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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be absolutely furious with ******* mothercare??

145 replies

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 19:56

i am so angry and disapointed with mothercare. i bought a phil and teds vibe just over 8 months ago (has only been used for 6 months) and this is the third time i have had to take it back for it to be 'repaired'! both times previously these 'repairs' have each taken 28 days, so in total it has only been used for 4 months :(

in total with all accesories i paid close to £1000 for this pram. within the first two months of using it the front wheel went wonky at the front and it became impossible to push. i returned it to the store and they tried to imply that maybe i had exceeded the weight limit for the pram. hilarious that, as my dcs were 14months and 2 months!! they sent it off for repair leaving me without a buggy for 28 days, as they had no spare double. i had to buy a cheap secondhand one.

a month later the same thing happens again, yet this time i was visiting friends by train and alone, without the car, with my two dc and with a pram impossible to push. it was a nightmare. i had to phone dh to come and get us, which cost more money in petrol and wasted train tickets, plus lots of stress. also the bumper bar jammed and would not come off, so the doubles kit could no longer attach to the front of the chasis. again returned to mothercare and sent off for repair.arrived back 25 days later.

two weeks later (today) i am in town with the 2 dc and yet again the wheel buckles and the pram becomes impossible to push. i somehow manage to drag it into mothercare and ask for the manager. i explain yet again the pram has failed and all of the above. i said that i am not happy for it to be sent off for repair and i would eitherlike a refund or new pram. she said as my pram was over 6 months old all she could offer was a repair. i then asked to speak to someone at head office and she said it was closed as its the weekend.

so yet again i have no pram and am absolutely fuming. AIBU?

OP posts:

foreverastudent · 02/10/2010 20:01

It's of insufficient quality and not fit for purpose according to the Sale of Goods Act 1979.

Return it, demand a full refund and threaten to take them to court.

littleducks · 02/10/2010 20:01

i would keep bugging them, i got a full refund on my phil and teds sport for a far less serious set of problems

I had a replacement after 6 months and a full refund when second one had same problems at just short of a year from original purchase dates

IUsedToBeFab · 02/10/2010 20:03

I returned a buggy to mothercare and made them give me a new one and I paid the difference.

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:03

how do i go about getting a refund or new model though? the manager i spoke to today just kept repeating that i could either send it away for repair or have a faulty pram.

OP posts:

Tori27 · 02/10/2010 20:04

I would contact Phil and Ted direct if you can find an email - Mothercare customer service, in my experience, is rubbish.

Good luck!

littleducks · 02/10/2010 20:04

oh and i got advice on here, go in on a saturday stand near main tills and complain there, do not agree to "move to another part of the store" to discuss the problem , take kids and broken buggy and stand there looking stressed

They will pay you to get you out of sight of all their pregnant customers to be

TheCrackFox · 02/10/2010 20:05

Demand a full refund - Sale of Goods Act 1979.

Don't be afraid to threaten them with the Small Claims court. I haven't used it myself but, by all accounts, you can represent yourself and it is fairly straightforward.

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:06

littleducks what you describe was me today!!! they certainly did not care! i was so angry i think the whole shop heard lol!

thanks tori i will try and find an email address.

OP posts:

TheCrackFox · 02/10/2010 20:07

Tori, she shouldn't have to contact Phil and Teds direct, her contract has been made with Mothercare and they are legally obliged to provide the OP with goods that work.

Spacehopper5 · 02/10/2010 20:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:11

i have just quickly googled the sale of goods act 1979 and it states the if items are not fit for purpose they need to be returned 'quickly'. i am guessing the manager was in her right to decline a refund then as 6 months isnt 'quickly' :(

OP posts:

TheCrackFox · 02/10/2010 20:16

the "quickly" bit is subjective. I wouldn't settle for anything less than a full refund.

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:16

space i would ideally like a different buggy (i love the eye candy) but p&t are crafty and sell their products seperatly. so the actual buggy chasis cost me £500 alone. then i paid £85 for the doubles kit, £90 for two cosy toes, £40 on raincovers plus the carrycot, bag and cocoon etc. and i no for a fact if i ask for a refund they will only refund me for the chasis, not the other stuff :(

OP posts:

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:17

fox do you think i should try and contact the head office?

OP posts:

backwardpossom · 02/10/2010 20:17

No Lacy, you ARE entitled to a refund under Sale of Goods Act.

littleducks · 02/10/2010 20:18

Try a different branch then (or go in every saturday)

tutu100 · 02/10/2010 20:20

I had a similar problem with mamas and Papas over a faulty buggy. The law states that if you have used a product which then becomes faulty the shop has to have the oppportunity to repair the fault within reasonable time. You must state what this is in writing (i.e. 2 weeks). If they cannot fix it, then they can offer you a replacement. A refund is the last thing they must offer you if they can not fix it or replace it.

I would reccomend phoning Consumer Direct. They were really helpful with my case and they have templates for any letters you might need. It is a pain, but as it sounds like you got a jobsworth manager it may be your only course of action.

You could also try phoning Mothercare's customer service yourself on Monday and see what they say. They may overide the manager and tell you to take it back to store for a refund/replacement.

Aitch · 02/10/2010 20:21

of COURSE they were returned quickly, the pram failed within two months. i wouldn't have accepted a repair at that stage, tbh, i think you have been MORE than reasonable.

contact the MD, for sure. and name names.

Talker2010 · 02/10/2010 20:21

23 years ago, my eldest was about 1, and I insisted on a total refund on the buggy system Mothercare had sold me ... they said it was "out of warranty" I pointed out that they had fixed it a NUMBER of times ... the first being within the warranty time

They argued, so I stood in the store pointing to the broken hinge (the folding part) and telling everyone who came in that they sold dangerous pushchairs ... I got a full refund

tutu100 · 02/10/2010 20:22

Forgot to add that if they do refund you, within law they can make a deduction for the use you have had out of the buggy (although that wouldn't be much).

Spacehopper5 · 02/10/2010 20:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NicholasBrisbane · 02/10/2010 20:26

Personally, I hate Mothercare and would do anything to avoid shopping there. However, you're stuck with that original mistake. Thing to do is simply to keep going back and making a nuisance of yourself, painful though it may be. As littleducks says, be a pest. You can bang on about the Sale of Goods Act as well. Might help. But standing aroundtelling all their customers how crap their merchandise is, as well as how crap their service is, should have some effect over time. As to the "quickly" point - I agree with TheCrackFox - quickly is subjective - you brought it back quickly when it broke, I suspect...

I would start by demanding a refund for the whole packjage, accessories and all. You can then "compromise" by accepting simply a new chassis (assuming you want that...)

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:27

space what is your problem? do you work for mothercare?

they didnt see me coming at all. i knew which double pram i wanted and went and bought it. i was not 'sold' the buggy by a teenager who stands by the prams asking if they can help you!!

OP posts:

littleducks · 02/10/2010 20:31

Tbf to space you should get a refund for the faulty bit/bits but not the cosytoes/carrycot/cocoon if they are not faulty

Original poster

LacyLeggins · 02/10/2010 20:31

i cant return with the broken pram now as they have it, to be repaired! tbh i felt like i had no choice.... i could not walk out with the pram as it would not push!!

but i am going to go in on monday and ask for the manager again and make it clear that i am not happy about a further repair and want a new chasis. if she declines i will say about the sale of goods act and threaten to go through head office. thanks to all that have helped .

OP posts:

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