DO NOT BUY A KING KOIL MATTRESS! PLEASE READ! NOT A FORWARD.

Good Evening everyone…..

This is a letter for awareness. I want everyone to be aware of what half-ass service the bedding company King Koil has and the way they deal with their customers.

This is merely a warning letter. I want everyone to know what they are dealing with before purchasing a mattress through them and see how you get blown off after spending a thousand dollars on their defective work.

Back in late October of 2005 – I purchased a $900 King Koil pillow top king size mattress. Was perfect for the first month – then started to cave in the middle. It is now June. Eight months later. This bed has literally caved completely in the middle. In the morning you wake up with any person or animal on the bed – in the middle piled on top of each other, and when you have a 70lb dog – this is not considered comfortable.

So at the end of April I made a service call, and finally after the 3rd week in May I had someone out to my house. He hadn't been in the room 5 seconds when he said, "Yup this is defiantly defective." Then he started to look closer. He pointed to the bottom of my mattress where there were three small blood stains, all smaller then a dime. Then he said to me, "I'm sorry but I can't put in a warranty call because they will consider this unusable." After bickering back & forth for a few (honestly – anyone out there – have you EVER seen a completely clean mattress??? Most are worse then that!) he explained that this is some mattress companies' way of not honoring a warranty – meaning they can keep the profit and screw the customer.

This was literally baffling for me. I could not believe that this could really be a total disregard for the customer. So I wrote King Koil directly (or so I thought), and left numerous messages on their phone system. Well I received a call a few days later from an extremely rude woman who ignored me every time I asked her name. So I asked her straight out about three times if they were going to sell this mattress again. She stated that the mattress would not be used again. SO WHY CAN'T YOU TAKE IT BACK? Instead she agreed that she was snubbing her nose up at her companies' bad workmanship. She stated that it was ILLIGAL for her to take this product back. It is funny that Serta would have taken it back. I guess we should get them for legal issues. At least they care for their customer.

I want every one to know how this company treats their customer, including this company (they were sent a copy of this as well). If you go on Better Business Bureau their smaller stores all have a few complaints, including the place where that rude woman called from (caller id is so great). For some reason their corporate office has absolutely no contacts. It all goes through this horrible Miami store.

If you are smart – stay away from this dreadful company. I gave them so many chances to make this right – and every attempt was either ignored or snubbed at. It is companies like this that make it hard for the consumer to be happy. When you are spending a hefty amount on a new mattress that you will be using every day – it is hard when the company has a total disregard for the customer (and says in a snobbish way, "well you should have bought a mattress cover.") Even after telling her that I purchased the recommended cover – but it felt like sleeping on tin foil. Total disregard.

Any questions – please feel free to contact me using any of the below means. BUYER BEWARE!!!! TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Brian

(561)951-2sss

Comment On This

I appreciate your long thoughts on the issues with warranties for mattresses. And I agree about people not reading the warranty. And agree about all makers having the same policy about stains. But I looked at the various warranties, and ONLY King Koil I see has an exclusion for "any damage to the outer fabric, even from wear&tear". Can you explain how on earth this poses a risk to the handlers in any way?

A slight scratch on the cloth voids the warranty, even if it has nothing to do with the problem and is on the other side of the mattress? And the small 1" damage is visibly due to wear&tear, and not even a complete rip without any of the interior visible. I use a allergen proof mattress cover, no stains, nothing, and the one side has completely collapsed.

How can they justify voiding warranty for this? King Koil in other areas globally doesnt have this provision. Only in the US.

You just go and patch up the tiny damage to make it less visible to the inspector, somewhere for say tops $100, and then have your $900 mattress be under warranty again. As long as you never tell them, it makes financial sense.

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We purchased a King Koil Comfort Sensation Memory Foam mattress for $1937 from the Dump in April 06. For the last year I have been trying to get King Koil to honor the warranty. However, I have been informed that the mattress is supposed to sink down because it is a memory foam. So, no matter how many pictures I send them it will not help. The mattress sinks down on the sides & there is a huge hump in the middle. Its like sleeping on a rock. I hurt all over when I wake up. I weigh 125 lbs & he weighs 185 lbs. We turn the mattress & there is a hypo allergenic cover on it. It looks like new but is truly the worst mattress we have ever owned. Buyer beware. If the mattress fails you are probably out the money. In our case their warranty is not worth anything. FYI I attempted to process the warranty through The Dump. When rejected, I contacted King Koil directly who then passed me right back to The Dump. What a tremendous waste of sleep, time, & money. I will never purchase another King Koil Mattress.

