KANE'S FURNITURE CORPORATION ..NEW SOFA FALLS APART

ON JANUARY 21, 2000 WE PURCHASED $2,800 WORTH OF NATUZZI LEATHER FURNITURE FROM KANE'S FURNITURE IN ORLANDO, FL. THE FURNITURE CONSISTS OF 2 OTTOMANS, LOVE SEAT, 2 CHAIRS AND THE SOFA. WE WERE TOLD THE SALE WAS "AS IS" BECAUSE KANE'S WERE NOT SELLING THIS LINE ANY LONGER.

WE ASKED ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS OF OUR SALESMAN, IE. ANY UNSEEN DAMAGE?..NO, KANE'S WOULD NOT DO SUCH A THING. WHAT IS THE FRAME CONSTRUCTION?..SOILD WOOD, ETC. WE LOOKED OVER THE SET VERY CAREFULLY AND ONLY FOUND A FEW MINOR MARKS IN THE LEATHER THAT WOULD CLEAN UP. WE ARRANGED FOR THE FURNITURE TO BE PICKED UP ON JANUARY 28, 2000.

WE HAD INSTRUCTED KANE'S TO WRAP ALL THE PIECES IN PLASTIC AND REMOVE IT FROM THE SHOWROOM. THE PLASTIC WAS DONE, HOWEVER, I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY WERE REMOVED FROM THE FLOOR DURING THE WEEK WE HAD IT DELIVERED. THE FURNITURE WAS STORED IN OUR GARAGE UNTIL IT COULD BE MOVED TO A CONDO IN DAYTONA BEACH THE MIDDLE OF MARCH. WE HAD HOUSEHOLD MOVED ON MARCH 14, 2000. MARCH 15 WAS THE SECOND TIME THE SOFA WAS SAT ON AND IT FELL APART.

WE TURNED THE SOFA OVER AND REALIZED THE LEATHER FRONT WAS BENT. THE BLACK FABRIC WAS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF EACH PIECE OF FURNITURE THAT HAD TO BE CUT AWAY TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE SOFA HAD BEEN REPAIRED BEFORE, IN THE SAME PLACE IT BROKE AGAIN, AND THE BLACK FABRIC HAD BEEN REATTACHED! IN ADDITION, THE FRAME WAS NOT SOLID WOOD, IT IS ALL PARTICLE BOARD. WE DID OUR JOB IN CHECKING OUT THIS FURNITURE.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES COULD A CUSTOMER BE EXPECTED TO KNOW WHAT IS UNDERNEATH THE FABRIC COVER, AND THE STORE CERTAINLY IS NOT GOING TO LET YOU CUT IT AWAY BEFORE IT BELONGS TO YOU! I TRIED FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS TO REACH LARRY WELLS, WHOM I WAS TOLD WAS THE REGIONAL MANAGER. OUR PHONE CALLS WENT UNANSWERED. WE THEN TOOK PHOTOS OF THE SOFA, SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER TO DOUG BRAVATA, PRESIDENT OF KANE FURNITURE WITH ALL THE DETAILS REQUESTING A NEW SOFA.

IN HIS RESPONSE LETTER TO ME DATED APRIL 3, "I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF OF KANE'S FURNITURE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE YOU HAVE BEEN CAUSED AS A RESULT OF YOUR RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH US. THIS IS NOT OUR STANDARD PRACTICE." AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO A THING! THERE IS NO DOUBT KANE DID THE REPAIR AND COVERED IT UP.

WE HAVE BEEN DEFRAUDED AND CHEATED! HAD WE SEEN THE DAMAGE OR HAD OUR SALESMAN BEEN HONEST WHEN ASKED, WE WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED THIS FURNITURE.

I AM IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AND I MUST FOLLOW DISCLOSURE LAWS. I KNOW THERE ARE DISCLOSURE LAWS REGARDING VEHICLES, ETC. SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2000, WE HAD A FURNITURE REPAIR PERSON LOOK AT THIS SOFA. NOT ONLY DID HE SEE THE DAMAGE WE FOUND, HE FOUND THE WOOD BROKEN IN HALF ALONG THE BACK REST. EVERY BIT OF THIS DAMAGE HAD BEEN CONSEALED WITH LEATHER AND FABRIC AND PER THE REPAIR MAN, ONLY THE RETAILER WOULD KNOW HOW TO COVER THIS PROBLEM UP! SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE REPAIR IS GOING TO COST US OVER $600.00 FOR A BRAND NEW PIECE OF FURNITURE THAT WAS SAT ON TWICE. PLEASE HELP ME GET MY MONEY BACK. SURELY THERE MUST BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO THIS COMPANY TO FORCE THEM TO MAKE THIS PURCHASE RIGHT AND TO PREVENT SOMEONE ELSE FROM GETTING RIPPED OFF!