Home/Away Assist Problems

[junalmeida]

The home/away assist is not working as expected. It often thinks I'm away when I am home, and turns it to Eco mode. Today I am not home, and it thinks it is, heating the house for no one. 

Everything seems to be set correctly, and yet the support team suggestion is to "buy another phone". 

[junalmeida]

Ok so it seems they were this close to give up and offer me a new thermostat, but then the Sr. support asked to try a different thing. (To be honest, I don't think the thermostat has anything to do with this problem, problem is on their apps). 

So he asked me to create a new home structure in Nest App temporarily to isolate any possible database problem since my current home structure is kinda old. 

I just did that, so I am now again on the watch. Let's see what happens on the coming days and I will post feedback here.
 

[Drewbacca]

The problem is that this is 100% an app problem, not a device one. I was using Google Home to handle it, and I have my office as a second “home.” There is no Nest there, only a Kasa smart plug. It worked perfectly for almost two years until around November. Yes, my home HVAC wouldn’t go into Away mode, but my office wouldn’t work either. That’s all on the Google Home app. The weird thing is that it worked about 30% of the time, but that’s not a great number. I then switched back to using the Nest app, the first two days it worked perfectly, even working at my office. Apparently the GPS and Home/Away works on “homes,” even when there’s no Nest there. Now it’s working the same as the Google Home app. They’ve broken their app somehow, and by removing support for apps like IFTTT, there’s no substitute. I think a better solution to to the GPS would be to determine whether a phone is connected to the home network. I have a TP-Link Deco M9 that has an app that can do that and sync to other smart devices… but again, Google removed most of its integrations. It’s almost like they’re willfully trying to remove the “smart” from “smart thermostat.”

[nestripoff]

this is painful. I have given up now and sent the following email to support. I am not holding my breath for a reply…….but I will follow up on it.

Hi.
A few years ago I purchased a Nest E thermostat for the home and away feature as I am in and out a lot. It worked great and I was very satisfied.

Then, Google purchased Nest and it has NEVER WORKED since.

I have tried every fix suggested by the helpline (several times) including factory resets (several times). It does not work. If I am lucky it will work ONCE then stop working.

I have also been through the forums and tried fixes suggested there. No good.
I have reset my phone, removed and reinstalled the app(s) in various configurations.
I have tried using the nest app with/without google home being installed.
I have tried using google home with/without nest app being installed.
I have tried using both apps together.
You name it I’ve done it!
The Home and away function NO LONGER WORKS.

The thermostat functions fine as a manual stat, the fault clearly lies within the app(s) with reference to phone tracking. (Yes my location setting IS set to ‘always’).

Therefore please could you be so kind as to give me a full refund of the purchase value of the Nest E thermostat as it is no longer of any use to me since the takeover by Google. I can provide payment methods by response to this email.

[DIT]

Some items to add to our issue list:

- When was the last time that any of you received an air filter reminder to replace your burner filter (per the Equipment option checked)?

- It would appear that the Nest Ver. 2 is an "orphaned" product, as there have not been any downloaded firmware updates since 24 Sept 2019, Ver. 5.9.4-5.  Was there ever an End Of Life (EOL) notification issued by Nest/Google/Alphabet for this device?

- How do you opt out of the Nest Aware renewal reminders?

- Perhaps this rises to the level of a Class Action against Nest/Google/Alphabet for specific misrepresentation of the feature set offered to make you want to buy the item.

[junalmeida]

@DIT and @nestripoff Have you guys already tried to recreate the "HOME" on nest app? Create a brand new home, set to the same address, add your thermostat to it and watch. 
I think it is too early to say, but it is been working for 1 day at least. It would be good to see others trying the same as me. 

[Crowey]

I tried this, deleted my home and created a new one, it worked for a day but now  my home/away works in that the app knows I’m away but does not switch the heating to eco mode. 

[Steph477]

use SmartThings it works 

[iamikstrem]

Im not sure if this will help anyone, but I figured I’d reply just in case. I was having the same issue. The way I fixed mine was by going into setting in the app (the clock/wheel in the top left corner) -> home info ->address. I noticed it had my zip code buy not my entire address. As soon as I updated it it started working no problem. 

[DIT]

• No @iamikstrem, that is not a guarantee, as my Home Info/Address has always been fully filled out and the Home/Away function is broken.  Again, we seem to be clutching at straws here.

[junalmeida]

Not my case here. Address is correct.

[Jeriame]

not only do I have the exact same issue, but after a power outage, the temperature sensors stopped working.  My old nest used to be awesome, now they are overpriced pieces of junk.

[junalmeida]

Google just decided it is time to replace my 2yo thermostat. 
I still don't believe the device is the problem, but they wanted to replace it so let's see how this goes. It may take some time for it to arrive. 

I still believe the Google Home App VS Nest app fight on presence sense is the problem. 