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I too have a King Koil that spent over 900 dollars on and it has a massive whole in the middle. I have never seen anything like this! This is a horrible product and it should not cost as much, they are simply selling crap! I ended up throwing it the mattress away after 2 years. DO NOT BUY KING KOIL! RIP OFF ALERT

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I had the same bad experience. I bought a firm queen set for over $1000 with the protective cover, used it for few month and all of the sudden the mattress become super soft and we (my wife and I)almost sunk in it. We are about 180 lb each so no heavy people. The store we bought it from said that has to sagged 3in (visible) to be a defective and is 20 yrs warranty (reason we bought it). It comes back almost to normal level but if u place a kid in it will sink. The customer noservice give us almost the same answer and we are stuck with a hammock in stead of a mattress.

BAD QUALITY, BAD SERVICE, BAD KING KOIL!

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I'm with you....ALL of YOU! I finally spent the money, I did'nt have and bought a King Koil Bamboo Countour Response Rendezvous, $1500.00 for a Queen. By the 3rd month it was pitting. A year later it has a high spot dividing "our" holes. Really mad and can't afford a new bed. DO NOT BUY KING KOIL!!!

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King Koil is the WORST mattress I have ever had. I purchased a King for $2000 five years ago, and for the past 4 years it has completely caved in on both sides. When you sleep on it, you roll into your spot and you are practically "stuck" in it until you wake up. I am so uncomfortable. I wake up with a stiff neck almost every morning. I look forward to staying in hotels and visiting family with decent beds. When I called about the warranty, and I have no stains, thank you very much...they said I had to bring it to the warehouse in Homestead FL. Well, I did purchase it in Ft. Lauderdale at Mattress Giant, but now live in SC, and how do they expect me to get it to Homestead? WHAT A PIEC OF CRAP MATTRESS AND COMPANY!! I am now listing it on craigslist for FREE to anyone who can pick it up and take it..after staying at Marriot, I purchased a Jamison mattress.

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HEY STUPID! NO MATTRESS MANUFACTURER AND I MEAN NO MATTRESS MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE A DEFECTIVE MATTRESS WITH A VISIBLE STAIN!!!!!

GOT IT!!! NO ONE!! EVEN SERTA!

YOU HOULD OF READ THE CARE GUIDE AND WARRANTY CARD ATTACHED TO YOUR NEW MATTRESS!!!! STUPID!!!!

Comment On This

I HAVE HAD A KING KOIL FOR YEARS, HAD A SEALY BEFORE THAT AND THEY RIPPED ME OFF,THE BED SAGGED AND THEY DIDNT HONOR THERE WARRANTY,BOUGHT A KING KOIL AND ITS THE BEST BED IVE EVER HAD.WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO ANYBODY,MY SISTER BOUGHT ONE ABOUT 2 YEARS AFTER ME,SHE HAD A SIMMONS AND SHE SAID HER KING KOIL WAS ALSO THE BEST MATTRESS THAT SHES EVER HAD,SO I THINK YOU JUST HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE

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i had one years ago and it was very servicable and cheaper in price than the others. Now it sounds like the price is way up and the quality down. It is true you need to spend almost $900 on a queen these days just to get something middle-of-the-road, but if that is the case, stick with someone whose name is well-known. And put a 2" memory topper on it, it works as a mattress cover as well.

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As a reader and a buyer to be of King Koil, i find this really strange. Talking about body fluid on the bed being hazardous and exposed to the person doing the check, i find this ridiculously surprising! With all kinds of protection gears, would not it be better for the inspectors to don protective gears? Such as the lab techs working in hospitals, being exposed to all kinds of diseases and bacterias? Should they quit their job because of someone's body fluid?

Next, for those working in the bedding industry, it is surprising to know and to critic so much about the buyers' ignorance to read the warranty card that comes with their bed. Should your job be more than just getting a quick buck to your pocket? Or a service to your buyer? Having much knowledge to such sensitive issues like a stain on the mattress will void the warranty, should not that be the upmost important highlight to any potential buyer?

Any seller or promoter that fails to do so just reflects his professionalism at his work.

Lastly, be you the seller or buyer, the truth hurts!

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each time i read a complaint they say to use a waterproof mattress pad - ugh! they are frickin plastic and make you sweat when you sleep - this is awful and negates any good a decent mattress does to aid in a restful night's sleep. give me a break - a mattress pad = good idea, waterproof mattress pad = continued crappy sleep!

