Advice please - What Would You Do?

[Debbru]

Back in August we bought a new side by side fridge to replace the fridge/top freezer we were using. Although it was ten years old, it worked fine. We just needed a larger one & we wanted a water/ice dispenser on the door. When the new one was delivered we put the old one out in the garage for one week until our garage sale.

Advertised the fridge and yard sale in the local paper. The day before the sale two women showed up at our door. One introduced herself as a neighbor down the street and said the other woman was her friend that was moving into the developement. They were interested in the fridge. I showed it to them (unplugged & doors off) and told them it was about 10 yrs. old but worked fine. The woman that was going to be moving in "soon" bought it for $75.00 and said that they would be back with the husband of the current neighbor to get it. The next day all three came (we put the doors back on & loaned them a hand truck) and they rolled it down the street to the current neighbor's house. She was going to store it for the other one until she actually moved in.

Fast forward to today - over two months later. These two woman came back to my house today to ask if the fridge worked when we sold it to them. Apparently it's been stored in the current neighbors garage since August & she just plugged it in yesterday. She said she ran it for 2 1/2 hrs and although the freezer was cold "no air was blowing down into the fridge section". I told her it worked fine when we sold it to her & maybe she should give it more time to cool down. Again she said that no cold air was moving between the freezer & fridge. They left saying they would see what happened after it ran longer.

I don't know what to do if they come back. I know it worked perfectly fine when it left our house. Should I refund the money???

 

[mickeyboat]

If I were you, I would refund the money if it continues not to work, but to tell them to keep the fridge - they can have it serviced or dispose of it.

 

[Christine]

I guess I would probably refund it although I don't think you are obligated. But they are your neighbors.

Often times, when refrigerators are moved, they break. You could have done it when you moved it out to the garage--they could have done it moving it rolling it down the street and loading it into the house. It could be a simple fix, but who knows.

Since you really didn't *have* to sell the fridge to pay for the other one and it was just $75, I probably would give them the money back.

 

[AKL_Megs]

If it were me, I wouldn't give them their money back.

Who the heck buys a fridge and doesn't try it out to see if it works THAT DAY? I know my MIL purchases all sorts of appliances on Craigslist for her rental property, and she ALWAYS tests them out right away!

I think it was a poor decision for them not to test it that day, and I think it would be a poor decision for you to refund them that $75.

After two whole months, ANYTHING could have happened in that garage.

I don't trust too many people. If anything, I'd offer to have my DH look at it to see if he could figure out what might have broken, and if it were easy to fix, offer his services if they provided the part.

Honestly, that is what you get when you purchase a 10 year old fridge from a "garage sale" and wait 2 months to try it out.

They need to cut their loss.

 

[ginna74]

If it were me, I wouldn't give them their money back.

Who the heck buys a fridge and doesn't try it out to see if it works THAT DAY? I know my MIL purchases all sorts of appliances on Craigslist for her rental property, and she ALWAYS tests them out right away!

I think it was a poor decision for them not to test it that day, and I think it would be a poor decision for you to refund them that $75.

After two whole months, ANYTHING could have happened in that garage.

I don't trust too many people. If anything, I'd offer to have my DH look at it to see if he could figure out what might have broken, and if it were easy to fix, offer his services if they provided the part.

Honestly, that is what you get when you purchase a 10 year old fridge from a "garage sale" and wait 2 months to try it out.

They need to cut their loss.

I agree completely with above.

 

[Debbru]

Thanks everyone. I would be inclined to refund the money but DH is out of town till tomorrow night and I don't think he will want to. I'm hoping after they run it overnight it will cool down. I know when we got our new one the delivery man said to set everything on the middle setting and wait 24 hours before adjusting anything.

I guess it just bothers me because it worked perfectly when they bought it and who knows what happened to it in their garage (in the hot humid Florida summer) during the last two months. The thing that really bothers me is that they never asked for the money back, but when they asked me "was it working when we bought it" implied that I sold them a broken fridge.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Thanks everyone. I would be inclined to refund the money but DH is out of town till tomorrow night and I don't think he will want to. I'm hoping after they run it overnight it will cool down. I know when we got our new one the delivery man said to set everything on the middle setting and wait 24 hours before adjusting anything.

I guess it just bothers me because it worked perfectly when they bought it and who knows what happened to it in their garage (in the hot humid Florida summer) during the last two months. The thing that really bothers me is that they never asked for the money back, but when they asked me "was it working when we bought it" implied that I sold them a broken fridge.

