Complaint Review: Circuit City - Assurant Solutions - GE - Atlanta Georgia

A little over 1 year ago, my wife and I purchased a Samsung LN-T4661F LCD Television from Circuit City for $1349.99, which was a wonderful deal since the TV sold for $2399.00. We caught an excellent Christmas Sale. We bought the 3 year Circuit City Advantage Protection plan for $224.99. Because this was still alot of money to pay for a television we decided to buy the agreement just in case. Even though I had searched and read about every tv out there and this was consumer reports number 1 rated television, I decided to get the warranty just in case. I was told by the sales person that the warranty would cover any malfunctions and if the tv could not be repaired it would be replaced. I was not given the actual written agreement, just a receipt for my purchase. This was December 18, 2007.

On December 12, 2008, I called the warranty company for Circuit City to request service becasue 1 HDMI and the 2 Component connections were not working properly. The technician did not come out until the middle of January and was supposed to be there between 8am and noon. Well at 11:58am the tech called to say he would be another half hour before he could reach me. I had already missed 4 hours of work and I told the tech he would have to rescheduld because I had to get to work. The tech came out again in February and replaced the main board in the TV and this caused the tv to stop functioning altogether. The tech called his office and told them that the tv does not work at all and they told the tech "we will have to order another part".

I called Assurant Solutions to explain the situation and request another service company. I was told that they have to stick with this company because parts had been ordered. The tech came out again on March 5, 2009 to replace the power supply in the tv. After he took the tv apart he opened his box that was supposed to have the power supply in it. THE BOX WAS EMPTY!!!!!!! I could have went thru the roof. I have been without my tv for 4 months. So I called Assurant Solutions to complain and request that the tv gets replaced. I am told that they can't authorize a replacement, and they direct me to Consumer Relations. They tell me that they cannot authorize a replacement until they first refer it to their 'TECHNICAL' department because they have to try and get the part first for the repair company. I tell them that the service company has been to my home 4 times and the tv gets progressively worse with each visit and now it does not work at all, so obviously the tv is beyond repair and needs to be replaced. Again she tells me they can do nothing except locate the part and repair the tv. She says if I like I can leave a message on the supervisors voice mail. I do, and they do not call me back. So about a week later I call back after I have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Georgia Governor's Office Of Consumer Affairs, and leave another message on the supervisors voice mail informing them of the complaints I have filed and that I have lost 4 days of work fooling around with them and if I do not hear from someone soon I am pursuing this matter further.

I then get a call from someone named Pat who says that because of the time and problems they are going to authorized a replacement within the terms of my agreement- (thats sounds a little fishy to me). So I call back in 3 days to find the status and I am told that they did find a like model on Amazon.com for $999.99 and they will send me a check for $999.99 for a used tv they found on the internet. I told them that I paid $1349.99 for the televsion and that is what I want back, not the price of a used television. I was then told to leave a message on the supervisors voice mail which I did informing them that this was unacceptable.

I never received a call back, so I searched the internet for Assurant solutions and found the number for the vice president of the company - Keith Meier @ 770-763-1000. I left a message with his secretary and was told that he would call me back. After 3 days and no call I called back and Keith Meier answered directly. I explained the problem to him and he "assured" me that my problem would be handled by the end of the day and someone would call me back. No one did. So I called the next day a got his secretary again and left another message. Today March 25, 2009 I received a call from Bill Cunningham @ 800-307-0137 x12798 who says he is with Assurant and he received my case from the VP Keith Meier and a complaint from the Better Business Bureau and will resolve my problem. He tried to tell me that the tv is depreciated and so that is why I am only getting $999.99 for the tv. I told him that the tv was originally $2399.00 and the going price for it new now is $1650.99 on the low end and what his company is doing is giving me the price of a used television that they found on Amazon.com and the amount they are offering does not even cover the shipping and taxes. I told him I only want what is fair, you don't have to give me the price of a new one just give me what I paid for this one. Just give me my $1349.99 plus tax and I am satisfied. Of course he did not admit I am being ripped off but says he will get back to me in a couple of days because the warranty company originally was GE not Assurant and he has to review the agreement.

I have been 4 months without my televison which is hooked up to my Blu-Ray player and my childrens Xbox 360. They sent me a check for $999.99 for a used tv that I have to order and pay the shipping and taxes on. I cannot purchase a television for $999.99 that has the same specs as my Samsung. I did not buy a used tv so why do I want a used tv with no warranty so when that goes up I am out of luck. I went to circuit city because they offerd a great deal on an expensive tv. I will never deal with these type of companies again. When I purchase I will deal directly with the manufacturer or I will go back to shopping at Sears.

I am going to post this complaint everywhere I can. CONSUMERS BEWARE!!!! DO NOT BUY FROM THESE ELECTRONIC STORES. ALL OF THE CIRCUIT CITIES, BEST BUYS ETC. ARE RIP OFFS. STICK TO THE MANUFACTURERS. IF YOU DO BUY FROM THEM DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT PURCHASE THE SERVICE PLANS BUY YOUR EXTENDED PLAN FROM THE MANUFACTURER.

GE and Assurant are rip off companies.

Cevan

Baltimore, Maryland

U.S.A.

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