I purchased sofa & loveseat from a local furniture outlet called Bob's Discount Furniture. At the time of purchase the salesman offered to sell us a furniture protection plan for an additional $100.00. He informed us that this plan would cover most damage occurred from accidents such as burns, tears ect....A bit skeptical ,I reviewed this plan before adding it on to the purchase and sure enough it pretty much covered all sorts of damage as a result of rips & cuts, burns, food & beverages, bodily fluids, nail polish, ink, structural defects, separation of seams and so on. All this and more was covered for a period of FIVE years from date of delivery for " REPLACEMENT of furniture will occur if the damaged or stained piece cannot be repaired or cleaned by an authorized technician or a color match is not available." I went to the place of purchase to report the damage to my sofa which consists of a few burn holes, an ink stained, a big stain from the daughter's nighttime accident as well as bad springs. Bob's Furniture informed me to refer to protection plan brochure for their number and to report the damage to them. The company that puts out this plan is Lilly Industries Inc. & is called the Guardsman Elite Furniture Protection Plan. The person that I spoke with was a Mr. Valaughan who proceeded to ask me all sorts of questions like when & where bought, What was the damage & when the damage occurred. After answering the questions he tells me that there is nothing that can be done because any damage must be reported no more than three days after the accident. He hangs up...........No where in this paper work does it state this. Bob's refuses to help me because it's not their plan even though they sold it to me. The Guardsman people refused me as well. So basically this is a scam to weasel customers into paying money for nothing. I have filed a complaint with B.B.B. and am seeking reimbursement for the price of the plan. Even if it means litigation........
Posted By
Guest,
2/13/2003
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Replies
From JR Pasadena,
9/22/2020
12:40 AM
Seems like many of the insurance policies on furniture or other home goods are often a questionable investment. I've found the ones that include accidental damage are sometimes a good investment with items I use a lot and that would be expensive to replace.
From Gainesville Tree Service Pro,
5/8/2020
10:59 PM
It's amazing how many people have such a bad experience with this company. I'm glad to have done some research into them before making any purchases of such plans. We were just looking to spruce up our office with some new furniture, but we wanted to look into the "too good to be true" protection plan. From the data on the internet, the struggle to get a claim, if one is needed to be file, just isn't worth the hassle with this company.
From leesf,
11/4/2016
12:55 PM
I have just finished with a long, but successful experience with Guardian. I purchased a sectional couch from Haverty's and within a few weeks of the year's warranty ending, the mechanism that raises the footrest stopped working. Since we had purchased the Guardian coverage we contacted them and jumped through all the hoops necessary to place the claim. Then we waited. The original report was made July 26. The couch was repaired Nov. 1. After we took pictures, copied all the documentation requested and submitted it we waited; a technician called and arranged to come to the house. He knew what was wrong without looking..."it's the piece that always breaks", but didn't have the part. He took pictures (how do you show something not working?) and submitted it. We waited. A part came in the mail. I called Guardian to tell them. We waited. The technician called and came to repair it. We waited. When he arrived, they had shipped the wrong part. He took more pictures and we waited. The new part arrived. I called Guardian who said a technician would contact me. We waited. No call, I called again. We waited. Finally a date was set, the technician didn't arrive. I called and waited. Finally the tech came and repaired the couch in about 15 minutes. However he was careful to tell me that Guardian wouldn't be replacing this part that always breaks, again, because the policy was only good for one time. I won't be purchasing another protection agreement from Guardian.
From melissa1211,
12/13/2012
1:30 PM
Just about 3 years ago I purchased a sofa and loveseat from Bob's Discount Furniture. The sales person told us we should definitely get the Goof Proof Protection Plan so we did. About a month ago, I noticed some small punctures in the cushions of both the sofa and loveseat. I reported it immediately - filling out all the ridiculous paperwork and submitting pictures. After a repair man coming to take additional pictures, I was notified that our claim was denied because there wasn't "a single incident" in which created the damage. Basically because I didn't know how the holes got there, I just knew they were there and reported them. I asked Michelle where I could read this in their protection plan policies and she said that I couldn't and she is just explaining to me what they consider a puncture that would be covered. I am definitely reporting them to the BBB - ASAP
From AJT In West LA,
8/3/2012
1:01 PM
The Guardsman Leather Protection Plan is a complete rip-off. Unless you have a rip or tear that they consider fits their definition, they will not cover it.
From Guest,
8/11/2011
4:05 PM
I purchased a sectional from Gerdt Furniture in Indianapolis. My salesperson. Pam talked me into the Guardsman pkg. She sit on the sectional and explained the warranty would cover all stains and if Guardsman could not repair that it would be replaced. Three months later, a visitor sat on the couch with something evidently on her clothes. We noticed the stain that evening. The very next day, we contacted Guardsman. They said they would send papework. Four days later, I called saying no paperwork. Again they would send it. Seven days later I called again. They emailed it to me but it would cost $29.95 to print by Adobe. I contacted the manager for Gerdt, Ken. He said he would follow up. Nothing, several days later I found out their service dept had the paperwork which I went over and immediately completed. Two weeks later, a phone call from Guardsman. Claim denied because the kind of stain is "unknown". Never once did anyone from Guardsman or Gerdt inspect the furniture. We were told by the salesman everything was covered or replaced, but even the manager of Gerdt's could care less about customer satisfaction. I will be more than happy to spread the word about this scam Guardsman and Gerdt Furniture are exploiting their customers with. Anyone who reads these complaints can check and see the number of complaints with the BBB which all are "resolved" because each one is denied. There are also many additional sites showing complaints against this company. Possibly all the consumers should contact their Attorney Generals about the deceptive practices of the retailers making false promises and Guardsman deceptions.
From Guest,
7/11/2011
5:42 PM
I want to add to the SCAM list that is the 'Guardsman Elite Protection Plan". I have read a number of replies here and each case is different, but here is my take on why Guardsman plans are a scam. First I should mention that I've worked in customer service and field service departments for over a decade. Yes, we all have 'terms' to protect ourselves, after all they are in this to make money and if done honestly I have no issue with that.
Guardsman's 3-5 day damage reporting window is the main part of the scam. I have read a number of replies about how the warranty plan is only about 1/10th or less then what you paid for the product and that somehow makes it important form the customer to follow the 'rules' otherwise Guardsman might lose money. Well that's how warranties work...out of every 100 sold only a small percentage will ever make a claim. Where Guardsman is a rip-off is that they put the 3-5 day reporting period in so they can deny a significant percentage of those that actually do make claims. Denying those claims is a way for Guardsman to make even more money off the consumer.
The most frustrating part to me is that if you are honest and report to them all the details a accurate as possible they use that information to deny you...if you were to lie and say it just happened then they would honor the claim. ANY plan set up to reward lairs and punish the honest is a scam. They are not honest business people. Furthermore, I can tell from my call to their "resolution" department they this is common because I spoke with 5 different people up the chain of command and each one showed no compassion for the situation and knew all the standard reasons for rejection before I even explained the situation.
So if you have a Guardsman plan...not only do you need to notice the problem and report it in 3-5 days, you also need to follow all the rules about submitting the claim paperwork...don't leave anything blank, return the form in 10 days, no photo copies, describe the problem in detail. If you do any of this incorrectly then they deny you and you can no longer have any warranty coverage related to that piece of furniture even though you bought a 5 year plan. All of this screams SCAM!
From ed fox,
5/4/2011
5:43 AM
Same here.. they gave me the run around by sending forms to fill out for each piece of furniture, then asked all kinds of questions like where the satins were exactly and when they occurred. I'm really (deleted)ed. Jennifer convertibles made it urges us to get the protection program since we were about to have a baby. Then when Guardsman send the forms out, and a bottle for US to clean up the mess, they list on there all the stains they don't cover. Pretty much anything you can think of. I'm like 'What other type of stain in there??!!" Of course they declined us.
From anniemyjo,
4/25/2011
12:35 PM
Had the same experience. DO NOT PURCHASE ANY THING FROM THIS HORRIBLE ORGANIZATION
From cj,
4/13/2011
11:44 PM
I reported a tear in my couch within the 5 day period. I was told that they do not cover this type of tear because it is a stress tear...huh? I paid my money in good faith that they would coveer tears but they denied my claim. PLEASE REPORT THIS COMPANY TO THE BBB, I have. This gives every protection plan (future shop, best buy, etc) a really bad name
From todd,
3/6/2011
12:18 PM
after reading so many complants I am going to post also.I purchased a leather sofa from HAVERTY'S IN TENNESSEE with a GUARDSMAN policy after I got home with the policy I started reading the fine print ,it had to many outs for guardsman so I called HAVERTY'S to get a refund on the policy,I spoke with the salesperson and the manager and was reasured that it was GREAT coverage for a leather sofa.guess what? the color started coming off in a spot,so I called guardsman with a claim,they sent paperwork and I waited about two weeks for a decline in repairs and that's what I got! HAVERTY'S and GUARDSMAN LOST A CUSTOMER!
From Chenna,
2/18/2011
10:32 PM
I've been reading SO MANY complaints about Guradsman that I'm almost afraid to submit my claim! I will say this: My paperwork CLEARLY STATES that you must report the damage within 14 days of the incident. The salesman even circled it in pen for me, so i was well aware of the time constraints and am not surprised by it at all. The problem I think I'm going to have is proving to these people that the peeling in my faux "leather" vinyl couch stems from a single incident and is not over time. I think this is where they're going to "get me". The thing is, my couch started cracking and is now peeling. I didn't report the cracking right away, but I called in the cracking right away because I have a young baby and caught him eating a piece of the couch the other day. This is obviously a huge health hazard and I plan to FIGHT this one to the death! Wish me luck...
From Joanne,
2/9/2011
1:45 PM
Guardsman is a scam. They claim to cover pet stains, along with other "undesirable stains" such as blood vomit deleted and drool, yet when I had a repeat claim for pet stains I was told that this was repetitive and preventable, therefore, they would not cover pet stains in the future. They indicated that the consumer has a responsibility to protect their furniture and prevent stains. This protection plan was sold to be as a care and maintenance plan that would provide cleaning regardless of the repetitive nature by Ashley Furniture. Now Guardsman is trying to deny covering any future stains. SCAM!!!!!!!!!!
From guardsman sucks,
2/8/2011
7:07 AM
this service sucks, they make you jump through hoops for you to provide them with proof you have this warranty. paid $379 for a warranty on an over $10,000 purchase. the store where I purchased is out of business. they said you didn't notify in 5 days, and it doesn't matter it manufacturer defect not something that was accidentally done. therefore DENIED. I think that is how they stay in business they accept payment for warranty then deny every claim. great way to make a buck..... you can take your warranty and stick it. I paid for a warranty and am getting nothing in return. therefore I am filing a claim for my $379 back. they suck big time.
