Posted on 08/15/2009 2:52:32 PM PDT by RBW in PA
Wanted, advice for Small Claims Court regarding defective Lane furniture.
Hoping to solicit some advice regarding a small claims court filing I am considering…
Two years ago I purchased an Ashley leather Sofa and Recliner from a local furniture store. Immediately after the furniture was delivered I discovered a slit on the side were the seat reclines and notified the store. On the phone, they said that this is easily repairable and sent out a technician. I agreed to the repair because the damage was small and located in an inconspicuous place. However, after the technician evaluated the slit, he determined it could not be repaired with out reupholstering the entire seat area. Fortunately for me, the store could not match the leather and replacement pieces had a nine-month lead-time. I was told they would take back the furniture and I should come and select a new set.
This time, I selected a Lane leather Sofa and Recliner which cost me an additional $600 dollars. After several months, the leather began to discolor on both pieces. Again I contacted the store, a tech was dispatched and he re-dyed the damaged areas. The first repair lasted 24 hours and there were three other attempts made over the course of two months. After numerous complaints and a threatened law suit, the store once again agreed to take back my set and let me choose a replacement. Note that at this time Lane admitted they had a defective lot of leather. They also allowed the store to perform a repair on this set and sell it as a floor samples.
Finally a third set was selected, again Lane and leather. This time the store attempted to charge me an additional $600 because prices have gone up. I disputed this and they finally agreed to perform another swap at no cost. Now, this brings me to my current dilemma.
The leather on my existing Lane Sofa and Recliner (3rd set) is pulling away from the stitching. The technician was dispatched and determined that the leather is defective and not abused or neglected. In addition, I am under warranty for this and Lane has agreed to a repair at no cost to me. Unfortunately, I am not in agreement on how they plan to remedy this problem.
Rather then replace my furniture again, they wish to reupholster the damaged areas. I am concerned that this repair will not be done to factory standards, it requires a major disassembly of the furniture (they all recline and the seats are attached to the back and bottom), the color may not match and the leather (declared defective) will most likely stretch in other places after my warranty has expired.
My furniture store is unwilling to negotiate with Lane on my behalf or do anything else to assist me. I spoke with Lane directly and they state that they will stand behind the repair. They also claim the color will match (I read they die it on the site) and they will stand behind the warranty in the future even though it will be expired. When I asked them to put that statement in writing, they refused.
At this point, I am planning to meet with the Furniture storeowner this week and ask if I can return the set and simply get my money back ending this ordeal. I suspect he will refuse at which point I will threaten to file a claim in small claims court. Unfortunately, I am not sure on what grounds to file on. I would really like to purse Lane directly but they are in Missouri and I am in Pennsylvania.
If anyone has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.
Good luck, all I know is that the laz-y-boy people told me:Lane is a 4 letter word.
goto: lane-furniture.pissedconsumer.com You will see other satisfied[sic] customers. Speak with them and see if you have enough pissed off customers for a class action suit. A serious threat of a class castion suit based on real, not percieved, loss is usually enough to help Lane furniture come to the table and give you your money back.
You have had use of seating for two years — this will be noted against what you had paid. Most furniture warranties are very limited. The technician who declared the leather as ‘defective’... was this a factory technician or the furniture store?
I don’t have any advice, but thanks for sharing your experience. There’s a new Ashley Furniture nearby and I won’t bother with them.
I had a similar problem with two La-Z-Boy chairs I had custom made last year. I finally gave up and decided to live with my expensive mistake, but I’ll never make another purchase from La-Z-Boy. Good luck.
If their offer to repair the furniture is within the stated warranty stipulations, you wouldn’t stand a chance in court.
First find out what rules apply for small claims court in your state as they differ from state to state. Usually when you file you simply state on a form why you are filing,
briefly, and against whom.
Pay the filing fee and await a date to be heard.
It sounds as if you have enough documentation to persue a small claims. I filed one against a swimming pool company for giving me a used, rusty pump with my above ground pool kit. They did not respond to the Small Claims Court and did not appear at the hearing. They did nothing until the court authorize the sheriff to go to their store and confiscate enough merchandise to cover the award. At that time they wrote a check to cover the award and gave it to the sheriff. That’s probable the modus operandi of most companies. They will stall and try your patience as long as possible and do nothing until the court forces them.
Stop buying cheap furniture.
Hmmmm, sorry to hear you are having so many problems. Perhaps you got some bad merchandise.
We have Lane products in our home and pieces passed down from grandparents. I love Lane and am sad your experience with them is not good.
Why not just get in touch with the highest person you can? See what they can do for you. They have a good name and am sure he/she would want to make this right for you.
Good luck.
I was an upholsterer for many years. The work an upholster would do on the furniture would likely be superior to any work done in a factory. The sewing would be a lock stitch and not a chain stitch which tend to keep ripping once the chain is broken. Staples or tacks would be put in by hand and would be stronger and smoother. The work would be done by hand and not with robotics which can’t sense enough to make an adjustment, or can tear fabric and won’t know it. The only draw-back I can think of would be if you used the same crappy factory leather. Good workmanship can’t overcome the problem of low quality fabric.
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