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Don't buy into the claim of lifetime warranty - it is false.

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Hunter Douglas - Don't buy into the claim of lifetime warranty - it is false.

i purchased very expensive silhouette shades for my home. Part of the buying decision was the lifetime warranty for replacement of defects.

The glue that holds the inside panels to the outside sheers has come off and some of the inside panels have fallen. Hunter Douglas claims this is due to normal wear and tear and they aren't responsible. This shade is in a window that doesn't get opened and the shade doesn't get manipulated - it just hangs there. One rep offered to have me send it in for a warranty inspection, another said that they guaranteed me if I did that, it would be rejected as a warranty claim.

Apparently the lifetime of a Hunter Douglas shade is 12 years according to their customer service reps.

Beyond that it is the customer's responsibility for "normal wear and tear". I will never buy from this company again - their warranty claims are misleading and they obviously just want people to spend more money on their products that don't hold up.

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Loss:
$400
Pros:
  • Other shades with same defect were replaced before
  • Previous replacement silhouette shades are holding up just fine
  • Got back to me in a timely manner
Cons:
  • Misleading warranty
  • Unpublished meaning of lifetime to actually be 12 years
Reason of review:
Warranty issue

Preferred solution: I just want to warn others. HD already said that 12 years is the expected life span and they won't honor the warranty.

9 comments
Guest

Its baloney for their wood blinds also - really only 7 years

Guest

The warranty is product lifetime, not yours. Anything exposed to direct sunlight will eventually degrade.

Yes, that includes top of the line Hunter Douglas shades. Normal wear and tear includes UV exposure, fading and eventual fabric deterioration. Your LifeTime Limited Warranty covers defects, not normal wear and tear. The average lifespan of a Silhouette is about 12 years.

I have seen some last longer without delamination.

Go to a reputable dealer and show them your shades. Hunter Douglas will replace the shade if the fabric is delaminating because of a defect in manufacturing.

Guest

Did you ask for assistance from Hunter Douglas or from the person or company where they were purchased? One of my clients had a delamination problem with one of their shades and I called the company, emailed a photo and they sent out a replacement within 10 days.

The shade was 14 years old!

No problem! So sorry this happened to you!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1415052

The company I bought them from is no longer in business. I dealt directly with Hunter Douglas and then wrote to the CEO. Yes, I am sorry too!

Guest

These would have been replaced immediately, these are not hunter. Some other companies are trying to put bad stuff on this site.

Please don't believe this. It is a scam. A silhouette doesn't look like this.

They are bad mouthing hunter because they can't make this blind. You people are all liars.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1409081

I guarantee you these are Hunter Douglas Blinds. That's what they look like when the glue dissolves and yes they are a silhouette.

And no - they would not replace them.

I know what I bought! Your post is wrong and irresponsible.

Guest

I would love 12 years...we got one and they are being pissy about a c Ailey rotor or some part that has not in anyway been abused

Guest

HD will not honor my lifetime warranty, either. They now claim my lifetime warranty is only good for 7 years on their defective pull-cord system.

The pull-cords do are too thin for the weight of the shade and/or their defective mechanism shreds cords. The cords last only 1-2 years under normal usage.

I have had them replaced before, but they replaced them with the same design. Now they will no longer honor their warranty.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1308689

HD will not honor my lifetime warranty, either! I just leraned that today!

I have done the so- called "operation cord" repairs for the last a couple of years which were beyond 7-years.

Indeed, their design for the cords last only around 2 years under normal usage. The service guy told me that they need to charge me $51.75 for the repair.

Now I am asking what would be the repair warranty. Hope that they can let me know.

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Anonymous

Poor customer service and, considering the price, poor product

First, I spent ALOT of money on these and installing these honeycomb blinds. One of the three up front they got wrong the first time yet it was a "Chinese fire drill" trying to get it fixed.

Now, when I go to pull up the shade the rep yanked the hardest last time she was here, one side goes up higher than the other side. I have contacted her by email but she never responds. Her attitude is to be offended by anything you say contrary to the product.

I have read on-line many people having this problem! Considering the outrageous price, I think they are sub-standard.

Emailed Hunter Douglas but their reviews on service look about the same as hers....sucker you in to buy their costly product and then leave you high and dry. FED UP and would never buy again.

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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous

NO CUSTOMER SERVISE FAULTY PRODUCT $40,000 Worth

the Product is USELESS without Customer service after the sale at this Price there should be. How this company stays in Business is beyond me. It allows it Sellers to sell and the sellers have no intention on customer service and Hunter douglas could care less when you call them. Just get your manual Blinds at Home depot or lowes at least you can go get another one and have some control. I have called several Dealers and they all direct me back to original Dealer whom could care less. I have offer to PAY for Support NO LUCK Hunter douglas needs a Lesson in Customer Service I WOULD NEVER BUY THEIR PRODUCT.....DO A SEARCH AND SEE I AM NOT ALONE I WISH I HAD DONE A SEARCH BEFORE Spending 40 K
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous

Motorised top down a nightmare!

