Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/09/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  At the end of July 2021 I moved into a new-build apartment. I bought a new sofa and 2 chairs from Furniture Gallery (sale #1303780) at a cost of $4081. including tax. Toward the end of April I started seeing moths. Just a few at first, later as many as 10 as day. I called ******** *** ******* on May 4th. Since it was a new building, they thought the moths might be in the insulation in the attic. They sprayed and fogged on 2 seperate occasions. It did not help. Over the next few weeks I had other people trying to find out where they were coming from. I did a lot of research. It wasn't until June 24th that I discovered that the moths were in my new sofa. It takes about a year for an infestation to develop under ideal conditions. Ideal conditions include warmth and fabric to eat. It can take up to 30 months for an infestation in a cold, damp location eg. a storage warehouse. At the time that I bought the furniture, things were re-opening after Covid shut-downs. When I discovered that they were in my sofa I called Furniture Gallery to pick it up. I asked them to take the chairs too. They were in new condition with no evidence of damage but they came from the same place at the same time as the sofa. I did not hear from Furniture Gallery. I went in the second week of August. They offered a discount of $1407. on a set that cost $3907. I declined. I would never feel safe with any fabric furniture from Furniture Gallery. The whole ordeal was a nightmare which which is ongiong....likely forever. I killed dozens of moths every week in May and June. ***** Gallant at Furniture Gallery does not return my calls. He insists that the moths did not come in on the sofa, that they must have come in through a window after the sofa was delivered. The exterminator says that it is not possible for an infestation to develop in that way. I feel that a $2500. refund would be more than fair. I will mail or fax the supporting documents.
  Thanks so much for your time.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2022

  Hello

  I did get a call from Mrs. ******* back in July saying that there's moths coming out of her Sofa, But, she said she wasn't blaming us and the only thing she wanted us to do was come and pick up the Sofa and 2 chairs and take them to the dump for her, as she just wanted to get it out of her house. She has had the Sofa for almost  year and I explained to her that we ordered her set in and that the packages are tightly sealed to protect the sofa and chair in transit , so they don't get damaged. We also talked about how do we determine where the moth has come from as the set was in her house for almost a year. Again she said after the conversation she just said she just wanted it taking to the dumb. So I sent my deliveries guys over to pick up the sofa and 2 chairs. Upon looking at the sofa the sofa dust cover was eaten through from the moths but the chairs had not a thing wrong with them, but I did what she asked. I told her if she wanted a new set to come and tlak to Blair here at the store, Blair knows ****** from years of dealing with her. I instructed Blair to give her a good deal for having to go through this. I didn't here anything else so I assummed everything is good. ****** came in and picked out a new set. The thing I didn't appreciate was the same style chair she had at her house, not hte exact chair was on our floor and she accused us of trying to resell her chairs, We explained that we have had that model on our floor for a couple of years and sell off it and it definetly wasn't her chairs and her stuff was threwn out per her request. We done everything she asked us to do and now she is sending it to BBB. Not sure where to go from here, I talked to ****** and said I don't know where the Moth has orginated and She doesn't either.

   

  Thanks

  *****

  Store Manager

  Business Response

  Date: 12/09/2022

  Hello

   

  Thank you fo reconizing that it wasn't our fault, You are incorrect This product was ordered in it came in the first of July and it was all wrapped up in our warehouse and was delivered on July 23rd to mrs. *******. I sent a copy of the invoice, MRs. ******* would have seen the floor model Sofa that we sell off of but she recieved one from wrapped from our warehouse that was only there for 2 weeks sealed. You are more then welcome to come and see the warehouse and see how tightly sealed the product is and how something would have a hard time getting in. Also the 2 other chairs had not a thing wrong with them when MRs. ******* requested us just to get rid of them for her, So I am not sure why she would be even asking for a refund on those. Companies don't warranty moth's as it is not a factory defect so I am not sure where she is going with it was under warranty. She paid 1300 for the sofa so asking 2500 is not resonable do to the fact the chairs weren't affacted and also The furniture gallery shouldn't be responsible for when there is no proof where the moth orginated from..

   

  THanks

  *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/09/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:  I misunderstood when ***** said the furniture was ordered in, I thought he was saying it was special ordered which would have taken weeks. It was delivered a couple of days after I bought it.  My apologies.

  As previously noted it takes about a year for a moth infestaion to develop.  The apartment that I moved into in July 2021 was a new build so the moths could not have been left by a previous tenant.  A trained exterminator says it is not possible for moths to fly in through a window and start an infestation. That narrows the options as to where the moths originated.  As to why I asked that the chairs be removed along with the sofa even though there was no evidence of damage is because they came from the same place at the same time. I  killed dozens of moths every week from April to June 24.  I was terrified that some larvae or eggs might have been left behind.  I didn't buy furniture until August 15th.  The entire time has been a nightmare that caused panic attacks and anxiety from which I still suffer.

  As ***** stated, I have known Blair and been a customer of Furniture Gallery for more than 40 years. I have found them to be fair, honest and reputable. I am aware that Norman Gallant retired. Still, I would expect the business to adhere to its high standards and excellent customer service.  I hope that ***** will continue to manage the business in a similar fashion, and that the store will be able to keep its reputation as a well- run family business.  ***** could begin to show his to his customers that he is carrying on the tradition that the Furniture Gallery has earned by issuing the $2500. refund that I believe to be fair and reasonable considering the circumstances.

  This will be my last reply to ***** regarding this complaint.  I understand from the BBB that the file will not be closed by BBB and the issue will stand as not resolved.

  My thanks to the BBB for reviewing this complaint.