To warn you all that Laura Ashley painted furniture is total crap and the company couldn't give a shit

[mycatlikestwiglets]

I bought nearly £3k of bedroom furniture from Laura Ashley last year (the "Clifton" range). We researched carefully what to buy and as we have loads of LA stuff we thought we were buying quality and the huge outlay would be worth it. After a debacle over damaged furniture being delivered the last items, a dressing table and stool, were finally delivered last September. So far so ok, until I noticed last week that the paint was cracking and peeling on the legs of the dressing table and stool.

I sent pictures to Laura Ashley last week after notifying them over the telephone of the issue (and surprise surprise, they tried to make up reasons immediately as to why it might have happened, asking if the furniture was near a heat source or a window - which it isn't). I received an email earlier this week saying the pictures had been referred to their "technicians" for analysis, and today I had the following message:

"I am now in receipt of our Technicians findings following the
inspection of the photographs that you have submitted.

I have been advised that they consider the issues that you have raised
as treatment after purchase and the legs look like they have been
saturated and this has resulted in the wood and paint cracking.
Whilst I do sympathise, unfortunately, Laura Ashley is unable to accept
responsibility on this occasion, as your furniture is not considered to
be at fault."

I am utterly fuming. The furniture has been sitting on my bedroom carpet, the wood is not split in any way and it certainly hasn't had a sniff of water. I'll be taking this to court if necessary because there's no way they're getting away with this. DO NOT BUY THIS FURNITURE

[Heels99]

Sofas are also bad. Wonder how they stay in business?

[MrsWinnibago]

That's bad! POst on their social media websites. FB and Twitter. Be calm and clear. But demand action.

[Vitalstatistix]

wow. Their 'experts' have superhuman diagnostic abilities if they were able to make that determination from a photograph.

It's clearly all flannel, in the hope that you will shut up and go away.

[HeySoulSister]

What did you want them to do?

[mycatlikestwiglets]

They've picked the wrong person to mess with I can tell you. I'm a litigation solicitor by profession so not afraid of suing them if necessary. All I want is matching bedroom furniture that doesn't have peeling paint. Trying to upload pics btw but iPad isn't letting me atm.

I'm SO angry

[lettertoherms]

Did you have a thread about the hell you went through to get the whole set delivered in piece? I remember that. Sounds awful.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

I wanted them to replace the faulty dressing table and stool. Nothing outrageous. I just want what I paid £££ for.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

Here they are, two dressing table legs and a stool leg

[Agggghast]

To be fair we had a similar response from John Lewis when one of our sofas developed a fault but when we rang the store to complain it was sorted immediately. I think these 'experts' work for a subcontractors and decline complaints automatically ( although my DH claimed it was because he was a summer who had noticed his Pompey mug!).contact the store you bought it from directly. Good luck.

[KnackeredMuchly]

Ha!!!

I love they 'accused' you furniture near a radiator or window - how unreasonable of you!!

And in light of the fact you didn't you must have left them soaking in the bath

They sound absolutely shocking, shame as I have had little crushes on their stock - will definitely avoid in the future because, like most people I put tables and chairs near windows sometimes!!!

[mycatlikestwiglets]

I bought it online unfortunately. They've said I can go to the furniture ombudsman. Frankly I could do without spending my time on this but I'll take it as far as I have to. Bunch of shysters. I am never buying anything from them again if this doesn't get sorted - I've spent literally thousands there over the years.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

I know KnackeredMuchly, like that would be a good excuse for their furniture being shit. As it happens the pieces which are near the window/radiator are fine, the dressing table and stool are right across the room.

[Rosebug258]

I've had problems with them, their customer service is shocking! I emailed the CEO as well to be honest he couldn't of given a toss either! If I'd had the money I may have pursued it further but didnt

[TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals]

That'll be because it was too far away from a heat or light source, y'see



They've been taken over by someone and are now constant 'sales' Disappointing that another store hs gone down hill.

[SwedishEdith]

Tbh, I would just paint over them - I would assume painted furniture would get chipped anyway. I know that's not the point but I just cba haggling over a bit of chipped paint

[morethanpotatoprints]

I think the only way is to go to a proper furniture shop.
I think many of these shops rely on their name not quality goods, and the furniture is more decorative than useful.
Laura Ashley went down hill after she died tbh.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

It's not chipped paint, it's bloody peeling, the furniture is less than a year old and I don't have the time or inclination to paint it. It would take forever anyway as I have loads from the same range which is supposed to match

[LadySybilLikesCake]

What you could to is... get an independent report done, then you could complain under the Sale of Goods Act as they are 'not as described' (the Independent report is likely to say something along the lines of insufficient undercoat on top of the wood to bind the pain to it, so it's a manufacturing fault). They then have to repair or replace. If they can't they will have to refund. They will also have to refund the cost of the independent report. You have to go through their complaints procedure first or it doesn't count (which you've done).

It's exactly the same if you've bought a laptop which develops a fault after the 'warranty' runs out. You're covered by EU law.

If they are not playing ball you could try your credit card company for a refund

[SwedishEdith]

Maybe it looks worse in real life than the picture. It'll have just been sprayed on, I assume? Oh well, good luck

[LadySybilLikesCake]

I'd be pretty annoyed if I'd paid £££ for furniture with peeling paint! It's not IKEA build it yourself.

[indigo18]

SwedishEdith- do you not think it looks bad then???? Why on earth should the OP paint it herself? Shoddy indeed; follow them to the ends of the earth. This stuff is not cheap.

[mycatlikestwiglets]

Ryan from Customer Services asked me to pm him after I posted on their Facebook wall. We'll see what happens next.

[LadySybilLikesCake]

good luck!

[mycatlikestwiglets]

Oh and SwedishEdith how it was painted isn't my concern. Furniture which costs several hundred £ should not be peeling after less than a year of normal use. I don't care if it was lovingly applied using the horn of a unicorn, it's still crap!

[Frogisatwat]

I hope they resolve your issue. Shocking service!