DEAR SUN SPOTS: I read with interest your Sept. 20 response to No Name regarding damage to her home in delivering the refrigerator she bought from Brunswick Sears. You are quite correct in referring her to the Consumer Protection Service of the Maine Attorney General’s Office. However, all Consumer Protection Service can do is try to persuade Sears to take care of the matter. She will not get legal advice, but maybe a copy of the Maine statutes.

I am sure Sears, not she, hired the incompetent delivery-and-setup independent contractor. I am just as sure she paid Sears and not the independent contractor. If this is so, then the Sears employee, Bill (the salesman), is incorrect that “it is no longer a Sears’ issue.” She may want to:

1. Search corporate names at the Secretary of State office’s website at https://icrs.informe.org/nei-sos-icrs/ICRS;jsessionid=29D8E6DA69DCD97CAF453329794C08DF?MainPage=x

2. Type in the “Search” boxes either the name Sears, Roebuck and Co. or the Sears’ charter number, which is 19360001 F. (Do not type in just “Sears,” as there are many Sears.)

3. Note the clerk/registered agent, which for Sears is C T Corp. System, 1536 Main St., Readfield ME 04355.

4. Get a small claims Statement of Claim form from her local district court clerk, and complete it with her name as plaintiff, with Sears, Roebuck and Co. as defendant and complete it with a list of the descriptions and dollar amounts of damages and send a copy to the clerk/registered agent noted in No. 3 above.

5. If one does not get a response from Sears within a week, file the form with the District Court where one resides.

C T Corp. System will send the complaint directly to the Sears’ legal office, and Sears will start paying one of its attorneys to review and evaluate the claim. My experience is one will get a quick response from Sears’ legal department because, among other things, they do not want the publicity, the legal expense or the quite likely possibility of losing in small claims court.

We have customers for whom we build homes who want to get their own appliances, and we then have an exclusion in our contracts for the problems No Name recited.

When our customers insist, the results are more often than not the same as No Name’s. We then provide them with the information above.

When we include supplying appliances in our contracts, we always use Agren (one of the local dealers Sun Spots mentioned in her column). Agren is responsible and responsive to any issues. Good luck. — John L. Palmer, jpalmer@exploremaine.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to your column about buying appliances, I had very good luck buying a whole kitchen at A1 Used Appliances. Steve and the other workers were so nice.

I got a stove, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and freezer at a great price. The service was great, too. They delivered and set them all up and moved the old ones.

If you’re looking for any appliance, I recommend them very highly. — Gail, Lisbon Falls

ANSWER: You can find A1 at 170 Turner St., Auburn, 877-937-5704.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Please add Gallant’s Discount Furniture & Appliance to your list of local appliance stores. You can find it on Route 120, Roxbury, 207-364-4757. — Michael Gaudin, mgaud49@roadrunner.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Would you be so kind as to please include Daniel Buck Appraisals with the antiques and paintings dealers in the area?

My gallery is located inside Republic Jewelers at 212 Center St. in Auburn. We also offer estate and insurance appraisals of antiques, paintings and personal property. And in the very near future we also will be conducting antique and estate auctions.

I have been in the antiques and auction business for more than 40 years, have been proffered as a fine art expert by the superior court of Canada in Toronto and am the only dealer/appraiser in Maine who for 11 years was an on-air appraiser with the PBS television show “Antiques Roadshow.”

Anyone who has an interest in having their items valued can come to my office. I always value items for no charge. Please call for an appointment.

Thank you in advance for informing your readers (of which I am one). — Daniel Buck Soules, 207-407-1444

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

Copy the Story Link