From Rita,
2/4/2011
3:52 PM
I bought the furniture protectant from LaZboy in Aurora and it is all a scam. We contected them in Nov. and they kept finding excuses not to come. They finally, told us they couldn't come because they had to know what the stain was. They would not even come and take a look. I was so mad we paid all that money for nothing. They say just call and they will come it's been over a month and a half and they refused to come. It's false advertising please don't ever pay for it better to call a professional from your area. I will never buy furniture at LaZBoy again. They didn't even try to help. When they sold us the furniture they made it sound so good for us to buy it but after that they don't want to have anything to do with you. They wouldn't even try to contact the company. We were on hold for about an hour and a half.
From Marcus,
1/12/2011
9:14 PM
I have had the same problem all of you have had. They have more than lost a customer with me. They have (deleted)ed me off. I would like to make sure they dont get any more new contracts filled. Becaus ethey dont warrenty any thing they can get themselves out of. I have had my couchs for a little over a year, and one has developed wrinkles in the cushions on both sides. I have paid $400 for both couch warrenty and my bedroom set. they have came out twice and did a half @ss job repairing it. I have a problem with them and the manufacturer. Besides guardsman i dont know if i will buy furniture from Jeromes or MOR furniture again if Guardman is who they do business with. Guardsman protection.... protection from what? They deny every chance they get. I am in the process of letting every one i know, know about this. Whether it is facebook, myspace, every complaint board, better business bureau, make a youtube video, and what ever i have to do to get the word out. They are out to scam as many people as they can and protect no ones furniture.
From JGardner,
12/27/2010
4:59 PM
Thank you all for posting this interesting information about the Guardsman Protection Plans. I will not purchase it with new furniture from Bassett. Your warnings have cost Guardsman/Valspar a customer.
From Sachin Patel,
11/17/2010
10:53 AM
If anyone wants to join me sueing this guys - email me.
sachinpatel22@hotmail.com
From Sachin Patel,
11/17/2010
10:49 AM
Hope i had read this before i went to Bob's discount furniture. Is there any way we can sue this guys. They denied my furniture repair as well - my sofa's leather completely teared off.
and they says it's not covered.
From Mad About Ewe,
11/5/2010
2:13 PM
Has Guardsman Furniture Protection Plan EVER HAD A SATISFIED CUSTOMER? EVER? Why doesn't Valspar do something about this. Guardsman is NOT VALSPAR and it is obvious that Valspar is doing NOTHING to make the situation better. So Valspar is as bad off as their evil offspring, Guardsman.
From sony,
10/26/2010
3:28 PM
BOBS & Their Furniture protection plans are a BIG SCAM.
GUARDSMAN FURNITURE PROTECTION PLAN -***BIG SCAM****
The Worst plan I ever see..they find all ways to escape from your damage claim. Please my sincere advice is to keep that amount and use it for your OWN repairs. NO Protection plan is going to cover any kind of damages.
They just enjoy your money but never use it for you.
From Brian s.,
10/6/2010
5:33 PM
Ok. I was very unhappy with bobs, and was about to file a small claims case when my appeal to the store was settled. Bobs agreeg with my assessment of the Situation and is replacing both my sofa and loveseat. So, it appears bobs has will continue to get my business.
From Goof Proof my butt!!!,
9/30/2010
3:10 PM
Sadly, I went through this same situation with Guardsman - a.k.a. "Bob's Goof Proof" - for a chair I bought there. Several YEARS ago, I had lost another chair to one of my cats peeing on it (that was right after we had just taken in a new rescue and she was not happy about it). Once we got rid of that chair, it never happened again - not on any other furniture, or even in the old chair we put in right in the same place of the lost one just to see if the behavior would reoccur. It did not, so after 6 months with no incidents, we got our courage up and went to Bobs to buy two matching chairs. The salesman talked about the Goof Proof protection and how it covered "stains from pets" including deleted, so we bought it - SPECIFICALLY because it covered animal deleted/bodily fluids. Fast forward one year and for some unknown reason, my cat suddenly started peeing in one of the chairs again, so we called to have it cleaned.
Now, if any of you have an animal, you know that the "stain" is more truly the smell, not a physical spot on the surface of the fabric. THAT's THE WHOLE POINT of treating pet stains - almost anybody can get rid of the visual stain, it's the smell that destroys the furniture. Well guess what, Goof Proof/Guardsman now says that they are only responsible for a stain, not the fact that no one can get the smell out of the chair. THIS WAS NOT what the salesman at Bob's told us when I specifically asked if about this situation. Seriously, the chair is ruined, but hey, it looks fine (until you try to sit in it that is - and heaven help you if it's a humid day out) so they fulfilled their obligation. That's a load of crud if you ask me.
I have bought a lot of furniture from Bobs, but I won't ever do it again. Their sales person either lied or was ignorant about what he was selling. Either way, not a company I want to do business with in the future.
From Brian S.,
9/29/2010
6:41 PM
I am filing a small flames case against Bobs Furniture tomorrow. I provided all of the correct information, in the specified time, and was rejected due to the rip being "wear and tear". I purchased the goof proof plan to protect against this exact problem and was obviously oversold by my salesman who stated that pretty much everything a kid can possibly do to this couch is covered. I will be filing against Bobs and not Guardsman as I purchased this couch and the plan from Bobs and feel that they are responsible. I was also told by a rep. At Bobs today that they no longer use Guardsman as theta were receiving far too many complaints. I'll keep you posted.
From york nyc,
8/24/2010
1:47 PM
I recently purchased a sofa bed and ottoman from Jennifer Convertibles in NYC. At the sales associate's strong endorsement and recommendation, I also purchased the Guardsman Fabric Plus protection plan. The $79.99 plan is supposed to guarantee full stain service or replacement for my microfiber sofa bed and ottoman if I call their number within 5 days. Several months have passed without a stain, so I paid no further attention to the plan. Then, today, I received a voicemail from Guardsman saying they've been unable to mail me my service agreement and need to verify my information (even though the information on my sales receipt is correct). I attempted to call the number they provided (also the number listed on all their marketing collateral and website- 1.800.253.3957)but a nice man told me that this number had been wrong for more than 20 years and despite him receiving several wrong calls each day, Guardsman has never updated their brochures or site. This made me very suspicious and concerned. What kind of company allows the only customer service contact number to be incorrect for years? The website only allows for an online inquiry to which they generated me an automated response with a pdf attachment. They told me to mail in the form and they would respond in about 10 business days. However, they also said in that email and everywhere else that fluid stain claims must be filed within 5 days in order to be guaranteed service. What a scam! Obviously, I am very disappointed by this scam and shocked that such a company is still in business. A simple Google search on them revealed nothing but complaints of outrageous lack of service. I have contacted the store where I purchased the item to complain but have yet to receive a reply from them. I will also contact BBB. Any additional recommendations of where to post notice of this scam are most welcome. Thank you.
From Jay,
8/13/2010
4:36 PM
These guys are absolutely scam artists.
Somewhere in the fine print it says that you are supposed to report a damage within 5 days.
This is how the scam works.
They log in the date you called in for your claim. Then they insist you to fill out a form and mail it back to them. (Most legitimate companies take the word of the consumer)
In the form contains a trick question...DATE DAMAGE OCCURED? Most people really don't care about the date and write in a date.
If the date written not within 5 days of damage you had told them when you first called the number, then they deny the claim.
Pretty nasty and conniving.
Please call BBB in MI and lodge a complaint. Also call the store where you brought your furniture, I am sure all of paid few thousand dollars, if they want a repeat order, they should not be selling this service.
From jOJO,
7/10/2010
12:12 PM
I think ALL of you should file a CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST THIS COMPANY.
Guardsman Elite Furniture Protection Plan. It seems like they are scamming people. So Take ACTION, sue THE heck OUT OF THEM, put them out of business!!!!
From Theresa,
6/7/2010
3:33 PM
I purchased a Guardsman Gold in Home protection plan and I am happy with the level of service I have received so far. I had some scratches on a table, reported it within the appropriate time frame (which is listed in the terms of agreement) and they are planning to replace the table.
From D. Laws,
5/28/2010
1:36 PM
Make no mistake, Gaurdsman is a scam!!!
They too denied my claim on a ripped leather on a cushion from Stickley. I paid $495.00 becasue it was "high grade" leather, but saleman assured us it covers just about anything? Not true.
Same thing, guy comes out takes a picture, calls three weeks later and deny's claim? My original sales Rep. is squirming and he is asking me to take another picture so he can give to his manager? What? Appearently, the salesman called Gaurdsman for the picture and they said they could not send it becasue it was the property of Gaurdsman?
Rip off!! do not buy!
From emily,
5/25/2010
2:00 PM
absolute and total SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From M Dawson,
5/19/2010
9:14 AM
I wish i had read all of this prior to calling those people... i am having the worst time ever getting help...my claim was approve for my piece of furniture... a whopping $159.99 to go back and get a replacmnent piece.. to my amazement they have nothing in the store. So now what????? Do I continue to fight this matter... or do i just let It go.
From leatherrestorepros.com,
3/23/2010
11:54 AM
Tony, fabric and leather protection, like scotchguard works fine. You could apply this yourself. Bear in mind it does wear off over time. Read the label and follow directions. Reapply twice a year.
As far as everyone posting their hate mail on Guardsman, I understand your frustration. You expect your furniture to be dealt with properly. As one tech put it before - your beef is with the furniture retailer. They do not sell the warranty properly and this is irritating. Of course you will buy a protection service that will repair or replace ANYTHING that goes wrong, who wouldn't? But if retailers read you the guidelines, they know they have a greater chance of you not buying it, thus they lose their cut of the $$$.
When you take Guardsman for what it is, it works. Honestly, they pay techs more to fix the problem than you pay to purchase the warranty. Just follow the program and aim your aggression at the right company - the furniture retailer.
From tony,
2/28/2010
9:30 PM
we are purchasing a leather couch and loveseat. Rooms to Go offers a leather protection plan against stains. Of course I would like my leather protected with some kind of chemical. Am I better off declining the manufacturer's treatment and buying Scotchgard and doing it myself?
From Bob,
2/27/2010
7:03 PM
Recently purchased recliner with Guardsman fabric plus protection and the recliner has a strong irritating chemical smell which is transferrable to your clothes, etc. Has anyone had any luck with getting rid of the odor or found out what chemical or chemicals are causing this problem? Has Guardian replaced any furniture because of this problem? Help!
From Dawn Fischer,
2/6/2010
10:50 PM
Beware Guardsman! The chemical is so strong on our Lazy-Boy micro suede couch and love seat that I can't be in the room. When I sit on the couch, my eyes and nose start runny. It is horrible what the chemicals do to your eyes, imagine what it does to your lungs!