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We are going throught the same thing! We bought the king koil pillow top king size and spent about $1000. Well both sides are so caved in that it is sooo uncomfortable to sleep on. I called them and they said there was a 10 year warranty but when she asked if there were any stains on it she said it voided the warranty!! Crazy, I can't believe that any spots on the mattress makes up for the crap of their product!! Don't buy one!!!

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As someone who has worked in Mattress sales for almost 13 years I feel I have to comment here.

First of all EVERY major mattress company's standard warranty policy states clearly that any stains on the mattress void the warranty. The problem is the majority of customers don't bother to read the warranty card that comes their bed. The information is provided but because somebody didn't hold their hand and read it to them it's not their fault they didn't know. That's the American way now I guess, it's always someone else's fault. No such thing as personal responsibility. But I digress. As I said ALL major mattress companies have this policy and it is clearly stated in their warranty statement. The only company that I am aware of that doesn't make this stipulation is Tempur-pedic. They don't make this stipulation because they are going to resell the mattress. It is for the safety of the people who have to handle the mattress. the people who have to remove it from your house. The people at the factory who are charged with inspecting it when it comes backs to make sure is indeed defective. They do this to make sure it is in fact a warrantable issue and to see if it is a design flaw that needs to be corrected in future models so that the mistake is not repeated. These people don't know you from Adam, they do not want to handle a mattress with your blood or urine or whatever other bodily fluids on it. They have no idea what diseases you may or may not have. And I don't mean that a slight towards you personally it's true of anyone. EVERYONE should use a mattress pad, preferably a waterproof one. It will help avoid any future warranty problems and it's just soooo much cleaner for yourself. You can't wash a mattress. An innerspring mattress that is 10 years old weighs 50% more than it did when it was new. All that extra weight is dust mites, dust mite feces and dead skin. there is no way to remove this stuff from that mattress once it's there, and no vaccuuming doesn't work. A good mattress pad will prevent all that stuff from ever passing into the mattress, and you can just pull the pad off regularly and wash it.

As far as the sag in your mattress goes, ALL mattress' with any decent amount of padding on them are going to eventually show some body impressions. Just as your couch cushions aren't them same thickness today as they were when they were new, nor are your car seats the same exact thickness as they were when they were new. Your mattress is the most used piece of furniture in the house and is going to show some wear. It's kinda like how new shoes eventually form to your feet. That said ...the more padding on the mattress the more noticeable it will be. But they should never be more than 1.5" deep on an innerspring. Deeper that that usually means either the innerspring is breaking down or most commonly that you don't have proper support under the bed. #1 most important thing is you must have rigid center support under ANY Queen or king sized bed. This again is printed in every warranty card. 99.9% of the time when we go to customer's homes who are complaining of the bed hammocking in the middle we look underneath and sure enough no center support..gotta have at least one but prefferably two or three legs in the center gong from the bottom of the bed to the floor.

In summation....ALWAYS read the warranty card that comes with your new mattress. You can't count on your sales person to always remember to tell you every little detail, they are human they might forget. Take some responsibility for yourself and you will avoid situations like the one you are in. Lastly ALWAYS USE A MATTRESS PAD....it's just good house keeping.

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Regardles of anyones problems with stains and warranties I believe the true lesson here is that King Koil produces a crappy product! My parents visited a friend in FL and slept on a King Koil mattress while there, they loved it so much they decided to buy one themselves. Since the mattress was older they no longer produced that model and my parents bought the new model that replaced it. After only a couple months there were two large sags where each of them slept. After finally getting King Koil to agree to repair the mattress it was sent out, sat in their warehouse for a few months and wasn't returned untill my parents called and complained. When it was finally returned to them nothing had been done to the mattress! The sags were still there! By this time they invested in a better mattress and gave it to me seeing as it was only a couple months old they thought maybe I'd be able to sleep on it. After about a month my back hurt so bad I couldn't sleep on it another night. All it is is a big piece of foam w/a pillow top, there's no support at all!

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It would appear that we are missing one very important point in this discussion. In order to eliminate the need for replacing center sagged mattresses we must first determine the cause of the sag. I would suggest that a simple explanation of physics may help to solve the mystery.

When a weight is applied consistently across a singular span, sag results in the center. If we were building a bridge we might consider suspension cables. since this is hardly practical in a bedroom maybe it is possible to work from the bottom up. Setting blocks between the floor and the center support of your foundation down the length of your mattress set may help.

A more permanent result might be the re-engineering of bed frames which could provide this support as a part of the design.

I too was disappointed when I found that the King Koil foundation I purchased was not more than a few pieces of wood and some cardboard. My response was to return the item to the store immediately.

