Complain about a product or service

La-Z-Boy - Malfunctioning Sofa

La-Z-Boy
• Sales Practices
• "Lifetime Guarantee"
• Wrong Model
• Delivery Delays
• Sofa Problems
• Graphite Stains

Elsie of South San Francisco CA (4/18/04):
We got our furniture, a MacKenzie brand (Signature II) on December 30, 2003. After a few days, the sleeper sofa started to squeak, as if the metal spring or frame was loose. We thought the problem would go away but the annoying noise became evident. We immediately called the store. The staff commented right away that their customer service was the best and that they would take care of us. Though eventually, I found out the opposite--the customer service was rude and showed no empathy. I repeatedly asked to allow me to return the furniture and to get a full refund but they bluntly ignored me.

The store claimed that they have a limited policy - three days for exchange or return. They insisted that warranty would take care of the problem. However, the store was unable to correct the problem. To make the matters worse, the furniture cushions were already falling apart. After repeated requests, we finally got another update this month of April 2004. The store came up with an offer –- a furniture exchange or store credit. Again, they denied my request to remove the charge from my credit card. I reiterated that I prefer a refund and for them to pick up the defective furniture. The manager insisted about their warranty and their policy. Hence, I replied that the furniture was bought because we were told by their sales person that the brand we picked were the best and good quality. We expected that the furniture would be a good investment and that they would hold up for many years. We had no idea that they’ll fall apart in a few days.

Brad of Piscataway NJ (9/7/03):
Four years ago we bought a La-Z-Boy 78" extra-wide recliner, reclining couch. The problem is that one side of the couch reclines far beyond its specifications. In the super reclined position the back rest is not in line with the chair so that the wood in the back cushion drives into your back.

When we first called La-Z-Boy to honor their 10-year warranty on the recliner they fixed the problem. The second time, they fixed it again, begrudgingly, and have not returned any letters, calls or other correspondence since. We have written 5 or more letters to the Company to complain about the piece and the company does not respond.

Sharon of Berwyn IL (8/25/03):
We ordered furniture on March 1st. The sofa and love seat were delivered about 6 weeks later. We also bought a massage recliner which was delivered MUCH later then they said. First of all the set is leather and cost over $4,000. The love seat and recliner are okay but the sofa has been a nightmare. The two incliners DO NOT open. This is the second sofa they delivered -- the first one had a cushion that stuck out about 3 inches farther than the others. Since they cost so much I didn't feel as though I had to put up with that.

Now the incliners on either side DO NOT OPEN. I have called the store MANY times. They finally sent a man to look at it and he said he had to replace the footrest parts and left. That was over 2 months ago. Also the center of the back is coming undone, that part was also to be replaced. I have called SO many times with NO call back. several times I asked to talk to the manager and she said she will take care of it and up to this point NO ONE has called to say anything and I feel as though I am getting the runaround.

Stuart of Staten Island NY (6/25/03):
My wife and I purchased a sofa with each end a recliner on 10/14/02. It was delivered 12/18/02 at our request. Around a month later the sofa started making sounds -- every time you moved it made sounds. So I called the and they sent out a repairman and he and I rolled the sofa over and he tightened the lever for the recliner and said "these recliners make these noises, and there is nothing that can be done." I said you must be kidding, in turn he said that's it.

I waited awhile and then called again and this time another repairman showed up and he said that these recliners have this problem but he knew how to fix them, so he said the seat and the assembly had to be replaced and it would take about a month, I said ok and waited a month or more and then I called and they said that they did not know anything about this, and I said how is this possible, you send out a repairman and what do they do when they get back, I was told they would look into it.

We waited over a month and then called and spoke to the store manager and he talking to me like I was some bum on the street, and I said to him "just who do you think you are talking to" and he hung up. My wife and I went out to the store in Woodbridge and spoke to Al P (store manager) and he told me that he would now take over and make sure that I was satisfied. Time passed and when I called the store manager he told me to stop harassing him and hung up then a few minutes later the phone rang and it was the repair shop and told me to stop harrassing the store manager and to deal with this man also named Al and he would take care of the problem.

The repairman arrives at the house with the whole assembly of the seat and replaced the entire seat assembly, after that he said you know this will not correct the problem at all as he had told me before when he came to the house. Well what do you think -- not an improvement at all, still the problem. It cost me $1300.00 for a sofa that has been looked at twice by repairman and replaced assembly once. I am at my wit's end, they now are no longer concerned.

Kim of Sedalia, MO, writes:
I bought a La-Z-Boy sectional 3 yrs ago. It has been in the shop at least 15 times, always comes back not fixed right. The first thing wrong with this couch is my recliners will not close right, I have to kick them hard to get them to close. All of my stiching is coming apart. This really dosn't look nice for the money I paid for this couch. I thought buying a La-Z-Boy was my best move that it was good furniture but I guess not.

Whenever I take my furniture in to get it fixed it is gone for aleast 2-3 weeks. I think that this should never take 15 times or more to get it fixed. La-Z-Boy should stand behind their furniture.

Doris of Carmichael, CA, writes:
I purchased this sofa in January, fully expecting to get the top quality in the item that has been advertised. The first version that was delivered was a regular sofa and not a hide-a-bed, so we had to wait another three months.

Within a week of the delivery of the second sofa, it became apparent that the cushions were too small for the sofa. They are 22" each and the deck is 69". When you sit where the cushions meet, especially if you put your feet up, you fall between the cushions to the deck.

When I brought this to the attention of the service department, they immediately said, "Oh, when the customer complains, we always bring out an upgrade in the foam." (They further told me that La-Z-Boy HAS A POLICY OF USING AN INFERIOR GRADE OF FOAM IN THE CUSHIONS and they only replace with with the top grade if the customer complains.)

I told the man that was not going to work because it wouldn't make the cushions any wider. They insisted they had to do this before they tried anything else. On 7/18 Bradley installed the new foam, and I told him that it didn't suffice.

A couple of weeks later the service manager called and I told him all this. He said he was going out on the floor to measure a sofa like ours, call the factory and he'd let us know. We haven't heard from him since. It's been almost NINE MONTHS! I think I've been very patient, but this is ridiculous. I've been waiting almost 9 months for my sofa to put right.

Doris should stop waiting. If she is willing to measure the sofa, make some diagrams and haul her drawings and a simple cushion into court, she'd probably get some satisfaction in Small Claims Court.

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