This may come as a surprise to many of you – it certainly did to me – that stores in Connecticut are permitted to sell used mattresses and box springs without disclosing that they are used.
Thankfully the state Consumer Protection Department regularly investigates stores that sell new and used mattresses to make sure that the old mattresses have been properly refurbished and the company that sells the used mattresses to the stores is licensed.
State Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell Jr. took me along with his team of investigators when they checked into the National Discount Furniture Store on Main Street in New Britain recently.
Farrell and his team discovered that at least 30 of the mattresses and box springs, all looking like they were brand new, were actually used and had not been properly renovated to make them safe for consumers. At least one of the mattresses appeared to have been twice renovated.
“When our agents inspected the used, renovated mattresses for sale at the National Discount Furniture Store on Main Street in New Britain, they found some that were not sanitized and that lacked the proper Connecticut license tags,†Farrell said. “These items carried the New City Mattress label. New City Mattress does not hold a Connecticut renovator’s license or permit, and therefore cannot legally sell its mattresses to stores in Connecticut. The fact that the items were also unsanitized just reinforces to us the importance for close scrutiny and oversight of this industry.
Farrell said his department routinely inspects retailers of bedding and upholstered furniture to ensure that they are properly licensed and that their products are manufactured, distributed and sold in compliance with the law.
All 31 of the New City mattress products were taken off sale by the department’s product safety inspectors and may not be sold, Farrell said.
“The sanitization and renovation of used bedding and upholstered furniture has a direct impact on public health and safety, and we take our job as regulators very seriously,†Farrell said today. “The law’s requirements help ensure that used items offered for sale in Connecticut are properly produced and sanitized to prevent injury and halt any potential spread of pests and illness.â€
The commissioner’s request to the Office of the Attorney General seeks a legal injunction against New City Mattress and financial restitution for consumers under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Richard Maloney, director of trade practices, says his people conducted 255 bedding inspections last year at furniture stores, upholsterers, renovators and second-hand stores. Joan Jordan, product safety supervisor for the consumer protection agency, says she can usually spot whether a mattress has bedbugs by looking at the seams. If there is black gunk on the seam, it indicates bedbug infestations. She makes that check every time she goes to a hotel or motel. I don’t blame her.
No action will be taken against the store as businesses are not required to be licensed to sell mattresses.
I think you meant (last word of the 1st paragraph) to be “used”.
“…stores in Connecticut are permitted to sell used mattresses and box springs without disclosing that they are used.”
I’m confused. Are the “used” tags, as shown in the above article, required? If so, are you saying such tags alone are not enough disclosure? Just curious — I’m not defending the practice of selling used mattresses, by any means.
Talk about literally being ‘ticked’ off. The query here is, ‘what happens to all those mattresses which are returned to stores within the first 30 days, aka. ‘trail period’? Many stores allow the exchange and use it to sell their most expensive models. I have from time to time been curious as to where THOSE barely used mattresses go, the ones which have been used for a week, a month, etc?
I am glad to hear that the CT dept. of Consumer affairs actually do some work to protect us. I called the Dept. twice about smoking in an apartment building by the Manager (a chain smoker) and copy-cat tenants but found them sadly lacking in that area. I was given a different # to call, which by way of a recording advised that they were in 2-3 days weekly but you should leave a message as well as try calling back. I left messages twice and had no return call All in all I think that Consumer protection laws in CT are pretty weak or non-existent.
I had an issue with a storage facility on Windsor St. where my items were always getting wet when heavy rain fell. People lost furniture,the type that falls apart if wet. The manager kept blaming the City by saying the drains were not working and water came into the facility, flowed into the building and then into the units. I wrote Mayor Perez at the time, but then when rain fell again and nothing happened I started doing some snooping and found out via a new employee at the time that the roof had been fixed. So much for blaming the City. I had made a complaint to the CPD when I suffered loss and damages but after a lengthy delay I got a letter with a very convoluted response, literally “letting the storage facility off the hook” I find some workers in some of the departments very inept and insensitive so I am one of those who would not mind some of them going home with the “Pink slip.” The question is; would it be the lazy, inept ones? Probably not, they usually “dodge the bullet” somehow.
what about individuals selling used mattresses (NOT disinfected etc) on Craigslist or social media? Is that illegal? Can’t seem to find anything online regarding this….
Not sure, but unless its being done by a retailer or wholesaler I don’t think anyone is going to care.