Carol House Furniture

It seems as though all of the complaints on this site are about the protection plan -- DON'T BUY IT!

I think Carol House needs to contract another protection plan servicer. One that will honor claims submitted.

I purchased chairs and the protection plan from Carol House approximately 3 years ago.

In the seat of the chair, the staples are separating from the bottom of the chair (see pics).

I contacted Carol House who gave me the number to the protection plan servicer (Montage) who have denied the claim to repair my chair. In section 2, under the repair plan it states it will cover seam separation. I'm unable to load the protection plan.

What a waste of time to send pictures and purchase the warranty. There are 2 years remaining on my plan.

I'm very unsatisfied and want to share my experience with others.

Here is the response I received today from the Montage representative. I have been going back and forth with them since November of last year.

***
Good afternoon,

Thank you for taking the time to complete and return your final review form. I have thoroughly reviewed your claim and I must agree with the denial. According to our records, you contacted the service center on 11/11/22 and reported the seat on one of the dining chairs had become unstapled, and you noticed this issue 2-3 weeks prior to the call but did not know the cause. The photographs provided show areas of material that appear to have become unstapled. This type of issue is not included in the list of covered damages in your plan agreement, and is consistent with normal wear and tear, which is not covered by your plan. You may refer to your plan agreement regarding the applicable exclusion under Section Three (3) "What is Not Covered", Letter "W", which states:

“W) WEAR-RELATED REPAIRS OR DAMAGE, SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FADING, RUST OR CORROSION, NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, SEAM SEPARATION, STRESS TEARS, LOSS OF FOAM RESILIENCY, PILLING OR FRAYING;”

Based on the nature of the damage, as well as the above referenced exclusion, the denial is valid and will remain the final decision on this claim. Please note, this decision is not disputable and any further communications regarding this specific claim will be unlikely to receive a response. Thank you.

Kind Regards,

Chelsy I Consumer Advocate

We have been in contact with the customer and found that the protection plan denied her claimWe got [redacted] to overturn their denialWe are mailing the parts we have to the customer and [redacted] has authorized to send one of their technicians to the customer's home to install them at no chargeSo as far as we know they are being taken care of by the protection plan

I do not consider the matter closed, and you are correct, I am very dissatisfied with Carol HouseI purchased a $plus bedroom set from them after I built my house--Carol House Employees delivered the furniture, and put it togetherSince Carol House delivered and put together the furniture, the furniture has not been movedI would have been completely unaware of this issue due to the legs being tucked under the trim, the only reason I found the broken legs is because I was down plugging something into the outletIt's absolute (expletive removed) that; 1- Carol House employees did not mention broken legs when putting furniture together, 2- they did not offer to send a repair technician out, they wanted me to bring in the lb pound dresser in myselfPlease tell me how I am going to to do that? Should I call a moving company to move the dresser for several hundred dollars for their mistake? 3- I am sure they pay a high amount of money for reputation management online so whenever anyone is dissatisfied or files a complaint you, the Revdex.com tell them to (expletive removed) offThere is no way to review them on any other site, Google, Facebook, Etcand the manager didn't even have the decency to call me backTerrible customer serviceAll around terrible

We are still able to offer these options from our original response:We are willing to send out one of our technicians at no charge to the customer, but we cannot guarantee that this can be fixed in their homeIf the items need to be brought to our shop to be repaired, we would still be willing to do the labor at no chargeHowever, the customer would be responsible for a $50delivery charge each way for our drivers to pick up and redeliverWe still cannot guarantee that these issues can be fixed, as there are no longer any parts available for this set

This bedroom set was delivered 11/28/and came with a one year manufacturer's warranty for defectsBroken legs and damage to wood furniture are not covered under any warranty because that would be considered damage, not defectCarol House has a five day policy to report damage once furniture is delivered.We have offered for the customer to bring his furniture to our shop at our Maryland Heights location to see if we can fix this for himWe have also given him information for a separate repair company that he can hire to come out to his home.Since the damage and broken legs were not reported until after over a year, these issues are not coveredWe are willing to send out one of our technicians at no charge to the customer, but we cannot guarantee that this can be fixed in their homeIf the items need to be brought to our shop to be repaired, we would still be willing to do the labor at no chargeHowever, the customer would be responsible for a $delivery charge each way for our drivers to pick up and redeliverWe still cannot guarantee that these issues can be fixed, as there are no longer any parts available for this set

