I don’t normally write scathing online reviews, but this one takes the cake. Whirlpool used a company called “Toronto Appliances Service”. Since it’s difficult to delineate which company is responsible for certain mistakes, I will simply outline my bad experiences. Overall, there were five things they did which were very costly to me and annoying:
1. I called Whirlpool Canada when my washing machine leaked. The Whirlpool rep said he’d send over a repairman to diagnose the problem (and quoted me the associated fees). The Whirlpool rep also told me I would be called and told a more specific time about when the repairman would arrive. This did not happen. Instead, a Toronto Appliances Service repairman arrived without advance notice AND, furthermore, I was billed for the time he waited for me to arrange entry into my home.
2. The Toronto Appliances Service repairman (who in fairness I acknowledge came across as both professional and pleasant) diagnosed the problem as a leaky “bellow”. He also informed me in writing that the pump worked fine (this becomes relevant later). He quoted me about $457.65 to fix the washing machine. I agreed. The repairman installed a replacement “bellow” a couple weeks later and said he tested the machine and it worked fine. I accordingly paid him that money and he left my home. That same day, and the *VERY FIRST TIME* I used the washing machine after paying, the washing machine filled with water and shut off. I could not even remove my clothes. Toronto Appliances Services returned, and this time diagnosed several problems, including a faulty pump (which recall had been been diagnosed as “working fine”). The revised repair cost far exceeded the cost of the washing machine. When I complained to Toronto Appliances Services about the $457.65 bill, I was told to take it up with Whirlpool Canada.
I called Whirlpool Canada and spoke with a manger, who offered 1) to sell me a replacement Whirlpool washing machine at a wholesale rate, and 2) to refund half of the $457.65 bill. I thought this sounded like a fair compromise, so I accepted. If Whirlpool had delivered on this offer, I would have left a satisfied and repeat Whirlpool customer. Instead, they did not deliver on either component of this offer. Here’s what happened:
3. Re the wholesale rate: Upon being transferred to the person assigned to provide me with a washer at a wholesale rate, I was informed that none of the available Whirlpool washers were compatible with my dryer (I live in a condo where space considerations require a washing machine to be stacked below the dryer using what is known as a “stacking kit”). Apparently the current Whirlpool stacking kits are all completely incompatible with what is just a three year old Whirlpool model. There are no adapters. In my view, either Whirlpool has made a deliberate business decision that everyone with an irreparable stackable washer or dryer will have to replace BOTH, or they simply don’t care enough about their customers to investigate or design a solution. Either way, the Whirlpool customer ends up having to pay twice as much (and the impact on our landfills are twice as much too).
4. Re the cheque: Recall the manager promised to mail me a cheque refunding half the amount I paid ($228.82). That promise was on April 19, 2016. The words used by one Whirlpool rep that day were, “I can see on my system the cheque is already in the mail”. Today is June 2, 2016, and I still have not received the cheque.
5. I called Whirlpool a couple weeks ago to inquire about the cheque. The person I spoke to was unapologetic, and even had the audacity to say that the Whirlpool rep who I had spoken to on April 19 was “accurate” when she said the cheque was “already in the mail”, because what that phrase really means is that a process (internal to Whirlpool to send me the cheque) had been initiated. This rep denied my request to be transferred to a manager, and basically said I needed to wait longer.
