Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Home was purchased 6/18. New ******* /Tarkett carpet was purchased and installed by Lake Forest Designs, *********************************************************. In May, 2021 we notified Lake Forest Design that the carpet had buckled in all rooms.. 2 rooms unused, 2 adults, 1 cat. They notified manufacturer, who in turn, sent inspector. He claimed the carpet was not installed correctly. We have sent 12 emails to Lake Forest and numerous phone calls to get this issue resolved as the carpet was under warranty. Lake Forest claimed it was not installation but defective goods. Lake Forest sent the same inspector that previously represented the manufacturer and is now representing them, to look at the carpet again. He is now claiming the moisture in the crawl space is to blame and neither party will honor the carpet warranty. The county has been contacted and they advise that the house was built according to specs, and approved. If manufacturer is not going to honor warranty a disclaimer should have advised us, by BOTH manufacturer and RETAILER. at the the time of purchase that due to the climate in the Pacific Northwest, that the warranty would not cover any buckling.

  Customer response

  06/28/2022

  Lake Forest Interior Designs
  9245 ***************************************************************
  
  **************

  Business response

  09/07/2022

  

  Customer response

  09/08/2022

   
  Complaint: 17462153
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  1. Tarkett failed to respond to the complaint registered with their local BBB ********* office. Why?
  2. Why did it take Lake Forest Design so long to respond to their BBB complaint?
  3. Why has Lake Forest Design not responded to the ***** Attorney General complaint?
  4. The installer did say the carpet was defective as it was not due to his installation.
  5. We were NOT advised by Lake Forest Design that they were STILL working with Tarkett for a solution. But, instead written off with, " I do know that some of our flooring materials' warranty's are voided without some sort of humidification control in the home.  Maybe because the houses are more energy efficient and are sealed tighter.  I don't know.  Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do with the inspection report showing that high of moisture in the house.  You could try contacting **************** but I am sure they will say the the same.     *******"
  6. Our home was built in 2018, only 2 years before the carpet buckling presented itself. And, according to county approved specs, permit # RES ******** I am sure all homes this new are considered energy efficient, dual paned windows, heat pump, appliances, R30 Insulation, LED lights, 42 inch height crawlspace with internal vents none to the outside, radon barrier, etc.
  7. If Lake Forest Design knew that their manufacturers carpets' warranties are voided, without "some sort of" humidification control, why was this not disclosed at the time of purchase, or the warranty had a disclaimer regarding this "exception?" Lake Forest Design was contracted by the builder Timberridge, and Lake Forest Designs was familiar with Timberridge's builds, layouts, designs, etc.
  8. We sent an email to Lake Forest Design requesting information from the inspector, "We would like to know when his equipment was purchased, make, model and the last time it was calibrated. Thank you. Their reply, "That I have no control over, as not our equipment.  Sorry."
  
  Therefore, we do not agree with their response to the BBB.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  Re: Complaint of *************************;
  

  I am responding to your letter dated September 23, 2022, and I am a bit confused. I received a letter from your office saying that ***************************** was not satisfied and "we have closed this case in our files". I was then told that the matter will appear in our BBB Business Review as "Answered- the business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer remains dissatisfied." Today I receive a letter saying you have not received a response from us, and it included a list of (8) items from *************************** and we had (7) days to respond. I am confused as to if the case is closed why another letter? 
  

  I will address Mrs. ******** items one at a time: 

  1. She is wondering why Tarkett failed to respond to their complaint. That would be a question for Tarkett.
  

  2. She wondered why it took Lake Forest so long to respond, there were some family issues going on and I got behind in my correspondence.
  

  3. Lake Forest DID respond to the ************************** The letter was much like the letter sent to the Better Business Bureau.
  

  4. Our installers are subcontractors who have a business of installing materials, they are not employees of Lake Forest Interior Design Center. This subcontractor KNEW he did Power Stretch the materials and did not investigate any further cause of the carpet buckling, if he had an opinion about the material, it was his and did not reflect the opinion of Lake Forest.
  

  5. Lake Forest Interior Design had the ********* carpet inspected. From the moisture readings taken it was obvious that there is a moisture issue in the home. In my email to ***************************, I stated that we must take what the Certified Inspector said and that she could try contacting the manufacturer, but they would also refer to the inspector. That didn't mean I wasn't going to keep trying to work out something for the ********* if I could help them, but I didn't want to give them false hope.
  

  6. The inspection report showed puddling of water in the crawl space and a high moisture reading. If you look at the moisture reading of the first inspection you will notice that the second one was higher than the first. The moisture is what it is, regardless how the home was built.
  

  7. Lake Forest sells many of the same carpet as other showrooms, the carpet we sell is not exclusive to having issues with high humidity.
  

  8. I have forwarded all the information regarding the inspector to *****************************. Any questions she has regarding his equipment should be directed to him.

  I do not believe there is an answer I can provide that with satisfy ***************************. She is unhappy with her carpet and unhappy that the moisture in her home has caused some issues. Unfortunately, the Inspection report does not indicate manufacture defects. 

  *******************************, Bookkeeper

   

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