Some of the 14 Duette blinds would not dock properly at the top. Response was yes that is problem and it is touch and go.

Some might dock, others might not. Just the luck of the draw. That shocked me. Another would not lower to the floor.

The motor on another was grinding and had to be replaced, now on the 3d replacement. 4 months later hoping to have the final replacement of one blind installed next week. Hunter Douglas do not return calls or answer correspondence a clear indication they simply don’t care.

Almost $20,000.00 later, all I can say is that am disgusted and hope whoever reads this takes this as fair warning to stay away from Hunter Douglas blinds. I was completely stupid and taken for an expnsive ride that I will likely regret until the day they are replaced.

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Reason of review:
Damaged or defective

Preferred solution: Full refund

1 comment
Guest

We also paid about 25K for motorized Silouette. This was the heavily rebated price during he end of year special in my area.

It took a few month to get everything properly set up.

Changing all of the batteries that came with the install made a big difference. In spite of the insistence of the phone support people that the batteries should not make a difference, after several hours of phone support, I ended up getting a tech to come over and he got things working, but it needed that all batteries be replaced.

All thing considered, the system is fun when it works and its been working. The major ongoing issue is the battery life.

We have 4 floors and about 15 windows. 12 batteries per window that need changing fairly regularly.

It is starting to become really annoying.

I would likely not recommend this system to anyone who asked.

Anonymous

5 Trys - Same Issue - Poor Craftsmanship

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I choose Hunter Douglas for the quality and am very dissapointed. When my blind was delivered and installed, the material on the valance was bubbled.

They ordered a replacement. That one was bubbled. They ordered another replacement...yes, it too came with bubbles. They then ordered yet another one saying they were putting this one under "white glove" status assuring me it would be corrected, but guess what, that came and is no different - still bubbles on the valance, and on this order, they delayed almost 2 months.

Unreal. More than six months later, all I have is a very expensive blind that still looks bad. What happened to Hunter Douglas.

This used to be a great company. Shame on you!

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Reason of review:
Bad quality
1 comment
Guest

I had a very similar experience. Very expensive blinds and the battery keeps draining within days in some of them. Hunter douglas totally unhelpful.

Kimani Gtu

Ultra glide pull system is terrible

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We just spent $ on 2000.00 roller shades with ultraglide pull system. The pull cord keeps breaking or is pulled through the little plastic attachment and disappears up into the roller mechanism.

We have to call the dealer each time and wait weeks for a repair. The problem seems to be in the pull cord design and is very flimsy for the weight of the blinds. The pull thread is about the diameter of dental floss and keeps releasing from the plastic attachment (seems like the knot holding it in the plastic attachment is not big enough).

We are sick of complaining about this issue over and over. Will not recommend this product.

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Reason of review:
Bad quality

Preferred solution: Full refund

1 comment
Guest

Same problem here. 6 of them in my house and take their turns falling apart. Very flimsy parts and strings.

Anonymous

Overpriced blinds, weak mechanism for larger windows

We outfitted our home w/ Hunter Douglas, thinking we would be going with "the best"; we chose their Duette top/down-bottom/up line. Well, at least 2 of the larger blinds (70" W window) have broken internal mechanisms where the blinds won't hold up (they simply flop down). The blinds were in spare bedrooms that had very limited use, and are ~8 yrs old but started malfunctioning several yrs ago.

The blinds are also plagued by constantly breaking pull tabs and other plastic parts.

Warranty department has denied any responsibility to fix items, as it is beyond their ridiculous limited warranty period...

View full review
Loss:
$2000
Reason of review:
Damaged or defective

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution

3 comments
Guest

Call the place you bought them from. First measuring is not Hunter Douglas fault.

It also sounds like it was not installed properly if chain connector interferes. That is the fault of the installer. The place you bought the Hunter Douglas shades will send them back for repair if they can not at their store.

There is a 7 year warranty on the LiteRise lift. Again, contract the place you bought them from, so you do not get charged.

Guest

Just bought 7 large window shades.God the pull chain is always jammed with thst dumb clear plastic thing. Not too impressed and they measured wrong too. Not to sure what to do not paid yet

Guest

We have 7 lite rises, installed within 3 years, hardly used. No dogs or children, and only 2 adults carefully using them, and 3 of them have already broken. DO NOT GET THESE!!!

