ilko/The Range asking for a refunded item monies after 3 months - when I wanted to return it

[aioxienc]

I have purchased a bedframe worth of £259.99 from wilko.com and then soon after I have received a confirmation regarding my order has been cancelled.

I personally have tried to reach Wilko support through their website by creating a ticket regarding the unexpected cancellation of my order on March 18, 2024, at 15:16 UTC. I received a reply regarding that issue on March 20, 2024, from R.S. (Wilko) ([email protected]) confirming that the item has been cancelled as the order was out of stock and therefore wasn’t dispatched from their warehouse. On March 22, 2024, the bed frame was delivered to me after being cancelled by their party. I have requested a collection immediately due to the size of the item, and I did not want to be responsible for storing the item in my small living space.

Then, on March 22, 2024, I received a reply from R.S. (Wilko) ([email protected]) mentioning how easy it is to return an item to Wilko. Then she followed up with the order that had been dispatched from their supplier and needed to be collected and returned to their warehouse. She also asked for a collection date with 5 days of notice for the collection of the item and mentioned I would receive my refund after a successful collection. Where I understood this was an automatic reply, the agent was not aware of the situation and failed to read and understand my response.

On March 26th, I expressed my concern that my emails were not being read and understood and explained the situation more in depth. I also expressed how inconvenient it was for me to store that item with the size of my living place, and it was creating a hazard for me and other people living on the property. I again requested a collection on any day, any time, and I would arrange my availability for the collection. Then I received an email back from C. (Wilko) ([email protected]) on April 2, 2024, mentioning I should choose a date with 3 working days prior notice for the collection. I replied to this email on the same day, 22 minutes later, requesting a collection on April 5, 2024, and mentioned the bulky size of the item again for a seamless collection. Funnily, I received a reply on April 4, 2024, from A. (Wilko) ([email protected]) mentioning the item has been dispatched directly from their supplier, so the item needs to be collected and returned to their warehouse, and I should be hearing back from them within the next few days. I haven’t heard from anyone, followed up that email on 04.04.2024, 08.04.2024 and 14.04.2024.

In my last follow-up email, I requested appropriate action and an update regarding that matter, and it has been a month since I have been trying to resolve it. I also again mentioned the fact that the item has been creating a fire hazard on the property, and it is a risk to health and safety for everybody living inside by narrowing or blocking the escape routes. I have given them an extra 16 days for the collection and mentioned that I will need to dispose of the item after that time due to the concerns mentioned above. I have also created another ticket to raise some attention on April 2, 2024, and got a reply regarding a whole different item and order.

After many failed attempts, I have also called the Range customer service phone number shared on their website to express the situation. I have The Range’s item, and I have been trying to hear from them. After a 34-minute phone call, I have been informed that the item has been purchased from www.wilko.com, so I need to resolve this issue through them, not with The Range since there’s nothing they can do. Now, after several months and emails of trying, I have unfortunately disposed of the item after several months not hearing back from them.

After these events, I have received a letter from TheRange on 19th of Jun 2024, demanding the refunded amount for the bedframe without mentioning the collection, my many return attempts.

I have sent a reply to the automatic payment link email I have received from [email protected], then I also did not hear back from them again.

Now, today, I have received a second letter, the identical one was sent on 19th of Jun, with an additional threat that they would take further formal action.

I need advice, thank you.

Call them?

Citizens advice

id be tempted to tell them it was left outside for them to pick up and it disappeared so you’d assumed it had been picked up.

Don’t tell them you left it outside. It won’t be make a difference. Legally you’re responsible for storing the goods safely and in an appropriate manner for a “reasonable” period of time, which is usually considered to be at least six months, or in the case that you can’t provide the item back, you’re liable for the cost of it for six years.

The usual “accidental order” legislation doesn’t protect you here because you ordered it, and it arrived anyway.

There’s very little chance that any court would see two months as reasonable.

What has happened to the bed frame?

I have called The Range before taking any action, and the representative let me know that this issue had to be resolved with wilko, not by them only after 38 minutes later.

I'll try to reach out to citizens advice first thing on Monday.

We are living as a couple and the bed frame was HUGE. There was literally no place to store them in our tiny flat without having to move it everytime we needed move in the hallway. I am not sure if that should be the same when we tried to reach out to them numerous times but ignored. They are still not responding to us though, we have send 2 emails and letters to respond their 'threat' and they are also ignoring those!

We have donated the bed frame after 3 months to the BHF.