From Tommy,
2/4/2010
8:48 PM
thank you everyone for the posts. I purchased a table from Ashley's Furniture but have delayed picking it up while I thought about purchasing the Guardsman Elite Protection Plan for $119.00. I too received the brochure and after reading it, it refered to the protection plan for more details. I returned to the store and asked to see the policy on the plan. The manager, after searching for about 5 minutes, said they use to have one but cannot find it. I was told I would be sent the policy after I picked up the table from the warehouse. I told him I really dont feel comfortable purchasing a protection plan without knowing what it covers. He showed me the brochure and told him I read that and that is not the policy. He told me that if I purchased the plan and I found it to be unsatisfactory, he would refund my money. After a few days of thinking about it, I returned to the store to purchase the plan thinking I could get a refund it the policy was flawed. While at the store, I mentioned that it was funny that the manager could not find the policy in the store. The attendant simply reached down and produced a copy of the plan. I asked if i could have a copy of it to review before I purchased it. They said sure. After reading through the plan, everything I have read on these posts I can totally see happening. I also saw that one of the peices of my furniture would not be covered because it was an RTA (Ready to Assemble) item. Thank you everyone for the posts, it saved me alot of frustration in the future and 119 bucks now.
From Sue,
1/26/2010
1:10 AM
WoW
Dont you people read your plan?????
I love Guardsman, they do everything they can to resolve claims. You shouldn't expect new furniture for wear and tear on something you owned for some time either. This is an accidental program, what is covered is determined by what kind of plan you purchased. Read your protection plan! Those of you that have mattress problems, where's your mattress pad?
From Fabri-Coat Scammer,
12/29/2009
10:58 PM
The best thing to do if you have a claim with Guardsman is to take a knife, and cut your upholstery, then call and say "It happened today". Take it from a 20 year tech. Slice it open. "My visiting cousin had a knife in his pocket" It's the biggest rip-off in the industry.
From mike,
12/1/2009
12:14 PM
Purchased sofa & loveseat from a local furniture outlet called Bob's Discount Furniture. At the time of purchase the salesman offered to sell us a furniture protection plan for an additional $100.00. He informed us that this plan would cover most damage occurred from accidents such as burns, tears ect....A bit skeptical ,I reviewed this plan before adding it on to the purchase and sure enough it pretty much covered all sorts of damage as a result of rips & cuts, burns, food & beverages, bodily fluids, nail polish, ink, structural defects, separation of seams and so on. All this and more was covered for a period of FIVE years from date of delivery for " REPLACEMENT of furniture will occur if the damaged or stained piece cannot be repaired or cleaned by an authorized technician or a color match is not available. We recenlent noticed a small 1/2 inch rip in one of the pillows. Wharn I called Guardsman to make a claim they immediately told me it was too much time had passed to make a claim Less than 2 years). I informed them I purchased a 5 year "goof Proof policy" they then sent me a pile of paperwork too fillout describing the claim. We filled it out sent it back and waited. Two monthe later we call back Guardsman, they informed us they could not fix the rip and could only give us a refund on the $100.00 insurance policy.
I then called BoB's directly where they informed me the claim could not be honored because we did not described to Guyardsman how the rip was made! I Actually don't know it was made, (WHO CARES). If i made up a story about the 1/2 inch rip it would be covered??? but they will not honor my claim. It's a big scam.
Nerver buy from BoB's never buy GOOF PROOF INSURANCE!!!
NEVER AGAIN BOB
I am really (deleted)ed!
I wiil see this through one way of another! :(
From Cathy,
9/26/2009
9:52 AM
Everyone - BE AWARE! The smell from the Guardsman fabric protectant on our new sofa (from LazyBoy) has actually sent me to my doctor due to shortness of breath. He diagnosed me with bronchospam. My reaction to this chemical smell is so bad that I am actually not sitting on the sofa anymore. (We've had it just over a week). When the sofa first came into the house and I sat on it the smell was on my clothes. My mother-in-law sat down on the sofa and immediately her nose started running. I don't know exactly what we're going to do. I'm going to call Guardsman and see what they tell me about the odor, but we may actually have to get rid of this sofa and order a sofa without the fabric protection.
Also - read this post from above:
Reply from Keith
7/22/2008 4:18:56 PM
How about reaction to the chemicals in the treatment. Contact dermetitus. Swelled up turned red ,on the parts of my body in direct contact with fabric,lived on benidril for 3 days till we figured out the problem.I am going to the store today to talk with the owners. I want them to give me the federally mandated MSDS whicj describes all the chemicals used. We will see what happens.
This isn't just a matter of money - IT'S A MATTER OF HEALTH!!!
From earl,
7/21/2009
4:13 PM
bobs goof proof is a complete utter scam!! - but his prices are the best by far....still (deleted)es me off that the company engages in deception/additional commission tatics like this...shame of them....
From Marsha,
6/1/2009
4:19 PM
They denied my claim on a tear on a $2,000 sectional because they said it resulted from a scratch and therefore not covered (although a tear is covered). When I asked them to show me in the contract where it said that, they came up with some ambiguous wording about existing wear and tear! SCAM!
From Scared!!!,
2/25/2009
3:44 AM
Ok I am sooo glad I have read all these prior to filling. I have a situation and need some serious advice please. I have recently sold my furniture and let the purchasing party know that the pieces come with a warranty. There are tiny holes from a kitten climbing on the sofa ends and chair. This just happened yesterday so I will be within the three days but is the goof contract transferable if you sell it. Can they call and file a claim or should I call? I just dont want it to be denied. And does anyone know if this situation is deemed an accident?? They gave the kitten away as soon as they noticed the damage.
From Me too,
1/14/2009
3:52 PM
Yes extended warranties are generally a ripoff. Its not likely that a customer will receive full value for the warranty. They cost only a few dollars for the retailer, and they can make very high margins on them - usually higher than any other item in the store. Plus, the store has no cash or retail space tied up in inventory for it, so their carrying cost are zero. Salespeople are required to push these plans because of the profit opportunity for the retailer. Just think about it, there is no way a company could legimately make a profit servicing furniture at your home on a flat rate basis, let alone replace it. The best bet for the comsumer that is concerned about the long term is to deal with a reliable retailer offering high quality merchandise to start with.
From Jon,
1/12/2009
4:22 PM
I'm experiencing conceivably the same nightmare as the rest of you with Guardsman. What company in the digital age makes you send paperwork through the mail to appeal a decision for a repair? I mean, seriously. They must be trying to aggravate their customers to their wits' end.
I love that they just make their own determination what is 'an accumulation' of damages when the service request states that the damage occurred in the last five days. I thought it was great when the technician said "I'm not going to fix this because it won't look good. We'll quote them to refinish it, but they will most likely replace it." So I thought great until I got the letter in the mail then talked to their customers service personnel (which must be on painkillers or something they were so unresponsive).
In my personal opinion, and from what I've read here and on other sites Guardsman WILL NOT honor their own guarantees on major damages. There has not been one positive word about it. They must figure that we all will just go pound sand.
From nancy,
12/19/2008
6:23 PM
I purchased a microsuede sofa and loveseat set and my fianc'e got charcoaled fingertip marks on the arm of the sofa. Do you all think this is covered..? Should be right? It just happened tonight. Let me know plese guide me in the right direction on how to speak correctly to this company so they can't deny me.... Thanks
From Annie,
12/15/2008
9:57 PM
Furniture warranties are not technically a "scam". They do provide a product. The problem is that these warranties are written in language that is written to hold up to legal scrutiny. The average layperson can't understand it - there are probably even some lawyers who can't. My advice would simply be not to buy furniture warranties. Enforcing a "no eating in the living room" rule can go a long way towards protecting your furniture. And if an accident happens, do your best to clean it. It's certainly a lot easier than jumping through the hoops of trying to get anything from the warranty company. They will constantly try to trick you into saying something that will allow them not to help you. It's similar to the fine print in credit cards. I think a law should be passed that all fine print be explained in uncomplicated language. There is no reason people should have to get a PHD in insurance to navigate that absurd system.
From Dave Balsley,
11/28/2008
2:01 PM
well here is another one about the Guardsman. all four of my kitchen chairs are falling apart. just coming apart at the wood joint seams until the arms fell off and the back of the chair fell off. made the call and because I did not call within 5 days they said no. I too spent 0ver $3,000.00 worth at Raymor and Flannigan in King of Prussia Pa.
If the store will not help then I may just take my furniture and set it on the stores entrance walkway with signs about the quality of their furniture and not to purchase the furniture their or the protection plans.
What do ya think?
Its not over until the court says it is.
From Stacje,
11/17/2008
5:01 PM
Yet another horrendous Guardsman story:
I purchased a furniture protection plan from Guardsman, a division of Valspar. I filed a claim stating that the cushions on my sectional had ripped. They first tried to say that it would not be covered at all b/c "seams" were not covered under the plan. I called back numerous times telling them that not all of the rips were at the seams...some were not even close to the seams. They still refused to provide service, even after I submitted photos via email.
I then received a letter dated 9/30/08 stating that my claim was being denied due to the damages being "accidental in nature and not caused under what Guardsman considers normal household use." They went on to say that my sectional would no longer be covered under their furniture protection plan.
I called customer service and spoke to both Sheila and Carol, who both said that my furniture had been abused and neglected and they would not cover any claims on it. I asked them how a piece of furniture that sits in my living room and is only sat on could be "abused/neglected." They had no answer for that. I also send an email to Leanna Lamminen on 10/4/08 letting her know about the situation. I never received a response from her and emailed her again and called her on 10/16/08. She said she would look into it then sent me an email saying she was submitting my complaint and all of the information to the Guardsman Board of Appeals.
Today I received a letter dated 10/31/08 from the Guardsman Board of Appeals again denying my claim. They said the furniture has not been properly maintained and they would not be able to service my request.
Again, this is a sectional sofa that sits in my living room. We do sit on it, but it has in no way been abused, neglected or improperly cared for. They made these assumptions from photos I sent in of the rips and without even having a service technician come out to look at the sectional in person. I requested that a technician come out to specifically look at the rips IN PERSON several times and they refuse to send someone out.
My sectional is in perfect condition except for the rips. My warranty/protection plan states that "Punctures, cuts, rips, and burns" are covered. They have been nearly impossible to work with and have their customer service reps (including supervisors) have been extremely rude and hard to deal with.
From Susan,
8/12/2008
9:44 AM
Good for you Rich...I hope more people do that. Guardsman is EVIL. I too had a nightmare of a time. Guardsman should be put out of business.