Sometimes we have to be a little creative in our response to adversity. Oh and after reading these posts I will be going to get a mattress cover in order to not violate the government sanctions on my buyer's rights.

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I do know that when we purchased our King Koil mattress, they told us that we should get a mattress covering because if there are any stains or tears, etc on the mattress the warranty would be void. We went to a Serta store before we purchased the King Koil mattress set and they also told me the same thing, maybe you should have asked questions or read the information.

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I too have a list of contacts and the same results: my mattress on defective material; It is of satin design and is seperating all over the entire top. we went thru the picture taking and had a visit with the representative that also checked a slight stain on the edge of the mattress and was rejected because of it. The material is rotten or defective and the stain has no bearing on the material. We were told and cautioned on using any cover for the mattress when we bought it. The salesman said it would change the warranty if we did use one.After 4 months we were just notified of rejection after all the forms,visits etc. The Dixie Bedding Co. Miami Fl. has their tag on it sold by Mattress Giant who no longer deals with King Kol

As a widow a replacement is not something I can afford. Talking on the phone the person said we have had trouble with the material, so why can't King Kol do something right?

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I wonder if sagging is common with pillow-top mattresses. My sister bought a different brand pillow-top mattress,paid a thousand bucks for it, and it was sagging dramatically in the center within 6 months. I bought a King Koil FIRM mattress over ten years ago and it has not sagged AT ALL. It is also so comfortable I have a hard time forcing myself to leave it every morning. And it only cost $399.

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Hi, I bought a King Koil mattress 7 years ago. I paid 1,400.00 for this mattress. If you look at the bed it has 2 big dips in it. I called King Koil and they sent someone out. They measured the dips which were 2 inches, but because there was some stains on the mattress they said the warranty was void. I don;t know of anyone with children that ther mattress doesn;t have a stain on it. I wonder if poeple know this when they buy there mattress.

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As someone who has worked selling Mattress' for the last 12 years I feel I have to comment here. First let me say that I do not work for any Mattress manufacturer and am therefore not beholding to any band of mattress'. I have sold King koil in the past as well as Sealy, Simmons,Serta, Tempur-pedic and Natura among others. I haven't sold King Koil in years but from what you are describing it doesn't sound as if they did anything out of the ordinary. It has been a long standing rule or ALL Mattress(with the exception of Tempur-pedic) companies not to honor warranties on mattress' that are stained. The reasoning behind this is fairly simple. when the company warranty's a mattress it is sent back to the factory so that the defect can be verified before they credit the retailer for the mattress. Up to that point they are taking the customer and retailer's word that the mattress is defective. Their point of view is that they do not want to have their employees having to handle product that may be contaminated with Urine,blood or god knows what from god knows who. They don't know who you are or what diseases you might have. Now its true that the mattress could still be contaminated even if there is no visible stain. But if they operated on that rule then they would offer little or no warranty. This way they meet the consumer in the middle. basically saying "hey you make the effort to at least keep the matress clean to the point that there are at least no visible stains and we'll honor the warranty." I don't see why this is such a big thing for so many people. Don't they clean their houses? Clean your mattress too. Use a water proof mattress pad ,there are many out there that are very soft and supple, you won't even know they are there. and as far have I ever seen a mattress that is unstained....yes, everytime I change my sheets. my Mattress is 9 years old and looks like the day I bought it. The vast majority of mattress' that we remove from peoples house's are unstained, and we see hundreds a year. It just takes a little due diligence on your part. The manufacturer has one stipulation...no stains and we'll honor the warranty.We have to take a little responsibility for ourselves now and then. You should have read the warranty card the day you got your Mattress and then you would have known about the stain issue and could have done what you needed to do to prevent any stains from getting on your mattress. Just like any car company requires that you keep up on the basic maintenance on your car in order for your car's warranty to be valid. If you don't put any oil in the car for 5 years and then your engine goes should Toyota be responsible for giving you a new engine? So lesson learned....Always read the warranty for any new product you purchase, that is your responsibility, you could have asked to read it at the store before you even purchased. Take some responsibility for yourself you are an adult.

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I too own a King Koil mattress and it has caved in the center. I've never seen anything like it. I haven't even tried to contact the company as I don't have my receipt and the store I purchased from has since closed. I'm single, obviously with one income and it's discouraging to realize I'm going to have spend more money on another mattress when the one I have is only 2 years old!!

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After our warranty claim was rejected the third time, I conducted a little research on the internet and found horror stories of warranties, just like ours, where the warranty was voided for not meeting the definition of sanitary-even though the manufacturer provides no definition of �unsanitary�. This is an out and out scam.