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Staphany Qzw

And these are the best in Usa?

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I bought 2 Hunter Douglas blinds for my sons' rooms on 10/24/16 from Home Depot. I was assured that these were the best in USA.

I paid a lot of money for these blinds. The installation services themselves are worthy of another negative review. Regardless, the blinds were finally installed in or around December 2016. By October 2017, both blinds were broken.

I called Home Depot on 10/16/17; they finally arrived for the repair on 12/1/17. They were unprepared for the repair, and left with the blinds still broken. They said they would come back "next week". It is 12/11: no one has come.

I called, filed a complaint with the BBB and will go further. Are these the wonder blinds?

Lifetime Warranty? Or this is just a scam?

View full review
Loss:
$885
Pros:
  • Our design consultant
Cons:
  • Deceitful warranty
Reason of review:
Bad quality

Preferred solution: Full refund

1 comment
Guest

NOT RESOLVED

Anonymous

Not worth the money.

We also paid about 25K for motorized Silouette. This was the heavily rebated price during he end of year special in my area.

It took a few month to get everything properly set up. Changing all of the batteries that came with the install made a big difference. In spite of the insistence of the phone support people that the batteries should not make a difference, after several hours of phone support, I ended up getting a tech to come over and he got things working, but it needed that all batteries be replaced. All thing considered, the system is fun when it works and its been working.

The major ongoing issue is the battery life. We have 4 floors and about 15 windows. 12 batteries per window that need changing fairly regularly. It is starting to become really annoying.

I would likely not recommend this system to anyone who asked. For the price it needs to be WAY better.

View full review
Reason of review:
Bad quality
Anonymous

Almost Pulled the Trigger on HD EverWood Blinds Until I Saw This Page

I almost ordered HD's EverWood Blinds for our new house until I stumbled upon this website after doing some homework. Given the cost of HD's blinds, we decided it was worth some research before finally pulling the trigger.

However, based on the horror stories on this website, we're beginning to think we might just be better off with something from the local home improvement store versus thousands of dollars for a product that could turn out to be a headache.

I'm particularly worried about their unreliable warranty and customer services. I don't mind complaints about product defects here and there but what I care most about is how the product manufacturer treats its customers and their after-sales services.

View full review
Reason of review:
Poor customer service
3 comments
Guest

We bought over 25- Pirouettes shades for our home 4- years ago from a reputable shutter company. Some are battery operated which is a pain to get up on a ladder to change 12- batteries per shade on 10- blinds.

The pull cord on the others breaks about 4- so far on them.We chose a top line fabric and the edges are fraying they look terrible.Every time we need batteries changed, or a cord replaced, or trouble with battery blinds we are charged a trip charge by the shutter company.We were told by repairman on repairs on battery operated they were not in sinc is why they stopped working. Come to find out it’s the motor. Supposedly, Hunter Douglas is going to replace the motor on this window, I’m still waiting on this now 3- weeks.I have requested the shutter company ask Hunter Douglas that all battery operated blind motors be replaced so we don’t have to go thru this again and again and again.I expected better quality and I can’t recommend these blinds after spending over 25K.

Very poor design in my opinion. We bought over 25 blindsIn our home, some battery and the rest pull cord.

Guest

I've sold Hunter Douglas products along with other brands since 1998 and have never had a problem with the Hunter Douglas customer service department. They have always responded promptly and efficiently.

I can tell you horror stories about some of their competitors.

The Everwood blinds are an excellent product that are made in the USA and in all my years of selling them I honestly only had ONE issue with ONE blind and the product was rectified immediately. Many times the customer service problems are not with Hunter Douglas but with independent sales people not doing right by their customers.

Guest

I sell hunter and these reviews seem staged. Angry people to begin with.

My clients have no complaints because they've been given great customer service. And i don't get calls about blinds not working. Local home stores sell products from overseas, see how fast they get parts or blinds fixed. People abuse their products and expect new ones.

You can tell the difference in quality.

Talk to my clients. I have good people i deal with.

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Anonymous

Window shades that need replacement after 8 years due to lack of parts

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I invested in top of the line window treatments with electric shades by "the best" Hunter Douglas electrical duets. To do any minor repairs the shades have to be sent by the "dealer"to their factory. If your dealer went out of business, you are on your own. No service. After 8 years the motors have died on the shades and the company doesn't have replacements parts , so they tell you to order new ones at a cost or thousands of dollars. They claim that when the warranty of 5 years is over they are not responsible for keeping in stock parts for replacement of their products. The beautiful color match shades are worthless if they cannot be open and closed. Nowhere in their grantee it states they reserve the right to stop stoking parts. The customer service tells you the legal reasons for not being responsible after 5 years, but couldn't care less about helping a customer that was lead to believe was buying from the "best in the market"
View full review
Loss:
$8000
Cons:
  • No parts available after 5 years
  • Unsatisfactory resolution for defective product
  • Customer service is a sham
Reason of review:
Warranty issue

Preferred solution: Sell the replacement parts or replace the window treatments at no cost.

