LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – FOX5 is looking into your home warranty headaches and how one state agency can help, after hearing from many of you about delays and red tape to get repairs.
The Torres family reached out to FOX5 after they struggled a total of 25 days without AC as temps soared to 112 degrees in Las Vegas. Though the family eventually got relief, the predicament struck a chord with many of you.
“Why don’t you do a story on home warranties and how crappy they are? Five years ago, it’s the middle of August. It’s unbelievably hot. ‘Yeah, what we can be out there in about two weeks,’” one Rant caller said.
“We are currently having this same issue. We’ve been without A/C for one month. Waiting on warranty company who’s doing nothing,” another viewer wrote on Facebook.
“After 2 years with barely functioning A/C I gave up on my warranty. 11 A/C companies and 15 visits,” another viewer said online.
FOX5 reached out to the Nevada Department of Insurance for insight for consumers. The agency investigates hundreds of complaints every year from different types of consumer insurance plans, regulates home warranty companies, and can give fines and revoke the ability to operate.
Though state law doesn’t explicitly dictate a timeline for home warranty repairs to be completed, your contract might spell out a timeframe– and state officials want to ensure that your provider fulfills their own terms and actually does the repairs.
Their advice for homeowners on home warranties:
º Read the fine print. It will dictate terms such as a timeline for repairs to be completed.
º Ask questions and pose scenarios. If your AC, heater or home appliance breaks down, what’s the process and timeline for repairs to happen? State officials tell consumers to pose as many scenarios they can to a customer service agent, before committing to a home warranty plan.
º Don’t be afraid to file a complaint. If you believe that your home warranty company is not fulfilling their terms, providing service or even violating their own contract, you can report a complaint here: Nevada Division of Insurance
The BBB also provides advice on how to navigate home warranty issues, and realistic expectations for consumers. For more information, click here: BBB and Home Warranty
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