From Rich,
8/6/2008
9:58 AM
How is there not a class action lawsuit against Guardsman? I am one of the millions of people who have a nightmare of a time with this douche bag of a company. I even contacted William Mansfield, the CEO of Valspar and his just as worthless as Guardsman. I am proud of myself....I was at a local furniture store and I talked 3 people out of buying the protection plan.
From Paula,
8/5/2008
5:23 PM
I too have my Guardsman nightmare and wish I saw this sight before we purchased. First, I will never buy from Bob's Discount Furniture again (you get what you pay for)and I will never buy a service plan again. We bought one for our new sectional from Bob's. The salesman encouraged us because we have two children. While cleaning the sectional, we noticed a rip in the leather. Upon closer inspection we noticed seams splitting. We contacted Guardsman, a tech came out and took pictures and said it was a manufactures defect. We received a letter stating that we were denied because our plan does not cover this repair/stain. It didn't say what kind or repair and there was no stain. My husband went to Bob's and complained, they sent a tech out who looked at the rip and said it was Guardsman responsibility. Contacting customer service who contacted Guardsman said we were denied for not being specific enough in how the rip happened. We don't know how it happened. We found it after the fact. I found it ironic that we were denied for not being specific enough after receiving a letter from them that says our repair/stain is not covered. We could keep going and maybe we will but it looks like a tag team and we are caught in the middle. With all due respect to the techs writing in, it is a scam just like rebates. If they can get away without honoring their agreement, they will.
From Carolyn Tonkin,
8/5/2008
3:08 AM
I was able to buy a 750. chair for 300 at Overstock.com.
I would like to use teflon or whatever else is being used now to keep The chair stain free. I also have 3 cats.
Any sugestions on how I can keep this chair in good shape.
From tech,
8/1/2008
9:48 PM
I service these claims. I have been doing this since before the first post in this thread. I can tell you a bit from the other side of the curtain. I do not speak for Guardsman, only myself.
Why is there a time limit? A stitch in time saves nine. Some stains set, some very quickly. After a certain amount of time what could have been a removable stain becomes permanent. If a part breaks and the furniture continues in use, it's likely additional stress on neighboring parts will cause additional damage. Open seams just keep unraveling, and so on.
If your sales person says, "It covers everything," they are wrong. It is a contract and what the sales person says is not part of the contract. Guardsman trains retailers and they are supposed to train their staff as they hire new people. If you didn't get what you thought you were getting -- your beef is with the retailer.
Guardsman in the last few years has really emphasized successful repair work. At one point, it was easy for techs to game the system and walk away if a repair was not of interest to them. That has changed. All types of repairs are rated and techs have a success rate. Those with low rates are weeded out.
My rule for denying a claim is it must have been "sudden, unexpected, accidental, and single occurrence." When in doubt, I give the consumer the benefit of the doubt and deny very few claims. Examples: one cigarette burn is an accident; cigarette burns in 40 spots from one end of a piece to another are not. A dent on a table is an accident; dents from one end of the table to the other due to slamming the chair into it is not. An pen mark or food spill is an accident; when the consumer has to remove three coloring books and 7 open markers then proceeds to show 'this is milk,' 'here is chocolate,' 'these three are yogurt,' 'red marker,' 'blue marker,' more yogurt,' etc. well, you get the picture. Just like car insurance covers a crash, it does not cover 100 dings due to parking lot damage, a b--wn engine because the oil was low, or damage should you decide to pull down trees with it.
Some people think it's a maintenance contract "while you are here, could you just check around all over and fix what you see?" It is not. You do not get to file a claim for one piece and then show me through three rooms and 8 pieces of furniture (from who knows what vendors).
From Keith,
7/22/2008
4:18 PM
How about reaction to the chemicals in the treatment. Contact dermetitus. Swelled up turned red ,on the parts of my body in direct contact with fabric,lived on benidril for 3 days till we figured out the problem.I am going to the store today to talk with the owners. I want them to give me the federally mandated MSDS whicj describes all the chemicals used. We will see what happens.
From Maritza,
6/30/2008
4:27 PM
You know what is pretty pathetic. Guardsman actually has a committee that meets every Tuesday to go over all the complaints they get. ( No Joke) You know your company sucks when you need to have WEEKLY meeting to go over the thousands of complaints you receive. And it doesn't matter becaseu they do nothing about the complaints...they always find some way to say "That's not covered, too bad"
Someone should shut them down!!!
From James,
6/27/2008
10:18 AM
Guardsman is the worst Company ever!!!! Do not ever deal with these scum bags!
From feedback,
5/26/2008
11:11 PM
Well, I have just spent more than $7000 to buy 8 pieces of furniture including 3 pieces of leather sofas from the Havertys. A salesperson persuaded me to buy the Guardsman Protection Plan by additional $450 because it will cover “all damage”. I did not go ahead but told him to add it before the delivery if it is necessary. After knowing the truth about the Guardsman Protection Plan, I will not buy the plan.
From Peter,
5/12/2008
3:47 PM
To Steve Dyer & Christopher Amato:
Have you heard about Guardsman's stain protector causing the interior cushions to disintegrate (ie, that the cushions become flat and "dead")?
A furniture manufacture just told us this was the likely cause of our cushions being pre(deleted)ly "dead," and that the Guardsman protection we paid $200 extra for VOIDS THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY!
Anyone else who has heard of this happeneing and what we can do about it?
Thanks!
From steven dyer,
5/10/2008
3:11 PM
you guys, iam a technician for guardsman i used to work for them , but they dont pay there bills. the best person to call is Diane Weinert at guardsman she can help with your claim. i always was able to be helped by her but yes guardsman sucks. her number is 800 675 3603 ext 3 ask for diane if your claim goes bad.
From Rochelle,
5/6/2008
2:24 PM
i wish i knew to look up guardsman three years ago *before* we bought a sofa and loveseat from ashley furniture.
an "accident" from a move through a narrow doorway is NOT the same as an accident from a clumsy person or bratty kid. what a waste of $150! now i not only have to look at the damage on our furniture, but i'll hate ashley, guardsman, and the furniture salesman who said that everything was covered in our plan. most of all, i've learned my lesson about buying nice furniture and not reading the fine print.
From R Faulkner,
4/20/2008
7:31 AM
I hope we've all learned a few lessons
Bobs Furniture is Inferior to me. It looked like a quality sofa set for a fair price, but we watched the cushions collapse and seams split over the 1st year with normal usage.
Any calls regarding damages becomes a tennis volley , back and forth back and forth.
Insurance company uses legal jibberish to change the meanings in there favor.
Bottom Line
I will avoid BOBs ,and have no problem sharing my feeling with others
I'd be interested in finding out how SmallClaims works out for (deleted)ed
With all these issues there must be a few Class Action Suits against Bob's and Guardian. If anyone knows of one please share the info.
From SCAM ARTISTS,
4/18/2008
9:18 AM
What everyone else is saying is true. I had such a problem with them and I am still fighting them. Just listen to the majority...and don't buy the plan.
From I agree with everyone!,
4/17/2008
12:44 PM
Run very fast away from GUARDSMAN!!!!!!!!!!!
From GUARDSMAN SUCKS,
4/15/2008
8:46 AM
THEY WILL NOT REPLACE YOUR FURNITURE. THEY MAY CLEAN IT, WITH A FIGHT!!!! BUT IF THEY KNOW THEY CANNOT CLEAN IT...THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE FIGHT OF YOUR LIFE AND FIND REASONS WHY THEY DON"T HAVE TO REPLACE IT!
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!
GUARDSMAN IS HORRENDOUS!!!!!!!!
JUST SEARCH GOOGLE AND SEE ALL THE COMPLAINTS!!!!
SCAM ARTISTS!!!!!!
From Gerry,
4/14/2008
1:45 PM
Nothing but a headache...Guardsman is a waste. How are they still in business?
From Jim,
4/10/2008
3:20 PM
I agree with the majority....Guardsman sucks. Myself as well as a couple of friends were denied cleaning and/or replacement from that horrible company. Don't waste your time.
From Carol,
4/9/2008
9:15 AM
GUARDSMAN IS A SCAM....DO NOY BUY THE PLAN!!!!! YOU WILL GET SCREWED BY THAT SH!T HOLE COMPANY.
From Joe,
4/9/2008
9:14 AM
Actualy...if you tip a ladder over in the garage and bust a window an insurance company will cover you. At least the one I work for will. Just face it...if you Google Guardsman Protection Plan...there are 1000's of pages of web sites of people complaining about what a scam they are. What does that say about the company?
From Get Real !,
4/9/2008
12:48 AM
Nobody covers damage due to movement. It's not an accident.
Sort of like: Your car insurance covers you in any accident or if its vandalized, but if you tip a ladder over in the garage and bust a window and scratch your car, insurance doesn't cover it.
Hillary or Obama, I bet ?! You think everything should be covered.
From pissed off at Bob's & Guardsman,
4/8/2008
7:03 PM
I just got the denial letter. You can bet heads will roll. This protection plan was sold for a leather couch, love seat and recliner. The love seat was damaged moving it from one side of the house to the other. The furniture was just purchased in October and the damage was reported within the five days. Guardsman claims this type of damage is not covered. Well guess what, Bob's never provided any type of paperwork, and when asked we were told our receipt was proof of coverage and all we need, so there was no fine print to read. The side of the love seat is simply scuffed from falling against cement. Definitely something I would think would be covered especially since when asked, the store representative said "even if it catches on fire and burns it will be replaced, or if you stab a knife in it repeatedly, it is covered, its 100% goof proof" So if Guardsman won't cover it I guess we'll be seeing Bob in small claims court. It only costs $25 to file small claims so well worth the time and energy. I will also be calling Attorney Richard Blumenthal and Channel 3, 30 & Fox 61. We'll see how Bob likes the heat. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
From Cindy,
4/8/2008
10:24 AM
WOW...I thought I was the only one who was having trouble with Guardsman!!!!! Someone should contact Consumer Affairs on them. A little search in Google brings back hundreds of thousands a web pages with people complaing about this company. Makes you sick that an American company liek this would just screw the American public. The excecutive committe for this company has a lot of work to do. Plus there rating at the BBB is horrendous. Companies like this make me sick!
From Cheralyn,
4/4/2008
3:29 PM
My husband and I purchased a leather living room suite today. We have two children under the age of 4 and so the salesman suggested we might want to purchase the guardsman gold program. I told him we would get back to him before delivery because I wanted to research the product and company... it sounded too good to be true. Thanks so much for all your posts... both positive and negative - I have decided this "too-good-to-be-true product" is NOT something we should waste our money on! Thank goodness for the ability to research through the internet!
