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Will your warranty pay off? Arizonans fight for guaranty

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PHOENIX — A lot of products are sold as having great warranties in case something goes wrong.

When there is a problem, however, you may find that a "great" guarantee isn't so great.

It's what Annette found years after having the flooring inside her home redone.

She says the laminate floors started to split between the seams where the boards meet.

It started in one spot and then spread to problems throughout the house, Annette explained.

She says she was told to just use caulk, but it didn't work. But Annette had a secret weapon, she thought.

Though this was seven years after the floors were installed, she had a lifetime warranty.

"To me, it means 30-plus years or more," Annette said.

She says the manufacturer, the installer, and the store didn't see it that way.

"I would call them, and they would say we don't warranty anything past two years," Annette said.

So, Annette reached out to the Let Joe Know team.

More than 200 consumers turn to us every week for help.

Our Let Joe Know/Better Business Bureau volunteer team sees a lot of warranty issues, like Connie's air conditioning issue that needed immediate attention.

With temps above 110º, Connie says she had no A/C for three weeks in July.

She says the installer told her "They cannot fix it until it cools off in October."

WHAT? Three months away?

Connie says it happened even though "my unit has a 10-year warranty. They refuse to come out and fix it," she explained.

Our problem solver, Roxanne, was having none of that. When Connie let us know, Roxanne went right to the company.

They brought out two fans and agreed to pay for a hotel stay, but Connie wouldn't need it.

The next day the company made the A/C repairs they should have made all along and Connie got a $500 certificate for any future work.

Problem solved!

When Annette reached out to Let Joe Know, volunteer Andrew went to work.

It didn't take long.

"Well, he's my hero I have to say. Andrew opened the door. One letter! One letter and it was solved," claimed Annette.

She sent a photo of her brand-new floors. After months of frustration, her determination finally paid off.

"I've got a brand-new flooring over everything, and it didn't cost me a penny. I really appreciate the whole effort, " Connie said.

The A/C delay should never have happened.

Be careful with those "lifetime" warranties. It's not your lifetime. It's usually as long as the company is in business.

These days, many are sold or close their doors.

We can help!

Email me at joe@abc15.com

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