My Fight With Cinch

When I filed my AC claim, I expected a technician, a repair, maybe even a replacement if needed. What I got instead was chaos.

Contradictory communication at every stage. Promised timelines stretched into weeks of waiting. Out-of-pocket costs piled up as I fought mold scares and tried to help my home survive the humidity. My kids and I lived in extreme heat for over a month while the company sought its own agenda, which entailed finding an AC service provider willing to complete a controversial, temporary fix on my unit. Three Cinch representatives, a real estate agent, the BBB, and the Attorney General had to be pulled into finding a resolution to this conflict.

Here’s a breakdown of the timeline.

• 10/17/24 — Signed the warranty agreement when I bought my new home. Paid $675ish

• 06/04/25 — My AC broke, so I put in a claim through Cinch. Paid $100 deductible.

• 06/04/25 — Assigned to first AC service provider. We’ll call him Provider A.

• 06/06/25 — Purchased fans for my home at Target — $103.77.

• 06/16/25 — Appointment with provider A, technician assigned, inspected my unit, and stated that I needed a replacement AC installed and that no repair could be done. They wrote their report up and sent it to Cinch. I was hopeful at this point for a quick resolution.

• 06/18/25 — I received a text from Cinch stating that I was reassigned to a second service provider. No communication regarding an explanation was provided by Cinch for why a new company was taking over the claim. I assumed that they just needed a second opinion, but I wasn’t sure about the process, so I took another day off out of the office and complied.

• 06/23/25 — Appointment with provider B and again the technician that arrived on site inspected my AC and verbally confirmed the first provider's assessment, that I needed a replacement AC installed, and no repair could be done.

At this points my area had extreme heat advisories and I was sleeping in my basement on an air mattress while I waited for a resolution. But I thought, surely we’ll get a solution now.

• 06/24/25 — Dehumidifier purchased for home due to 77% humidity due to no AC. Discovered mold growing on some particle board cupboards and had to destroy and remove them. Bathroom baseboards showed signs as well, so I cleaned and disinfected all areas. $204.92

• 06/30/25 — I received a call from Cinch stating that they were unable to obtain the report from Provider B, and I was now being assigned to a third contractor.

I was getting a bit frustrated with the lack of communication, so I called Cinch to follow up and gain clarity of timeline and process. (It took me over 45 minutes of yelling at the automated phone tree to get a human to answer; there are zero menu options that directly take you to a person.) However, I was told their computers were down and no one could assist me at this time. They said that I would receive a call back, but no one called me back. I also sent an email follow-up to Cinch, but I didn’t receive a response until 7/11/25.

• 07/02/25 — Appointment with Provider C. Another day out of the office. I was VERY lucky that my manager was understanding.

• 07/02/25 to 07/10/25 — Multiple attempts were made to reach Cinch at their customer service number, but I was unable to gain interaction with a human to discuss the issues.

It wasn’t until I escalated to the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General’s office that things began to move. It took countless hours, multiple agencies, and relentless persistence to achieve even partial justice.

• 07/07/25 — Filed a complaint with the BBB. Complaint ID: 23565177 and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Complaint #: CDA-83247-P3P2X (Supporting documents were submitted and are public record.)

• 07/11/25 — Received an email response from Cinch to my initial email stating that they would move forward with doing a leak stop and freon fill recommended by Provider C, and the suggested fix would be approved.

I was very confused as to how the solution could go from a complete system replacement, recommended by two separate providers, to a leak stop service. I had questions and was not provided with solid answers. So I kept asking my questions, but I was getting tired… and hot. So I contacted my real estate agent, who sold me the Cinch warranty, to see if she could get me in contact with anyone at Cinch for more information, and to understand what was going on.

• 07/14/25 — Received a call from a case manager at Cinch to discuss my upcoming appointment with provider C to fix my AC. She discussed my upcoming charges. (Apparently, most of the cost of freon is on the customer to pay.) I wanted clarity on what I would owe at the time of the service and requested an emailed breakdown. The Cinch representative told me to call provider C to find out how much I would need to pay at the time of service. (Even with their highest premium warranty, there were out-of-pocket costs.)