From Mike,
3/25/2008
11:02 AM
I purchased the Guardsman protection plan for my $1,500 chair. I got the chair 8 moths ago and in February my son decided to use a black sharpie on it. I contacted guardsman and they sent out a tech who said he has delt with this type of chair and their is nothin he can do, so he took pictures and told me that guardsman will contact me. Two weeks go by and nothing, so I contact guardsman and they say that they received the report from the tech but he needs to try to clean it, so he will have to come back. Another week goes back and the tech finaly decides to call and schedula an appointment. He comes out and tests under the lower "flap" on the chair and it bleached the chair and the green stitching ran onto the cream color of the chair. I wait another week and contact guardsman and they say that the chair cannot be cleaned and there is nothing they can do becasue the store I bought the chair from is going out of business. So I lose out. It says nothing in the my protection plan that if the company goes out of business, gurdsman is releived of any obligation. I want my $1,500.
GUARDSMAN IS A SCAM...NEVER BY A PROTECTION PLAN FROM THEM!!!!!!
From accidentshappen,
3/24/2008
4:44 PM
You all have me scared to death to submit a claim. I am so afraid I am going to "word" my claim the wrong way and get denied. our puppy got lose while we were out of our house and tore two holes in our sofa cushions. this just happend last night so I am submitting the claim with in the 5 days. BUT, every time my kids or I sit on the couch it causes more damage. It's like the material is just unraveling(?) now. Has anyone had experience with this situation...do you think they cover a dog ripping it?
From Sis,
3/23/2008
6:38 PM
I have read every single post to this point. Seems to be several common "Threads" in these posts. Anyone else notice?
A. Where these folks buy furniture
B. Lack of informed sales people
C. Lack of informed customer service people
D. Lack of informed consumers
I ask one question - how come consumers from other retailers are not posting?
From JUAN,
3/5/2008
11:08 AM
I'M IN THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY. WHILE I HAVE SEEN MY FAIR SHARE OF DISAPPOINTED CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE SAID THAT THEY FELT THEIR PROTECTION PLAN IS A SCAM.
I FOUND THAT THE MAJORITY OF MY CUSTOMER'S ARE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE PROVIDED. AS FOR THOSE OTHER'S WHO FELT CHEATED, I'VE SPOKE TO MANY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. I FOUND THAT THEY FALL INTO TWO CATAGORIES. THOSE CUSTOMER'S WHO DID NOT FOLLOW THE GUIDLINES AS OUTLINED ON THE PLAN AND TOOK TOO LONG TO REPORT A CLAIM OR REPORTED A CLAIM THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THEIR AGREEMENT, AND THE OTHER WHO HAD HIGHER THEN REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SERVICE PLAN.
I TEND TO BLAME SALES PEOPLE FOR THE UNSATISFIED CUSTOMERS, THEY TEND TO USE WORDS LIKE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING LEADING THE CUSTOMER TO FEEL THAT WHAT EVER HAPPENS WILL SURLEY BE COVERED.
FOR THOSE WHO HAD HIGHER THEN REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS, I CAN ONLY SAY READ YOUR PAPERWORK! IT'S ALL SPELLED OUT FOR YOU HOW AND WHEN TO FILE A CLAIM, WHAT TYPES OF CLAIMS ARE COVERED AND WHICH ARE NOT. I CAN RECALL A CUSTOMER, WHO BROUGHT IN HIS PAPERWORK, DEMANDING THAT MY COMAPNY DO SOMTHING FOR HIM. HE HAD JUST CALLED VALSPAR TO GET SERVICE AND WAS DENIED ON A CLAIM SIMPLY BECAUSE HE HAD ALLOWED DAMAGE TO ACCUMILATE ON HIS SOFA AND EXPECTED THEM TO SERVICE THE FURNITURE. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE SENT OUR OWN TECH OUT TO SERVICE AND PHOTOGRAPH THE FURNITURE, THIS RECLINING TAN SOFA HAD LOOKED LIKED IT WAS PULLED FROM A BURNING BUILDING, IT HAD CIGARETTE HOLE'S THAT BURNED THROUGH THE FABRIC SOME THE SIZE OF MY HAND. WE DENIDED HIS CLAIM, AND I CHALKED THAT ONE UP TO HIGHER THEN REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS.
AS A FURNITURE PROFESSIONAL AND MANAGER I TRY AN HOLD MY PEOPLE TO HIGH STANDARD. WE ARE CAREFUL TO NOT PUSH THIS PRODUCT ON THEM, BUT IT IS OTHERWISE A VALUE IN PURCHASING THESE TYPES OF PLANS, MANUFACTURE WARRANTIES DON'T PROTECT THE COUNSUMER AND COMPANIES SPEND MILLIONS EACH YEAR TRYING TO SAVE FACE AND BUY BACK OR CREDIT FURNITURE TO THE CUSTOMER ONCE THE FACTORY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, WHICH FOR MOST PRODUCTS IS ONLY 365 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF DELIVERY.
TODAY'S CUSTOMERS HAVE TO GUARD AGAINST INGNORANCE, THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO READ THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THEM DURING THEIR PURCHASE. AND ASK AS MANAY QUESTIONS AS YOU WANT, IF YOUR SALES PERSON CAN NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THEN TURN AROUND AND WALK OUT WITH OUT BUYING ANYTHING, IF THEY CAN'T ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTION ABOUT YOUR PROTECTION PLAN, WHO'S TO SAY THEY GAVE YOU ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE FURNITURE YOU PURCHASED?
I HAVE FURNITURE IN MY HOME AND HAVE HAD SUCCESS USING MY PROTECTION PLAN. BUT MOST CUSTOMER'S FEEL SINCE I'M IN THE INDUSTRY, I MUST KNOW THE SECRET TO USING THE PLAN. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THE RECEPITONIST DIDN'T KNOW I WAS IN THE INDUSTRY. I JUST SIMPLY WORKED BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT WAS AND WAS NOT COVERED.
From Guest,
2/5/2008
6:08 PM
my son sprayed lysol on my dining table, staining it. I of course have scratches and dings from the last 2 years and 3 kids. Any suggestions on how to word my claim?
From LeatherRestorePros.com,
1/24/2008
7:02 PM
I too am a subcontracted technician for Guardsman. I have been sent to the same consumer numerous times for different repairs. They are definitely getting their money's worth. The key is to call in the claim as soon as the damage is done and the majority of the time there will be a successful outcome.
From Jeff,
1/24/2008
2:49 PM
I am a compensated Guardsman customer. I had a tight back Leather sofa that I accidentally tore a deep gouge through the leather. Technician came, tried to repair it, could not. About 2 weeks later I got a letter telling me they would credit not only the sofa, but the loveseat and chair AS WELL. The model leather was no longer available as I had puchased it 3 years earlier. I always puchase a Guardsman plan with all of my furniture purchases and do what is expected of me in the contract. It does state 5 days on the front contract in a big red star burst. Those of you who said they weren't aware either are lying or are simply not reading what THEY are responsible to do in THEIR part of the contract. Not Guardmans fault! The contract is very specific on what it will cover and when. Every single complaint I see on this web site is clearly explained in the contract they receive. Some complaints are just unreasonable such as chronic back pain...my advice, medical grade furniture...very expensive but it is designed to handle your problem. For those of you who made the decision based on those that lied about not knowing what was required of them...too bad. Guardsman replaced nearly $4000 worth of furniture for me at my $289 plan price. Next furniture purchase gets a Guardsman plan!
From will,
1/3/2008
4:22 PM
The number I called was 800-253-3957, don't know if this is the same as the one you have. I was on hold a good 15 minutes (which feels like a full day when your holding the receiver to your ear).. Good luck
From eric,
1/3/2008
1:07 PM
how do you people even get in touch with guardsmen? i call ed their cust svc number and been waiting for almost an hr and they keep saying your call is important to us...
From Will,
1/3/2008
12:15 PM
I just had a neighbor cigarette put a burn in my leather sofa last night. From reading all the posts here, do you think I should claim I was the smoker and my ash fell on the sofa or if I tell them the truth, will they deny the claim because it was not the owner who had the accident. Has anyone had any success with guardsman and burns from a cigarette
From Michelle in Idaho,
1/2/2008
8:06 PM
Wow! What an eye-opener.
I'm in the market for a bunch of new furniture for our new home. We have a 5-year-old aspiring artist, a slobbering English bulldog and three ill-mannered housecats living in our home. I was considering purchasing a plan to "protect" our investment, which will most likely involve a leather sofa. Not any more!
And how dare you, "Unbelievable!!," for blaming the American consumer for Guardsman's and/or the retailers' deceptive business practices.
Thanks, all of you, for reminding me of what my mother taught me long ago: If it's too good to be true, it probably is.
From John,
12/20/2007
10:05 AM
I was planning to buy the extended Protection Plan from Guardsman but not anymore.I also have p-ssed on this info to friends/colleagues who have just moved.Thank you guys for helping me to make an informed decision.
From patti,
10/16/2007
12:08 PM
I have bought several times from Bob's and I have had a mattress replaced after 2 years at full purchase price, I reported the indentation when it was noticed. However, I was not able to get a sofa cushion replaced that was caused by a candle that my daughter dropped on it. At the time cigarette burns were the only burns covered. Of course this was not stated. Guardsmen does cover if all terms are met and damage is reported promptly. My advice is to be sure WHAT you are purchasing and report damage AS SOON AS IT HAPPENS.
From Christopher Amato,
10/8/2007
9:43 AM
In case anyone's interested, here's a note I just sent to a furniture manufacturer this morning:
Just a quick story for anyone in Customer Service who cares about Clayton Marcus' reputation:
In October, 2004, we purchased one of your upholstered chairs and ottoman from
Raymour and Flanigan, Latham, NY.
Style 08673-006
Cushion type UP
Finish: Fruitwood
Color: 89
Fabric: 04648
Inspected by Nathan Bare
We chose this chair because it was so comfortable, yet firm: an important consideration
because of my chronic back problems.
About 2 years later we noticed the cushion was losing it's firmness, which progressed to the point
where it was causing back pain, not only for me, but my wife as well. Finally, it was obvious the cushion
was just "dead".
Then we discover that the cushion was not covered under the GOLD Protection Plan we purchased
from the store.
I know that isn't your problem. But in the end, the one who is really the culprit is THE MANUFACTURER.
You know, the one who's reputation you counted on for a quality product.
Anyway, we just wanted you to know that your chair is going in the want ads today for 50 bucks.
Imagine that....$50 for a 3-year-old Clayton Marcus chair and ottoman.
Somebody's going to think they're getting a great deal. Little do they know your company isn't
what it used to be.