[LifeonMars]

Agree it is an app issue 

[LifeonMars]

Are you UK based ? 

[junalmeida]

Canada

[adchiefs]

Our nest thermostat is not displaying any information and we are traveling until March 31. What can I do?

[Rohan10]

Same issue.. 

https://www.googlenestcommunity.com/t5/Nest-Thermostats/Home-Away-Assist-returning-home-always-stuck... 

been following that thread

[ksalgado]

I’m having the same problem. I even change it manually to away and it will automatically go back to home when none of my wife nor I are at home. If this keeps to happening I’ll replace them with an ecobee. 

[willboiss]

I’ve had those issues (and many others with this app) for three years, across three different phones. Location settings always set to “Always”. It’s not the phones. Mystified how this app could have a 4.7/5 on the App Store.

[SiobhanT]

i am going through this hell now, too. There doesn't seem to be any hope of it being fixed.

[PaulMaddy]

I had a reply from the "google nest customer care team" they asked me to update my iphone to the latest 15.3.... i did this and for 3 days now it has been fine. I will continue to monitor it on a daily basis

[SiobhanT]

Updated to iOS 15.3 but problem still there. Not a lot else I can do.

[SiobhanT]

thank you I will give this a go, too.....

[ClaireLeigh]

I’ve had my Nest since 2018 (replaced once due to sensitivity and it going off randomly) and this has been a constant issue with both my initial and new device. 

[junalmeida]

They have replaced my thermostat, and it still does not work as expected. I could see it not switching to Away when we are all away, and it switching to away when we are not!

Not sure what else I should do. 

[Drewbacca]

That’s because it’s an app and software issue, not a thermostat issue. Mine does the same at my office where there’s no thermostat, as well as my home. It happens with both the Google Home app and Nest app. The Nest app was always kinda spotty, screwing up once or twice a week, but when I switched to Google, it greatly improved. However, around November it started to fail about 60% of the time. I’ve had to spend over $100 to set up a Homebridge system to make my devices compatible with Apple HomeKit and turn it on and off by devices being connected to the WiFi instead of my location. Now it works fine but was quite complicated to set up.

[Area51]

I have no fricken idea why Google sent me to this page. Can't I just report a bug to them? 

[junalmeida]

You can, actually the more actual support tickets the better. At least it is supposed to be.

This is the forum. Try to reach support using the apps or the product page. 

[Area51]

That's where I was when it kicked me out and sent me here..... I found the way to contact support directly. 

[SiobhanT]

good luck with that!

[Ollie123]

I have managed to get the thermostat working correctly but setting Home/Away sensing to my iPhone only and have turned off the presence sensing on the thermostat itself.

Not ideal as id like to use both but it works for now.

[SiobhanT]

It seemed to work, briefly but it isn't again. I was told by customer support to turn off thermostat sensing. Still none the wiser. I downloaded the Google Home app but that won't work, either.

[BillPherry]

I've been battling with this issue for months and had no idea it was such a widespread issue. I'm running a Pixel 5, my wife a Pixel 4G and the home / away is all over the place. I did some digging and realise that the two apps appear to be fighting with each other. I removed the nest app and it still had me showing away when I was sat at home. It seems to me like location services are absolutely screwed. I'm close to selling all my Google products and moving to Alexa!!

[Texacate]

I helped a friend who had issues where the NEST iPhone app constantly said they were away, even though they were clearly sitting at home.  1st we fixed the Apple location setting the GoogleHome app, 2nd we fixed the address of the house in the NEST app. (we only had the zip code entered).  With those two problems addressed,  the home/away detection feature started working.

[Crowey]

I have been monitoring the situation for a while now after getting no help from Google, the home/away function itself seems to be working but it doesn’t always switch the heating to Eco. It says I’m away but the heating stays on. 

[teog74]

Same here! I have set the smoke alarm to use its sensor to see if I m home or not when I walk under and it does not see me I have to go downstairs and walk in front of the thermostat. When i chatted with "tech support" they  told me that I have to activate the phone recognition location, maybe they make money with that too, and they opened a case that after 2 months is still sitting there unanswered. I gave them 450$ in products that for the price should work 100% and they don't.  

Do not buy. Google/Nest don't care and do not support their products.

[LifeonMars]

a way around the Nest Thermostat not recognising/switching  Home/Away is to use Samsung Smart Things app and set up routines.

[junalmeida]

Yeah I do have the same setup in home assistant. 

[SiobhanT]

SST didn't work either, nor does google Home.

[YupYea]

It’s crap because now when u click away nothing happens. Before you’d click away and then it’ll go to ECO. now eco is useless as is home or away. It’s all the same settings. And no I’m not using my phone’s location to determine if I’m home. Eco is for that. No need for home , away & eco. When they all do the same stuff. App sux