• 07/15/25 — Appointment scheduled with Provider C to do a leak check and fill with Freon. I called Provider C prior to the appointment to determine how much of the service cost payment would be my responsibility and at what time I needed to pay. They specified that I would need to pay at the time of service (today) and that they didn’t know how much yet, as they would need to call Cinch. I requested that they call Cinch prior to the appointment and let me know my total prior to my obligation. They called back a few hours later and told me that Cinch took so long to get in touch with them, and left them on hold, that they released my service technician, and I missed my service window for the day. However, I did learn that it would cost me an additional $300 to have the repair done at the time of service. (Was I being unreasonable to ask how much it was going to be BEFORE I was responsible for the cost???)

• 07/16/25 — My real estate agent got me in contact with a Cinch local representative, who stated that my only recourse was to follow the leak check process and said that it was Cinch’s policy to always attempt a repair prior to replacement. He confirmed that Cinch only has three service providers in our area, and all three were utilized to find one that would be willing to provide the leak stop repair. To be honest, he was extremely condescending and tried to bully me into compliance. He said he couldn’t help me and escalated my concerns to another Cinch Rep.

• 07/16/25 — Contacted by a Senior Cinch Representative to determine how this process typically worked because I was really confused why it had taken so long to get my AC repaired and why my provider's recommendations contradicted each other. He stated that requiring a leak check and freon fill was an inflexible internal policy and that they needed to find a service company that would meet that requirement. This conversation confirmed that the reason for the delay was Cinch’s refusal to pay for a replacement system until after the repair, required by their policy, was completed.

I was pretty frustrated at this point. So I called Provider A and was told that Cinch had also asked them to complete the leak stop repair. However, due to ethical reasons, Provider A stood by their assessment that the unit needed to be completely replaced.

After researching “leak stop ethical considerations in AC repair,” I learned that this is a controversial repair. Specifically, the use of leak stop as a repair method raises significant ethical concerns. Leak stop is widely known within the HVAC industry to be a temporary and controversial fix, with the potential to cause long-term damage to an AC system. It is not a full or permanent repair.

Its application in this case was not a decision made in collaboration with me as the homeowner, but rather imposed unilaterally after Cinch shopped for a provider willing to perform it. That fact alone should have prompted a reconsideration of the repair path, not a search for someone who would comply because they didn’t want to pay for a full replacement unit, as recommended by the first two companies that they sent out.

Cinch deliberately chose a repair path with known limitations that exposed me, the homeowner, to two unacceptable outcomes:

1. That the system would fail again, either during or after the warranty period, requiring another round of claim processing, delays, and repair.

2. That the issue would reemerge after the warranty term ended, making the full cost my personal responsibility.

I was provided with the warranty contract and the coverage details up front. I complied fully with the process. However, Cinch’s decision to override professional ethical judgment and complete a controversial, temporary repair that would cost me an additional $300+, and at my risk, constitutes a failure in duty of care.

If this process is deemed acceptable, then Cinch could theoretically shop indefinitely for providers who will agree to any arbitrary, low-cost repair regardless of quality or long-term consequences. This loophole enables extended delays, consumer harm, and increased safety and health risks, especially when it involves essential systems like HVAC. Cinch then shields itself from responsibility via a liability clause, despite having created the conditions that led to a consumer hardship.

What checks and balances ensure Cinch is held to the implied benefits advertised to consumers, chief among them being peace of mind when a covered system requires repair? This case demonstrates a clear gap between those promises and the reality of Cinch’s actions.

Why the “Solutions” Still Fail Most People

When companies exploit consumers, people often suggest: “Just sue them,” “Take them to small claims court,” or “Hire a lawyer.”

But here’s the problem:

• Small claims court requires time off work, legal knowledge, and emotional stamina. Plus, most business contracts stipulate that the consumer must only seek arbitration, which can be significantly more costly than small claims court.

• Lawyers cost money, often more than the original dispute.

• Escalation channels like the BBB or the Attorney General’s office are rarely helpful and slow. They have no power over the company. For instance, the BBB closed my case, stating that they have “acknowledged my displeasure in the resolution.” And other than asking for more information, the Attorney General’s office hasn’t gotten back to me as of yet (09/05/25). Neither of these avenues helped in any way.

Even when solutions exist on paper, they are out of reach for most. The system is designed to exhaust you until you give up. Because I wouldn’t give up, I ended up getting a random check in the mail from Cinch simply stating that if I cashed the check, then I was satisfied with the resolution of my claim. … I wasn’t! But I was also done fighting, so I cashed it even though it was only a quarter of the amount it ended up costing me, out of pocket, to replace the unit.