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/06/08) */ CUSTOMER PURCHASED RECLINING SOFA, RECLINING LOVESEAT AND POWER RECLINER ALONG WITH A YEAR PROTECTION PLAN ON MAY 10,AND WAS GIVEN A PAMPHLET INSIDE A COMPLEMENTARY BOX OF CLEANERTHE PAMPHLET HAS WHAT IS COVERED AND WHAT IS NOT COVEREDI CAN SUPPLY YOU WITH A COPY OF THE WARRANTY IF YOU NEED ITUNDER "WHAT IS NOT COVERED (CONTINUED) RWEAR-RELATED REPAIRS OR DAMAGE, SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO FADING, RUST OR CORROISON, WEAR AND TEAR, SEAM SEPERATION, STRESS TEARS, LOSS OF FOAM RESILIENCY, ETCTHIS IS A PROTECTION PLAN, NOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR MANUFACTURER DEFFECTSCUSTOMER CALLED IN 1/21/AND SAID HE WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF HIS PIECES, ALL THE CORES WERE HAVING PROBLEMSHE WAS UPSET THAT [redacted] DIDN'T COVER BREAKDOWN OF CORES BUT WE OREDERED ALL THE SEAT CORES AT NO CHARGE TO CUSTOMER, BUT LET HIM KNOW THERE WOULD BE A $AN HOUR CHARGE TO INSTALL THEMWE COULD EITHER GO OUT AS A COURTESY, HUGE ACCEPTION BY THE OWNER, ITS WELL OUT OF THE YEAR LABOR WARRANTY, HE COULD BRING IN HERE FOR THE SHOP TO INSTALL BUT IT WOULD STILL BE AT A CHARGE OR HE COULD BE GIVEN A LOCAL REPAIRMAN THAT WE USE AND HE COULD HAVE HIM COME OUT BUT WE AREN'T SURE WHAT HE CHARGESCUSTOMER WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT HAVING TO PAY LABORWE ADVISED THE CUSTOMER THAT THE CORES WERE HERE ON 3/19/BUT HE WAS STILL ANGRY THAT [redacted] DOESN'T COVER THE REPAIR BUT HE WILL LET US KNOW WHAT HE WANTS TO DOON 4/7/WE WERE TOLD BY OUR SALESMANAGER CARL TO FED EX THEM TO THE CUSTOMERWE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE CUSTOMER SINCE WE FED EX'D THEM TO HIMI'M NOT SURE WHERE HE GOT THE $CHARGEI DON'T THINK WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE HIM AN ESTIMATE OTHER THAN $AN HOURWE ARE STILL WILLING TO SEND OUT A TECHNICIAN TO INSTALL BUT WE CAN NOT DO AT A NO CHARGE BASISWE FEEL WE HAVE MADE A HUGE EXCEPTION TO EVEN GO OUT AND INSTALL THEMTHERE IS ONLY A YEAR LABOR WARRANTY THROUGH THE MANUFACTURER AND NORMALLY WE DO NOT OFFER TO GO OUT AFTER THE FIRST YEAR THE CUSTOMER HAS TO BRING IT IN TO US FOR THE SHOP TO INSTALL BUT WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE THE EXCEPTION FOR THE CUSTOMER

I don't feel them offering me $store credit for chairs and matching buffet that I originally paid over $is a fair resolutionThe original repair technician that came out to my house, said that the damaged furniture pieces could not be repaired or replace.This is a matching set that is no longer availableThe only way to have a matching set would to be to go back to the store and replace all the pieces$in store credit would only cover cost of a few replacement chairs,that would not match the other piecesI would like this company to credit me the entire amount of my original purchase, so I can get a set of chairs and a buffet that match

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/06/25) */ Our store policy is a 10% restocking fee for all cancellationsWe offer free delivery but not free pick upEvery home is different, and it is the customer's responsibility to measure their home to ensure the furniture will fitWhen the sofa did not fit and came back on delivery, the sale was cancelled and therefore a 10% restocking fee was chargedOther furniture stores would have charged for delivery and pick up, which could have resulted in upwards of $in feesOur policy is to split the restocking fee in half if the customer reselects to something different in our store and transfers the funds to a new sale An exception was already made by the owner, and the customer's restocking fee was split to 5% even though she is not reselectingWe are prepared to refund the remaining deposits, but still charging a total of 5%No further action will be taken

Initial softening is to be expected with any new upholstery, and routine maintenance or rotating seat cushions is recommended to provide even wearThere is a warranty against premature or excessive breakdown of the coresWe have ordered new seat cores from [redacted] and can also add stuffing to the back cushions per the customer's preference [redacted] 's warranty is a repair warranty, so replacement is only offered if the issue cannot be corrected with parts or repairThe parts are still on order, and we can schedule service when they arriveCarol House has offered additional options to the customerShe may return her sofa for a refund as long as no customer damage is found, but a 10% restocking/usage fee and $pick up fee would applyAnother option would be to return the sofa and re-select to anything else in our store with a 5% restock/usage feeWe are currently waiting for a response from the customer in regards to these options

