Guardian Products, Inc. / Leather Care System Warranty review: Unfair and deceptive trade practices! 18

I purchased a blue stone kitchen set with reair plan 6 months ago, started noticing water spots and stains that even aftee washing table with mikd soap and buffing for an hour that the stains wiuldnt budge. I called guardian, the rude customer service agent said that as soon as the first stain appeared I should have called them. I didn't realize is that the stain would not move until I really tried cleaning it, buffing it to restore the Finish. They're only reason so they say for not honoring the repair plan it's because I should have called them when I noticed the first spot. With that being said the three times a day that we're eating at our kitchen table we need to call them because possibly we might spill water or soda or food on our kitchen table. What's wrong with this picture? I did file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, I've not yet heard back but I am also trying to get it rectified with the company where I purchase the furniture and warranty. Otherwise I'm going to attempt to file a claim against them in small claims court. They are a rip-off do not uses company for repair they will not protect you. Also comma when I told them I wanted to cancel my repair plan and I wanted to be refunded, I was told that I had to send in a cancellation in writing so that they can be sure I want to cancel this protection plan. What I asked if I could send them via email a copy of the plan that included, date of purchase the amount of the furniture the amount I pay for the protection plan exactly what I covered I asked if I could send it back in an email I was told no it had to be sent via regular mail. To add ice cream to the cake they have no idea of how long it would take and if I would be refunded my purchase price of the furniture. Do not waste your money on a protection plan it doesn't matter who the furniture companies are because they don't honor their plan they are working together.

I agree I purchased a Leather Dining Room set from Harlem Furniture and bought the insurance that the retailer begged me to get and a friend was over and had a seizure and fell over in the chair and the swivel in the chair wont swivel and its broken I called the insurance company and they said the chair has to be broken in 2 pieces well its broken in two and they still denied it, it covers damages Mr. Attorney and they denied it and told me they don't have supervisors just representatives to speak with, I also had cup rings someone came out tried to get the rings out he told me to call the company back he been on this job to long and when i called back for the same claim the denied it. WOW SORRY COMPANY

I too am victim of this fraud. I bought the extra Guardian Protection warranty on the Microfiber Suede Couch I bought from Living Spaces. My cat ended up peeing up on one of the cushions and since it soaked into the foam pad underneath, I had to call for a replacement. Note the people at the furniture pitched and sold me on buying it, because I did have cats and they said everything was covered. They actually approved it and sent me an email stating I'd be receiving another cushion by mail. It never showed of course. Several calls and attempts to follow up with it were either disconnected or not returned. This company is completely shady and I think all of us should file a class action lawsuit for at least what we paid extra for the worthless insurance!

Guardian would not come out and clean my sofa that I had bought with a warranty, but I said to the representative that I wondered how she could look at herself in the mirror. They ended up sending me a refund for the cost of the warranty. Pro-rated, of course. I would never buy another warranty. For what you pay and what you actually get, you may as well save the money for repair or replacement.

I purchased this warranty from Guardian for a leather couch from living spaces. I just got off the phone with a so-called supervisor who said that my claim is closed because they didn't receive a copy of the second page of my receipt within 15 days of my phone call. I'm in CA, they are in NC. I had to find it then I mailed it, took them 3 weeks to get it. The two people I talked to were practically yelling at me that the claim was closed, it was past 15 days. The thing is, I was never told I only had 15 days from first phone call to handle this, and for the Lawyer that says I should read the contract first, they never gave me a contract to read. Today I spoke with "Supervisor" Elizabeth Burleson, and yesterday a lady named Terresa, both from guardian. So rude and non professional it was shocking. Fighting, just not to have to fix/replace a section of couch worth $299. I paid $200 for the warranty. I called living spaces and recommended that the stop offering a faulty warranty company. I just wanted other people to know about this so others would not get ripped off like I did.

My husband and I purchased a couch from Ruby-Gordon in Rochester, NY and bought the warranty. I made a claim a year ago, and since the stains on the couch were more than 5 days old, they would not clean them and denied the claim. They did not tell me that I must get them cleaned by a professional cleaner (and save the receipt) in order to keep the warranty valid. This past week my cat decided to have a mental breakdown and forget where the litter box is located and I made another claim the day the incident happened and they denied it because I had made a previous claim. I knew when I called them, before they even said what they would or would not do, that they would deny the claim. I am sure that if I had said that I had the couch cleaned by a professional they still would have denied the claim because it wasn't their technician.

And as far as the actual warranty, there was nothing, nothing in the written material that they gave me that said anything about cleaning a spot after five days and then having another claim denied. The materials I received made it all sound so wonderful and what a great investment it was to buy the warranty, and how they will take care of everything. What a crock of @*#*

I agree. Had the worst experience with customer service! I was talked over and hung up on twice! Their warrenty is a coomplete waste! They have the worst customer service and train their people NOT to help you. I dont give a french fry at this point about the furniture, I will be happy when they are out of business! I am even pissed off at the place I bought this furniture! I called them as well to complain and let them know that I will not buy or recommend their store if they continue to use Guardian.

