Complain about a product or service

Levitz Furniture

Sherri of Los Angeles, CA November 5, 2009

I purchased an approximately 1000 (without taxes) bed from Levitz back in October 2007. I paid a deposit and put the rest on a Levitz credit account. While I was shopping for a new bed at Levitz, I was told by the salesman/manager that it was a high-end mattress. And that because it is a Sealy Posturepedic mattress, it is supposed to ensure more back comfort, thus, more quality sleep.

After I slept in the bed that was delivered to me (and sometimes my boyfriend as well) for a couple of weeks to make absolutely sure that it was given a chance, it became an absolute consensus that it was defective. With or without him in the bed, it sank considerably in the middle while laying on it. It gave us significant back pains and would often lead to sleepless nights. It was so bad that we would end up either sleeping on the couch or even on the floor instead.

It did the complete extreme opposite of what the salesman told me. And it's definitely not a matter of consumer preference because that was absolutely not the same bed that I laid down on in the Levitz showroom. It had no signs of it sinking when I was on it. And even when this salesman (a large man who weighed between 200-300 lbs.) laid on it as well to demonstrate just that, it did not cave in anywhere on the bed which was proof to me that it was firm.

Therefore, in November 2007, I called that same Levitz salesman/manager to make my complaint and asked for a replacement. He then told me that Levitz was filing for bankruptcy, that he was about to lose his job, and that there was absolutely nothing that he could do at that point but to give me the phone number to the corporate office. He said that if not for the bankruptcy, he could've replaced it with no problem.

So I called the corporate office which was only a recording with no one to speak to live and directed me to the store's website in regards to filing a claim. After making several attempts to find and call different numbers so that I could speak to a live person, all I could do in the end was file a claim to PLVTZ, Inc. in January 2008.

Since then, it has been extremely difficult to have someone call me back for the status of my claim. And when they finally did contact me briefly, they gave me the run around and said that they didn't really have an update, that it was still pending, and that a bankruptcy case can take a long period of time. It is still unknown if this will ever get resolved.

The bottom line is that I had every right to return that defective bed to Levitz whether or not they were going through a bankruptcy which was not my fault. I got completely cheated with this purchase, and I feel that I should not have any further obligations to pay for this item. This got turned over to the credit or collections company, HSBC, and the amount has now accrued to over 1,500. Furthermore, I am extremely upset that it has been ruining my credit.

Since November 2007, the mattress has been unused and sealed up in a plastic mattress cover because I have been waiting on the status of my claim and was unsure as to whether or not I had to return it. Not to mention the fact that I was never going to subject myself to any further back problems from laying on that bed. HSBC has now handed this over to the Law Offices of Joe P., LLC. They are currently the ones who are trying to collect this money from me.

I have disputed this request to them while this all remains unfairly as a negative account on my credit report. I have been waiting for months now for an answer to my dispute. I am asking them for the fair termination of the request for the payment of this bed, and that my credit is returned to its good standing because I have been clearly ripped off by Levitz from their sale of a defective bed to me back in Oct. 2007. Their bankruptcy is no excuse for my mistreatment as a customer.

c. of Brooklyn, NY September 27, 2009

I bought two piece recliner sofas and two end tables. The sofa is ripping from seams, the tables are peeling when I first wiped since I was told it was wood I can use wood spray to wipe down. If any water spills on it and you wipe them it peels off color. I am still owing a balance and cant get service to come repair I have a warrantee. Now they are out of business and Im stuck without any explainations and still being billed. What can I do?

Harold of Woodmere, NY July 22, 2009

A few years back I bought furniture from Levitz. We complained almost immediately because the furniture was falling apart. The purchase was on a no interest for the first five years credit card. Throughout those years we complained, to no satisfaction, we never had a visit. In fact for the leather couch they sent us a piece of leather to repair ourselves. It is for a recliner, that when we reclined, it wripped through the leather. We also have a dining set, with 4 chairs and a bench. Three of the chairs are broken and the bench. We also bought childrens furniture with two armoires, the doors are off and the shelves are broken. The beds, the mattresses fall, sometimes in the middle of the night. Levitz is out of business, and now the money is owed to HSBC. We have written, spoke on the phone, and told them they can pick up all the furniture. Their response is that they will report us to the three credit bureaus, not offering any resolution.