I also found that visco-elastic bedding is notorious for losing its resiliency and ability to provide adequate support. In many cases, the foam does �rebound� to pass the 1.5� depression test. However in actual use, after 3-5 years, the failure of the foam�s weight bearing capacity causes people to roll to the center of the bed.

Learn what we have learned by visiting this website we have put together:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzep3sxw/kingkoilcomfortsolutionsamphaynesfurnituremattresswarrantyscam/index.html

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HEY DUMMY! ITS AGAINST FEDERAL LAW TO REMOVE YOUR MATTRESS FROM YOUR HOUSE FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT IF ITS FOUND TO BE UNSANITARY! BITCH TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT THE MANUFACTURER!

ALSO, I SOLD SERTA FOR OVER 6 YEARS AND I GUARANTEED YOU, SERTA WOULD OF DONE THE SAME THING, ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER MATTRESS MANUFACTURER!

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We've had tremendous problems with our King Koil mattress and getting a warranty adjustment. Here is the letter I wrote. It may contain some useful information for those trying to obtain warranty service. I hope to cause them at least enough trouble to equal the money I am currently out of pocket for a new mattress.

September 2, 2009

Comfort Solutions Mid-Atlantic

dba King Koil

Customer Service

1112 Kingwood Avenue

Norfolk, VA 23502

Haynes Furniture Company Incorporated

Customer Service

5324 Virginia Beach Boulevard

Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Re: Mattress Warranty

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to you to express my concern and displeasure over the fact that our mattress warranty was not honored due to a small stain on the mattress.

The bed we purchased was one the King Koil �thermal/visco-elastic foam� type beds and was purchased on 1/25/03. I have to admit, a foam bed was not on my list of beds to purchase, but the salesman from King Koil was at Haynes Furniture that day and he made an impressive presentation to my wife and me. We bought the mattress, foundation, frame and mattress pad recommended by your sales rep at a cost of $1889 plus tax.

Over the last six months, I have awoken to significant back pain. I thought it was a result of �growing older�. However, I discovered that when I travel and sleep in a hotel bed, my back pain went away. By all accounts, my back pain was a failure of the six year old foam to support the weight of our bodies.

At the end of every night, our premium mattress sags into the shape of a bowl and we basically roll to the middle of the bed. My wife weighs 110# and I weigh 142#. We are not large people by any stretch of the imagination.

I believe it fair to demonstrate that we went through �the process� in good faith in an attempt to make a claim on the warranty for what we were told to be one of the �best beds� available. Below is my accounting of the events, and I am sure they can be verified via Haynes�s Customer Service:

On 5/20/09, I contacted Haynes Furniture and spoke with Susan Hangarter about what was becoming a significant sag in our bed. She was very helpful and asked us a few questions to get the warranty process started.

On Friday, 5/29/09, an inspection was made by Haynes. The inspector took his measurements and pointed out a 1� diameter stain on the mattress fabric. Apparently, this stain made it through the $90 mattress pad we purchased with the bed. It appeared to be a blood spot. The rest of the mattress was flawless-except for the measurable depression and aforementioned sagging at night.

On Tuesday, 6/2/09 I received a call from Haynes and was told my claim was rejected because there was a stain on the fabric of the bed. I was told to �get the stain out� and call them for another inspection. I was also told to call Global Care Solutions (GCS) as the mattress pad we purchased from Haynes had a guarantee against staining.

On 6/2/09 I called GCS (1-800-521-0555) and they issued claim number 1641371. I was told that I had twenty days from the day of the call to use the kit and report back to them if it didn�t work. The kit arrived via US Mail on 6/8/09, six days after my request. I cleaned the bed the next day and the stain appeared to be gone. While there might have been a slight shadow in the fabric�s texture due to the need to rub in and dry the cleaning product, it was no longer a �stain�. In my mind this was as �good as new� and would be acceptable.

I requested a re-inspection and was told there were no available dates until 6/29/09�.This was seven days after the GCS mattress pad warranty expired. Prior to that date, they would have sent a professional cleaner out to clean the mattress. I do not know if this is a coincidence, but please keep this in mind as you see how quickly another inspection occurred.

Haynes inspected the bed on 6/29/09. They measured the sag and agreed the bed was sagging, however the inspector said the �shadow� was a �stain�. As his job was �only to report�, he said he would report it to the powers that be.

