A camping one -To be so angry with Charlies and Vango

[MagicKingdomDizzy]

This post is a bit of a mixture.... Part rant, part warning (think twice before using these companies!) and part WWYD?

6 weeks ago DH and I purchased a brand new tent, a Vango Langley 600xl. We purchased it from the online camping store Charlies and it cost £350.

We went camping last week, and 4 days into the holiday there was some wind.

At wind speeds of 12mph both storm straps snapped from the ceiling.

Then that night stronger winds came about 30mph. Because we no longer had storm straps the tent was moving all over, despite my husband (who is a very experienced camper) adjusting gut ropes and trying to stabilise the tent.

3 guy ropes then snapped off and afterwards 3 tent poles split down the middle. The tent collapsed on top of us (including my 2 children) at 2am in the morning.

As soon as we could, we packed up the tent and came home early losing 2 days of our holiday.

I contacted Charlies when we returned and sent the pictures. They are saying we are not entitled to a refund or replacement as we purchased the tent more than 30 days ago. Also, they have told me that Vango's warranty doesn't include weather damage (despite this tent being described as 'durable and able to stand strong winds).

I am disgusted by both of them. We were sold an inferior product that was not fit for purpose) unless they expected us to camp indoors?!). It lasted 4 days!

So that's my rant.

My warning is to not purchase ANYTHING from Charlies.co.uk as they will not help if anything goes wrong. Also think twice about purchasing a Vango tent, as the quality is bad and their warranty is dubious to say the least.

Finally WWYD in this situation? We are down £350 and neither company want to take responsibility for a tent purchased 60 days ago, lasted 4 days, and collapsed.

We have already put in a claim with our credit card, but I'm not sure if they will refund us.

prole

Wind directions change. The tent was pitched 4 days prior when the direction was different.

Well you were sensible to buy it on the credit card. Hopefully they sort it quickly.

It’s very disappointing to have a new tent go to crap. I have had that.
It is normal though that after 30days, you don’t go to the shop for refund or replacement but to the manufacturer direct as it is a warranty issue at that point. So I think YABU towards Charlie’s.
You should go direct to Vango and tell them what happened. Send in pictures of snapped tent poles. They may offer to replace the tent. Normally it’s repair/replace with warranties NOT refund so thinking you will get £1000 cash is unreasonable.
Vango is a budget brand tbh, and their marketing says “stand strong against winds” which is meaningless fluff as there is no wind rating. Technically, large tunnel tents are not designed to withstand much wind in the first place so the fact you pitched it correctly doesn’t change the fact that the tent itself was probably unsuitable for the weather conditions you were camping in.

I understand you needing a bit of time before you can all laugh about it I just don't think they are being unreasonable to want to confirm a fault simply than just giving a £££ refund for a used product without seeing it.

YANBU to expect a refund but YABU to start issuing court documents (especially talking about compensation for distress) before giving them the chance to assess and put it right.

I think part of the problem is that camping is seen as disposable fun by lots of people. Tents aren't expected to last years. People go camping for a weekend, what larks! They maybe use their tent a handful of times.

We used to go on holiday and it happened to be in a tent because it was all we could afford. (Though we graduated to a trailer tent and now a caravan). And yes, we would have expected our tent to last.

Wind directions change. The tent was pitched 4 days prior when the direction was different.

You're right, of course, but the thing is that when you then do know that strong winds/storm conditions are forecast, you need to take defensive action (or maybe pack up and come home). Sucks, I know.

The 30 day limit is derived from the Consumer Rights Act 2015. After 30 days you are no longer entitled to a refund for a faulty product - only repair or replacement. Only if that is unsuccessful is the retailer then obliged to refund you.

Refusing to take up the manufacturers offer to refund you if the product is faulty and instead threatening them with court action is an odd choice.

This is what the Vango site says about this tent

Patented Vango TBS®II Tension Band System ensures tent performs in adverse conditions, especially in strong, changeable winds. When tensioned, the bands brace the pole at 3 points, and prevent sideways movement. Adjust TBS®II to remove slack. Do not over tension, as this may deform the poles. Can be stowed away in calm weather

If that was done then I'd expect it to hold.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles

Of course I'll give them the chance to inspect it and come back to us.

I'm not hopeful due to statements they've made that make me feel like they're trying to wriggle out of a replacement/refund.

Cohle

I'm not refusing. The tent is with them being inspected.

The reason I'm not hopeful for a good outcome is they have already told me they are unlikely to find a manufacturing fault.

So I'm looking at my other options.

You seem to be very worked up about something that hasn't happened yet. Why not wait and see how Vango respond before slating them online?

Cohle

Point taken. But of course I'm angry.

Well if the tent is with them being inspected, which it didn't sound like from your previous posts, you do seem to be over reacting without waiting to see what happens.

If you live in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire or Buckinghamshire then the local radio station 3 counties have a consumer program who will take this up with the company on your behalf.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles

The inspection was eventually offered through many back and forths telling us they couldn't help.

It included the statement "They will only repair/replace if it's a manufacturing fault and wind damage is not a manufacturing fault."

Post this here:

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=173

It's a dedicated consumer rights forum so you'll get more tailored advice.
Take out the bit about claiming for the kids distress, that never goes down well.

Good luck!

AdobeWanKenobi

No problem, thank you! Yes the bit about the kids being distressed is just me being angry. Dd (aged 3) is deaf so this did affect her more than people think it would.

sorry to hear of your awful camping trip. We had a tent still standing in a hurricane. Most frightening night of my life! and no before someone says we weren't expecting it in that area. We were in Derbyshire and it was the tale end of the hurricane in Wales. Our canvas is still good apart from the zip going on the outer door and it is about forty years old.We haven't used it every year but it has been used a lot and sometimes for a fortnight or three weeks for sleep overs in our garden as well as holidays. I would say it was sub-standed.

Have you considered contacting Martin Lewis he seems to be able to sort out lots of peoples problems. Did you know that Eurocamp sometimes sell some of theirs off at least they used to when we went to France. Good luck with your claim.

Vango used to be a good brand. 2 decades ago I spent a night in a Vango stormforce 10 tent which remained standing and every other tent collapsed. 2 years ago I was with my brother in his new big Vango family tent which stayed up in 60mph gusts and again other tents were collapsing everywhere.

I have known people send tents back (not sure if vango) and then get a refund. So hopefully they will be honest. Take photos of where the storm straps have ripped off.

Oh and I have an ancient Vango tunnel tent with the patented tension band system and the tension band is sewn in the wrong way and can't be tightened so some slip through quality control.

I once over-tightened the storm straps on a Vango tent and poles split, tent stayed up though. We bought new poles and the tent is still fine 5 years later. Are you certain you didn’t over-tension as this could be why it happened?

Runssometimes

Definitely not, it was something we made very sure of.

The poles that split were right at the front where the guy ropes snapped.

It sounds both frighting and highly stressful OP, I really feel for you. The Vango website page for your tent does state... Patented Vango TBS®II Tension Band System ensures tent performs in adverse conditions, especially in strong, changeable winds. When tensioned, the bands brace the pole at 3 points, and prevent sideways movement. Adjust TBS®II to remove slack. Do not over tension, as this may deform the poles. Can be stowed away in calm weather.

If you do replace your tent, consider a secondhand Outwell tent. We have a huge Outwell Vermont XL (was about £400 secondhand) and it stands pretty rigid even in high winds but it does have metal poles which are heavy and unwieldy, rather than the thinner fibreglass ones.

Then I’d imagine that it’s faulty and they really should just replace, sounds like the sewing of the straps was weak. Hope you get it resolved as Vango are usually good quality and should last.