Oscar of Bronx , NY July 8, 2009

I made a service request form with guardsman who I paid an X amount of money for a protection plan because the seating areas of my sofa and love seat are sinking in. I have a warranty of 1 year and a 5 year Protection Plan. Guardsman at first told me that I needed proof of returning the original selection and that without it they could not go on with my service request, which is to get refunded. Then they claimed that Levitz weren't thier customer when my sofas were brought. The sofas are not of good quality and they are not even a year old.

Entisar of hayward, CA May 27, 2009

I went today to Levitz located in Stevenson in Fremont CA to buy Sofa set and two twin beds for my kids, my little on had a key in his hand, the managers asked us to take it from him and we could not, he is only 2 and was crying too hard, anyway, I pormised him nicely that he would not do any harm with it, he had asthma and I was not able to stress him anymore, in few minutes we nearly decided what to buy, and we found the manager screeming in our face that if the boy scrathced anything we have to buy it,

I asked him to speak politely but he was screemimg and shouting in our face and speaking in a very horrible way, we relized it was some sort of dicrimination as we were two muslim ladies, he ended up kicking us out of the store, teh was unfortunate for him due to the amount of money we sepnt is teh nesxt store, and was unfortunate again for him as I promised to tell this story where ever I go. Very very very bad customer service, or in other words, there was no customer service at all, something much lower than that.

Sameer of Anaheim, CA May 25, 2009

I bought the sofas, dinning table, chairs, living room table from levitz in 2007 - 2008. My sofas have been replaced by them 2 - 3 times because of quality not given to us as promised and now we are stuck with sofas that are not worth the money that we paid for (3000) and since levitz shut down there is no one that can help get what we would have expected after how much money we paid.

Avelino of Brooklyn, NY May 5, 2009

I purchased a sofa from Levitz two years ago. I paid the bill in full the first week in February 2009. After the payment was received I started to get letters from HSBC claiming that I owed 101.00 dollars. I called them and stated that I had paid the bill in full.

In turn, they stated that I own the money because I was enrolled in a payment protection. I never sign any papers for payment protection, it that was the case, then I did not need to pay for the furniture because I was layed-off Sept. 2007. They insisted that I called and cancel the protection, which I did not do because I never enrolled the protection. I am refusing to pay the 101.00 because I never enrolled in debt protection.

Darlene of Mission Hills, CA April 15, 2009

Darlene of Mission Hills CA (04/15/09)
I purchased from Levitz Furniture store in July 2007 with terms that stated no interest no payment until 2010. A few days later I purchased additional furniture with different terms that stated no interest and no payments until 2009. Some months later in 2008, HSBC called to inquire about why I had not made payments and demanded payment with interest. I stated the terms of my contract and they informed me that I had to pay for debt protection (which I never ordered). I informed them of this and could not get any resolve.

I tried to get in contact with Levitz without resolve. Levitz filed for bankruptcy and left customers without any recourse. HSBC began harassing phone calls several times a day. I tried to get them to send me paperwork showing what I ordered and the terms of my agreement; since they were claiming something contrary to the original terms and agreement. They replied in writing that they could not comply with my request. They just continued to apply interest and debt protection to the accounts against my protests to these fraudulent charges.

In Sept. 2008, HSBC sold my account to a collection agency that is now attempting to bring legal action against me. The original debt of 6700 dollars is now nearly 10,000 dollars plus legal fees and more interest. I cannot believe I am being sued for Levitz' and HSBC's fraudulent practices. They have slandered my credit, stressed me financially and emotionally, and sent my health into decline. How do large companies get away with scamming consumers in this manner? Where are consumer advocates in California? The current economic pressures are taxing enough to the average citizen; why do we have to endure corporate scams as well? Can someone stop HSBC's consumer rip-off practices?

Alberto of Bronx, NY April 13, 2009

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