by one of their supervisors with a resolution approach and am waiting to see the details in an email or writing. I will wait until for the business to perform this action, follow up to closure and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

What an absolute joke. I am so sincerely sorry I ever purchased a home warranty, I should have spent my money elsewhere. I called oneguard to get a plumber out to my house, to fix a leak in my upstaris tub, that had made its way to my downstairs celing. Oneguard found a company that called and said they couldn't get out until Monday, (I called Thursday morning to request services). I told the plumbing company they referred me to that Monday would not work, this was an emergency situation causing damage to my house, and getting worse by the minute. They explained to me how to shut the water off, and that they would request an emergency tech come to my home, but it would be charged as after hours. 3 PM on a Friday is after hours?!??! The plumber came, "fixed" the problem and advised us that we would be good to use the upstairs plumbing again. (Where the only showers and tubs are located in the home). Saturday morning I come downstairs at 5 am to water coming from the celing -- the issue that was "Fixed" has now made a bigger mess. My floor, the drywall, and now my light fixture in my kitchen, are all wet. I call oneguard and explain the situation, they told me their "only" emergency plumbing company does not open until 8 AM - (Saturday morning) and that they would place an order with them. 8 and 9 Am come and go and no call. I'm left to follow up with these companies myself. The plumbing company gives me a time frame of 12-5. I ask them to leave the work order open, to ensure I get SOMEONE out there to fix it, and call oneguard to see if theres anyone else they can send out. They advised me their was no one else IN ALL OF THE PHOENIX AREA that could do an emergency service call. What??? No one else? So i'm sitting here, waiting for a call back from a company I have already paid to do a job. My celing is wet, and getting worse as time goes by as the water is spreading, it has now been 48+ hours - enough time for mold to set in, and place my mothers health at risk. She has a documented respiratory condition, and all oneguard could tell me was they were sorry, they would recommend I leave the home and stay with family or friends, as they did all they could in sending my work order to another company. BTW, they don't cover secondary damages (The drywall and electrical that are soaked) and will not put us up in a hotel if the water to my house has to be shut off until their referred company can resolve the issue, which their tech made worse, mind you they have 'no other" emergency plumbers. I would not recommend this company to anyone, and I am so sorry I gave them one red cent of my hard earned money for a home warranty. I can find my own companies to come out - probably one that understands what an EMERGENCY is, and get better customer service. Oneguards reps could care less when I called and told me they "did all they could do, in referring me to a company that couldn't show up for another 6+ hours. Thanks for all the drywall and (possible) electrical damage oneguard, your services have been a tremendous waste of my time, and money. I will be calling to cancel my home warranty with 6+ months remaining. Absoluely atrocious way of doing business. I hope you never find yourselves in my position, and if you do, I hope your warranty company is more understanding than mine.

March 26, 2014

RE:  Revdex.com Complaint ID [redacted] / OneGuard Home Warranties Business Response for [redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,

Thank you for allowing OneGuard Home Warranties the opportunity to provide information regarding the homeowner’s claims for the heating system and most...

recent plumbing repair.  We sincerely regret the homeowner has expressed such dissatisfaction with OneGuard and our contractors.  Our number one priority is to provide service that exceeds our homeowners’ expectations and we apologize that did not happen in his situation.  We will attempt to address all issues in his complaint and clarify key points. 

The OneGuard team reviews the nature and cause of the issue the homeowner is experiencing, and will do everything possible to cover the claim.  Please know we are required to follow the parameters set forth in the service agreement, and favor on the side of our customers when the situation is unclear.

We will first address the heater claim from December 9, 2013, which was denied due to the pre-existing condition of the heater being in a state of “disrepair” prior to the effective date of the home warranty.  This information was noted on the home inspection report provided to OneGuard by the homeowner.  Please note, OneGuard often asks for home inspections to use as a tool to determine if the unit in question was in good working condition prior to the effective date of the warranty.  Per the terms of the service agreement, OneGuard requires that covered items are in good working condition upon the effective date of the home warranty.  The heater was clearly not in good working condition.  This is firmly evidenced by the home inspection report which reveals the heater was marked as “Needs Attention”.  Further, the inspector noted he did not test the heater, as the unit was in disrepair, recommending immediate service (please find the attached copy of the home inspection report which outlines various problems with the heating system).  Additionally, per the homeowner in his original phone call for service to OneGuard, this was the first time he ever used the heater upon moving into the home. 

The diagnosis provided to OneGuard from the service technician follows:  The furnace is dirty and in poor operating condition.  When attempting to turn the heater on, smoke filled the home.  The control systems and blower motor are bad and not installed properly, requiring replacement.  He also advised this was the first time the heater was turned on by the homeowner. 

All information was taken into account and analyzed by OneGuard’s Authorization team, and the claim would be denied due to the pre-existing condition of the heater.  On December 10, 2014, a representative from OneGuard spoke with the homeowner directly to explain the repair was not covered because it was not inspected, and this was the first time the homeowner attempted to use the unit.  The inspector did not turn the unit on to inspect indicating it was in a state of disrepair, requiring immediate attention.  Based on the information provided in the home inspection report, and the professional diagnosis from our licensed contractor, OneGuard concluded the unit was not in good working condition at the start of the home warranty, and did not consult with a qualified contractor as recommended by the inspector. 

Please see the excerpt taken directly from the homeowner’s service agreement to help further explain our position:

WARRANTY COVERAGE (page 2 of 6)

1.  In accordance with the terms and conditions of this residential service contract, OneGuard Home Warranties will repair or replace your selected covered items so long as they: a. Are in good, safe working order and correctly installed at the premises on the effective date of this residential service contract.

 

F. SENTINEL COVERAGE (page 3 of 6)

1. NO FAULT COVERAGE

COVERED:  This residential service contract covers breakdowns caused by unknown pre-existing conditions such as 1) insufficiently maintained systems, 2) rust or corrosion, 3) mismatched systems, and 4) improper installation or repair so long as the mechanical failure was not known, would not have been detectable by a state certified home inspection or a OneGuard mechanical inspection, and was not caused by the contract holder.

NOTE: The No Fault Coverage is intended to cover unknown pre-existing conditions caused by the previous owner.  For purposes of determining whether a breakdown was caused by an unknown pre-existing condition, we will accept a state certified home inspection or a OneGuard mechanical inspection as proof that the problem was unknown so long as the inspection was performed on the defective covered item and completed within 90-days of the effective date. This coverage is not intended to take responsibility for normal maintenance and proper use of appliances and equipment by the contract holder.  The contract holder must have all known pre-existing defects correctly repaired by a service professional and deliver to OneGuard any paid invoices evidencing the repairs before the defective item can be covered by this residential service contract. This coverage also does not cover undersized systems.

As a good faith effort, the OneGuard Account Executive that services the homeowner’s area offered to assist him with $250.00 to apply towards the replacement of the heater, which he accepted.  The homeowner did not pay the $55 service fee for the contractor to go to the home to diagnosis the heater as outlined in the service agreement.  Therefore, that amount was deducted.  Please note OneGuard has also forwarded a copy of the invoice from Lee Collins to the homeowner per his request.

Please see additional excerpt from homeowner’s service agreement with respect to the service fee that was due:

E. TRADE SERVICE FEE (page 3 of 6)

1. For each separate trade item, you are responsible to pay a $55.00 service fee (service fees for A/C & Heating System Tune- ups must be paid at time of service request). The service fee will be due and payable to OneGuard or the Service Contractor at the time of scheduled service request.

 

Next, we will address the most recent plumbing claim the homeowner is referring to.  Please note, as of March 24, it is our understanding the repair has been completed. 

When the homeowner originally called in for service advising of a leak under the kitchen sink, our Customer Care Advocate called several contractors on his behalf in an effort to expedite service prior to Monday.  Fortunately, [redacted]’s was available to run the call.  The technician from [redacted]’s advised OneGuard of the kitchen stoppage.  He recommended replacing the drain pipe and clean out.  He believed the pipe was cracked and that water was backing up into the wall.  He called OneGuard’s Authorization team to get approval for the repair as the cost to replace the pipe would exceed $200.  OneGuard provided the technician with approval to move forward with the repair.  The $305 the homeowner is referring to, is the cost to access the pipe through a brick wall.  It would take approximately 3 hours of labor to obtain access ($96 per hour plus tax).  Per the terms of the service agreement, costs for access are not covered under the home warranty.  Therefore, that portion would be the responsibility of the homeowner.  However, the cost of the pipe replacement and leak repair would be covered by OneGuard under his service agreement.  The homeowner expressed discontent with the expense for access and contested the cost.  He spoke with a representative from OneGuard and advised he was going to get quotes from outside companies before moving forward with the repair.  OneGuard offered to issue the homeowner a cash out to use his own contractor to complete the repair on his own.  According to the homeowner, the cash out offer was not enough. 

