Woman Asks NBC 6 Responds for Help After Warranty Claim Delay

Cleo Hancock thought she had done everything right after buying a pressure cooker for $30 in March 2019.

“As soon as I bought it, I registered the pressure cooker online for the warranty,” she said.

She taped the receipt to the manual, she said.

“I even keep the original packaging for as long as the warranty is in effect, just in case I need to send anything back,” she said.

So over a year later, when the device stopped holding in pressure the way it should, she knew exactly what to do.

“The first thing I did was go to the book and look at troubleshooting,” Hancock said. “There was nothing there that addressed that issue.”

The product, she said, was still covered by the manufacturer’s two-year limited warranty. So she emailed the company to initiate a claim. She sent them the receipt, and other information they asked for, she said.

But a few weeks later, she received a response saying “…the image of the receipt you have provided does not have the information we require.”

“Where I had taped the receipt to the book, I guess the adhesive on the cellophane tape must have affected whatever they use to print out the receipt,” she said. “You couldn’t see how much tax I had paid.”

Hancock said the receipt did show how much she had paid for the product. When the company wouldn’t budge, she decided to ask NBC 6 Responds for help.

“It’s about holding people accountable when you’re not a person of means,” she said. “$30 to me, that’s groceries. $30 is the difference between being able to pay a bill or not pay a bill.”

NBC 6 reached out to the company several times on Hancock’s behalf. She said she eventually got an email from the company.

“Saying, ‘hey, we haven’t heard from you in a long time. Send us a picture of the pressure cooker with the power cord clearly cut so that it renders it useless and we will expedite this warranty request,’” she said she was told.

She sent the picture. Days later, she said she received a check for $30.  She was glad she didn’t give up.

“I am just so grateful,” she said. “I know for most people $30 is not much money, but I very much appreciate it.”

NBC 6 Responds followed up with the company to ask why it took several months to process Cleo’s claim. The company did not respond to that specific question but did confirm it had processed the warranty claim and had mailed her a refund check.

If you buy an appliance or an electronic, you may get several months or maybe even a couple of years of warranty directly through the manufacturer. Manufacturer warranties are limited and usually only cover defects with the product. They don’t cover things like accidental damage. Make sure you register the product as soon as you buy it. You'll also want to keep a copy of the original receipt, just in case you need to file a warranty claim in the future.