To think a full refund should have been offered

[wowzawoo]

I picked up cake today for DC birthday party - looked gorgeous but it stunk of smoke! The house smelled too but I thought maybe the cake would be okay - but when I checked at home it really smelt strongly.

I messaged the lady and said I thought the cake was wonderful looking but I wouldn't eat it or serve it because of the smell of stale smoke and asked for a refund also said happy to return the cake to her.

She has apologised and said no one smoked around the cake, she said she would refund my money minus the deposit.

Now, I am okay with this because actually I feel sorry for her, clearly she doesn't know how bad her house smells and then in turn the cake. But really I feel she should have offered a full refund.

Aibu to think this? Every time I look at the cake I feel sorry for her and then doubt my thought that she was being unreasonable to, one sell a cake like that and two that she should have offered a full refund.

I am out of pocket because I have lost the deposit and had to go to a supermarket and buy another cake.

Seller sells through FB page and has five stars!

you should have stipulated that at the time of ordering.

who stipuates ' oh please don't give me an item that stinks!'

no, if you are making stuff, you shouldn't sell them smelling of smoke. Pretty basic really

Oh and full refund of course, on what basis can she keep the deposit? She hasn't fullfilled her part of the bargain.

My in laws smoke heavily in their house. Everything stinks. When they bake cakes, they smell of smoke. They often send us home with some but I can never eat it because even though it may not taste of smoke or tobacco, the smell is so off putting. They obviously have no idea. They don’t smoke whilst we are there, but anything you have taken in the house, comes out stinking. I can totally understand why you couldn’t use it OP. I’m glad you told her because maybe it’ll make her think. I’m surprised she has good reviews though! I think any money back is a bonus because when you buy from someone who does it from home, I suppose that’s the risk you take. But it’s just bad luck... I’m sure most people who smoke don’t have such stinky houses!

Everything in a smoker's house smells within a few hours.

I grew up in a smoker's house, I used to smoke, and my mother still does smoke.

EVERYTHING smells of smoke. Fruit, cakes, the salt shaker - all of it stinks of smoke.

Smokers don't realise because their noses don't work,and never-smokers often don't recognise the smell.

I can easily believe that a cake made in a smoker's house smells of smoke.

I remember we got DH's shirts ironed once by a company and they came back stinking of smoke. So much so that I had to rewash them all ( actually rereading that I think I'm in need of much emancipation). When I rung up to complain, they were surprised I thought it was an issue.

That said I think the overall result was the correct one. She needs to know that her cakes shouldn't smell of smoke, but equally she did make a cake so the deposit goes some way to paying for that.

Are you going to leave a review OP (I'd probably wimp out of that in the circumstances tbh) ?

Op l believe you 100%.

I work in a hospital theatre and so patients are not meant to smoke pre-op. Even though it will have been several hours since they'd have smoked and they are not wearing their own clothes, l can still smell cigarettes.

Take it back and give her the chance to refund you the deposit. If she won't, take it to food standards and let them decide if it smells.

Sounds utterly vile to me, whether from a smoky house or tobacco fingers it's grim.

That's disgusting and I would certainly have returned the cake and demanded my money back. Its food hygiene. You can't smoke around food. My dB and his dw smoked and when they gave presents you could smell the stench of smoke on the wrapping paper so without knowing what the label said you could tell which one was from them. But a cake, that's awful and I would return it even if she said not to, just to prove that you haven't eaten it and I would expect a full refund as it wasn't fit for the purpose you bought it for.

i think Not smoking round food or making a cake in an environment that’s smokey surely is basic hygiene? The smell of smoke can get everywhere. I had some clothes delievered once & the bag stunk & it had even gone through to the internal packaging. For a non smoker it’s a horrible smell. I don’t think you should have to stipulate when it comes to food you don’t want smoke around the cake.

I've not rtft as I saw enough ridiculous comments defending this 'cake maker' that annoyed me enough to reply without reading on.

YANBU, yes a full refund should be given and a report should go in to both Environmental Health and DWP.