It is also our understanding the homeowner sent several text messages to the technician afterhours regarding the matter, and would only allow the technician to return to the property afterhours to complete repairs.  The homeowner is also stating that [redacted]’s is refusing to provide documentation.  Therefore, we spoke with [redacted]’s directly.  They advised they do not leave paperwork with homeowners on the charges they bill directly to OneGuard.  However, they provide a pink copy of their diagnosis, and will provide and invoice to the homeowner for any Cash on Delivery (COD) repairs outside of the home warranty.  It was our understanding as of March 17, the plumbing stoppage was completed.

The homeowner is also stating that a supervisor was supposed to return to the property.  We have reviewed the notes in our database with respect to this claim, and find no record of a supervisor returning to the property.  However, we have numerous notes regarding the homeowner calling OneGuard making accusations against OneGuard and [redacted]’s, and threatening to complain to Revdex.com.  The claim was ultimately escalated to OneGuard’s Customer Relations team to try to achieve resolution in the situation.  The homeowner advised our representative the drain was not cleared and he no longer wanted [redacted]’s back to his home. 

The Customer Relations representative offered to send a different contractor to assess the situation and forwarded the claim to [redacted].  The technician from [redacted] confirmed the drain was backing up and not draining.  He determined the arm that goes into the wall, was set in too far, and not allowing water to drain.  The technician pulled the arm out and cut the length down to allow the kitchen sink to drain, and it is now in working order and draining properly.  Fortunately, the technician from [redacted] viewed the situation from a different perspective and resolved the problem. 

We apologize if [redacted]’s provided any mis-information and if there was any breakdown in communication between the homeowner and [redacted]’s.  Please know we have communicated directly with them to review the entire timeline of events with respect to this claim in an effort to improve processes.  We have also flagged the homeowner’s policy to no longer send [redacted]’s to the property. 

In closing, OneGuard Home Warranties has always acted in good faith and within the parameters of the service agreement.  We have put a lot of effort to keep the lines of communication open with the homeowner and did our due diligence to genuinely help him throughout his experience.  The claim for the heater was a firm denial.  Additionally, the plumbing issue has been repaired.  OneGuard has fulfilled our obligations and respectfully requests for Revdex.com to close this complaint ‘Administratively Judged Resolved’. 

Thank you again for allowing OneGuard Home Warranties the opportunity to look into this on behalf of the homeowner.  Please know your questions are welcomed.

Sincerely,

[redacted] Customer Relations Manager

OneGuard Home Warranties

Direct:  [redacted]

[redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  You can consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Dear Revdex.com, I have had a follow up conversation with Mr. [redacted]. He advised repairs have been completed to his satisfaction and he considers this matter resolved. He said he will also notify you of the positive closure. Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions. Warmest regards, SAMANTHA M[redacted] | Team Manager, Customer Relations | OneGuard  |  OneGuardHW.comt. ###-###-####  f. ###-###-####  [redacted]@oneguardhw.com

One Guard takes zero responsibility for the vendors they choose. They find any way possible to get out of having to pay thing they state should be paid for in their contracts. I WOULD NEVER USE THIS COMPANY AGAIN!

One Guard Home Warranty refused to cover the repair for an A/C Unit even after it was verified in good health by one of their approved A/C Contractors. In addition, the first Contractor chosen by One Guard Home Warranty missed diagnose the original problem making a recommendation that the entire unit be replaced at the cost of $4,000 which was not going to be covered under the policy for other technicalities that the seller of the house didn't use a licensed and bonded contractor which was missed by my Real-estate Agent. I paid a local licensed contracted to diagnose and fix the problem which cost $300. Since they would still not cover future repairs with the A/C Unite I chose to escalate to their corporate conflict/dispute department in order to get a prorated refund for the cost of the warranty ($649).