On 7/9/09, I received a call from Susan Hangarter stating that King Koil had again rejected our claim. I was also told the supporting frame was �wrong� and the warranty was void because of this. I responded this was the same frame as the one the previous inspector had inspected and the same one that Haynes had sold us. Inasmuch as we do not have another queen sized bed, it would be impossible for us to have switched the frame. (The inspector made no mention of the frame to me.) This was explained away as a �mistake� on the inspector�s part. It then took almost another week for King Koil/Haynes to respond back with an acceptance or rejection of the warranty. This put our mattress pad �warranty� further out of date. I was then told our claim was rejected for the stain.

It was suggested I call Global Care. I called GCS and was told my mattress pad warranty was no longer valid as I was outside the 20 day reporting period. I then spoke with a technician at GCS and she walked me through a method to eliminate the nearly invisible �water ring shadow�. She also informed me that the foam in the mattresses were notorious for discoloring the mattress cover if the damp bed cover touched the foam. I again cleaned the mattress cover using GCS�s instructions.

On 7/10/09, I called Susan Hangarter and told her the water ring was no longer �visible�. I was told she would try to submit this without a re-inspection. When I inquired if they would try to resell this mattress, I was told the mattresses are put in the dumpster after they are picked up.

Nineteen days passed and on 7/29/09 Hangarter emailed me that King Koil wanted yet another inspection. As I was out of the country, we agreed to delay setting up a time until I returned on 8/3/09. I again inquired as to whether they needed to measure the sag again. Quite honestly, we were ready to lean the mattress against the wall and buy a new bed. (I have learned that leaning the mattress against the wall also voids the warranty.) I was told they wanted to once again inspect for the stain and the sag so that precluded moving the bed.

I did not hear from Haynes regarding a rescheduled inspection until I sent an email on 8/13/09 asking when the appointment could be scheduled. This time, I was quickly given a choice of numerous dates that included 8/20,8/21,8/24,8/25,8/26,8/27,8/28. This was a dramatic change from the previous impossibility of getting an inspection before the mattress pad warranty ran out. Keep in mind the bed had already failed the �sag� test, so the only thing preventing a replacement was the nebulous �stain�.

A third inspector arrived on 8/20/09. This was almost 3 months after my first call to Haynes. He, as did the other inspectors, took his measurements. He used the same process as the previous two inspectors. The bed had sagged almost 2� in the middle. This was over the minimum 1.5� required to have it replaced and an increase of ¼� since the last measurement. He took his measurements and we chatted. He even helped me put the mattress pad back on the bed. I assumed everything was acceptable and the warranty would be processed. I was mistaken.

The inspector made no mention of the �stain� until he walked out our front door and I asked him if everything �looked OK�. �Well you do have what appears to be some �yellowing� (his words) in one area�. Why he didn�t point that out to me when we were in the bedroom? We discussed this a bit, I explained the problems I was having with King Koil, and he went on his way.

On Friday, 8/21/09, I received an email from Hangarter that our claim was again rejected. As it stands, we are out almost $2000 for a mattress that I can no longer sleep on.

King Koil's warranty on their website is in extremely fine print-almost to the point of being illegible. http://www.comfortsolutions.com/lc/warranty.pdf

However, to address King Koil�s warranty, nowhere does it use the word �stain� to describe a void in the warranty. It uses the word �unsanitary�. By definition, anything could be considered unsanitary, but unsanitary for what? King Koil�s definition would be akin to a car manufacturer not warranting the car because there was dirt on the windshield. I have since learned that many mattress manufacturers use the �stain� as a method for avoiding warranty replacement per an OSHA rule regarding handling of �bio-hazardous� materials. I find this is odd as while a mattress seller may not honor a warranty, they are certainly eager to remove an old mattress and take it to the dump in order to make a sale-regardless of the condition. Is this not the same �bio-hazardous/unsanitary� mattress?

The �unsanitary� designation seems to be an industry wide term. However, what is �unsanitary�? While my shirt may have a stain on it from last week�s spaghetti, after I wash it, it is sanitary-even if the stain if still there. The same holds true for a white t-shirt that is no longer pure white. And what of fabric that simply fades or yellows with age? Is this unsanitary? By the terms of the warranty, it would be.

When one considers that studies have shown that a computer keyboard has significantly more germs on it than a toilet seat, should computer manufacturers adopt this standard to avoid making good on their warranties? I know of no other industry that uses a warranty �out� like this.

As a matter of fact, a mattress does not have to have a stain to be unsanitary, as demonstrated by several news reports that have demonstrated that, under a black light, a mattress with no apparent stain can often contain bacteria, mold, spores and a multitude of micro-organisms. The inspector made no tests for any of these, nor did he take any cultures of the �stain� to prove that the mattress was �unsanitary�. To be fair, I didn�t apply this test to the mattress when it was delivered to me, either.

