A Toronto woman wants her money back after she didn’t get the appliances she said she ordered.
Francesca Martinez thought she was buying a new stove and matching new fridge but instead two very different and obviously used appliances were delivered to her apartment.
She was out when they were delivered on Thursday, but when she got home was “completely shocked.”
Martinez showed Global News dents on the outside of the fridge, rust, a cracked drawer and mold on the inside. The stove was not much better. It had rust both inside and outside, was dirty and showed obvious signs of wear.
She claimed the appliances from Barcelona Home Appliances not only weren’t new — they weren’t the ones she paid for. Martinez said the stove she ordered had a stainless steel top and was Kitchen Aid but the one in her kitchen has a black top and is a Kenmore.
The invoice doesn’t clarify things. It describes the appliances as “Jeen-Air”. She was charged $1,000 for the fridge and $449 for the stove.
Martinez said she had even checked the status of the appliances with the woman helping her.
“She said to me that they sell new and used,” insisted Martinez.
She followed up with a text, in Spanish, a shared language between her and the store owner. She showed it to Global News, and read part of it out loud in English.
“Please make sure that the refrigerator and stove are new,” she wrote.
Martinez said no one had replied, and there was no return text visible on her phone.
When Global News called the business, at the same number, they did say all their appliances are “reconditioned.”
“They are used but are restored to look like new,” said Yuri Silva, the owner of Barcelona Home Appliances.
However, there is no outside signage at the store indicating whether the appliances are new or used.
Martinez said after taking her first complaint call, Barcelona Home Appliances stopped answering.
“Well, we receive hundreds of calls. Our business is, like, it’s booming so there are thousands of calls. I haven’t received an email. I haven’t received a text. I haven’t received a call as of yet,” said Silva.
Silva reiterated that his customers are number one.
“I don’t know what is going on, but we will get back to her,” said Silva.
However, when it was suggested he call while Global News was still there he wasn’t interested.
“Not really right now. Let her call me then we’ll talk about it,” he said.
He said he had work to do and had to load a customer’s fridge. Silva then said the interview was finished and told the Global News crew to leave. He did promise to call Martinez within 24 hours.
Within about an hour Martinez said a woman from the store called and told her the delivery person had dropped off the wrong appliances.
Martinez said she also talked to Silva who explained she had “disrespected” them by going to Global News, so he would not be doing anything for her.
However, in a subsequent telephone conversation with Global News, Silva said no one confirmed the wrong appliances were delivered. He also denied saying he would not do anything. Silva promised he would follow up with Martinez.
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