Recently, my washing machine has been making a loud noise during the spinning cycle.
An internet search pointed to the washing machine bearings. They’re a set of steel balls or rollers that sit inside a raceway, allowing the drum to spin freely.
Since I use my washing machine frequently, I thought I’d get it repaired before it broke down, creating an emergency situation.
I called a local appliance store to get a recommendation. The company they referred me to said it would cost $125 for a repairman to come out and give an estimate, with $75 of it going to the repair charge, if I chose the company to fix my washing machine.
The repairman came, and even before he looked at my washing machine, he asked me to sign a form he had on his iPad. I asked what it said because it was difficult to read on the iPad. He handed me a piece of paper and I read through it quickly. It said things like agreeing to pay for the estimate and they wouldn’t damage my home.
Then he looked at my washing machine and said, yes, it was the bearings.
He gave me the estimate – $816.97. I was stunned. I could buy a new washing machine for that amount.
The repairman told me that when I signed the form, I had agreed to pay for the repair in advance.
Paying in advance for construction work or a repair is a big red flag. I’ve written about it many times.
However, I really wanted to get the washing machine repaired. I have respiratory problems and sometimes new appliances have toxic emissions. In addition, I’ve written many times about the right to repair, and firmly believe that you should run your appliances and cars as long as possible to keep them from going to the landfill.
In addition, if I had to pay $125 to get three estimates that would cost $375.
So, I set up an appointment for the company to do the repair.
However, a disaster happened.
About midnight, I put a load of clothes in the washing machine. When I came to put them in the dryer, I saw that a flood had occurred in my rec room. Water was everywhere – all over the floor, by the teak bookcases, surrounding my antique end tables, behind the sofa, and in the garage.
I couldn’t believe it. It was a mess.
I spent from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. cleaning it up with paper towels. If I used towels, I wouldn’t have any way to wash them.
At 6 a.m., I had to get up to get ready to go on a trip. Needless to say, I was angry – as well as being extremely tired.
I called the appliance repair company several times after I arrived in San Diego and finally received a return call on Saturday.
The person I talked with agreed to refund the cost I’d paid for the scheduled repair, $816.97, minus the $125, the cost of the estimate, for a refund of $691.97. He said a repairman would come at the time we’d set up to do the repair to complete the paperwork.
I canceled the repair because I didn’t trust the company to do any work for me because the repairman had caused the flood.
However, when I returned from my vacation, things didn’t go smoothly. The repairman didn’t show up on Wednesday to get my washing machine working correctly and do the paperwork. I waited for him for two hours.
I called the company and they said they’d send someone out late Thursday morning.
Then, the argument began. The repairman who came was the one who had caused the flood. He apologized for his mistake – the drain hose had slipped out of the drain pipe when he’d moved the machine.
The company reneged on its promise for a refund. It wanted to charge me for restocking fees for parts and a 40 percent cancelation fee of $130. Instead of a refund of $691.97, he wanted to give me $353.60.
I was incensed. He wanted me to pay $463.37 for his mistake. I asked to speak to his supervisor. He said he was the owner of the company.
We argued. I told him that I know how customer service works. As owner of the firm, he could give me a better refund or even cancel the charges entirely. He said he was responsible to his co-owners so he couldn’t do that.
I said it would be much easier to give me the promised refund than if I filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau and if I took the company to small claims court.
After more arguing, he said he would waive the $130 cancelation fee. I agreed to the deal. I have a lot going on and filing complaints and going to small court takes time and energy, although it would have been fun to take him to small claims court.
I paid $333.37 for his mistake – and my mistake for signing his form that I had to pay in advance because I didn’t read the fine print closely enough.