However, the code of Virginia regarding used bedding states:

CHAPTER 391

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-212, 32.1-215, and 32.1-225 of the Code of Virginia, relating to bedding and upholstered furniture.

[H 2018]

Approved March 21, 2005

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 32.1-212, 32.1-215, and 32.1-225 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 32.1-212. Definitions.

(5) "Sanitize" means to reduce the level of microbiological agents to a level not injurious to health.

(8) "Sterilize" means to render free of viable microbiological agents.

Again, our bed was not tested for item (5) as to whether it was �unsanitary�. Alternatively, could we have simply sterilized the bed and the �stain� would not have been issue as it would have been �sanitary�?

After our warranty claim was rejected the third time, I conducted a little research on the internet and found horror stories of warranties, just like ours, where the warranty was voided for not meeting the definition of sanitary-even though the manufacturer provides no definition of �unsanitary�.

I also found that visco-elastic bedding is notorious for losing its resiliency and ability to provide adequate support. In many cases, the foam does �rebound� to pass the 1.5� depression test. However in actual use, after 3-5 years, the failure of the foam�s weight bearing capacity causes people to roll to the center of the bed.

The internet has numerous stories of your competitors, as well as King Koil�s failure to honor warranties with mattresses that have obvious defects and an inability to even come close to producing a product that meets the stated warranty periods. One irate customer went so far as to file a class action lawsuit in Federal U.S. Court against Serta Bed Corporation in Chicago, Illinois on May 13, 2008 for these same deceptive practices. Serta apparently settled with the purchaser to avoid a suit that could have cost millions.

I won�t bore you with all of the web links, but needless to say I have them for future reference.

Obviously, I am not pleased with this process nor am I satisfied with Haynes Furniture or King Koil�s failure to honor their warranty. I was sold a defective product and I am sure that any lawyer, during discovery, would find that King Koil knows this is a problem as well.

It would appear that most mattress manufacturers count on claimants to simply give up and walk away. I am not one of those people. It is my intention to obtain a full refund for the mattress, foundation, frame and sales tax.

It would appear that Haynes and King Koil are in violation of several items of the Virginia Uniform Commercial Code. These include:

Implied Warranty of Merchantability

8.2-314 gives the consumer an Implied Warranty of Merchantability (general use and condition of goods). Among other requirements, a product must a.) pass by general description in trade; b.) be of fair average quality; c.) be fit for ordinary purposes. To modify or exclude the Warranty of Merchantability, the seller must mention merchantability and, if there is a writing, the exclusion must be conspicuous.

Implied Warranty of Fitness

8.2-315 gives the consumer an Implied Warranty of Fitness for a Particular Purpose if the seller, at the time of contracting, has reason to know any particular purpose for which the goods are required and if the buyer is relying on the seller�s skill or judgment to select or furnish suitable goods.

To exclude the Warranty of Fitness, the seller must again do so conspicuously if in a writing and may use words like �There are no warranties which extend beyond the description on the face hereof�.

It is obvious that King Koil sells a visco-elastic bed that has no ability to maintain its weight bearing capacity over the long term. We were duped by the King Koil sales rep as to the long term fitness of this product.

Additionally, it would appear King Koil�s warranty violates the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act for Deceptive Warranty Terms. Warranties must not contain deceptive or misleading terms. One cannot offer a warranty that appears to provide coverage but, in fact, provides none. For example, a warranty covering only "moving parts" on an electronic product that has no moving parts would be deceptive and unlawful. Similarly, a warranty that promised service that the warrantor had no intention of providing or could not provide would be deceptive and unlawful.

It is obvious that by using the term �sanitary�, King Koil has no intention to replace a mattress as by definition, anything can be �unsanitary�. Additionally, King Koil made no effort to test the bed for sanitation. Our warranty was rejected based on almost imperceptible stain.

Please accept this as my written demand to be refunded for the mattress set I was sold.

You have fourteen calendar days from the date on this letterhead to respond, in writing (or by check), as to what your plan of action is. Beyond that date, I will use any and all means necessary to recover the purchase price.

We have purchased another mattress to replace King Koil�s defective product. We are not interested in an exchange or replacement. Should we not be granted relief, I will add storage fees of the mattress to any legal claims we may make.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

cc:

Virginia Attorney General�s Office of Consumer Affairs

Virginia Beach Consumer Affairs Office

BBB of Central Virginia

PS: I would like to say that Ms. Hangarter was very nice to work with. Unfortunately, she had no authority to resolve this problem.