A Local Example: The Twinsburg Schools Case

This isn’t just a warranty issue, it’s cultural. Consider the recent case in Twinsburg, Ohio:

A graduating senior’s transcript was altered, credits wrong, GPA incorrect, and her family was given no explanation. They filed a public records request. Only through a lawsuit, lasting three years, did they finally receive the records that they sought and their attorney fees paid.

(Click to see the News 5 Cleveland coverage)

That fight required:

• Years of persistence.

• Legal representation.

• Time and money that most families simply don’t have.

The message is clear: even when you’re right, justice costs. And most people can’t afford the price.

My Battle With Health Insurance

I also lived this in the healthcare system. (Unfortunately, simultaneously, while dealing with the AC issue.)

In late 2024, I scheduled a Cleveland Clinic appointment using their official system. Cleveland Clinic is in-network for my insurance. Months later, in 2025, I was hit with a bill for over $1,300 labeled as “out-of-network.”

I called the Cleveland Clinic billing department and was told flatly that I needed to pay. Months of back-and-forth with an advocacy group through my insurance led nowhere; I was still told I was responsible. Only after escalating to Naviguard, another service specializing in surprise billing, did the truth surface:

• The charges violated the No Surprise Act, which is supposed to protect patients from this exact situation.

• Cleveland Clinic had been double billing, charging both through the provider and the facility.

Eventually, I received a full credit on all charges. But here’s the timeline: the service was in December 2024. Resolution came in August 2025. Eight months of stress, paperwork, and uncertainty, just to not be exploited.

Most people don’t know their rights under the No Surprise Act, don’t have the time to research, and don’t have the stamina to fight. Which means most would have just paid the $1,300.

This is not the first time, or even the tenth, that I have had to spend a significant amount of time navigating insurance issues, and I know I’m not alone.

The Hidden Costs

Here’s what doesn’t show up on receipts or settlements:

• Hours lost navigating phone trees and resubmitting paperwork.

• Childcare disruptions and time off work.

• The stress of not knowing if you’ll be financially crushed.

• The emotional exhaustion of fighting battles you never should have had to fight.

Corporations don’t calculate those costs. But families absorb them every day.

The Bigger Picture

We’ve created a culture where unethical practices are normalized.

• “That’s just business.” As if profit excuses exploitation.

• “They have to cut corners to make money.” As if morality is optional.

• “Everyone knows it’s a scam.” As if victim-blaming makes it acceptable.

This mindset doesn’t just protect corporations; it perpetuates their abuse. And the people most harmed are those least equipped to fight: caregivers, the elderly, and low-income families.

Cinch isn’t unique. The same exploitation happens in:

• Student loans — debt traps disguised as opportunity.

• Check-cashing companies — predatory fees on the desperate.

• Mortgages — fine print designed to trip people into foreclosure.

• Health insurance — profit built on denial and delay.

• Public school funding — inequity written into policy.

These are not isolated flaws. They’re systemic features.

What I Learned

From my Cinch battle, the Twinsburg school case, and my fight with Cleveland Clinic, I’ve learned this: the system counts on silence. It counts on you getting tired. It counts on you blaming yourself. They hope you get lost in the legal jargon and that the company is right because they say they are with confidence.

If I had kept pushing with my warranty claim, my next steps would have included lawsuits, publishing contracts online, and organizing with other consumers. But I shouldn’t have had to push that far at all. And most people can’t.

The Call to Us All

The systems are designed to chip away at you little by little until getting ahead feels impossible. That’s not your fault.

But here’s what we can do:

• Stay vigilant. Read the fine print, question the “normal.”

• Form community. Share resources, support one another, amplify each other’s voices.

• Don’t stay silent. File complaints, write posts, share your story. Even if it feels small, it chips back at the system.

• Give grace to your neighbors. If they’re struggling, it’s not because they’re lazy or reckless, it’s because they’re navigating systems designed to drain them.

Side note: Laziness isn’t actually a thing. Read “Laziness Does Not Exist” by Dr. Devon Price if you don’t agree with me.

If you have nothing else, use your voice. Keep being loud. Keep resisting the shrug that says, “That’s just business.” Because the truth is, silence isn’t neutral; it’s permission.

✍️ Closing Thought:
My Cinch story may look like one warranty gone wrong, but it’s a mirror of the world we live in. And until we stop excusing exploitation as normal, more families will keep paying the price.