POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Polk County woman purchased a second refrigerator to store more food while she waited out the pandemic, but after the appliance turned out to be a lemon that she couldn’t get repaired she called Taking Action Reporter Jackie Callaway for help.
Cathy Lavigne told ABC Action News she paid Home Depot to install the new backup refrigerator in her garage. After it being installed, she tested the temperature.
“We put the bottle of water in there and it froze,” said Lavigne.
She turned to the owner’s manual and made the suggested adjustments to the temperature, but on every setting, the water still froze in her fridge.
Lavigne said she called Home Depot, which told her she needed to deal with the warranty company. ABC Action News checked Home Depot’s policy and found the store does not allow returns on major appliances.
TAKING ACTION FOR YOU | How we're taking action for the residents of Tampa Bay
Lavigne said she called the warranty number.
“That’s when they told me I had to order a piece for my refrigerator.”
But more than a month later, Lavigne said she was still waiting for that part.
Taking Action Reporter Jackie Callaway contacted Home Depot to see if they would help. Days later, Home Depot sent Lavigne a gift card to replace the broken refrigerator.
To avoid problems such as the ones Lavigne experienced, consumers should check the store policy on returns and the warranty policy. If something goes wrong, most warranties cover appliances that malfunction within the first year.