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because: When they delivered the furniture to us, the delivery folks saw there was a difference and so they called Carol House and told themImmediately after that, the delivery people leftWe got a call from Carol House and the woman called and offered us some money if we would keep the set, we told them no, because we wanted what we orderedA manager at the store, ***, asked to bring a chair inWe brought the chair in and he said it was what we orderedWe came back homeHe didn’t look at the tableThey sent a person out who took a look and he pointed out the differences and agreed we didn’t get what we orderedHe told us a table was a butcher block, we didn’t order thatChair were different shades, one is darker than the restThe wood is different from the tableWe didn’t order any planksWe ordered solid table and solid chairs that matchedWe never got a call to pick up the table and chairs from us, that is not trueWe got some calls back we will give you a discount ($500) off but we would have to use that $in their store, or we could pick something else out in their store, or if we would return it, we would have to pay a restocking fee (20%) which makes no sense because they were at fault as we did not get what we orderedI haven’t heard anything since May We want a full refund, we feel we deserve thisWe have not used the table and chairs out all Sincerely, [redacted]

We did receive a photograph from the customer that shows a stained area on the upper headrest portion of the reclinerStains are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty, which is what our technicians handleThe customer did purchase the year protection plan through [redacted] [redacted] covers specific incidents and accidents that are reported as soon as they happen, such as stainsOur service representative contacted the customer after we received the photo and referred them to [redacted] to start a claim for the stainThis was back in October of We have not heard back from the customer until now.Our service representative, [redacted] , left a message for the customer today to try to get some more information on this complaintWe need to know if this was ever reported to [redacted] back in OctoberThey require that all claims be reported within days, so we are concerned because she will be denied if she tries to report it now.This recliner is very popular and we do have some extra parts in stock at this timeWe have the fabric for the inside back availableWe would be willing to have our shop install it for the customer at no charge if they can transport the recliner to our Maryland Heights locationIt would have to be left here, and then we could call them when it is ready for pick up.I attached a copy of the photo we received from the customerAgain, this would not be considered a defect under the manufacturer's warrantyWe are willing to install parts at no charge to try and help the customerThis would typically be on a charge basis of $per hour.We will continue to try and contact the customer with these options

This custom order table and chair set was ordered on February 10thThe customer was quoted 10-weeks at the time of purchaseThe items were delivered to the customer weeks later on May 5thOur store policy on custom orders is that they cannot be returned or cancelledWhen an exception is made to bring back custom-made items, a 20% cancellation fee applies and the money remains on account for reselection onlyWe have sent photos of the table and chairs to the manufacturerI have attached a photo alsoThe factory states that solid wood furniture will have natural variation in the wood grain and how it responds to the stainThe wood used to produce the table top has some planks that take the stain darkerOverall, the chair seats and table top do match the wood sample provided.We have made an exception to allow a return and even refund the customer's money, less the 20% cancellation feeWe have also offered to split the fee to 10% with a reselection to another setWe have recommended a solid "paint" instead of a finish if they do not want to see variation in the wood grainAdditionally, we have offered a $Carol House gift certificate towards any future purchase for the customer to keep the set.At this point, the return has been written with the 20% cancellation fee because the customer said they will not keep the set no matter how much money we offerI have called the customer to schedule our drivers to pick up the set and they hung up on meThe customer has stated that they are disputing the charge on their credit cardWe need to schedule the pick up as soon as possible to avoid having unpaid merchandise in the customer's home

The items that were purchased came with a one year manufacturer's warranty against defectsCarol House carries out this warranty for the manufacturers.The protection plan that the customer purchased is a year protection plan for customer damageThis is carried out by a separate company called [redacted] Furniture ServicesThe issues that the customer reported were due to customer damage, not defects within the first yearThe claim is being handle appropriately by [redacted] .Per a supervisor at [redacted] , they have been in contact with the customer and have offered them a cash settlement since they are unable to fix an issue with her chairsI do not have access to any further details on what they have discussed because they are a separate companyThe issues are not something that Carol House is responsible for, and we cannot replace any items without the appropriate authorization from [redacted] I would like to offer information for the contact at [redacted] in case this needs to be directed to themI have been in contact with [redacted] at [redacted] @ [redacted] fs.com in regards to Claim# [redacted] There is no further action being taken by Carol House at this time until we receive authorizations from [redacted]