Expecting a sofa company to care that my daughter choked on a faulty sofa button?

[MadMadsMum]

Over a week ago, I had to forcibly retrieve a faulty sofa button from my 18 month old daughter’s mouth. The sofa is 4/5 years old (from Sofology) and a button had fallen out of the side cushion through no fault of ours. The button was not pulled or broken and simply became unattached to the button on the other side. Fortunately I was close to my daughter and noticed she was panicked and unable to breathe so was able to act.
Shortly after this happened, I called Sofology who despite repeatedly promising to call me, never bothered. I had to chase through email, Twitter and finally again by phone. Through a DM on Twitter, I was informed that due to the sofa being 4/5 years old and not being able to know how the button came loose, they would take no action. After calling them and expressing my concern that no one from Sofology seemed concerned enough about by situation to bother picking up the phone and calling a distressed mother, they offered to send someone to my home to fix the button.
I really don’t want this sofa - that represents a very clear danger to my child as it has 38 other buttons on it - in my home.
AIBU to expect Sofology to take this more seriously and do more than send someone out to fix the button?

The button couldn’t possibly have just come unattached by itself, without any handling.

Yes they should but then it is 4/5 years old so can see where they are coming from

Not sure what you'd want them to do? If the sofa is a few years old and has that many buttons, it's inevitable that a few might fall off through general wear and tear.

Take photos and contact trading standards . Buttons should be locked in place . Thank goodness your child wasn't severely affected .

It definitely has. One button has a loop of string/rope and the other has a hook and all are intact and show no signs at all of being broken or even stretched. Scarily, I have another 6 in total and am scared senseless it could happen again.

To avoid any possibility of any buttons coming off anything in your home in the future then please remove anything with buttons on.

Sofas, other chairs, clothing and your computer keyboard.

Not what you want to hear but after 4/5 years I'd put the loose sofa button down to wear and tear.

Sorry about your DD, must have been scary for you both.

Tbh the sofa is 4/5 years old and has had use, so things will come loose and or get worn.

Just check the buttons on a regular basis and if any are loose, remove them.

What outcome do you want? New soda, compensation, an apology?

Sofa... Not soda

After 4-5 years I would think a button which is so exposed will have been picked at, rubbed, knocked and worn through use. Whilst the situation with your daughter is scary, I don't understand what you want Sofology to do.

I think I’d be saying something similar to “isn’t it just wear and tear” but the sofa is in excellent condition and if you saw the pieces involved, I’m sure you’d agree it wasn’t through general wear and tear or through it being pulled or broken.

Buttons come off things all the time.

I think you're over reacting, sorry.

It's over 4 years old, what's the guarantee on it? And to be fair to them, most guarantees don't cover embellishments, buttons etc because they do become loose with use, it's expected. It's up to you to check them every so often if you have a small child.

Sorry about your dd though, it must have been scary. My child choking is my biggest fear.

A button coming loose after 4/5 years isn't something I'd consider faulty or unreasonable.

What response were you hoping for from them?

It just can’t have happened spontaneously, op, that simply isn’t possible.
It’s ridiculous to claim it’s never been manhandled when it’s been in your home for four or five years.

Has it been in a glass case all this time or have people actually been using it?

I don't think they're responsible for this. Check the other buttons for any signs of them coming loose.

I wish I could post a photo. It would explain the situation so much better than I am.
I think above anything, I’m just gobsmacked that no one from Sofology has shown even the slightest amount of care or concern. Not even a phone call - which they repeatedly promised to make.

How scary - I'm glad your daughter is ok.

It might help if you have a think about exactly what you think Sofology should do and then put that to them. Is the sofa still covered by a guarantee? Do you want them to check that the other buttons are still safe? Have a think about what you're hoping for and then make it clear to them. You're much more likely to get your desired outcome that way (assuming it's a reasonable request).

They advertise a 20 year structural guarantee but this isn’t considered structural even though the cushions are part of the sofa. My concern with the sofa is that if you were to have looked at it over a week ago, you would have felt very confident that everything was in very good condition with no sign of wear and tear. I’m looking at the other buttons and they all look fine, but so did the faulty one before it came out.
I just don’t feel safe with it around my DD.

Did you talk to your dd that putting things in her mouth is a bad thing and why? 18 months is old enough to make it clear that some things are dangerous in a way she can understand - this time it’s a button, next time it could be her hands in the cooker, or her fingers in the socket

what do you expect them to do - its a button, they are sewn on with thread, they come loose. Of course it is not structural!

I just don’t feel safe with it around my DD.

Did you want them to give you a new sofa? With new buttons?

You still haven't said what you would like them to do.

Do you want them to give you a new sofa?

I think my biggest concern is not coming across. AIBU to expect Sofology to have called me? I would have thought that was the most basic level of customer care?