More on this Rooms to Go complaint

Raleigh, N.C. — A Cumberland County man field a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit on Dec. 1 against furniture dealer Rooms to Go for allegedly selling furniture protection that did not exist.

In November 2015, Kenny Triplett bought a recliner from a Rooms to Go store in Dunn, according to the lawsuit . At the same time, Triplett bought a ForceField Protection Plan—a spray-on fabric protectant that resists stains—for $50.

The lawsuit alleges Triplett’s contract said the recliner would be professionally treated with the protectant and in the event of a stain, Rooms to Go would either clean or replace the furniture. But after finding a stain on the recliner, Triplett tested the materials and concluded the protection was either poorly applied or not applied at all.

“In 2016, Mr. Triplett tested his recliner by dripping water on the furniture,” the lawsuit said. “The water did not bead up, but rather was readily absorbed. In addition, subsequent testing on Mr. Triplett’s recliner showed no evidence that a fabric protectant had been applied.”

The complaint includes comments from other Rooms to Go customers who encountered the same problem.

The lawsuit does not specify exactly how much money Triplett is seeking, but it gives jurisdiction to U.S. District Court of Eastern North Carolina because the suit seeks “damages that exceed $5 million.”