Creative Touch Interiors

Review: I bought a "high end" 3M stainmaster carpet from creative touch interiors in 2003. The carpet soon became discolored and needed replacement under warranty - which they did. Within a few years again, the same thing happened. We called and they offered to replace it again, but we needed to schedule a good time. Unfortunately, things got dropped and that never happened. Now, a few years later, it's continued to degrade and they are "passing the buck" to 3M. They are no longer honoring their agreement and giving me the run around.Desired Settlement: Warranty replacement of ALL affected areas.

Business

Response:

October 4, 2013

[redacted] Court

San Diego, CA [redacted]

Dear Mr. [redacted],

This letter is in response to complaint ID [redacted] filed with the Revdex.com. You stated you purchased a 3M Stainmaster carpet and that Creative Touch Interiors (CTI) agreed to replace your carpet under warranty a few years ago.

Your carpet was installed in 2003. At that time you did purchase an additional stain warranty, the Lifetime Carpet Care Plan, offered by Creative Touch Interiors and serviced by 3M. This additional warranty states that should your carpet become stains and you are unsuccessful in removing the stain, 3M will send a certified cleaner to provide assistance in removing the stain at no charge. If all attempts to remove the stain are unsuccessful and the stain falls within the scope of warranty, 3M will arrange the replacement of the affected area with identical carpet or carpet of comparable value. The warranty specifically states that "replacement carpet is not covered under this agreement".

There are homeowner obligations listed on the warranty, one of which is that you are required to have a cleaning service at least once every 12 months by a 3M designated carpet care professional. Cleaning receipts should be kept as proof of this cleaning.

In May of 2005, CTI received documentation from 3M that a claim had been filed, and that under the terms of your warranty, replacement of the carpet in your family room was approved. CTI replaced the carpet in the authorized area.

In January of2009, CTI received a phone call from you stating the carpet was discolored. CTI sent a Field Manager to your home two days later for inspection. Per the inspection, no discoloration was found. The inspection revealed that the carpet was stained by an unknown source. CTI then recommended you contact 3M and file a claim. CTI received no documentation from 3M that a claim was approved for replacement, and you did not contact CTI again until 2013.

In September of2013, you called CTI customer service and advised that your carpet was authorized for replacement in 2009, you never pursued the replacement, and you were now ready to proceed with getting the carpet replaced. As carpet replacements under this warranty are authorized by 3M, not CTI, our customer service representative called the 3M service center on your behalf. We were advised that your claim filed in 2009 was not authorized for replacement because cleaning receipts showing proof of yearly cleanings were not provided by you.

I apologize you aren't satisfied with the handling of your carpet issue. Please be assured that your warranty under the Lifetime Carpet Care Plan remains intact. As long as you provide the required cleaning receipts to the 3M Service Center, and as long as you are filing the claim for any carpet area other than the family room (which was already replaced), they will open a new claim for you.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions. All of my contact information is listed below should you wish to contact me directly.

Best Regards,

[redacted]

Operations Manager

Creative Touch Interiors

cc: [redacted]@sandiego.Revdex.com.org

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The carpet in question is in the Family room and it is the same problem as before. Basically, it is defective carpet that is discolored for reasons I cannot determine. I'm not even certain that it's a stain, there are many spots, of different colors, and different patterns, and in some areas that cannot possibly have been caused by a spill or other accident (like under the ottoman). I believe the carpet die is just discoloring, perhaps due to sun light, or normal wear, but just like it did before and IT SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS DEFECTIVE. Once again, these ARE NOT STAINS in my opinion.

Regards,

Business

Response:

October 21, 2013

Revdex.com

4747 Viewridge Ave. #200

San Diego, CA 92123

Dear [redacted],

As requested, this letter is in response to complaint ID [redacted] filed with the Revdex.com. The consumer was written a letter dated 10/4/13 regarding his 3M carpet stain claim. The letter he received is not satisfactory as he is now stating the carpet may not be stained, but may be discolored for reasons he cannot determine, “perhaps due to sun light, or normal wear, but just like it did before”.

The consumer was authorized for a carpet replacement in his family room in May 2005 under the terms and conditions of his 3M warranty, which specifically applied to stains. The carpet was not deemed defective, rather it was found to have stains that could not be removed, therefore replacement of the carpet in that room was approved. The warranty states that “replacement carpet is not covered under this agreement”, meaning the consumer can only file a claim on the original carpet installed. Once the carpet has been replaced, the replacement carpet is not covered under the 3M stain protection warranty.

The carpet installed in the home is manufactured by Shaw/Tuftex. Under the terms and conditions of the Shaw warranty, changes in carpet color are excluded as manufacture defects. The warranty states, “Your Shaw warranties do not cover changes in carpet color resulting from external causes, such as fading due to sunlight or spills of household chemicals and other non-food and non-beverage substances.”

I apologize the consumer is not satisfied with the carpet issue he is experiencing. Unfortunately, the carpet in his family room is not covered under the 3M stain protection plan (for stains) or the manufacture warranty (changes in carpet color) for the reasons listed above. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. All of my contact information is listed below should you wish to contact me directly.

Best regards,

[redacted]

Operations Manager

Creative Touch Interiors

[redacted]_m_[redacted]@ctihome.com

Review: Creative Touch International is the company who installed my hardwoord floors, carpeting and tile in my home. They were contrated through the builder [redacted]. The home is 1 1/2 years old and the carpet on my steps is buckeling very bad. This company will not stand behind their guarantee stating because it's over a year old. I have had a professional third party company look at th e carpet on the steps and they told me it's clearly an install issue. I have called the branch manager named [redacted] to discuss this with however after numerous attempts to reach him leaving messages etc. he has not yet to date return my call. Please help? This is a new home and this should not happen. I am very frustrated and do not know what to do?

Thanks in AdvanceDesired Settlement: I would like this service issue repaired