1 comment
Guest

Buyer Beware always applies. Your issue is unfortunate but is also nothing new in this world of consumerism.

GE refused to supply electronic parts for my top of the line washer. The unit was 9 years old and worked fine except for the mother board. The same goes for my Apple MacBook Pro which is no longer supported. Most high end electronics carries a greater risk of obsolescence.

Improvements and newer technologies are always on the horizon with any reputable company. Try an after-market repair business.

They may have some PowerRise motors or can retrofit an alternative motor into your Duettes. Careful how much you spend on maintaining 8 year old shades.

Anonymous

DO NOT INVEST ON HUNTER DOUGLAS EXPENSIVE PRODUCTS

Hunter Douglas is a company that is cleverly design to rip you off 1. All repairs have to be send to factory, sent by DEALER( the one that sold prod.)If dealers goes out of buss.

you are on your own. 2.Very few dealers available and they have no access to parts. 3. If they have a new product, they discontinue parts of previous model to force to replace perfectly fine (8 years old)blinds at significant cost to you.

3.Lifetime warranty means nothing. After 5 years you should trash what you have(Thousands of $ worth) because parts are no longer available to repair. 4.Costumer service has a disclaimer to tell you the Warranty is up so too bad, and by the speech you know they use it frequently, well lawyered up and memorized.

5. THEY NEVER TELL YOU OR SEND A WRITTEN WARRANTY THAT CLEARLY STATES WHAT COVERS AND FOR HOW LONG!!!!!!!!!

View full review
Reason of review:
Warranty issue
Resolved
Audley Mvf

Resolved: Silhouette a deux

Updated by user Oct 24, 2017

Hunter Douglas replaced our power view a deux Silhouettes with Pirouettes power view with built in room darkening.The issue of the black out shade falling out of the roller is gone. Yay!

Updated by user Oct 17, 2017

We decided we did not want to keep the blinds and wanted a refund. Finally Hunter Douglas took notice.

Fortunately we found a blind that met our needs and we exchanged the blinds for Pirouettes that has a blackout included in the shade. I will update when the blinds...

Original review Oct 03, 2017
We bought 2 silhouette a deux which is a combination of 2 blinds ,blackout shades in a separate roller behind the silhouette. After 6 months the vinyl blackout fell out of the roller.

While the 1st blind was sent back to the factory the 2nd blind suffered the same result . The design flaw is that there is no extra black out fabric wrapped around the roller. The adhesive weakens from the sun through the window and the fabric slips out of the slit in the roller. Hunter Douglas refused to add another inch or 2 to wrap around the roller .

They would rather us send back the whole blind side very time it fails. I don't want to do that. I.e. Be without a blind for 3 weeks and have the hassle o f replacing a faulty design without fixing the fault.

Customer service sucks. It is October and the blind fell out in July and we are still are waiting for resolution.
View full review
Reason of review:
Bad quality
Anonymous

Hunter-Douglas- OUCH!!

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Purchased their sillouette shades- $1,400 for 1 set of window shades for a large window. For that price, should be perfect right?

I've spent most of the 7 years I've owned them with a sheet in my window, either sending them to be repaired, or waiting for them to be repaired. The first time they broke, I sent them in to be fixed, and they did fix them. But they broke again within about a month. Terrible product, though they do look nice, and when they did work, i enjoyed them.

Hunter Douglas is not a responsive company. Absolutely terrible customer service.

I'm giving up and calling another company and throwing these away. what a rip off.

View full review
Loss:
$1400
Reason of review:
Damaged or defective

Preferred solution: credit towards a new set of blinds.

Anonymous

NEVER buy hunter douglas motorized blinds

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The company warranties only 5 years for the motor. You spend $2000 on a blind and after 5 years they tell you that if the motor goes you have to throw it out.

Their motor systems have changed; they keep no parts; you can't even pay them or anyone to repair the blind outside the 5 years. Their service centers don't carry the parts and neither do they. There is no product on the market at that price range where the answer is after five years just throw them out.

And they have the nerve to blast around their advertisements "Lifetime Warranty" with the "except the motor in tiny print" - and not add p.s. you won't just pay outside the warranty period but have to discard.

View full review
Loss:
$2000
Reason of review:
Warranty issue

Preferred solution: fix it or replace

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