I submitted a claim to Guardian last week and they denied it because they said it was a manufacturing problem. The ball on the post of the bed fell off. The dowel was recessed and wasn't holding the baall on. I pulled the dowel out further so the ball would stay on. They said they are not responsible for miss-haps caused by faulty joints. I explained that this was not a faulty joint, but the ball has gouges that need to be repaired. They then said they are denying due to not being reported within 4-5 days. However, the initial report was given to them a week ago and they denied it then due to manufacturers deffect. I told them the bed post was damaged as well and they said that this was denied because it was too extensive. They left me on hold for over an hour and were rather rude. They were making up excuses on the fly and were very cagey. I will not be purchasing another Guardian Warranty and suggest others save their money and lots of frustration. I have a feeling they monitor this site are are the ones commenting on how dis-honest we the customer are.

Reality check time people, I have worked as a manger in the retail furniture world for over 5 years and in sales for over 15 years. The attorney has it 100% correct. You do need to read and understand your warranty terms. Nobody reads the warranties, I know this for a fact because of the amount of bogus service calls I receive on a daily basis. Providing proof of insurance is not jumping through hoops, you purchased this extended protection/stain protection/comprehensive coverage. If you have a problem it is up to you to provide the proof that you purchased the coverage. If there is no warranty documentation then you do not have a warranty. Every contract that you make in this life on a retail level must be backed in writing or there is absolutely no recourse.

Keep in mind that in this world there are honest and dishonest companies. I have sold Guardian products for nearly 10 years and I have not had one single complaint about them not honoring their contract. That being said, we also don't over sell the product. We state the exemptions as well as the coverage and we ask the customer to read their warranty. Several of the above complaints should be issued to the retailer as they misrepresented the product or they did not give you your warranty. Also keep in mind that there are many more dishonest people out there than there are dishonest businesses. Nobody wants to be a "bad" business, however we are inundated with fraudulent and bogus complaints on a daily basis.

The easiest way to get these companies to work with you is to follow the process outlined in the warranty. i.e. register warranty within 30 days, file claim within 5 days of occurrence, do not report the incident unless covered by the claim. If your claim is denied request proof of exception to the warranty. If you truly believe your case is being mishandled contact the retailer where purchased for assistance but be prepared to supply proof of your claim. I have helped a few customers with manufacturer warranty issues by threatening to no longer carry the manufacturer or not ordering any more product until a situation is resolved. Also keep in mind that your retailer is only the middle man, all claims must be approved by the manufacturer or warranty company and many times the retailer is just as frustrated with the proceedings as you are. Also be aware that most warranties do not designate a time frame in which repairs or claims must be resolved so be prepared for what may be a drawn out process. I hope those of you with legitimate complaints find the solution you are seeking. If you are steadfast you will. Sometimes things do need to be escalated to the legal system. The original poster should get the coverage they are requesting, pet damage is very easy to identify. If there are more than one scratch closely together, that is a claw mark. If something looks chewed, that is a chew mark. If it is just a tear... then there is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't be covered.

To bob, I am sorry that you were taken by a very dishonest retailer. It is never that simple. The fact is that every warranty in the retail world must be backed in writing. If it isn't you don't have a warranty. I have seen very few products come through my door without warranty documentation. If you come across something with no documentation, have the retailer write it on your receipt because if it isn't in writing then it isn't enforceable. Saying that most warranties don't come with terms and conditions is misleading and just as bogus as that warranty you didn't get. I have never purchased anything of value that didn't have a warranty that was outlined in detail. Every extended warranty I have personally ever purchased has come with documentation clearly defining the coverage. I must repeat, "IF YOU DON'T GET IT IN WRITING, IT IS NOT REAL." Saying Guardian sucks when you never had the warranty is not fair to them, that is your retailers fault and your fault for not getting it in writing. If you buy a product then you must have tangible proof of purchase and coverage.

200 business bureau complaints is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of customers that this company serves, that is actually a good score. I myself have dealt with around ten BBB complaints (out of nearly 50, 000 retail transactions) and every one of them was found to be adequately resolved with no action from us. Which means the BBB found them bogus. Remember that when dealing with your retailer, or warranty company that you can be a squeaky wheel without being rude. I will go out of my way and beyond the warranty for a customer if they are civil, but if they are rude or demanding they get the warranty to the letter and nothing more. If you make out to ruin somebodies day don't expect them to work hard to help you.

Enough of the useless feedback from the attorney's and others intent on insulting the intelligence of the victims here.

