I bought a Maytag washer & dryer from craigslist.org.
I learned my lesson. I will never do that again.
I bought them for $650.... thinking I got a good deal.
But I was stupid and believed the washer worked. I asked them many times if it worked. The humble couple said they were almost new.
I bought them 6 months ago. And I just connected them today. I waited till my dad came back from vacation. Because I don't know how to connect any appliance.
So the washer didn't turn on. I called a repair man, and he said the computer on it was burned out.
I feel so stupid now.
I printed out all the emails we sent to each other.
So what can I do? Can I take her to small claims if they don't give me my money back????? I live in Illinois.
2007-10-29 11:28:54 · 6 answers · asked by searstower 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
You can raise a claim for misrepresentation in small claims court. Emails are admissible evidence. You should also get a written declaration from the repair man. That's also usable as evidence.
Make your move before the statute of limitations run out (i'm not sure of your jurisdiction; in the common law, it's 1 year and 1 day from time of discovery)
There was nothing wrong with craiglist but I wouldn't have purchased something used that i couldn't test right away.
good luck!
P.s. the "Caveat emptor" response is dead wrong, since you were TOLD it worked, that means you weren't buying it "as-is"
2007-10-29 11:37:28 · answer #1 · answered by Shell Answer Man 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Unless IL has some special laws about this, I think you're out of luck, because usually when one buys used stuff, there is no warranty unless one is specifically given. Since you waited so long (6 months), it could be reasonably argued that anything could have happened to that washer in the meantime. The only way you could have a case against them is if you can prove they've defrauded others. You should make some postings on Craigslist and ask to see if anybody else has been scammed by these people.
2007-10-29 18:38:14 · answer #2 · answered by C R 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Caveat Emptor - it's the legal term that lets someone selling second hand goods off the hook. You had to take reasonable care to ensure the goods worked, and you didn't. You didn't ask to see them working before you bought, and left it six months before you tested them. You may be honest, but other people aren't. What would stop a dishonest person from using the machine for six months, then saying it never worked in the first place?
Sorry, but you just learned some Latin and a life lesson. If you buy used, make sure it works before you part with your money.
2007-10-29 18:36:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Craiglist is a classified ads site -- no different than if you had bought it from someone through a classified ad in a newspaper or local flyer.
Put another way -- you didn't buy it from cragislist -- you bought it from some people who advertised on craigslist.
Yes, you can sue those people -- and you can probably do it in your local small claims court since the "harm" done occurred there. Enforcing the judgment might be a bit tricky if they live far away -- but if they lived far away, then they would have had to ship the machines to you, and you have their mailing address to get a local court (there) to enforce the decision.
2007-10-29 18:39:06 · answer #4 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you can't. You should have tried them out BEFORE you paid for them. I suppose you could go to small claims court but you would need to prove they knew they didn't work. You also should have done this 6 months ago.
2007-10-29 18:37:36 · answer #5 · answered by Otto 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you waited too long to hookthem up to get a refund back
2007-10-29 18:38:45 · answer #6 · answered by George G 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