Chris and Peggy Amato
From not falling for it!,
6/20/2007
10:06 PM
The Guardsman plan is a total rip-off.................. It is a sales gimmick used to pad the pockets of the already outrageous priced furniture (stores make the money and we suffer the headaches). No thanks to any company who pushes this crap on consumers. In the future if one single sales person says we have this great "protection" plan I will say too bad I thought I was going to purchase furniture at your establishment, however you can not be trusted. "Get it" Its another bad sales ploy! As for the techs above. You guy/gals only add to the problem!
Consumers beware, and please don't fall for this outrageous crap!
From Unbelievable!!,
6/3/2007
9:33 AM
YOU PEOPLE ARE UNBELIEVABLE!! If you have kids, OF COURSE they're going to ruin furniture! It's a fact of life. My suggestion is don't let them near the furniture, especially with a Sharpie!!! Jeesh! Or keep an eye on them at all times! Ever hear of maybe placing a furniture cover on the furniture to protect it from pesty things like kids??? Get real!
From carmen,
6/1/2007
10:52 AM
I am glad I found this website. I bought a sofa and loveseat from Bobs and I was under the Lily Plan and was given no documentation on the goof plan, only a hand written script from the salesman to know my stain. I had a child cut the headrest and pull out the foam, well when I called I told them I hand stitched the furniture to prevent the filling from coming out. Well it took 6 weeks to get a technician out and now they denied it because I hand stitched it. I even put I hand stitched it to prevent the filling from coming out on my claim form. They could have told me this in my original call, but I had to take time off of work to be home for the technician as well. I believe this policy is just a scam to get your money and not honor their policy. The sales persons tells you it covers anything but it does not cover anything. I think we should get together and file a class action suit!!!
From The Buscher's,
5/23/2007
7:06 PM
We purchased our leather FlexSteel sectional from The Nebraska Furniture Mart. Our salesman gave us the hard sell on the Guardsman/Valspar 5 year Leather protection plan. She made it sound like it covered EVERYTHING except pet scratches. I wont even go into details. We bought it for $180.
The RUDEST woman in the world was at the end of extension 4. The guy finally came and took pictures of the four damage areas. Two seams are coming apart (not wear and tear...COMING APART...UNRAVELLING)...a little paint spot that I didnt dare touch because I had my wonderful Guardsman warranty...and a flaw where the pegs connect the pieces created a hole in the leather.
Mr Guardsman Guy happily comes in. I spent five hours waiting for him. He was here for TWO MINUTES. Took pictures. I asked if he couldnt just sew the seams and clean up the paint. "Oh no. I'll need to order parts" Parts? "Yeah. Those seams cant be sewed. Those whole panels will have to be replaced. " Whatever. I just wanted it done, I was worried about the leather matching. And was wondering why he didnt take any swatches. Stupid me.
We got our letter today. "Dear Stupid Buschers. Thank you for your $180. We arent going to fix a damn thing on your stupid couch."
Please, PLEASE...everyone on here who is unhappy...PLEASE report them to the Better Business Bureau. More waste of time...but maybe a bit of satisfaction.
Oh yeah, DONT BUY THE WARRANTY!
From colorproleather.com,
5/12/2007
4:48 PM
Iam a repair technician, most places will just repair it there on the spot, you wouldn't buy a brand new car and get a scratch and demand a new car? Let the tech fix it, were good if we cant will order a part.
From Lawrence,
5/2/2007
8:47 PM
Hi all, i read your messages, and cancelled guardsman protection plan. thanks to everyone for sharing information. Last week i bought sofa and loveseat from bob's discount furniture. Now my problem is, i found 3 to 4 very small tears on sofa and 2 tears on love seat and informed to bobs customer service on the same day and told me they will send technician in 1 week. can anyone advise me how to proceed with them? will they give fresh piece again or do they repair tears? Instead of fresh piece/repair, do they give any discount for this?
Please share your expererience here or email to me at cyberdem_inout@yahoo.co.uk
From april,
4/6/2007
11:56 AM
I bought my furniture from Bob's discount furniture 3 years ago. I had guardsman come out approximately 5 times to fix various problems. The last problem I had began in October 2006. They fixed it twice and it happended again. They notified bob's within 24 hours and had a credit waiting for us so we could replace our couch and loveseat. I think guardsman is great but you can't give up. You paid for your protection and if that means calling a bunch of time to get results so be it. It is like most other customer service centers they don't want to waste time and monsy and if customers give up thats money in their pockets.
From MemyselfandI,
4/5/2007
9:40 AM
I happen to service protection plans for Guardsmand as a technician. I dont work for Guardsman just a contractor.
I can tell you I have regurlar customers who call monthly, or every few months. I asked them and they told me Guardsman never gives them a Hard time.
So report a stain in the 5 days and they send someone out.
They put the 5 days on the cotnract because some idiots like to wait until there 5 year contract is up, and have 5 years of stains, and expect it cleaned or get a new sofa. Well that is not what it says. It says to report specific accidents when they occur.
Not all people have the right intentions they simply think in 5 years I will get me a new free sofa.
If parts are available and something is not cleaned or fixed they order the new part. It takes a long time but they do it.
If I Go to your home and i see a seam torn on a back panel that is in a stressed area, yes I will take a photo and say this is a stress, and over time. If I fix it, it will probably damage again. They dont cover wear and tear, other wise if the furniture is poor quality, guardsman is not going to cover that. THey are an accidental policy. If you accidentally fall with a knife in your hand and gouge your table to top, they are going to cover it. Somehow.
But if over a few years you ac(deleted)ilate nicks and chips, no they are not going to cover it, because it is over time, wear and tear, un reported damage.
So yes I Am saying, you get the slighted nick on your policy they expect you to call it in, and they will fix it. But most people think that is too small to report, and they wait until they have 30 of them. Well it is not going to get fixed.
If I go to your home and you have 3o nicks and or dents, and scratches in random places. I know right away this is not a single incident, it is over time, random damage that was not reported in 5 days.
I actually bought a table, and for the fun of it bought the protection plan, $130 and it states what it covers, and what it does not cover. Read it, before buying it. Don't listen to the Salesman who told you everything is covered. The problem is they dont show you the protection plan, they tell you about it. Salesman lie. Guardsman, backs up everything in there paper work.
If your furniture store goes out of business all they will do is refund your policy. If the part is not available they give you the price you paide for it.
If I damage someones furniture trying to fix it, because somethings are not repairable. I go in there with the thought if I dont fix it, Guardsman will replace it. So as a technician I am more than likely to try things I wouldnt normally try. Unfortunately that sometimes does not work in the customers favor, if the part is not available, or the furniture store is out of business.
But as a technician you don't know that.
The thing is Guardsman will not deny you, even if you call 30 times. Its the one insurance that your price never goes up, so use it, and use it often. Just make sure you the damage you report is stated as beign in the last 5 days. And it was an accident, not wear and tear, and not I just found it.
Guardsman pays technicians 80 to 160 for a single visit so you can easily get your money's worth from your protection plan. In fact most people who get small stains, and they do not come out, choose not to replace the piece because then they loose the policy, and 5 to 10 years of protection is pretty good. After all it costs 80 to get a technician to your home.
From EL,
3/29/2007
12:55 PM
THANK YOU ALL!!! I will not purchase the Guardman Gold Protection plan.
From Mike,
3/19/2007
4:10 PM
I hate mis-information and I am guilty of that in my previous post. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
Correction :
The product I bought that Lazy Boy uses on it's furniture is called Guardsman. (not Guardsmark, as I stated)
The Guardsman fabric protection product is called Fabri-coate Aerosol Fabric Protector. It sells for $9.95 an 11 oz. can. For (4) cans with shipping it was around $50. Still a savings of $350 from what Lazy Boy wanted. They can be found at www.guardsman.com
From Mike,
3/19/2007
3:45 PM
What all of us should have learned from all of this is that you should never buy a furniture protection plan from anyone. It is only another way for these companies to generate additional cash flow for their monthly sales goals. It is for no other reason that they offer these plans. I know it's too late for some of us, but I hope this helps out people who haven't been swindled yet.
Corporate America is getting hungrier and we are the suckers they are counting on.
I now research these things online before I buy something I know nothing about.
Luckily I learned my lesson years ago on fabric protection.
After hearing the great sofa protection plan they offered, I paid about $80 at Art Van for the sofa fabric protection. I did want the fabric protected and in the worst case, I figured I was just overpaying for something I would be getting. Who better to do this than the experts. Right?
I borrowed a truck to pick up the sofa myself to save on delivery. I wouldn't do that today, but at that time money was especially scarce.
When I arrived at the shipping dock the man there noticed the receipt read that I paid for the fabric protection.
I said yeah I did pay for that. I asked him why he wanted to know. he said he had to do that before he loaded it on my truck. I thought, "it's not done yet!"
They brought my sofa up to the dock and pulled the plastic off of the sofa. The next thing they did really blew me away. The lift driver and the man taking care of my order eached grabbed a spray can of fabric protectant off of the shipping desk and proceeded to quickly spray my sofa on the spot.
They didn't even wait for it to dry and they threw the plastic on my sofa and loaded it on my truck. How's that for fabric protection.
I just bought 2 sofa's, 2 chairs, and 2 ottomans from Lazy Boy. They wanted to charge me $400 to spray fabric protection on them. The product they use is called Guardsmark. This may not be for everybody, but this is what I did. I went online and bought (4) 11 oz. cans of the Guardsmark product for about $40. I had the furniture delivered and then I set up an area on my patio. On a windless Sunday morning I took the furniture outside piece by piece and followed the directions for application, which is simply spray on until slightly damp. In a about ten minutes after spraying one side I would do the other side of cushions then after about 10 more minutes I would return the furniture inside. The odor is very slight for a few hours and then no noticable odor at all. ( I would not recommend spraying in the house, because the spray vapors are slightly strong at first )We ran a ceiling fan and cracked a door wall for an hour, but like I said the odor is slight when you spray outdoors and then bring the furniture in after a few minutes. If you wait longer the odor will obviously be less. In 2 to 4 hours the furniture is dry enough to sit on, but I stayed off of it for 24 hours. I saved minimal $350 dollars and I guarantee the job I did was much better than Lazy Boy would have done.
Bottom line. The best you can hope for with store fabric protection is only that they may have sprayed a fabric protection on it at all. The rest is up to you.
Does replacing a piece of furniture with burn holes or soils in it sound too good to be true? Yes, unfortunately, it is "too good to be true."
Paying for something you never will never receive?
Unfortunately, "that is true."
This is how corporations operate today.
Let the buyer beware!
From MADELEINE,
3/15/2007
6:30 PM
NOTHING WEDNESDAY. I CALLED THURSDAY, GOT STORE MANAGER AFTER HE GOT OUT OF MEETING WITH BIG WIGS.
HE WILL CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER AGAIN, IF I DON'T HEAR BY SATURDAY MORNING, CALL HIM.
