(WHTM)– If you buy something on an installment plan and it breaks, you might be tempted to stop payment. But one man just learned why that can be a very risky thing to do.

Gil Ceder is going to have a tough Christmas because his employer has started garnishing his wages all over a living room couch!

“$450 every two weeks, $900 a month,” he said.

It all started when he bought a $3,000 couch but during delivery…

“When they were bringing it off the truck, the delivery driver snapped the leg off,” he said.

His photos show the broken leg.

“They took a brick, wrapped it in a towel, stuck it up underneath it,” he said.

Six months later, Gil says, the store still hadn’t fixed it so he stopped paying.

“I’m not paying for this until you fix it,” he said. “It’s literally hanging on a brick in the middle of my living room!”

Whether it’s a broken couch like this or a kitchen appliance that just won’t work, it’s so tempting to simply stop making payments. But Gil found out that stores won’t hesitate to turn you over to collections, and if that won’t work, to take you to court.

“Apparently it went to court,” he said “I never got a notification of the court date.”

Gil claims he never knew the store was taking him to court. But this court notice shows a judgment against him, requiring wage garnishment until the couch plus interest is paid off.

“It was like a three thousand dollar couch, even with financing, and the amount I owe to the garnishment is over $8,000,” he said.

The store’s attorney tells us Gil should have received notice of the court case. But he says the store will drop the case, and garnishment if Gil pays another $1,500 to pay off his still-broken couch.

It was a tough lesson.

So file complaints and consider small claims court, just don’t stop paying for something so you don’t waste your money.