She doesn't sound like a licensed, insured bona fire business and therefore will not be declaring her income either.

People like her annoy me so much as genuine businesses have to jump through hoops to comply with Food Hygiene standards and become a registered food business.

Lots of interesting comments - I think smokers definitely do not realise they have that stale smoke smell. By the way - it still smells they day after.

I haven't decided whether to leave a bad review - I should, I know that because people rely on honest reviews and I wouldn't want anyone else to be let down or to eat smokers cake. Imagine if it was a wedding cake??!!! That wouldn't be so easy to replace on the day with something from Tesco!

Still laughing at the "she should keep the cost of the ingredients/deposit" posts.

She made something unfit for purpose. Thats her fault entirely so she doesnt get to keep anything.
Why on earth should she when op cannot use the thing she bought?
She shouldnt have made it if she cant stick to basic hygiene rules.

You definately need to leave an honest review. That you couldnt use it because it stank of smoke and she refused to return your deposit. Warn others not to waste their money.

Was it kept in or near a recycled plastic bag as they tend to smell of smoke, when no actual smoke is near by?

OP I too ordered a cake from someone through social media, who was registered and had food hygiene certificates etc and my husband collected the cake from there house, beautifully made but absolutely stank of cigarettes, the smell had permeated all of the icing and decorations and some of the sponge also. Now I know they smoked in that house, however I assumed (wrongly) that it wouldn’t be within preparation space. I didn’t leave them a bad review as they were sort of families family friends, so we didn’t know them extremely well, but I didn’t order from them again. X sorry you had to rush around and hope the party went well.

Surely she would need a food hygiene certificate? This would stipulate no smoking in a food prep area wouldn't it? I would write off the money but would give an honest review on her FB page.

I would insist on the full refund including deposit, and take the cake back. If she doesn't believe it smells strongly (nose blind!) taking the cake back will assure her you're not trying to take the piss by getting a cake, claiming it's not good enough, getting a refund then using it anyway. I'm sure people do that sadly.

Take the cake back and ask for the deposit back. If she refuses then tell her you're reporting her to environmental health if you don't get a refund as you clearly see other customers are at risk of getting an inedible product and being out of pocket.

Environmental health probably wouldnf give a shit as she might just be doing it for a hobby but it'll be enough hassle it'll scare her into handing the cash over.

"Still laughing at the "she should keep the cost of the ingredients/deposit" posts.
She made something unfit for purpose. Thats her fault entirely so she doesnt get to keep anything.
Why on earth should she when op cannot use the thing she bought? "

Then OP needs to return the untouched cake, whether the seller wants it or not. You don't like the product? Then don't keep it.

It's actually quite amazing how much food can pick up smoke. I often get a strong whiff of smoke when I give out the packed lunch boxes in school, and some smell worse when they are opened. Don't forget, this isn't just a smell. It's the burned particulate from cigarettes. Full of toxic chemicals!
Sometimes the reading bags smell horrendous too.

I know urakidurasquid. The mind boggles. I can only assume the posters who have the viewpoint you mention are such pushovers in real life they have a massive 'D' imprinted on their foreheads!

You should definitely have a full refund op.
I can well believe that the cake smelt. When I used to smoke I could never smell smoke in my flat even when I smoked indoors.
Now I can smell if a smoker has been in a room before me when I walk into the room. It is such a lingering smell. And if it is the baker herself who is the smoker the smell lingers on your smoking hand for hours - even after washing. So if she’s been modelling icing with smokey hands the smell would be well permeated.
I honestly don’t think smoking is compatible with being a baker.

I do agree with an earlier poster that maybe you got the smell of cigarettes in the house and got a bit projectful onto the cake. Just let it go unless we are talking a cake worth a grand.

I know this thread has unfortunately been infiltrated by a handful of goady fuckers but this post ^ really takes the cake.

Are you a big anti-smoker? Did you smell smoke on delivery then kind get a mental imprint that everything from there is smokey? " just asking because the smoke cake sounds bollocks