Dear [redacted],Please know we truly regret the homeowner's dissatisfaction with his claim for the air conditioning system.  A representative from our Customer Relations team has left a voice message and sent a follow up e-mail to the homeowner, expressing that we would like to...

assist with achieving a positive outcome.  The representative has provided the homeowner with her direct call back number and will follow up again before close of business today if she does not hear back.We will let you know the end result and hopeful that this will be resolved.  Thank you and please know your questions are always welcomed. -[redacted] Sincerely,[redacted]Customer Relations ManagerDirect:  ###-###-####

From reading this response it appears that OneGuard has gained expertise in writing rebuttals to complaints and manipulating the truth.  In the forthcoming document I will debunk every myth, stretched truth or lie that OneGuard has stated.

 

The OneGuard team reviews the nature and cause of the issue the homeowner is experiencing, and will do everything possible to cover the claim.  

Complete misrepresentation at the very least!  OneGuard finds ways to weasel themselves out of covering claims. It was done with my heater and with my kitchen sink/drain problem. I will elaborate on each situation below.

Heater- OneGuard States: 

a-OneGuard requires that covered items are in good working condition upon the effective date of the home warranty

b-OneGuard requires that covered items are in good working condition upon the effective date of the home warranty.  The heater was clearly not in good working condition.  This is firmly evidenced by the home inspection report which reveals the heater was marked as “Needs Attention”.  Further, the inspector noted he did not test the heater, as the unit was in disrepair, recommending immediate service

How can something be declared not in good working condition if it was not tested? Most machinery that is 30 years old is going to look old. Bottom line is that the heater was not tested! Neither I nor OneGuard has the ability to determine if something works without testing it. Does the large company OneGuard bully the consumer or give the consumer the benefit of the doubt? In this case OneGuard used their size to bully the consumer.

c-The diagnosis provided to OneGuard from the service technician follows:  The furnace is dirty and in poor operating condition.  When attempting to turn the heater on, smoke filled the home.  The control systems and blower motor are bad and not installed properly, requiring replacement.  He also advised this was the first time the heater was turned on by the homeowner. 

According to one guard and their contracted technician “The control systems and blower motor are bad”   .  Before I was forced to spend just under 8K to replace my unit I asked the technician if the control systems and blower motor controlled the A/C too. The technician replied yes. My question to OneGuard is, if everything was in non-working condition how did the A/C work from August-November using the same parts that YOUR technician claimed was bad? Do you think a family of 6 with 4 children under 8 could live in a home in Phoenix Arizona during the summer months without a working A/C unit? Secondly, why did it take OneGuard several months to create an invoice from the technician? I have asked them multiple times over the several month period to provide me with an invoice for my records.

d-As a good faith effort, the OneGuard Account Executive that services the homeowner’s area offered to assist him with $250.00 to apply towards the replacement of the heater, which he accepted.  The homeowner did not pay the $55 service fee for the contractor to go to the home to diagnosis the heater as outlined in the service agreement.  Therefore, that amount was deducted.  Please note OneGuard has also forwarded a copy of the invoice from Lee Collins to the homeowner per his request.

I appreciate the $195.00 that the Account Executive gave me. I repeatedly told her that this is not a consolation prize for them denying fixing the true A/C problem. TO make matters worse when I spoke to [redacted] about the heater claim (when I found problems with my leak claim) she said, “the account exec did not do it for me, she did it for my agent”, which is probably true. The problem is [redacted] from OneGuard is manipulating what happened to make OneGuard appear that they were doing things in good faith. According to [redacted] from OneGuard, the account exec only gave me that money because my agent sends her a lot of business.

 

e-When the homeowner originally called in for service advising of a leak under the kitchen sink, our Customer Care Advocate called several contractors on his behalf in an effort to expedite service prior to Monday.  Fortunately, [redacted]’s was available to run the call.  The technician from [redacted]’s advised OneGuard of the kitchen stoppage.  He recommended replacing the drain pipe and clean out.  He believed the pipe was cracked and that water was backing up into the wall.  He called OneGuard’s Authorization team to get approval for the repair as the cost to replace the pipe would exceed $200.  OneGuard provided the technician with approval to move forward with the repair.

