Help me get the dry cleaners pay for my pants.

December 25, 2005 9:04 AM

Dry cleaners help! I brought a pair of very expensive formal pants to the cleaners after one wearing (they had a stain in them). They got the stain out, so I didn't try them on for about a month. Tried them on today and they are two inches too short and won't fit around the waist.

I have all my receipts. I asked a tailor if they can be fixed (they can't) the only recourse I have is to get a new pair of pants.

What's my recourse?

posted by geoff. to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (8 answers total)

Your pants might have been laundered, rather than dry cleaned. They may claim that is what you requested. Does the receipt specify?

But, if it is reputable dry cleaner, bring the pants back and they might agree to reimburse you.
posted by found missing at 9:33 AM on December 25, 2005

The dry cleaner will likely offer you some amount of cash, but it's almost certainly going to be unfair and very low. Last year I had a $2,500 suit ruined, and the cleaner offered me $300.

Small claims court will get you a judgement for the full amount, but you'll probably never collect on it.

Unfortunately, this is why it's important to find an established, reliable dry cleaner. Hope the rest of your Christmas is a bit merrier!
posted by I Love Tacos at 9:33 AM on December 25, 2005

Usually you don't have much recourse (see back of receipt) or if you do (i.e. you go to them all the time bringing 6 shirts a week in) they have a max of $50. I got a suit ruined and she bought one at an outlet store! Good luck.
posted by _zed_ at 9:36 AM on December 25, 2005

Best answer: Depending on where you bought them, the store might exchange them, too. You'd have a better shot if it was a large store that could absorb the loss for goodwill.
posted by astruc at 11:16 AM on December 25, 2005

Response by poster: Okay so the pants are $377 and were purchased less than a month from the dry cleaning date. The store I bought them from doesn't have any more, I already called and asked if they had a replacement.

Let's assume they're going to be jerks about this. What course of action should I take if I go the small claims court route? Should I accept whatever they give me and ask for the remainder in court? Or will accepting it invalidate me? Is there anything online that can guide me throught the process? A lawyer would obviously cost more than the pants themselves.
posted by geoff. at 2:13 PM on December 25, 2005

Response by poster: I should add, I didn't see anything on the receipt about them paying whatever percent of the garment or anything similar. Say they had a store policy posted somewhere about this, this is not legally binding right? I mean you can't say "buyer beware" in small print for improper business?
posted by geoff. at 2:31 PM on December 25, 2005

Response by poster: Sorry another post, I'm just really upset. By "just calling up" I called up last week to see if they had anymore (they were a great pair of pants), and hoping that they were on sale. The pants were made with some kind of stretchy fabric, but the label states clearly how to clean it to avoid shrinkage -- something they clearly didn't do.
posted by geoff. at 2:32 PM on December 25, 2005

Best answer: Here's how it ended up:

I documented everything, kept all receipts. I went to the dry cleaners and explained the situation, they offered to steam them out. I brought them home and nothing changed on them. After the second time they told me they would steam them out and then it would return back to its shrunken state (to their credit it did have lycra or something fancy in it, but there were very specific washing instructions for the cleaners on the tag). They told me to try to take it back to the store.

At this point I had International Fabricare Association (from what I understand, the dry cleaners organization) instructions on pricing and refunds for damaged garments. Basically anything 0-3 months old should guarentee me 100% the cost of the garment.

I decided that if they were going to be assholes about it, I needed to show good faith and take it back to the store. Luckily I make a lot of purchases at the store and they were a little pissed off but gave me credit.

If that had not gone well I had a letter written up already with copies of all the receipts, indicating the original tailoring measurements and the shrunken sizes. I was also going to obtain a letter from the department store stating that they had not encountered problems with other pairs of the same pants (I'm guessing they must have to return it without much questioning).

So I guess the moral of this story is not to buy expensive pants, but if you do buy from a reputable department store large enough to take the costs. I have a feeling if I bought it at a small boutique it wouldn't have gone so nice. I consulted lawyer friends and they said I had a good case against the dry cleaner (which I still don't think followed the specific instructions), and they were kind of bitchy when I kept bringing it back -- as if they hoped I'd just go away. Thanks all.
posted by geoff. at 5:54 PM on January 6, 2006