If they ask again, tell them, "Yes, as a matter of fact, it worked perfectly! How strange! Perhaps something happened while it SAT in your GARAGE over the SUMMER!"

Don't give them their money back. You know 100% that you sold them a working fridge for $75. They accepted that offer. This is two months later. Anything could have happened, and it is now out of your hands. Don't feel bad for these people. For all you know, they pull scams like this all the time and turn around and sell it to someone else.

 

[Debbru]

I actually just went back to check the dates of our yard sale -- they bought it July 30th. I think you all are right - I know that not only did it work perfectly but it looked new inside and out - not a nick, scratch or speck of dirt. Who knows what could have happened in the last 2 1/2 months. Could be intense humidity in the garage damaged something, a mouse ate a wire or hose, whatever...

 

[DebbieB]

If they come back, I would not even discuss it again until you go to the neighbor's house to look at it.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Just like selling a used car, they bought it AS IS. Their problem if they didn't test it. And as others have said, not your fault they left it to sit for 2 months.

I would tell them that I am very sorry it is no longer working but it DID work when you sold it to them and there was no warantee.

In my house I would be the one telling them "too bad so sad" and DH would be saying to just give the money back.

 

[Nancyg56]

No way would I refund the money., It sat all summer.

 

[OceanAnnie]

If they ask again, tell them, "Yes, as a matter of fact, it worked perfectly! How strange! Perhaps something happened while it SAT in your GARAGE over the SUMMER!"

Don't give them their money back. You know 100% that you sold them a working fridge for $75. They accepted that offer. This is two months later. Anything could have happened, and it is now out of your hands. Don't feel bad for these people. For all you know, they pull scams like this all the time and turn around and sell it to someone else.

I agree. It sounds like you were using the fridge up until the time you sold it. Working fine. I'd be very leery of the situation you are in. Have you ever seen these people before? Do you know where they live? They may have dropped by to see how far they could get with you. It sounds fishy.

 

[FireDancer]

On one hand if you sold it as is with no stated or implied warranty you don't owe them any money back. On the other they are neighbors you will have to live with.

While I think you are in the right only you can decide if having neighbors that hold a grudge are worth it.

 

[Christine]

On one hand if you sold it as is with no stated or implied warranty you don't owe them any money back. On the other they are neighbors you will have to live with.

While I think you are in the right only you can decide if having neighbors that hold a grudge are worth it.

MTE!

If this was just someone you sold stuff to over craigslist, I wouldn't refund. I'm just not sure I'd do this to new neighbors over $75 bucks. If they believe they've been ripped off (and you won't change their mind), I assure you that your relationship with them will never be good. It is *possible* that just your moving it to the garage could have done something. Probably not, but the possibility is there. It would have been great if they would have tested it before taking it.

 

[Disney Doll]

If they ask again, tell them, "Yes, as a matter of fact, it worked perfectly! How strange! Perhaps something happened while it SAT in your GARAGE over the SUMMER!" I would add "in all the Florida heat".
Don't give them their money back. You know 100% that you sold them a working fridge for $75. They accepted that offer. This is two months later. Anything could have happened, and it is now out of your hands. Don't feel bad for these people. For all you know, they pull scams like this all the time and turn around and sell it to someone else.

I agree with this.

 

[Carly_Roach]

MTE!

If this was just someone you sold stuff to over craigslist, I wouldn't refund. I'm just not sure I'd do this to new neighbors over $75 bucks. If they believe they've been ripped off (and you won't change their mind), I assure you that your relationship with them will never be good. It is *possible* that just your moving it to the garage could have done something. Probably not, but the possibility is there. It would have been great if they would have tested it before taking it.

I agree with Christine and Firedancer. This is totally a case of choosing which you'd rather be:

I'd rather be right.

or

I'd rather be happy.

 

[JerseyJanice]

If they ask for the money back, I would give it to them to keep neighborly peace. I wouldn't take the fridge back though. Let them dispose of it.

 

[jenrose66]

I wouldn't refund the money. You aren't a store and there was no contract. They should have confirmed it worked to their satisfaction before they left your house.

 

[SDFgirl]

I agree with those who say to refund them, if they ask.

Even though it was most likely *their* fault and not yours, $75 is worth keeping the peace with your neighbors IMO.

Good luck! Maybe they won't even ask for the money, knowing that they let it sit in their garage all summer. I know *I'd* never have the nerve to ask for a refund in that situation!