Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/02/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Wed March 1, 2023 A serviceman from Ken's Appliances came out to repair the igniter on my range.I purchased the piece online from Jenn Air. The repairman could not repair the range telling my wife the screws were stripped?And it would cost hundreds of dollars to repair.Then handed my wife a bill for his services equaling $160.00 for doing nothing.This is UNACCEPTABLE.Oh and ***'s Appliance's answering service does not accept messages!!You have to "call them back". Seriously!!!I've been calling them all day. They DO NOT pick up the phone.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/02/2023

  We received a dispatch for this customer on 2/10/23. The customer was unable to make the first appointment, so it was rescheduled for 3/1. When making appointments online, or by calling in, everyone is told that the trip charge for a technician to come out to the home is $145.95 plus tax and a $5 fuel surcharge. Total is $165.67, just for the trip charge. This customer called in a dispatch for us to come out and install parts they had purchased. As the technician was trying to install the parts they wanted installed, he saw that the screws were corroded. He tried cleaning them off, but it did not work. If he had taken it apart, he would not have been able to put it back together. He also diagnosed the problem they were having with the appliance (which led them to buying these parts) and advised that they would also need new burners to go with the igniters they purchased. That is why it would cost more to repair it. When they said they did no wish to go through with those repairs, the technician charged them the trip ad diagnostic charge, as they agreed to be charged, and left the home. 

  Business Response

  Date: 03/02/2023

  This customer called in for ********************** and advised us that he had the parts necessary to repair the appliance. We scheduled service for him and at that time he was advised of the service charges involved. When the technician arrived at the home he determined that the screws were corroded and stripped (this is a common problem with this appliance) and he was unable to remove them. The technician advised the customer that additional parts would be required to complete the repair and the customer declined ! The technician charged them for the trip and diagnostic fee. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/28/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I contacted the manufacturer of our dishwasher (KitchenAid/Whirlpool) for repair under warranty and they referred me to ***** Appliance Service. I've used ***'s before and did not have a positive experience so I was hesitant, but this was the only company the manufacturer had in the area. ***'s sent a technician to our house a week later, who diagnosed the problem and ordered replacement parts. We then waited a week for the parts to arrive at *****, and only then would they schedule the return visit 10 days later. The appliance was repaired while I was out of town, and upon return, the original problem was fixed but a new problem now was present: the heating element no longer works. After suffering through the Christmas holiday without a working dishwasher, I contacted ***'s who advised I'd need to file a new warranty claim. However, I argued that the issue was not a new claim but an issue with the repair because the heating element previously worked. The person (******) said the ticket had already been closed and the only way to get new service would be to file a new warranty claim. I said the issue was the technician did not test the appliance and this is related to the original work he did. She said there was no way she could re-open the ticket and a new claim was the only way to get service. When I disagreed, she hung up on me and now ***'s no longer answers the phone when I call. I was not unprofessional but I feel the only way to solve this is to either file a new warranty claim as they say (an entirely new waiting period) or file suit against ***'s for damaging my appliance. The heating element previously worked just fine. I would like ***'s to complete the repair by taking accountability for their work and fixing the part they broken during the repair, and without having to file a new claim with the manufacturer; or pay for another appliance repair company to complete the repair; or replace the dishwasher.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/28/2022

  The customer has an extended warranty through ***--not the manufacturer.  *** requires all visits to the home come through them.  This is their requirements.  If the product was less than a year old Whirlpool would schedule the visit.  We are scheduled to go back to the home on 1/4. If the customer is unhappy with the ********************** we have provided we can cancel the appointment and they can contact the extended warranty company for another authorized service company in the area.  --AS to the complaint of us not answering the phones.  We are answering the phones.  After the holidays the phones are always extremely busy and out of our 13 office employees 6 are out with Covid/FLU.  The customer can email us at ********************************** if he wants to keep the appointment.  If we do not hear from him by Friday we will cancel the appointment since he is unhappy with our service.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/30/2022

   
  Complaint: 18644786
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  the warranty work has not yet been completed.  I will close this complaint once the warranty work has been completed so the dishwasher is functioning normally and at least the same as before the repair process began.
  

  The day after submitting this complaint, **** (the owner) of ***'s Appliance made contact with me by phone and explained the process of opening a new service request for returning for further service is a required policy by the carrier of the extended warranty ****** even if the issue for a return trip is as a result of the repair work itself but not the original issue.  This was not explained to me by the person answering the phone; they only stated that they would not come back until I filed a new request with **** and with no further explanation.  I inquired about the testing process the technician uses after completing the work to ensure the work was performed properly and **** reviewed the notes the technician left stating he did perform a test, but that time does not permit them to test all the functions or things like the heating element or dry cycle.

