Hate my new expensive sofa

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Not an Aibu I know, but just posting in the hope that someone can offer ideas or advice. Our cheap, comfy fabric corner sofa was getting a bit saggy and smelly, so we decided to splash out on a leather sofa (leather essential due to the new dog, fur, smells etc). I saw a sofa I absolutely fell in love with, but DH had his heart set on a recliner so we ended up compromising on a two seater sofa and reclining armchair. It wasn't a choice I was happy with, just the best compromise we could reach. Our living room is quite narrow and we were limited in terms of what would fit.

We've had them just under a week and I hate them. The recliner has to sit right in the middle of the living room with a wire going to the plug socket, because it needs space to recline. I've always thought recliners were tacky, and having tried it, I still do. It's also already playing up. The sofa is too small and too narrow. It did seem OK in the store, and I thought I could get to like it, but it's just really not comfy and is starting to cause me back pain.

I called the company today and they have just said they have a no returns policy, which is not what their website suggests at all. Am I allowed to name them? Not sure. Anyway, I just feel bloody miserable now. All together the things cost £1800, which is a lot of money for us. Sigh.

If you bought them online then it is the law that you can return them for a full refund up to 14 days later. Distance Selling Regualtions are your friend! Act quickly!

Bish we're trying!

You can 'use' goods purchased online to the extent of trying them out.

You can't sit on a sofa for a week and then return it!

According to Which,

"The extent to which you can handle the goods is the same as it would be if you were assessing them in a shop."

Also, if the shop does agree to take it back regardless of the above,
"A deduction can be made if the value of the goods has been reduced as a result of you handling the goods more than was necessary."

So if they have to sell it as a used sofa, you only get back the price of a used sofa.

You also have to pay the return delivery costs (unless the goods are faulty).

Good luck OP.

I was going to suggest re-covering if you don't like the leather, but send them back quickly if you're within the legal return period!! The reason for distance selling regs is that you haven't seen the exact item.you bought. We just bought new and tried so many sofas to get comfy ones it was ridiculous, the leather sofology ones weren't comfy for us but we ended up buying very comfy ones from Furniture Village - Starlight express recliner plus the Salvador swivel chair. Very very happy with them, so worth parking your bums on those to see if they work. We had to wait 3 long months for delivery though, so I hope you have other living room chair options meantime!

Peckham beginning to suspect you're Sofology in disguise As I've said, the recliner is faulty. As I've also said, Sofology refurbish (clean and repair, in other words) furniture that has been returned to them, so clearly there is a precedent there. The battle I'm having at the moment is trying to get someone from Sofology to even talk to me to discuss the issue, I feel like I'm being ghosted.

Excited Nothing to do with the leather, that's the one thing that's OK!

You need to let them know in writing what you intent in 2 weeks. If they can they will delay talking to you until that time has gone.

To be fair to Peckham, I think that might be sofology's line - to try to claim there's been wear and offer you only a proportion of the cost (their website says they will do this) so it's good to be wary of that in advance

Sofas are cheap to buy 2nd hand as lots of people are put off by the transport problems (though it's cheap to hire a van to collect). In fact it can be difficult to give away a perfectly good sofa. Unfortunately that's bad news for the OP as she would be the seller so lose lots of money. However, there are plenty of cheap options for getting a replacement. I favour British Heart Foundation furniture shops, they can usually deliver the next day for £10-20.

Just a thought - if you sell your sofa for, say £200, and buy a 2nd hand one that is in good condition, good quality and more comfortable, for £200 including delivery, you haven't spent any more money and you have a nicer sofa.

Nomore we honestly would have bought a second hand one if we could. A combination of odd shaped living room and various other issues meant that we just couldn't find anything that suited us, and we looked for a long time, in a lot of different places. We really wanted a corner sofa (though ended up not going for one, as we couldn't find any that were both comfortable and fitted)

Youknow I've contacted them repeatedly now - pretty sure the 14 days is based on when we get in touch with them, rather than them replying. Otherwise the regulations would be meaningless and impossible to enforce. Well, I hope so anyway.

You have to let them know in writing (e.g. email) within the 14 days that you are returning the product. I can't remember how long you then have to do so - it might be something like 'without undue delay' or similar.

Dixie emailed them on Tuesday explaining the problem and requesting a call back. The automated response said that they would not do anything unless we supplied a picture of the faulty item. I sent another email explaining that it was an electrical fault, so a picture wouldn't show them anything (basically the mechanism keeps jamming). Heard nothing, so have now sent them a pic of the button on the recliner.

I don't want to just hire a van and return the stuff without speaking to them, because I think there's a real chance they will just refuse to accept them and then I will be stuck with the transport cost.

Tempted to just turn up at the store tomorrow and stage a sit-in.

It does frustrate me when large company behaves like this. Would it really harm then financially to take faulty item back and sofa from goodwill? They have facilities and process to re sell it.

On the other hand op has made huge out lay. It is alot of money to her

This is why John lewis keeps going despite rather uninspiring stuff in there nowadays.

Customer service. I would not buy from company like this who won't engage or help their customers.

Setpeace This is what really gets me - the customer service we've experienced from Sofology since buying the furniture is honestly the worst I've experienced anywhere. I do think they've sat down and worked out how to make it as difficult as possible for people to resolve any issues following purchase.

There is a helpline, but if you select the option for help with a purchase, you get a recorded message telling you to contact them online. If you select another option that puts you through to a human, they tell you they can't help. If you call the store, they can't help. The only thing you can do is submit a formal online - they say they'll get back to you within 72 hours (!!) but it's been longer than that and I'm still waiting.

I am actually going to go to the store tomorrow and see if I can get them to call someone on my behalf. It's ridiculous.

*form online.

Oh yes, that's the other thing. It takes them over three days to get back to me when I submit a request through legitimate channels, but within a day or two of me starting this thread they actually JOINED MN in order to comment.

The 14 days is from when you take delivery of the order.

Bish I meant that, if you contact them within those 14 days (after receipt) it presumably satisfies the terms and conditions, regardless of whether they reply within that period.

You need to contact them in writing and clearly state you are making use of your right to return the items (received on X date) in accordance with distance selling regs. Only this will make sure you can return them. Complaining about a faulty product or whatever, or asking for solutions, is not the same thing. Send them a clear email with just that statement (plus questions regarding how to send them back if you want to discuss that with them, obviously).

Stand your ground and go and do a sit in.

I've had 2 sofas returned before. One to Next and one Multiyork. Both with full refunds. One after 9 months of use and the other after 6 months.

I'm pretty sure there isn't a time limit if it's faulty or doesn't age well.

Tell them they are in breach of the Sale of Goods Act and you want the whole lot gone or you'll take them to the small claims court.

Dixie I did that this morning, as a follow up to my previous emails to them. Still no reply...

Chips good on you! 9 months is amazing. Will look into the Sale of Goods Act, thanks.

Will let you know how my sit in goes tomorrow!

Good luck @JesusInTheCabbageVan!

I did a sit in for my Multiyork complaint. I was very vocal and it took 20 minutes for them to give me what I wanted after WEEKS of getting nowhere on the phone.
Take a thermos of tea and they will know you're serious

Might take a thermos of gin

Incidentally, if anyone is thinking about buying from Sofology, Google 'Consumer Action Group, Sofology' first. Wish we had!

Will look into the Sale of Goods Act, thanks.

The Sale of Goods Act was superseded by the Consumer Rights Act 2015:

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act

See also Consumer Contracts Regulations if purchased online (supersedes Distance Selling Regulations):

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations

Good luck and be persistent.