GOT OFFICIAL DENIAL LETTER IN MAIL BECAUSE OF STAINED SOFA, TODAY
From madeleine,
3/14/2007
3:11 AM
not too sure about the stained areas.
I Bob's salesman knew how the sofa would be used. I wanted material that would withstand stains or help to hide them.
Bob's man saw splits and agreed they should be fixed.
From MADELEINE,
3/14/2007
2:52 AM
I bought an expensive (for me) sofa with three pillow sections and the end two recline. The salesman at Bob's Discount Furniture knew all the circumstances under which it would be used. I specified material must stand up to heavy wear, and be able to withstand spills, or at least be of a color or design that that would not immediately show stains.
I was talked into buying the useless $99 5 year Guardsman Elite plan. It was supposed to cover everything. I called them and filled out a claim in January, I was denied. I didn't give them all the right wording they wanted eg. rips, tears, punctures. They don't cover the fact that the material is spliting open - "Call Bob's". The man from Bob's came out, do(deleted)ented splits in cushion fabric, said it would be ordered and be in within 2 months (that's now). Advised us to contact Guardsman and refile complaint fo areas with rips and punctures. They sent their Rep., he took pictures, said "at this point they should just replace the sofa". He said Guardsman would replace the arm and material on back with tear. Guardsman called and said they couldn't fix it "because I hadn't kept up the sofa". When I asked what that meant I was told "it's got stains all over it", since I don't have a single stain I asked the nasty lady what she was talking about. She said she could see the stains in the pictures - it's the pattern on the material! She said well they wouldn't honor it anyway - that was Friday. I called Bob's, the liason wasn't there but the Bob's customer service lady took the information and said I would get a call Monday. No call, I called them, they said since I have daycare children in the home 3, the policy should never been sold to me, I said salesman knew all this - "let me get an answer, I'll call you back Tuesday", no call. That's when I found out Bob's never ordered the pillows, it will be another 2 months. I called - estimated hold time under five minutes, I was on hold 18 minutes and was disconnected. I called later another 16 minutes and disconnected. Called and got Bob's store manager, he said give him 1 more day, I said "I have pick up truck and strong men to carry sofa into showroom, and after 20 years of raising kids, I know how to throw a tantrum"
We will see what happens by Wednesday afternoon.
From Yemi,
3/2/2007
10:46 AM
I too bought a Gaurdsman protection plan from Haverty's. I noticed a scratch on my leather sofa , which was part of a set that cost approx $3500 when I bought it in 2003. I called immediately I noticed this and I was directed to their website to download and print out a claim form which I did. I also filled it out and mailed it to them. A few weeks later I got a denial letter stating that I was not covered because I failed to report it within 5 business days. Keep in mind I called their customer service the same day I noticed the damage. On the form I had made a guess and said it occured a month before,there is absolutely no way to know exactly when this sort of damage occured. I called their customer service again and the person on the other end just spoke to me like he was reading off a script, which made me guess that this was not new to him. There is nothing on the literature that states that I have to report damage within five business days at least not in the one I bought in 2003. Does anyone know if any legal action has been taken against gaurdsman. This is such a scam and must be stopped!!!
From Lucie,
2/27/2007
11:21 AM
Sue, have you tried peroxide on the blood stain? It works like a charm on most fabrics. You can test it on an inconspicuous area of the sofa first to be sure it won't discolor the fabric. I've saved a lot of carpeting and clothes by using peroxide for blood stains. An ambulance driver told me about it years ago.
I'm currently attempting to work a mattress warranty - the mattress comes with a 15 year wear warranty and we are at about 4 1/2 years. I know I don't stand a chance - but I have to at least try.
From Trudi,
2/23/2007
3:05 PM
What about the other plans, like Teflon, Stainsafe or Fabric Coat? These plans are all being offered by different furniture companies who sell Clayton Marcus loveseats(which I would like to buy). Are these scams also? I'm beginning to think that I should just order the loveseats without any protection plan. Any opinions on this?
From Ms. Betty,
2/21/2007
8:53 PM
Do not buy guardsman. Its a waste of money
From sue,
2/15/2007
5:11 PM
yes! They are a scam. They will not clean a blood stain off my sofa. I paid $70 to La-Z-Boy for a five year plan. They guy came and took pictures and left.
Donot buy a guardsman plan.
From Crossing my fingers,
1/24/2007
4:57 PM
My 2 year old just let loose with a sharpie on my microfiber couch. I am filling out the Guardsman claim form but am not holding my breath. I just wish the technicians who answer the phone could say, "Sorry, 2 year old Picasso with a Sharpie isn't covered." No problem. I'll wash the cushion cover myself. Or, I'll call my carpet guy who's a genius at removing stains, or I'll start making calls to a vendor to get the cushion cover replaced. Whatever. I just hate playing the waiting game. In the meantime, I'm having a Superbowl Party, Bunco night and a Valentine's party. Won't it be nice for all my guests to see the sharpie marks?? And I'll just have to grin and say, "Well, we're waiting to hear that our claim's been denied so we can't move forward until then. We just have to live with it. Isn't it lovely?"
From Scammed,
1/18/2007
10:43 AM
I too have been ripped off. I bought a kitchen table from Bob's Discount Furniture about a year ago. I was also persuaded to purchase the "Goof Proof" plan, a warranty through Guardsman Elite. I was told that the plan would cover everything except teeth marks and claw marks, even up to the point of replacing the table one time. I suppose after reading the other comments that it should have occurred to me that something has to be wrong if I am paying only $150 to protect my furniture for five years. But I liked Bob's Furniture and he does all those ads about being a small time business man taking care of his costumers. Here I am about a year later. My daughter was painting her fingernails at the table with a paper towel under the polish. When she was finished, she had spilled some of the polish on the table which took off the finish of the table. Nail polish and remover are clearly covered by the plan. When I reported my claim, a technician came out to fix it, but only took pictures. About two weeks later I found out that my claim had been denied on the basis that my table had not been properly maintained. I asked how I had not maintained it and they had no answer other than that they were not going to fix my table. This was their clause to get out of fixing my table. Their loophole.This plan is very much a scam. I have a family. The only thing we have done to this table is eat dinner on it every night. I am furious and will never buy anything with a warranty plan again. I also called Bob's to see if they were going to take care of their customers. I was told that they couldn't do anything, because it wasn't their plan and after the furniture was in my home, it was out of their hands. Bob's should not be selling a plan that is not what they say it is. Their customers are being ripped off. DO NOT BUY A GUARDSMAN WARRANTY PLAN!!!!!
From JM,
12/4/2006
10:30 PM
I have been surfing the net looking for some info on Guardsman and just stumbled onto this site. I too have just received a denial letter on a claim. I purchased a Dining room table and dresser form SCAN. The salesman pushed the Guradsman Casegoods plan and stated unequivocally that this plan convered most types of damage, including scratches (which was what I was most concerned about). Sure enough, our table was scratched when a guest dragged a metalic salad bowl across the table. I shrugged it off confident in my shiny protection plan......wrong. My form denial letter is so short of proper resolution, it's not even funny. To boot, the summary of the plan states that it covers knife gouges; so I guess a gauge or scratch from another source does not count??? Something smells rotten in the state of Denmark.
From Guest,
11/3/2006
9:23 PM
Accidents are incidents that were unplanned.
You very much planned to use the hair dryer. It's not an ACCIDENT, it's a SHAME, and anybody with a heart feels for your situation.
But they are correct. Contact the vendor and see if they can provide a replacement pillow, or at least fabric. Do a little work and it may turn out all right.
Sorry.
From Carolyn,
11/3/2006
5:19 PM
My grandchild wet on the couch and I tried to dry it with a hair dryer not knowing that micro fiber was so sensitive to heat. I accidently burned a hole in the pillow and now Guardsman refuses to pay because they do not consider it an accident. If a cigarette had caused the burn, they would pay. This is a rip off!
From Guest,
10/29/2006
11:57 AM
You paid $100 for extended protection on your, maybe $1500 sofa set? You are unhappy because they don't cover your baby crawling on it and ripping a pillow loose? How about if your brother-in-law yanked one clean off laughing during My Name is Earl? About the same.
These are obviously not normal household problems like defects in stitching, mechanism squeak, or stains if covered. Buy a $15,000 car and get a $1200 warranty and see if they cover ANY DAMAGES on the paint or anything that wears like tires, oil, and brakes.
The 'Call within 5 days' IS a nasty technicality the companies use. I agree there's no real difference between 5 and 25 days. But otherwise the incidents aren't INCIDENTS but just 'My couch in my trailer be gettin' NASTY'
Just read the warranty carefully and don't think 7-on-your-side or Jerry Springer will bail you out of this emotional issue, or any others. For $100 (or $20 a year) it was a pretty good deal in case your brother in law spilled mustard on the arm of the couch. Just be sure to call right after whippin' his butt.
From breadsoup2001,
10/28/2006
6:07 PM
I too, have just received a "Denial" letter stating that my sofa/loveseat are no longer under the protection plan. Then if it's no longer under the plan, then they should give my money back!!! If you are under the plan, then you should be "Protected" by the plan while you're still under the "Paid" service that you should be expected to receive. By the way, the contracted "Technician" that came to my home was very rude and did'nt even want to answer any of my questions. Seemed like he just wanted to see the damage and get out as soon as he could. All he did was take pictures of the damage that occured on my sofa. One of my kids climbed the top part and slipped off the side, loosening up the seam between the back support and the cushion for your back, exposing some of the green stuffing inside sofa. At the time, it was only a small hole. After filing a claim, it took a week for me to receive a response from them. Then again, after their response, I had to wait an additional 3 weeks for a technician to arrive, but by that time, the whole had gotten bigger. If this bonehead would have arrived earlier, possibly the problem would have been resolved. It does'nt matter if it says to report the accident "Immediately". Time is always wasted in between the time you file the claim and the actual date a technician has to come and perform the repairs. By that time, the matter could get worse. That's what these people at Guardsman don't understand. I also had some water stains on the couch and service was also denied as well. I just bought this sofa and couch no more than 2 years ago. You can't just say it was 'wear and tear' compared to someone else who had their couch for 6 years. Things were meant to get broken somehow, so why even bother trying to sell the consumer an extended warranty, when all it gives you in the end is grief and anger, no satisfaction at all. So to you, Miss Sassy, if you had a piece of furniture that was damaged in a way that you felt was covered under the Guardsman policy, yet you were denied of any service due to other minor and unusual circumstances, would you still defend your "Employer" and praise them for their "High Moral Standards"? Don't be a hypocrite, if you pay for 'extended services', then you should get 'extended services'. Actions speak louder than words. So these guys at Guardsman should stand by your word, honor their protection plan, obviously they're not doing that. Then again, business is business and scams are scams. In business, there are no friends, just profit. Jorge Vargas, that's why I too purchased the protection plan, to help protect the furniture by accidental damage from the kids. It's not like a microwave oven you buy for 40 bucks or so. Obviously you're not going to purchase a protection plan, because you know after a few years you're probably going to throw it away or so. With furniture, you know that it's a lifelong investment that you'll be keeping for in your home for years to come. That's where the protection plan comes as an added sense of security. But if these guys don't honor their plan, then why even rely on their sense of security at all?? It IS a scam.
