'We're just left with nothing:' Furniture Depot fire leaves customers waiting for refunds
MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee woman waiting on a furniture delivery turned on the news one morning and learned she'd be waiting a long time.
In April, Felecia (whose identity is not being revealed due to safety concerns not related to this story) said she paid in full and up front for a new table to replace the one that's chipping in her kitchen.
"I paid in cash," Felecia said.
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Chips on Felecia's kitchen table she liked to have replaced.
While Felecia waited for her table's delivery, the store she purchased it from caught fire.
"I was shocked. I was like, 'Oh my God -- that's the store we got the table from!'" she said.
On April 13, a fire tore through the Furniture Depot near 25th and Lincoln. The store was a total loss.
Felecia tried contacting the store owner for a refund.
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"We're just left with nothing," she said. "It's very frustrating."
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Felecia's situation raised the question: If a business is destroyed, does the customer still have a right to any goods already bought and paid for? Do they have a right to a refund? Or, are they simply out of luck?
Consumer attorney Anthony Murdock said, in general, if a store burns down, the customers' rights stand.
"You still have the right to get what you purchased. They either have to give you a refund, or they have to give you the goods," Murdock said. "You need to be smart, and make sure you take the efforts to protect yourself in that situation."
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If you find yourself in a similar situation, send a copy of your receipt and notice of claim to the store owner and their insurance company. If you do not get a response, file a complaint with Wisconsin Consumer Protection or the Better Business Bureau. As a last resort, go to small claims court.
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Customers may have to be patient.
"They can wait for the retailer's insurance company to make payments on the property -- assuming that they have insurance or that they will," Murdock said.
Furniture Depot's owner, Abdullah Numann, said he's waiting on his insurance claim. He said customers can send a copy of their receipt to the store's Facebook page. For now, he's trying to refund orders less than $1,000.
"You still need to take care of your customers," Felecia said.
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Contact 6 sent Numann a copy of Felecia's receipt two weeks ago. She's still waiting on a refund.