Sears Home Improvement shoddy work, no response to complaint, then they ignore money back guarantee Longwood Florida

July 2003 I called for an in home estimate for custom cabinet refacing or kitchen remodeling and had an ad describing the work that would be done and the final statement in the ad was "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back".

Our salesperson talked us out of new cabinets saying the refacing would cost the same but we would save because our 20 year old kitchen needed electrical work to bring it up to code (turned out to not be true)and that would cost us quite a bit. I hesitated because I had seen resurfacing and it looked like resurfacing. She assured us there would be no seams and they would look like new cabinets.

We were given many papers with Customer Service names and numbers (None of whom would ever call me back when I tried to get help after the job). I signed the contract and was given 24 hours to cancel. I felt secure and decided to continue - bad move.

On 8/28/03 the work was completed. So far every word spoken and every piece of paper we saw stressed Sears' commitment to Customer Satisfaction. Even the very next day a "hope you're happy" letter came with our "warranty" (which turned out to be only for the doors and drawers - not the work).

Well, before the first bill came I had called ALL the #s on ALL the papers I was given to let them know the refacing was peeling, molding was loose, seams were now very visible and 2 doors were nicked.

They finally came back 10/7/03 & glued everything we pointed out, caulked near the walls which he forgot to do the first time and he replaced 2 nicked doors. Because of this I paid the next bill that came with almost twice the minimum amount due. I also paid more than the minimum due on the December bill. A survey came in the mail which I filled out with all unsatisfactory marks and there was that Customer Service phone # again. I never heard a word.

The peeling started again, the seams became even more visible and then we started to really look at the work - edges were not finished, it was not caulked at the bottom so when we washed the floor the moisture got in, there were glue spots, there were chips in the laminate, base pieces were flapping back so I called for service again. It took me MONTHS to get an inspector out. My credit has bad ratings because now the credit company says Sears has never updated my file. They said they could not put my account on hold again - it had to come from Sears and Sears was non-responsive (just like they were with me).

Long story short, it has taken me all these months since just to get an inspector to come. I refused to just have the same worker come and re-glue again because I felt I would be doing this for the rest of my life in this house. The inspector has agreed in writing (I made a copy of his notes since he was not filling out any formal form) that the job was poorly done.

They are reneging on their guarantee and have told me to contact their legal dept. My lawyer says to give them one last chance to deal directly with me and a letter will be going out this week.

Posting on this website is a warning to all that just because they shower you with Customer Service #s, names, letters and promises they will not honor the statemente in their ads about satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. I had to fight for a year to have one touch up glue job and one inspector come out.
$5000 later, in debt for $6500 (plus interest now), my credit rating redmarked and facing a legal battle all I can say is Buyer Beware - especially when dealing with Sears.

Jay
Gainesville, Florida
U.S.A.