 

Again, [redacted] from OneGuard is manipulating the story with lies to make OneGuard seen less than fraudulent. OneGuard did not call multiple contractors to try to expedite the service. OneGuard said that if I wanted emergency service there would be an additional fee. I believe it was near $100.00 but I cannot be sure.  When OneGuard and I got off of the telephone I was left with the expectation that a contractor from [redacted]’s would contact me Monday. Shortly afterwards [redacted]’s contacted me to schedule same-day (Saturday) service. I made it a point to ask them if I would be charged a fee. They said that I wouldn’t because they had a tech that lived by me and was in the area. If we want to know the truth, let’s ask OneGuard to replay their recorded line that they advise people of. I would bet that they “erased” it.

 

f-.  The homeowner expressed discontent with the expense for access and contested the cost.  He spoke with a representative from OneGuard and advised he was going to get quotes from outside companies before moving forward with the repair.  OneGuard offered to issue the homeowner a cash out to use his own contractor to complete the repair on his own.  According to the homeowner, the cash out offer was not enough.

Based on the misdiagnosis by OneGuard and their fraudulent contractor, it turned out to be a great idea to not accept the initial diagnosis. That would have been hard earned money down the train and damage to the exterior of my home. I am not sure how the plumber diagnosed the problem without taking anything apart.

g-It is also our understanding the homeowner sent several text messages to the technician afterhours regarding the matter, and would only allow the technician to return to the property afterhours to complete repairs.  The homeowner is also stating that [redacted]’s is refusing to provide documentation.  Therefore, we spoke with [redacted]’s directly.  They advised they do not leave paperwork with homeowners on the charges they bill directly to OneGuard.  However, they provide a pink copy of their diagnosis, and will provide and invoice to the homeowner for any Cash on Delivery (COD) repairs outside of the home warranty.  It was our understanding as of March 17, the plumbing stoppage was completed.

There were not any text messages sent afterhours, your understanding is wrong or you are deliberately telling lies. The text messages were on Tuesday 03/11/2014 from 10:46AM- 12:07PM. That was the day that the “supervisor” was suppose to come to my home to give me an estimate (see attachment). The text messages are a result of [redacted]’s not having time to come back out to the property so the same tech (Jeremy) said he would talk it over with his boss. All that I requested was a written quote. I ask, why so secretive if you are not doing anything wrong? I DID say I would contact the Revdex.com because of the fraudulent transaction that had taken place.

h-The Customer Relations representative offered to send a different contractor to assess the situation and forwarded the claim to [redacted].  The technician from [redacted] confirmed the drain was backing up and not draining.  He determined the arm that goes into the wall, was set in too far, and not allowing water to drain.  The technician pulled the arm out and cut the length down to allow the kitchen sink to drain, and it is now in working order and draining properly.  Fortunately, the technician from [redacted] viewed the situation from a different perspective and resolved the problem.

This is another lie from [redacted] at OneGuard. OneGuard did not offer anything. I had to fight with [redacted] to get another company to come out to my home. [redacted] repeatedly told me that is not what OneGuard does. She refused to support the human element of the situation. Any human that felt that they were lied too and taken advantage of, like me, would want another company to assess to the situation. After multiple conversations over several days with [redacted] from OneGuard, she finally agreed to send out another company by the name of [redacted]. Luckily, [redacted] took the time to accurately assess the situation. It turned out that the exterior brick wall did not need to be broken into; nor did the vent pipe need replacing. Nor did I need to come out of pocket $305.00. The problem from start to finish took [redacted] less than an hour to complete.

i-We apologize if [redacted]’s provided any mis-information and if there was any breakdown in communication between the homeowner and [redacted]’s.  Please know we have communicated directly with them to review the entire timeline of events with respect to this claim in an effort to improve processes.  We have also flagged the homeowner’s policy to no longer send [redacted]’s to the property.

It is sad that you will still not accept responsibility for the actions of your staff and your contractors.