From VERY VERY DISGUSTED,
10/13/2006
12:20 AM
Also, if Valspar is so renowned for their ethical business practices and they own Guardsman, then they are more to blame than Guardsman. If I owned a company that was practicing business in this manner, and with all the complaints that seem to have been issued against them, it would be my duty to straighten out the issue. The trail always leads back to the original source (the owner).
From VERY VERY DISGUSTED,
10/13/2006
12:13 AM
i can understand where you are coming from if you are a company, but that is their problem and shouldn't be mine. they should rewrite their warranty and put in all those hidden meanings they want you to know about. i feel that it is their fault they didn't do a good enough job when writing the warranty to begin with and their customers shouldn't have to pay for it---re-write it the way it should be and take care of those who fall under the old one. The warranty says they will replace my mattress, not give me back the same amount of money i originally paid for it. and it doesn't take a genius to know that any type of mattress (and almost any other kind of furniture for that matter) is going to go up in price over the years. always has and always will. and yes, i have went over this little warranty word by word. there is nothing in this warranty that states anything about giving me a mattress up to the original price i paid for it, matter-of-fact, price is never mentioned in this warranty. it doesn't even state anything about if the mattress is no longer available. all it states is that they will replace my mattress-----to me that means one exactly like mine or as close to it as possible---to me they should stand by what the warranty says. if i don't want to take a mattress for that original price (which in today's time is one of the lowest quality mattresses on the market), then they will give me the little amount i paid for the policy - woopy doo. they even told me that if my mattress was still available, and yes, they know it would be alot more expensive now, they would give me a new one with no questions asked. but because it isn't available, they want to use it as a loop hole - give me the run-around and try to wiggle out of it. it is extremely poor business procedure to me---not a company i would want to ever deal with again. but i am not the passive type. i will continue to pursue it whether it be in court, television stations, etc (or both). i am not one to back off easily and let someone walk over me. they may not give me a suitable mattress, but i will do everything i can to get the word out that they are a sorry company- as least as far as i am concerned. and the word of mouth (friends, family, their friends and family, internet and so forth) is one of the most powerful things. i guess i am like that saying "I will not go quietly into the night" -wish me luck and them too.
From reply from sassysmith1@yahoo.com,
10/13/2006
12:12 AM
If you take a look at a Guardsman mattress plan
or any plan for that matter, it says something
like if a repair or cleaning is unsuccessful,
your mattress will be replaced. If it is no
longer available, they will give you a
reselection up to the original purchase price of
your mattress. I see where you're coming from
with the inflation point, but if you think about
it, Guardsman doesn't really know if prices are
going to inflate or deflate over the period of
ten years. It's pretty much a risk that they take
with that. And of course, they're not going to
know if there is anything similar to your
original furniture either in ten years. It would
be awesome if something were guaranteed to be
exactly the same that far down the road, but I
can't think of anyone that does. I mean, car
insurance companies don't even give you what you
paid for your car! Total depreciation. At least
with this, you know exactly what you can expect
back. My advice, if the stain isn't that bad and
you can live with it, take a settlement if they
offer it. You'll keep your mattress, which would
still have a stain even if you didn't buy one of
their plans, and you'd have a bit of money to
spend for yourself or family. You'd at least get
your money back for what you paid for your plan.
If it's too bad, you can at least apply what
they'll give you for a replacement into a new
mattress and pay a little bit more to upgrade if
you like. I know that it's money out of your
pocket, but hey, you'd have to buy a new mattress
anyway if you didn't have Guardsman, right? I
honestly don't believe that Guardsman is a bad
company. They are owned and operated by the
Valspar Corp which is a multi-national company
renowned for safety and ethical business
practices based in Minn, MN. So I wouldn't call
them a scam...They pretty much spell out
everything that they can provide in their
contracts. I think that we are just too wishful
of thinkers sometimes...
I hope this helps and again I'm sorry they
weren't able to fix your mattress this time. :(
Let me know how it works out!
From VERY VERY DISGUSTED,
10/12/2006
9:47 PM
Dear Furniture World Magazine/ sassysmith1@yahoo.com/
Well, I read your replies to the many people claiming Guardsman is a scam. I am going through problems with them right now. First of all, I purchased a mattress 7 years ago. I have a stain that just developed and Guardsman sent someone out to clean it. Unfortunately, they could not, so they agreed to replace my mattress for me. My exact mattress is no longer available. I believe Guardsman should replace my mattress (memory foam for an adjustable bed) with the closest possible mattress to mine that is available. Guardsman only wants to give a credit for the amount the original mattress cost which won't even come close to any memory foam mattress out there today. In seven years, prices continually rise. If my mattress was still available, it would be at least three times the cost of the original price now. There are many mattresses that are reasonably close to the quality of mine, but of course, due to time and inflation, they are more costly now. Guardsman refuses to pay the costs for any of these. I do not believe this is fair at all. If their warranty says they will replace the mattress, then that is what they should do. And if that mattress isn't exactly available, the next closest one should be given. Do you work for Guardsman--is that why you are so free with your praise? Even Mattress Giant had quit using their warranty plans because they do not honor them. What does that say when a large mattress company refuses to do business with you?
From Guest,
9/21/2006
8:49 AM
Dear Jorge. When a retailer sells you a plan, they should explain it. It doesn't make sense that you can buy a plan for $150 and have it cover any problem with a $1,000 sofa... accidental or caused by "abuse". A high percentage of sofas in homes with kids or pets get stained or damaged at some point. A service call has to cost the service company much more on average than $150. No company could offer a $150 warranty without restrictions... and most stores leave it to the customer to read the fine print. Generally manufacturers cover their own defects under warranty and warranty companies can extend the warranty or cover accidents, but not willful acts by adults or playful acts by children.
From jorge vargas,
9/20/2006
6:58 PM
By the way the customer service lady raised her voice with me, and has no respect for customers. They are always right and have an excuse for not covering any type of damage.
From jorge vargas,
9/20/2006
6:55 PM
Guardsman is a complete scam. I too purchased the plan for 150.00. They sent me a denial letter, saying that it was a manufacturer defect. My kid pulled some of the decorative strings from the sofa pillows. Their response was, then it's abuse to your furniture. Hello??? He is 2 years old.
Why would I have purchased the plan if I did not have kids.
From Fan Man,
9/16/2006
10:31 AM
First of all, Unhappy Too, Guardsman IS a division of Valspar. Which is a very reputable and ethical company. This should give you some obvious flag that you are misunderstanding the program. It states right on the front of your Guardsman Protection Plan where your Plan number and where the Phone number is to call them, that you MUST report any stain or damage within 5 business days. This is so that they can try and resolve the problem as soon as possible. They are a repair company and only replace when they have to. Seam separation is something that occurs over time so unless there was a specific incident that caused it, like a knife slicing the fabric, that is something that they do not service. Guardsman stands behind every word of their plan and they have went over it many times with me, whenever I ask them. The technician that went to your home looks at the furniture and determines if this is something that is an actual accidental damage or if it is a wear issue. If it is wear, then they take photos and submit them to Guardsman so that they can make sure the technician made the right decision. Any other questions, feel free to reply or email sassysmith1@yahoo.com. If I don't know the answer, I can call them to get the right answer. I can assure you that they are not a scam though and they are not an insurance. They are simply a repair company offering a service plan for damages that they are capable of repairing.
From Unhappy Too,
3/7/2006
3:00 PM
I purchased a Guardsman Gold-in-Home Protection Plan also. The people as Guardsman have DEFINITELY been weaseling around to get out of standing behind what their protection plan states.
First, there was no indication of a 5-day reporting requirement in any of the literature I received. After I caught a number of their customer service people in lies, they agreed to make an "exception" in my case and send a "technician" to fix the damage. The "technician" didn't even get the name of the company right and only came to take pictures. Weeks later, I finally get the phone call saying my claim is being denied because the rips and seam separation are from wear and tear. "Rips", "tears", and "seam separations" are clearly stated as being covered in the service plan. However, they can say anything is due to wear and deny the claim.
I am thoroughly frustrated with the lying and coniving peoply I spoke to at GUARDSMAN, a division of Valspar. They are scam artists!!!! What a waste of money.
From Sherry Smith,
5/25/2004
9:59 AM
Hi Russ, Would you post my reply to the person who was complaining about the $100 furniture protection plan from Bob's? I too, bought this plan. When I was having my mattress issues, I asked the one and only nice customer service manager I spoke to, how this plan worked. She told me that "incidents must be reported immediately." I can't remember if she said within 3 to 5 days, but if was definitely a brief window. Second, she said I must be specific as to what happened "even if it meant lying." In other words, if you one day notice a scratch or gouge on a piece of furniture, you cannot call them and say, "I just noticed this gouge, I'm not sure how it got there." She said that will automatically exclude you from protection. I have taken her advice to heart, believe me, so I now know what to do. But your writer is correct about not being told there are time limits on reporting things. In fact, the sales people skim over the entire process and you're right that it is a money-making tool, just like the extra warranties at Sears. "Upselling" generates a lot of extra revenue in many retail businesses. Given that it is Bob's, I'm not surprised. Your reader is most likely stuck, because neither Bob's nor Guardsmark will help. Please ask him to write back and let people know how this turns out. Bob's sells a lot of Guardsmark warranties. Thank you,
From Russell at Furniture World Magazine,
5/25/2004
9:58 AM
I often get complaints fabric protection insurance (though this is the first about Guardsman Elite). It is a high profit item for retailers, and the problems that arise seem to me to be due to the fact that stores don't explain what policies do not cover and also restrictions on when and how reporting needs to take place. Over the course of five years, heavily used upholstered products will get stained and degrade. The average useful life of upholstered products is considered to be 7-10 years. If you car needs a new bumper, you can always get spare parts. The same is rarely true with furniture. Replacement is often necessary at a very high cost to the insurance company. If the insurance was not limited, then it would have to be much more costly. Some insurance companies do seem to try to "weasel" out of their responsibility and others do follow the stipulations in the contract. My advice is to always take the time to read the entire contract before making a decision to buy... and in some high pressure retail environments, don't just take the salesperson's word about the coverage. I will post your message.