Total Home Protection Sued by Pennsylvania Attorney General
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Home warranty company accused of scamming PA residents with deceptive service contracts
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has filed a lawsuit against a company he believes is deceptively selling service contracts to Pennsylvania senior citizens and other residents. The suit was filed against THS Group LLC, d/b/a Total Home Protection and its owners, father and son team of Ronald Seruya and David Seruya.
We believe Total Home Protection duped seniors and hundreds of other consumers from Pennsylvania and across the United States through misrepresentation and then by refusing to repair or place home mechanical systems and appliances, as promised, when they requested protection.
According to Shapiro, 80 consumers have filed complaints with the Office of Attorney General about Total Home Protection, and more than 680 consumers have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
Deceptive Warranty Marketing
With Total Home Protection, the defendants are alleged to have advertised and sold home warranty service contracts to many elderly or otherwise vulnerable customers in Pennsylvania and dozens of other states by:
• Falsely advertising coverage and services,
• Using creative and deceptive means to wrongfully deny covered claims,
• Failing to respond to consumer claims and inquiries, and
• Refusing to reimburse or refund consumers in accordance with the terms of their written guarantees.
"We believe Total Home Protection duped seniors and hundreds of other consumers from Pennsylvania and across the United States through misrepresentation and then by refusing to repair or place home mechanical systems and appliances, as promised, when they requested protection," said AG Shapiro, who also thanked the Better Business Bureau for sharing additional consumer complaints with his Office. "We are seeking full restitution for consumers, civil penalties, and to stop this family from totally scamming consumers."
The lawsuit claims THS and its officers profited from their misconduct while consumers were left to pay hundreds and thousands of dollars themselves to replace or repair items that should have been covered under the company’s service contracts.
The suit also claims that THS used stock photos and false reviews on its website.
Family Ties
The Attorney General sued David Seruya’s brother, Charles in the case against Delta Auto Protect in February 2020. Charles Seruya is the managing member of Omega Vehicle Services LLC, which runs Delta Auto Protect.
Shapiro says that the lawsuit against Delta Auto Protect alleges the company advertises and sells vehicle service and repair contracts to thousands of consumers in multiple states from a virtual office in Exton, PA, but refuses to honor the contracts it sells and, after accepting payment from consumers, refuses to cover the necessary repairs promised under contract.
Restitution
AG Shapiro seeks full restitution for consumers who suffered losses as well $1000 per violation of the Consumer Protection law and $3000 per violation in cases where the consumer is age 60 or over. The suit also seeks to bar the defendants from doing business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or with any of its residents, as well as investigative costs and fees.
A copy of the 161 page filing can be viewed here.
Read more at Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro
Source: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov
I live in Illinois. I am over 60 if that matters. I also had issues with Total Home Protection. We paid their vendor a fee for the service call to fix a broken washer. They said they would have to come back to fix it. Instead, they called back to say they were not going to come out. I finally just bought a new machine. Have been waiting for a promised refund now for several months. I just filed a complaint with the BBB. Apparently there is already a warning about their company on their site.
I purchased this home protection in 2019 and was guaranteed good worksmanship. I called about my air conditioner not cooling the house. It was on a Wednesday evening. I was told to place the repair need on the website. I never heard back from anyone. That Friday, 2020 I called to check the status and was told they have 3 business days to respond and that they were looking for a company to come out. The person who finally came out didnt know what he was talking about. He told them it was due to neglect. We had just purchased the home a few months prior and all inspections were cleared for the FHA loan. After multiple calls with no response I contacted the Better Business Bureau and filed a complaint. I still have not received notice. I ended up buying a new unit for my home.
"We had an A/C unit go out. The repairman they sent out to our home explained it was a compressor that was the issue.. [Total Home Protection] contacted us four days later to say it was denying the claim, [claiming] , " It has been found that the compressor has an internal mechanical failure. This failure is caused from the compressor overheating and damaging the internal components. The main purpose of a compressor is to cool; therefore, this system did not fail under normal conditions." However, the repair service men that the company chose sided with us and told us that they knew that Total Home Protection would not cover it even before they came out . "Unbelievable" (Since then, we have talked with three different AC/Heating reps from different companies. They ALL told us this this home warranty company has a terrible reputation and does not honor the contracts they weasel out of any claim being made by coming up with bogus reasons to deny them.
Just filed a plumbing claim ( July 4th ) and am getting a run around with no technician assigned and offered reimbursement after 30 days IF my own tech is approved. Their "24/7" service number is not available- always busy. Feel scammed at age 86...
I too have been denied needed repairs by Total Home Protection since December 8, 2020 for a ongoing water heater claim. Since that time Ive filed repair claims on our HVAC system not cooling, and our dishwasher creating a most annoying sound that cant be endured while occupying the adjoining family room. THP assigned a repair rep, without any coordination with us, to show up on the next day between 9 am & 5 pm. Obviously, no one contacted us, or actually showed up. I paid over 975 upfront for 3 years an additional 6 months included coverage in September 2018. Our initial claim was on our over the range microwave, it was denied because they claimed it was a pre-existing condition, which it wasnt I too would like to be included in this class action law suit. Weve already filed a BBB complaint earlier this year which was responded to with lies from THP organization. What a rip-off
I filed a claim with Total Home Protection for my Air Conditioning Unit and a repair person came out and said the condenser coils needed cleaning causing the compressor to run hard and shuts dow on internal overload. He also found that the last tech that THP contracted left wires from the condenser fan not secured and that they run the fish of being damaged or cut. Also the refrigerant charge will have to be checked after the coil cleaning as it can be low charged. THP denied the claim but I have not received the email denying the claim.
I live in Virginia and have had the same thing happen to me. I checked several consumer sites that said they were a good company. (I wonder if those sites are legit as well). I needed my dishwasher fixed. They kept assigning repair people. I called one of them and he said he would not come because he didnt think THP would pay him. Finally after getting through to supervisor, he told us to get our home and we would be reimbursed. We picked someone from his list. They came to repair the machine but would not speak to THP. So our claim was denied but we were promised 200 for "good faith" Just like the lady in Illinois, Im still waiting.
I signup for a 5 year Total Home Protection Policy. (4/01/19 - 4225) for 1947.00. When my dishwasher broke in June 2021, I called THP, They recommended an appliance technician, which I used and paid him 45.00 to tell me the washer could NOT be repaired. I was assigned a case number and case manager. I cannot reach the case manager at all, neither through text, emails. or phone. Now I know why. They are crooks and THP has taken advantage of me a retired senior age 76. Shame on you.
We run a contractor company here in KY, for handyman repairs and appliance repairs, we contracted out with Total Home Protection, many many times our techs went out for calls for Total Home Protection fixing appliances and roofs, etc.....only to wait months for payment from Total Home Protection, and when they would pay it would only be for partial payment not the full payment at which they were invoiced and billed, our company eventually suspended the account for Total Home Protection due to non payment, and it is noted that our company will not work with them anymore........to this date they still owe our company thousands..........