I knew better but took the leap of faith myself when I trusted the retailer. When I asked for details on the furniture warranty and was provided a brochure by the retailer and an explanation from the sales rep that the warranty was "just that simple". Although I normally think like an attorney, I let my guard down on this one. Fact is, most warranties sold in the retail world DO NOT come with the terms and conditions and are sold to consumers with a marketing brochure. I'm glad I'm not an attorney, but do have years of experience working with contacts. The point is this company like many other insurance companies in different industry do not have integrity and are guilty of unfair business practices among other things. Usually the "squeaky wheel does get the grease". Document and tape record(in accordance w/state law) all communication with the company, keep copies of all documentation; go to www.ftc.gov/bcp/consumer and file a complaint; contact your state attorney general to file a complaint; contact your state division of consumer affairs to file a complaint for fraud, deception and/or unfair business practices. Finally, contact the retailers corporate office from which you purchased your furniture and let them know that you will not buy ANY merchandise from them in the future unless they reimburse your cost for this insurance policy THEY SOLD YOU! Guardian Products, Inc. company sucks-spread the word. Good luck.

People, READ THE FINE PRINT before you buy anything. The extended warranty does not extend your manufacturer's warranty period. It is only covereage for accidental type damage. It is not Macy's fault that you didn't read the material before purchasing.

I also have purchased a warrenty for furniture and am completewly dissatisfied with their lack of honoring the contract. They seek to take you for your money and NEVER service their warrenties. I am interested in joining a class-action lawsuit against this company to recover the monies lost for my damaged goods, the price of the warranty, and the mental and emotional damage inflicted upon me and my family due to this companies deceptive practice. Any lawyers out there interested?

Well Mr. Attorney,
This is a unique case of a company that pry on people to make money.
In my own case, I was buying furniture and I was advised of a service that will offer warranty on my leather living room set. The way it is setup, there was no documentation for the warranty, other than a verbal assurance that the warranty service is an independent service and that I would be getting mail from the Guardian Company in due course.
Well I never got nothing from them, and guess what? Barely one year and not even half, I needed to utilize the opportunity of my fully paid warranty...I will teach these guys a reasonable lesson, as I worked hard for the 5000 dollars worth of furniture I bought and the apportioned 500 and something dollars spent on warranty.
Any body who is in a class action suit, please contact me. I am in Lynn MA. Thanks

I am an attorney and many clients have come to me with complaints. The warranty is a legal document. If you purchase something and want to file a claim please read the warranty. Please look at the stats on the small claims court findings regarding the outcome of the case. Most people dont sit down and read a warranty. Really it takes very little time to be informed. I feel sorry for the poor people who have to listen to people scream and complain about something they wont read. The only time you waste your money on warranties is when you are stupid enough not to read them.

I am sorry if you pay that much money for a warranty dont you think you should read it?

Wow, boy do I feel dumb now - I thought everything was going to work out and that I'm glad I got the warranty. I am pretty much at the same place you are. First Guardian told me that they'd send me paperwork right away, well I didn't get it for another 2-1/2 weeks later. Then I mailed it in two weeks, and they told me they didn't recieve it until a month later. They closed the claim and I called them back and they told me there is only one person that can resolve this and she was "out of the office" until tomorrow morning. I am very interested in a class action lawsuit as well. For anyone interested, I purchased it at Mor Furniture in Glendale, AZ. Both companies are dishonest.

I completely agree. I actually worked at RPM this past week for my first week of training and have come to realize this company is just criminal. They deliberately find ways to screw people over so they don't have to pay $75 bucks to send out a technician. While in training I asked why we couldn't just let some people have a break when they paid a lot for the warranty and there's nothing they can do about a stain...but of course, they told me I have to deny claims in most cases.

I sincerely hate this company. I'm going to advise anyone to not purchase a warranty from them, or maybe from anyone else for furniture damages. They also fired me after finding out I have to return to school in six weeks...so I can better my career and not sit in a cubicle all day making clients angry. Go figure.

Oh, and if you have some kind of stain you want to report- lie about it. The only thing most warranties cover is food/beverage stains..or pee stains. Tell them it's wine and happened in the last 5 days and you'll get help.

DON'T BUY THESE WARRANTIES!

Wow, your story sounds just like mine.

I have been fighting with these people for weeks. First, I sent all the information they requested. Then, they denied receiving it. I resent - then they said the information was incomplete (invoices were not detailed enough.) I had the retailer re-write a receipt. Then, they finally send a person to look at the furniture (small tear). They come weeks later than expected.

The person who came to look also had no equipment - only a camera. He took a picture, and said they would have to come back to repair it.

Next thing I get a letter from Guardian telling me it was pet damage (ridiculous and impossible) and that the claim is denied and closed.

I am looking into small claims court for restitution. I plan on naming the retailer and the company that came to inspect as parties in the suit as well. I would have been less upset about this had they told me up front "don't bother, we don't plan to honor the warranty anyway." But they have made me jump through hoops with old receipts, paperwork and re-sending documentation multiple times because "they never received it."

Guardian Protection Products, Inc. is a SCAM. I plan on telling this to everyone I can, as often as I can. In addition, I will also not deal with any retailers that sell the service, as I feel they are knowing parties to the scam.

BTW - did you get anywhere with the class action? If it is still being pursued, whom can I contact to add my complaint?