Premier Care in Bathing

A TINA.org reader alerted us to claims made by Premier Care in Bathing, a company that provides “Walk In Baths and Easy Access Showers” for seniors. In its Premier Promise, the company states:

We are proud of our positive track record and humbled by the thank you letters and compliments we continue to receive every day. Premier Care is happy to make the lives of our customers safer and more comfortable, with a greater level of independence.

But in 116 complaints filed with the BBB and 25 complaints to the FTC, customers have challenged the “positive track record” the business claims to have.

Many of the complaints revolved around the inability for consumers to get their deposits back when they changed their minds about the purchase. One customer explains in an FTC complaint: “The contract signed does state that the company has to be notified within three days or the deposit could be lost. The sales person did not point this out, and the writing is still not that clear to someone who is 80 years old.”

Customers also complained that the company was hard to reach when they tried to cancel and get their deposit back. One consumer specifically said the company ignored attempts to cancel “until the legal cooling off period has expired.”

Premier Care charges an interest rate of 26.99 percent for new accounts on monthly payments. This means an expense for a senior for the baths — which can cost upwards of $10,000 — could be sky high.

In December, an advertising self-regulatory body said it had recommended that Premier Care modify or drop certain advertising claims. The Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program (ERSP) said Premier Care failed to provide enough evidence to back up its claim that “other manufacturers use harsh water jets that can carry bacteria and damage or bruise your skin.” The group had also expressed concern over the inadequate disclosure of Premier Care’s “$150 Per Month” financing offer. Premier Care said it would “adhere to ERSP’s recommendations in future advertising.”

It would be best to be wary before making such a costly investment in a Premier Care Bath, which could be a debt trap for seniors. Read more about deceptive ads targeting seniors here.

This story was updated on 12/23/2014.