In closing, OneGuard did not act in good faith with the heater or the plumbing.  Due diligence was not done and the company did not take the time to listen to the homeowner. I am more than willing to keep the lines of communication open with OneGuard to come to a mutually agreed upon resolution. The initial requests from my original complaint still stand. OneGuard trusted their paid contractor who led them down the wrong road both times. Both times the consumer (me) lost time and money.  OneGuard has not fulfilled their obligations. I respectfully request that the Revdex.com keep this open as an active and ongoing problem/complaint. OneGuard cannot continue to participate in unfair and deceptive practices towards consumers who put their trust and hard earned money into these faulty, non-backed by a reputable company service contracts that OneGuard/Service One provides.

** I have attached [redacted]’s invoice and [redacted]’s invoice**

 One shows that [redacted]’s does leave invoices, and the other shows that a reputable company could have easily fixed my plumbing problem without trying to empty my pockets.

Thank you,

Thank you for the additional information. We feel the homeowner’s request is very reasonable. I have left a voice message for him advising that we are happy to arrange for another contractor to perform a full assessment. We want to ensure the unit is in proper working condition. I have created a work order on his behalf, requesting a senior technician and confirmed that he will call OneGuard while on site with his findings. We will also follow up with the homeowner once the information is received. Please note, I have left a voice message for the property manager of the home as well, advising the contractor will contact him directly to arrange an appointment.We sincerely hope this will help resolve the situation and will update Revdex.com with the outcome.Warmest regards,[redacted]

I have been with One Guard for 6 years and had not had a problem until now, unless the item is completely broken will not replace. When my garage door broke, they came out 3 times before they fixed it. I had a water heater that leaked and please note it was 14 years old. A restoration company had to be called to clean up the mess. One Guard wanted to just replace the valve instead of replacing the water heater. I understand if the unit was 5, 6, 7 years old but 14 seriously made me worry about coming home to a another flood. One Guard would not even pay half of the water heater! It's all about money and no fairness for customers.

OneGuard claims that the technician performed a series of tests and it was in proper working condition. Searching for what a proper HVAC tune up comprises of, below is a list of few things:Calibrate and level thermostat (verify programming is correct)Clean/change customer-supplied air filtersBrush and check clean burners for wearMonitor volts/amps on fan motorLubricate and inspect bearings for wearInspect indoor coil for cleanliness and leaksFlush/treat condensate drain with anti-algaeInspect condenser coilMonitor operating pressure of refrigerantInspect safety devices for proper operationInspect disconnect box for proper rating and installationTighten all electrical connections throughout the systemTest/inspect contactors for burned, pitted contactsInspect electrical system for exposed wiringTest ignition system for safe and proper operationTest and inspect capacitors for amp draw and integrityInspect fan bladeRinse exterior coil and remove debrisInspect service valves for proper operation and no leaksMeasure temperature difference (supply/return)Inspect ductwork for energy loss and cleanlinessMonitor compressor for proper amperage, volt draw, and megaohm windingsRemove combustible debris from around the condenserMeasure and adjust gas pressure for proper operation; test for leaksClean upper and lower combustion ventsAs OneGuard captured in their response that when the technician returned to the property (after failing to fix the issue in first attempt) "He made an adjustment to the gas pressure valve and the noise stopped." As you can see in the above list (bold and emphasis is mine) measuring and adjusting gas pressure is one of the item that should be covered in the HVAC tune up.  Seems like technician failed to perform the basic tasks as part of the tune up. Below is the list that OneGuard provided in their responseCOVERED: For the applicable service fee, OneGuard will calibrate thermostat, test temperature split, check refrigerant levels &system pressures, perform amp draw on condenser motor, evaporator motor and compressor, rinse condenser coils, check contactors, check condensate lines, clean or replace filters (owner supplied), clean & tighten electrical connections, test capacitors, and check heat operations, inspect pilot system, test safety switches, test limit switches, and clean burners. Note: OneGuard will perform 1 A/C Pre-Season Tune-up between February and April and 1 Heating System Pre-Season Tune-up between October and November. The contract holder is responsible for scheduling the tune-up during the Pre-Season period by calling [redacted]. Service fee for tune-ups must be paid at time of service request.Based on the above list and the items highlighted by me, this issue should have been captured, which they failed to do so. OneGuard claims that noise is not part of the service agreement, however checking the gas pressure for proper operations is, which they failed to perform.I understand that they have to charge $50 cancellation fee, however any other fees/premiums charged where they failed to deliver the service should be refunded.Thanks,[redacted]