Most warranties will protect consumers in the event a product doesn’t work as advertised or stops working altogether. But it’s important to know the terms of any warranty, because details can vary widely.
A former East Hartford resident turned to NBC Connecticut Responds for help after his warranty claim was denied.
Craig Savastio bought a new Kenmore refrigerator in May 2016, but he didn’t want it delivered until November, when he closed on his new house.
Savastio said the cashier had trouble entering a delivery date that far in advance at the register, and ended up choosing a date in July. The cashier told Savastio to call Sears to have the delivery date changed.
Savastio said two employees confirmed the warranty would take effect on the day the fridge arrived, November 4, 2016.
But when the refrigerator stopped cooling this past October, Sears told Savastio he was outside the warranty period. Savastio had to pay $323 to get the fridge fixed.
He appealed his case to Sears, but his claim was rejected.
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According to information on Kenmore’s website, refrigerator warranties apply for one year from the date of sale. NBC Connecticut reached out to Sears for clarification.
A representative told Responds most warranties will make an exception if you can prove the item was not in your possession until a later date. That’s not always easy to do.
Luckily for Savastio, he had an email confirming the November 4 delivery date.
After NBC Connecticut inquired, Sears credited Savastio for the repair costs.
The representative said someone should have told Savastio to call soon after delivery to have the warranty record updated.
