After buying a leather recliner, a woman called NBC 6 Responds after she noticed the material peeling off.
Marcia Alacan called NBC 6 Responds after noticing the material her recliner is made of peeling off.
“I feel very very bad because I want something that’s real,” Alacan said. “And for the amount that I paid. I feel very angry.”
She bought the recliner from La-Z-Boy in 2016.
“When I purchased it, the associate told me that they have different kinds of leather recliners and also another material. And I said no I’m looking for a leather recliner,” Alacan said.
She paid $1,192 for the recliner and got a warranty. Less than a year later her warranty came in handy.
“Something wrong happened there,” she said. “That’s not correct that leather is peeling.”
She says she noticed the material on the chair’s headrest and footrest peeling off.
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“So I called the company and they told me that they’re going to send a technician,” Alacan said.
Within a month she says a technician replaced the peeling parts of the recliner but soon she says she was back to trying to fix the same issue.
“I noticed that the same part is still the same, with the same problem - peeling,” Alacan said.
She says she got a different response from the company.
“They say no I’m sorry, you have to pay for the part,” Alacan said. “They say finally they’re not going to replace the part. I say who can help me. And then I say oh, the NBC 6 Responds can probably help me.”
NBC Responds units have responded to hundreds of complaints about peeling furniture across the country, with more than 100 in South Florida. These complaints dealt with furniture from different brands purchased from different stores, but consumers reported similar issues.
We reached out to La-Z-Boy about Alacan’s complaint and within weeks a technician came back out and replaced the peeling areas of the recliner without charging her.
A La-Z-Boy representative’s statement reads, “We have made every effort to ensure that the customer’s experience is positive and have resolved it to her satisfaction. Our goal is to ensure that our customers are able to depend on La-Z-Boy products for their quality and comfort. To this end, we have ensured that Ms. Alacan can do so.”
Alacan says one thing still isn’t sitting right with her.
“I paid for a complete leather recliner,” said Alacan.
According to federal guidelines, a product made with what’s known as “bonded leather” must disclose specific percentages of its materials. Consumers should look for a label stamp or tag attached to the product listing those percentages.
In Alacan’s case, La-Z-Boy told us the product is made of genuine leather and vinyl. They say areas that the body touch including the inner seat, armrest, and footrest are made with leather while the outside sections made with vinyl.
A representative told us it is company policy for their salespeople to be forthright and candid with customers.