  I also contacted *** to schedule a follow-up service call and they complied, scheduling me for Jan 4 with ***'s Appliance.  When I asked for any other repair service, they had no other to offer.  When I asked **** about this, he said they do not have exclusivity for this area and would be fine not returning.  However, barring any other option, I have no choice but to continue with ***'s.  Therefore, **** and I agreed to maintain the Jan 4 appointment date.

  While our conversation was professional, ***'s did not offer an apology for their service level or lack thereof.  I also questioned **** on the workmanship of the service technician for failing to properly test the appliance before leaving, and that by not doing so, it puts undue burden on to the customer to manage not just the issue but also the work of all parties involved.  I suspect that ***'s is likely paid per service call and so they are incentivized to require subsequent service calls through the carrier, instead of addressing the underlying issue completely without undue delay, burden, or lack of workmanship.  I also requested ******************* the return trip since it was the technician who failed to properly test the machine before leaving and that I should not have to go to the end of the schedule, but **** did not provide any alternative other than to simply not return if I did not want them to.  Since I have no other choice, we agreed to maintain the Jan 4 appointment.

  I also questioned **** as to the workmanship of their technician, and that the heating element was working prior to the call but not now, and that my issue is now with them as they would be responsible for warrantying the work they did, and not *** directly.  However, **** stated that it is ***'s policy, not theirs, to require a separate service call request, even if the new issue may be related to their workmanship.  **** also admitted that their workmanship may have been at fault, but that he had no choice but to follow this policy.

  I realize that in this process some of the complaint lies with the carrier (***) and not with ***'s.  However, ***'s Appliance Service:

  - failed to adequately explain the claim process when I contacted them about the follow-up issue, nor own the issue of their workmanship,

  - failed to adequately test the appliance prior to departure to ensure the work fixed the issue and did not cause any other unexpected issue,

  - fails to provide satisfactory client communication, particularly regarding:  service call policies with their carrier, ownership and accountability of issues caused by their technician's workmanship, and escalation of customer concerns to management.

  **** was particularly concerned with my need to escalate this matter to the BBB, but as I explained, when I requested escalation, I was simply told to open a new claim with the insurance company.  When I asked for escalation, this was refused and I was hung up on.  While this complaint now has management attention, I'm still not satisfied with the service level from ***'s even after contact with the owner.

  As of right now, I still have a broken dishwasher through yet another holiday while I wait on ***'s work schedule for a future repair on an issue caused by their work.  I will close this complaint once the work has been completed by ***'s, or if the mater is ultimately never resolved.  I am unable to provide a conclusion on this complaint yet at this time, therefore I'm selecting "Reject this response" as ***'s needs more time to return to correct the issue.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/27/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Starting two months ago contacted this place because we bought a new fridge but the ice maker never worked. Had to go through a "*********" specialist and ended up at awful Ken's Appliances. Had the tech come out the first time and was told we needed a part for it. Fine. They said they ordered the part and also made another appointment with us to fix it. On that day they never showed up and never called. The call center kept saying they are coming, but never did. Then to find out the part had never been ordered. They claim they ordered it but its been a month a heard nothing from them. My fiance called them and they refused to even give the name of the place they ordered parts from. I feel we are being jerked around and I am at my wits end with them. Something needs to be done because from reviews from here, ****** , and ******** they do this to people over and over again.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/04/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/29) */ Our initial contact with this customer was on 6/15/22 at which time we scheduled for a technician to go to their home on Wed. 6/22. While at the customers home on 6/22 the tech. found a questionable electrical connection to the ice maker and thought he had the unit repaired. Customer called back on 6/28 stating the ice maker still wasn't working properly and scheduled a return visit for 7/7. Since the technician was aware of the issue he contacted our parts Dept. and ordered a replacement ice maker and valve to complete the repair. We were advised that he had contacted the customer. I apologize if that did not happen and I will deal with that internally. We DID order the part the following morning 7/8 direct from ********* for which we have received confirmation that this part is on national backorder. We have contacted ********* and reconfirmed the backorder status on 7/14 and 7/21. The customer did call in and we advised them of the backorder status on 7/14 and 7/22. Unfortunately there is nothing further we can do until the part order is fulfilled by *********.