7 On Your Side helps Brooklyn mom get her warranty to fix her broken fridge​on February 5, 2025 at 4:11 am

BROOKLYN (WABC) — When a Brooklyn mom’s fridge started to warm up, not only did she lose all her food but also some important, life-sustaining medication.

That’s when she called 7 On Your Side to cool her worries.

Norma Bromfield is a superhero to her three adopted children. She has fostered dozens of kids who have come through her doors as part of New York City’s foster program.

Her soft spot is for kids with special needs. They often require medication, like she does.

Norma is diabetic and relies on insulin.

“It has to be stored in the fridge, because if it doesn’t it will spoil,” she said.

When her refrigerator went on the fritz last summer, Norma wasn’t worried because she had purchased a master protection plan through Sears Home Services.

The 7-year warranty was purchased for all of her appliances and included fixing or replacing her $1488 investment.

But after several repair attempts, the fridge remained warm and both her food and her insulin spoiled.

“They came about four times,” she said, “and I asked them to give me back my money. And they said no.”

The dispute went on for several months. Norma kept getting the cold shoulder from Sears on replacing the fridge.

Finally, Norma’s son Isaiah decided to call 7 On Your Side.

“If you guys need anything to be done, call 7 On Your Side,” he said.

7 On Your Side called Sears and provided proof of the warranty that she had paid for.

Forty-eight hours after 7 On Your Side got involved, Norma got a check for more than $1,400 to cover the cost of a new refrigerator.

“It’s more cold, it keeps the food more fresh,” she said of her new appliance. “I am so happy, and I thank you so much.”

7 On Your Side reached out to Sears for a statement and they explained:

“At Sears, our top priority is the satisfaction of our customers. We regret the difficulty Ms. Bromfield encountered in having her refrigerator repaired. We apologize that her experience was not what we strive to provide and are pleased we were able to offer her this alternative resolution.”

Warranties are good in some cases and not in others. They do come with some perks.

A warranty that covers everyday wear and tear, for example, is good for older homes.

You don’t have to worry about finding a technician, and it will help if you can’t save up for a major repair, as you can pay for it over time.

But there are also some cons.

There can be exclusions on what can be repaired. And sometimes warranties don’t cover replacements, which Norma struggled with.

You also can’t pick your technician. And there can be service fees and major wait times.

The best advice is to compare companies and prices to see who in their network will cover you.

Then make sure you read the fine print and customer reviews to see if they’re well-regarded.

And finally, double-check the manufacturer’s warranties to make sure you’re not already covered.

ALSO READ: Gold bar scam swindles woman out of $700K life savings

7 On Your Side’s Nina Pineda has more on the gold bars scam.

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