Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To think that you should be able to sit on a toilet seat lid?

28 replies

nigglewiggle · 09/08/2010 20:59

According to a well-known bathroom supplier, the lid of the soft-close toilet seat they supplied to us should not be sat on because its lightweight design makes it unsuitable for such a purpose.

Now, I admit I am no Kate Moss, but I have sat on many a toilet seat lid and never had a problem. I am not taking this sitting lying down .

OP posts:

Tortoise · 09/08/2010 21:02

I have stood on my toilet seat!

nappyzoneloveschinesefood · 09/08/2010 21:05

i have stood on our soft close one. Perhaps i wont now - will i fall through it?

thisisyesterday · 09/08/2010 21:05

is it bathstore?

nappyzoneloveschinesefood · 09/08/2010 21:07

mine is from bathstore!

Original poster

nigglewiggle · 09/08/2010 21:09

Well mine broke in two and I only sat on it to brush DD's teeth. Apparently they can tell from the picture I supplied that it is not a manufacturing fault .

Not Bathstore ... I will name and shame... Heritage. It cost £50 and you can't sit on it!

OP posts:

dmo · 09/08/2010 21:13

well the nurse told me today that when i have been to the toilet that i should then close the lid and sit on it to do my pelvic floor muscles as its a good firm seat to sit on and do them

gingerkirsty · 09/08/2010 21:14

That is ridiculous. Did the packaging clearly state that the lid was not to be sat on? If not then i'd say you're well within your rights to ask for an alternative lid free of charge. I have never heard of a toilet lid you can't sit on - whatever next, a floor you can't walk on?

MinnieMummy · 09/08/2010 21:14

Can I make the obvious gag please??

You got a bum deal!!

Original poster

nigglewiggle · 09/08/2010 21:27

No mention on web-site or packaging that you can't sit on the lid. I've replied to their fobbing-off email by quoting the Sale of Goods Act. Now they are ignoring me.

OP posts:

SloanyPony · 09/08/2010 21:36

Right, from a sale of goods act point of view, I'm not sure you are in the clear. The sale of goods act does not permit you to misuse goods. You can't really argue that its not fit for purpose that you can't sit on it because its not a seat, its a lid.

I think personally that people DO sit on toilet seat lids and they should expect them to and manufacture accordingly, but I'm not sure consumer law would see it that way. I might be wrong. Not enough for it to not be fit for purpose.

Did you admit that you sat on it in the process of your communications thus far?

I wonder to what extent they should say it shouldn't be sat on. I think it would be sensible for them to say so.

I bought a pair of sunglasses once where they said you shouldn't put them on top of your head because it might ruin the hinges of this particular design. Its a bit like that. Sunglasses are designed to be worn on your eyes. Yet the manufacturer was sensible enough to recognise that people DO tend to put them on top of their heads. The manufacturer should really adopt a similar attitude and make it clear that you can't sit on it, in my opinion.

Dawnybabe · 09/08/2010 21:47

Wouldn't sell many though.

Original poster

nigglewiggle · 09/08/2010 21:51

I did wonder about that but the Sale of Goods Act says -

"For the purposes of this Act, goods are of satisfactory quality if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking account of any description of the goods, the price (if relevant) and all the other relevant circumstances.."

And that the goods are fit "for all the purposes for which goods of the kind in question are commonly supplied".

I have argued that toilet seat lids are commonly, though not expressly, sold for sitting on. I'm checking with the Mumsnet Jury to see if this is a ludicrous assumption.

OP posts:

gibbberish · 09/08/2010 21:53

Oh my goodness - this is shocking! I feel you need to link me to the offending item incase I inadvertantly buy it.

I MUST have a seat I can sit on. It's the only way I can get my knickers on after having a shower in the morning. My back doesnt seem to bend enough these days so need to get dressed sitting down. (Rheumatism setting in no doubt)

thisisyesterday · 09/08/2010 21:54

i would follow it up

i had a buggy from mamas and papas and ds1 used the footrest to stand on to climb into it. he did this about 3 or 4 times, and it snapped.
i e-mailed them and they said "it's a footREST, it isn't designed to stand on. fuck off"
(ok, they didn't say fuck off, but that was the gist of it)

anyway, i wrote to their head office and said how disappointed I was. he wasn't over the weight limit, and although it's a footREST most children DO use them to climb into the buggy. I expected m&p products to be of a high standard, that's why i bought it, and my previous buggies had been absolutely fine with this kind of use

they replaced it at their own cost immediately

Original poster

nigglewiggle · 09/08/2010 22:00

I'm waiting to hear back from them, but I will not let it drop on point of principle . I was wanting to canvass opinion as to whether a "reasonable person" (ie the Mumsnet Jury) would expect to be able to sit on their toilet seat lid.

OP posts:

domesticslattern · 09/08/2010 22:06

I would think it unreasonable if I could not stand on my toilet seat, so clearly I take it as read I can sit on it. OP YANBU.

thisisyesterday · 09/08/2010 22:13

yep, i would expect to be able to sit./stand on it. esp if i had paid £50 for it

nappyzoneloveschinesefood · 10/08/2010 09:02

if i stood on mine and it broke i would think well serves me right but if i st on it as i often do to chat to whoever is in the bath i would be fuming.

diddl · 10/08/2010 09:12

I agree that you should be able to sit on a toilet with the down lid.

But if you can´t, I don´t think that that renders it "unfit for purpose" tbh.

mousymouse · 10/08/2010 09:15

we have a cheap seat from a well known dyi store and it is so wobbly that I don*t dare to sit on it. the seat we had before broke in 2 when dh stood on it to change a light bulb...

ButterpieBride · 10/08/2010 09:19

Where are you meant to sit to get dressed/brush children's teeth/supervise baths/dry your feet?

I'd be kicking off too.

LunaticFringe · 10/08/2010 11:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

emptyshell · 10/08/2010 11:19

What else are you meant to sit on while waiting for pregnancy tests to run?

sapphireblue · 10/08/2010 12:43

I sit on mine whilst DDs are in the bath.......and I'm a good few stone overweight! It would really annoy me not to be able to sit on it. I guess though that as it's "purpose" isn't to be sat on, you wouldn't get much joy trying to get it replaced.

diddl · 10/08/2010 12:45

"Where are you meant to sit to get dressed/brush children's teeth/supervise baths/dry your feet?"

I don´t sit down to get dressed, dry feet or supervise teeth brushing.

Had a stool next to bath to sit on when supervision was needed.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread