Should I enable such behavior or not?

Papa John

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Aug 19, 2013
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John Stewart
My Tech cleaned a white sofa 35 months ago.
3 months ago she emailed me to complain about how dirty the sofa was 32 months after the cleaning.
She is implying that my machine didn't work properly on the cleaning day-- I have no record of issues o during that time with the machine.
She wanted free cleaning then. I informed her that maybe it was a defective fire retardant issue.

So 2 days ago she is asking me to pay $650 for a slipcover because she doesn't want to toss the sofa out.
Sent emailed a photo of a dirty browned out white sofa.

My lawyer friend says-- she waited too long to respond and the item has been out of my control for too long-- so I'm not obligated to rectify the issue.
I would clean it again if I felt she was being reasonable-- but I feel she is being dishonest.

She stated the cleaning code of "S" meant I should have never used HWE.-- I've been trained that it's possible to clean toilet paper with water.
She also claims that the furniture store, which is a big one--- has never heard of the defective fire retardant issue-- which must be a lie because now the company advertises that their sofas don't have fire retardant.

I'm torn between ignoring her or cutting a check.
I don't plan on ever servicing her again.

What should I do?
 

Nomad74

Boy Sprout
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Feb 4, 2016
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Redding
Apologize and tell her she is outside of the time-window to lodge a complaint.

We as business owners are held hostage because of Yelp and Google reviews. So I understand your dilemma.
 
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jcooper

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Oct 7, 2006
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IL
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Jerry Cooper
Three years later??? Is she nuts?


I bet she looked at the tag years later saw the no hwe and though you must have done something wrong. How could my sofa possibly look dirty three years later... Unreal.

:hopeless:
 

Hack Attack

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3yrs is a loooong time for upholstery..

but is it soiled or has it browned out?

I did a light wool berber years ago, and when I got called to clean it again about 18months later it had terrible wicking around the edges

I asked how long had it been like that?
She said it looked like that straight after me, but a friend had told her that sometimes happens and you have to live with it..

I took her at her word, it was my mistake. But not only she didnt complain she called me back
 

BIG WOOD

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Matt w.
Was the white couch evenly browned out or are there brown lines from overwetting with the upholstery tool?

even if there is those brown lines, It’s been 3years!!! Another cleaner could’ve come in between that time and did the damage
 
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Papa John

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John Stewart
sofa1.jpg sofa2.jpg
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2014
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Location
Portland oregon
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James Marsh
I'm a softy but 3 years no way. I won't even clean it again if she paid me. Some of my customers clean their furniture every year. If she rights a bad review just respond to it.
 
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Hack Attack

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It looks like a clean gone bad.. could of been someone else in that time period

I'd be inclined to say "due to the length of time its due for a clean, so I'll clean it at my 3yrs ago price as a gesture of goodwill"

write up a disclosure that you are not accepting responsibility or replacement etc..
 
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FredC

Village Idiot
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Jul 13, 2011
Messages
26,229
It does look like a bad cleaning

I'd explain to her that if she would have called during our "warranty" period and this had been present we would have done everything in our power to make things right but that time limit exist for a reason. She is the reason this issue wasn't resolved.


I wouldn't give her anything..........
 
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Brian H

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Dec 14, 2006
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Detroit Michigan area
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Brian H
She knew you used HWE to clean it for her, even though it had an "S" cleaning code. She probably felt that means she could clean it herself with a machine from the grocery store. By her reasoning, you are responsible because you didn't tell her that she couldn't clean it herself.
 
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