Complaint Review: Comerco Serviews Inc. - Nationwide

In June, 2012 I purchased a Maytag Bravo X washing machine and dryer from Home Depot Canada.  Because the applicances were floor models which were being discontinued, the sales rep strongly encouraged me to purchase the extended service plan for four additional years of service at a cost of $266.56, including tax.  While it appeared that I was purchasing this service through Home Depot, it is, in fact through a company called Comerco Services Inc.

In the spring of 2016 my washing machine began making a very loud noise when on the spin cycle.  This noise continued to increase and in April I contacted an independent and authorized Maytag washer repairman who came, looked at the machine and told me that it required a new bearing.  At that time he told me that it would cost a fair amount to replace the bearing because the entire machine needs to be taken apart to access the bearing.  He suggested that it was not worth the cost.  When I told him that I thought I had extended warranty but wasn't sure, he told me to contact them and tell them what he had said.  Comerco told me that they would have someone come out to look at the machine and they made arrangements for a Morning appointment approximately 10 days later.  During this contact, I told the representative that I had had the machine examined and it needed a bearing.  I gave them all of the information, including the serial number of the machine.  The representative was somewhat annoyed that I had called an independent repairman and wanted to know why I had done that. 

On the day that the technician was scheduled to arrive, I stayed home from work and waited until almost 12:30 before calling Comerco to ask them where my morning appointment had gone.  I believe that the reason we refer to afternoon by that name is because it is after the hour of 12:00.  What would then follow is that a morning appointment would be prior to noon.    Comerco was surprised that the technician wasn't there, but within minutes (literally), he arrived.  He apologized and explained that he lives approximately 1 to 1-1/2 hours away and the traffic had been extremely heavy.  In spite of the fact that they had all of my phone numbers, no one called to tell me that.  He looked at the machine, listened to the spin cycle and told me that the machine needed a new bearing.   He then told me that he would have to order the part and it would take at least two weeks to get the part.

Two to three weeks later, I was contacted and told that the part was available and they could now come back to install it.  Arrangements were made for a mid-afternoon appointment so that I didn't have to waste another day waiting for him and he arrived more or less within the time arranged.  One of the problems with this technician is that he lives outside of the metro area that I am in, he works only 9:00 - 5:00, Monday to Friday and it takes him at least an hour of travel time to get to me. He then started to repair my machine but approached me in a relatively short period of time to say that he had the wrong part.  However, he was now able to get the part locally and would not have to order one.  Because of this, he could come back the next afternoon at 3:00 to install the correct part.  I told him that I could be home at 3:00 but that I had a 5:30 appointment elsewhere and would have to leave my house no later than 5:00.  He assured me that the repair would take 2 hours at the most, so he could be at my house right at 3:00.  (All of a sudden he can be specific about his time of arrival?)

On a Thursday afternoon in June, he arrived at my house at 3:00.  He went into the laundry room and began the repair.  I reminded him that I needed to be gone by 5:00.  At 4:50 I went to see if he was going to be done by 5:00.  He was just putting the machine back together and putting it in place.  He tested the machine, felt that he had fixed the problem and left.  I went into the laundry room to find that there was water and wet towels left behind which I then had to clean up causing me to be late for my appointment.

The first load of laundry I did after the repair surprised me in that the washing cycle was now making noise which it had not done prior to the repair.  The spin cycle was quieter than it had been but nowhere near as quiet as it had been when the machine was new.  Now the entire cycle start to finish was making noise.  I decided I wasn't going to go through the hassle and waste of time calling either Comerco or the technician.  I would simply use the machine until it quit working. 

I then contacted a local appliance centre to enquire about buying a new machine.  When I told the sales rep my tale of woe, he told me that it was within my right to hold the warranty service company to their representation of 100% satisfaction.   I then contacted Comerco again advising that I was still having problems with the machine and specifically requesting that they not send the same technician.  They set up a morning appointment for me today, September 16th. 

At 9:15 this morning my home telephone rings and there is the very technician that had "repaired" the machine the first time and whom I had requested they not send.  He was very courteous when he told me that he could be at my house by 1:00 - once again, after noon.  I told him not to bother and hung up. 

Although this company says that one of their values is "Respect", this company is absolutely unprofessional, disorganized , lacking in customer service and, in my estimation, a total rip-off.  Their website clearly states the following services for appliance warranties:

- Service offered evenings and weekends (where available)

- Repaired to the manufacturers specifications

- Underwritten by a Canadian Insurance Company

It further states that "Comerco is the largest supplier and manager of Protection Plans in Canada and their programs are 100% insured."

There are numerous online complaints about this company which parallel my compaint and yet this company is allowed to continue to do business.  What is even more deplorable is that retailers like Home Depot support this level of service and, in fact, push the service. 

Stay away from Comerco Service and Home Depot.  This is simply a money grab.