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?

However, accidents happen.

But the OP doesn’t view it as an accident. She says she wants Sofology to admit they’re accountable. We all know the next step would be claiming compensation.

OP, put a throw on it and teach your child not to put small objects in her mouth.

I agree that I don’t think any company could guarantee that no button will ever come lose from anything! Buttons come loose, especially after several years. I remove all buttons from my household furniture (had some on cushions etc) for this reason.

If the button was as faulty as you say, surely it would have come off at some point in the previous half a decade of use? If the sofa was less than 6 months old then you’d have a fair point. Maybe give the other buttons a good tug to see if they come off to put your mind at ease. Or sell the sofa and get a new one.

Your 18 month old probably pulled the button off. 5 years old is wear and tear. People want something for nothing these days. Guessing your trying to get some sort of "compensation" from sofology?

You have to understand there are consequences for the actions of the company. By that I mean that if they phone up and say it shouldn’t have happened they admit liability and from that consequences - which are negative for them - will arise.

They no doubt have a policy of not engaging in communication of this nature at a customer service level beyond strict parameters so as to avoid accidental admissions. If you are serious then write a proper complaint and explain you want it formally addressed, don’t just keep bleating to a poor customer service bod who has no more power to formally admit liability that you or I do (and would probably heavily censured were they to engage in conversations that risked an admission).

YABU and a bit silly.

The company has done all it needs to.
It's not a new sofa.

You need to take responsibility for your own kid.

To sneer at a mother who has just experienced a choking incident (which could have resulted in the death of her child!)

It hasnt 'just' happened though.

Since it's happened, op has called the company. Awaited a call back, waited an appropriate amount of time and then had to start contacted on social media. She gives the impression she has waited a while for a response.

So it hasnt just happened. She has had plenty of time to calm down and think rationally. Or are you suggesting that actually the OP has waited a couple hours, started chasing on social media, got a response and is still upset?

Because if it just happened and she expected an immediate response, she is definitely unreasonable.

And of course she wants compensation. She said herself she doesnt want the sofa I the house and wants them to accept liability for this. Why would she want them to do that?

I think you have a point - another kid could choke on a button. This sofa isn’t suitable for little kids so parents should know

This sofa isn’t suitable for little kids so parents should know

Lots of things in a house aren't suitable for children, it's up to the parents to supervise and risk assess. If the button had come loose just months after purchase OP may have a point, but the sofa is almost 5 years old.

I wish I could post a photo. It would explain the situation so much better than I am.
Why can't you? It'll only take a few seconds.

Parents should already know that buttons can come off easily, it’s not rocket science

You're getting some harsh responses on here. I can see why you're upset, I'm not sure what the company should do for you after 5 years but that is shit customer service considering your child could have died! I wouldn't expect a new sofa or anything like that but I would want to make them aware so that they can put some kind of disclaimer on this sofa to make sure other parents know. You supervise your children around known hazards but it would never occur to me that sofa buttons could fall off if they hadn't appeared to be loose beforehand and if that had happened to my child and I later found out that the company knew and hadn't done anything about it I would be furious

I think you have a point - another kid could choke on a button. This sofa isn’t suitable for little kids so parents should know

I would hope that parents and parents to be would exercise more common sense than to purchase something similar in the first place...

I bloody despair when I read posts like this.

If someone reported you to SS for not checking whether your old sofa had loose buttons, would you consider that reasonable?

Reasonable wear and tear and a good time to start introducing not putting things in the mouth for DD?

Failing that, compo face and call them out on social media?

Oh, Sofology is soooo rubbish. Their customer service is non existent once money's been handed over. They don't give a monkeys IME. Left us without a sofa for six months and you wouldn't believe the run-around I had trying to actually speak to someone. Nightmare. Cancelled the order in the end.

YABUR.after 4/5 months YES after 4/5 years NO.
Wear and tear.

@FoxFoxSierra how would that have helped? They had the sofa before the child?

And also, clothes, coats etc. Come with buttons. Do you expect them all to come with warning that if it comes loose after years or wear and tear, that a child could choke?

FFS RTFT guys.... The op graciously accepted SIBU already. You can calm down now.

Well done op. It's hard to take a pounding on AIBU and then change your position. It must have been horrible seeing your dad choking.

I’m not sure I agree with the responses here. What if it had been an eye that had come loose on a cuddly toy? Would you still think that it was pointless to report it to the company? I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that safety buttons are used on upholstery these days.

What if it had been an eye that had come loose on a cuddly toy?

That would be more concerning as toys go through CE testing in order to be safe for children. However, it's not relevant in this situation as the OP is about a sofa.

@Areyoufree do you not see the difference between a sofa and something designed for a child to play with?

The sofa isnt unsafe. IP knew exactly what type of sofa it was when was buying. Through its use additions have become loose. As they will and expect to.

Buttons on clothes come loose. Wound you call debenhams and ask for them to make it right if a button fell off a 5 year old shirt, and a child picked it up?

Op if it wasnt fiddled with then it's an absolute miracle that it lasted 4 years without falling off? If it was an actual structural fault then it would have fallen off after a few days, not years after??

What if it had been an eye that had come loose on a cuddly toy?
But it wasnt and therefore not relevant or indeed comparable.

It's t years old... things break.

I'm glad your daughter is OK. I'd cut off and remove the remaining buttons.