Comment On This

I bought my King Koil mattress at Mattress Giant on April 02, 2005. I paid $1800.00. It is a pillowtop king and both sides of the bed are SAGGING! Mattress Giant no linger carries King Koil.

When I purchased the mattress, Mattress Giant stated that if I have any warranty issues, and King Koil approved the claim, they would give me store credit for the selling price of the bed. I bought and use the mattress pad by the way.

I called June 23, 2009 to file a claim on this piece of crap bed. Mattress Giant submitted the claim and said they would still uphold the store credit policy which was great news because I wouldn't think of getting another King Koil. I go in to the store and work with Jason on picking out another bed. I decide on the new Sealey latex style. An upgrade that I hope let's me sleep through the night.

They said King Koil will send out a warranty packet in 7 to 10 days. Nothing... I call Mattress Giant again and they said they sent it to the wrong address. I give them the correct address again. I go in to the store the next day to make sure they have the right address then wait another 7 to 10 days. Nothing... I call again and they say the same thing happenned again. They say they are sure it is going to the right address this time. Nothing... It has been a total of two months and I call back today, 15 days later just to give King Koil the benefit of the doubt. Nothing... I call Mattress Giant AGAIN and they tell me they will call the manufacturer directly (it's Saturday by the way). Jason, the manager, contacts someone and gets a 1-800 number for King Koil (it's 1-800-899-3494 if it helps anyone get a hold of them). He was told King Koil no longer handles claims through the distributor. I ask him if the store credit policy still applies. He dances around the answer. Of course, I call and get voicemail. I call Jason back and ha admits he didn't talk to the manufacturer. He spoke to someone inside his own company. Now I hear from everyone posting that I will probably have the same crappy service from King Koil!??!

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I purchased a queen sized mattress set from king koil about 2 1/2 yrs ago. top of the line, chiropratic approved, lumbar support, for just shy of $2,500 The first few months were great. but since then its been getting worse. There is a 2 inch indent in the bed. Its to the point I can hardly sleep thru the night. The company has not responed to my inquerys. the waranty states it will not cover Mattresses that are " burned or soiled" I have a wife and child my mattress is in good condition but after two years its not perfect . so they can get away with a manufactering substandard product with a ten year waranty. I do not recomend this mattress or any buy this company

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I have a king koil twin size mattress that i bought 16 years ago. Its still in great condition and just as comfortable as the day I bought it. They must've been a good high quality company at one time. Also my brother bought a king koil twin size mattress about a year ago. No problems yet. Maybe because its the smaller size?

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Thank you Brian I bought a 2,200 mattres from them a yr ago, It has also collasped, lucky the furniture store is replacing it free of charge. As far as any stains, I was forewarned by the furniture store if there were any stains you void your warrenty. I agree it is a crock, but it is not the mattress company it is the federal government ruling and oshsa. I am so disappointed in King Koil and would not recommend them. Where did you find a company site to contact them.

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I bought a king koil mattress from a furniture store here in Minneapolis. I have had it for 2 years and it is caving in and it has stains all over it. I have a mattress cover over it and it don't leak, there should be no stains on it. The only thing I can think of is they sold me a refurbished mattress. I don't think that is king koils fault I think it is the furniture store that is refurbishing them witch makes king koil look bad. I haven't contacted them yet but I am going there tomarrow. The reason why I think this is a refurbised mattress is that our local news station years ago gave a story about people buying refurbished mattresses. They were wakeing up with headacks like I do, stains were coming out in there mattresses like mine is. They cut open the mattresses and it looked like they sewed new material over an old mattress. After the holidays I am going to purchase a new mattress and then I am going to cut this one open and see what is inside. If I discover that what I think is true what do you sugest I do. Let me know how I should handle this because that is not right. Thank you

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I understand your frustration, but lets look at another side of the story. Serta or any other mattress company WILL NOT honor the warranty based on Fabric Stains,soiling or burns (as stated in all of their warranty cards). Why would a company not take back a mattress that is damaged had blood stains on it? Could it be for the sanitary reason of it being on the truck with other new beds? Would you want your new mattress exposed to someone else's blood stain? You spent the length of your post blasting King Koil but never once mentioned who you bought the bed from or what they did or did not do to help you resolve this situation. King Koil doesn't own any mattress stores anymore than Toyota owns a car dealership. Full disclosure: I do sell mattresses and I do sell King Koil as well as other name brands and have done so for almost 10 years.