Consumer Rights experts need help on what to do with mamas and Papas and a faulty pushchair

[tutu100]

I bought a mamas and Papas Pulse pushchair on 16th Dec 2009. It was to be a second pushchair only to be used occasionally when our large 3 wheeler isn't practical. Due to the bad weather we had I didn't use it for the first time until mid Jan Thought it felt a bit juddery, but thought maybe things just needed to bed down. Also I don't really have much experience of strollers.

Anyway I have hardly used the pushchair, maybe once or twice a week and the juddering just got worse to the point where ds2 cried every time he went in the pushchair and i would get wrist ache, and I wasn't even pushing it very far as it was so horrid to push.

Took it back on 5th Mar where they agreed the wheels point inwards and it isn't right and they would send it back to be repaired. They gave me a really minging loan pushchair which I didn't use as it was horrible. Anyway I went back to get my pushchair today as they called and told me it had been fixed, but when I got there it hadn't.

The sales assistant said the service centre had serviced it and checked the frame and the frame is fine. I pointed out it's the wheels which aren't right. He agreed, but said all he could do was order some new wheels that will be sent to my home for me to put on to see if that fixes the problem. He said as my pushchair is usable I could take it with me. I pointed out that it maybe usable, but it isn't comfortable for either ds2 or me.

So it is going to take up to 2 weeks for the wheel to arrive and I'm not convinced that is going to solve the problem. I am going to email customer services to complain about the service centre failing to fix the pushchair the first time round and my wasted journey today, but what do I do if the new wheels don't fix the problem. DP wants a refund which tbh is what I'd like and I'll get a pushchair elsewhere, but searching the internet it seems M&P's customer service is not great and they will do everything possible not to refund.

Can anyone help me with where I stand? please.

The pushchair is "not fit for purpose" and "not of merchantable quality". Quote the "Sale of Goods Act" at them - your right is to a refund, not repair or any other bollox. If they are unco-operative, contact your local Trading Standards office.

Thank you. I think I will have to contact TS. I'm just preparing myself so that if the wheels come and they don't solve the problem I can storm in there and press for a refund as whilst I haven't used the pushchair much that is because it is crap. I actually need a smaller pushchair quite a lot atm.

Well, it always helps if you can make a fuss in front of other customers.

personally i wouldnt wait for the wheels, i would take it back asap and tell them that you want a refund. if you have to replace the wheels yourself and do it wrong inany way they will say you have broken the pram and they wont do anything to help you.

I think DP's plan is to go back and make a fuss if replacing the wheels doesn't work. Really I should just wait for the wheels to arrive as if they fix it there is no further problem. I'm just so annoyed that the service centre didn't fix them this time.

Nancy75, I wasn't really given an option today other than to have the wheels delivered and fit them myself. They showed me how to take the wheels off and I explained that I wasn't happy doing it, but equally I wasn't happy sending the pushchair off again.

Trouble was I was feeling really ill today so wasn't really up to fighting my case. I used to work in retail and we would have offered a refund on anything faulty straight away. Refund or replace, none of this sending things off to be fixed.

I really hope you get somewhere with them- I am still smarting from dealing with them 3 years ago over a highchair cushion that split as the heal sealed seams were too thin round a buckle point. The replacement cushion which I had had to pay for (as the chair was over 6 months old and the cushion so trashed by the time I got it to them they 'couldnt tell what had happened to it') split within weeks in the same place and I had a huge row with their customer services who point blank refused to replace it.
At one point I said 'well there are two options arent there, either your seams are too thin round the buckle or I am some derranged housewife who attacks high chair cushions with a knife- which do you think is more likely.'
him'there is nothing wrong with the seams' and repeat for next half hour.

Anyway basically I did everything wrong in terms of not knowing my rights, or photographing the damage blaa blaa, and then had new born baby and never did any thing about it apart from boychott all their products. Now, 3 years on, my £35 stroller of unknown make finally died after 5 years trusty service and I sent DH to get new one (why why why)and he came back with a M and P one - £75 and already the wheels are squealing so much it is difficult to chat to DD2.

OK. Realised I have just hyjacked your thread for a rant. Apologies but I do feel better. Good luck.

Cathpot rant away, but definately harrass them over the pushchair. It isn't a Pulse in Rio by any chance?

This is why I want to know my rights so that if the new wheels don't solve the problem I can go in there and not be fobbed off again. The guy who served me today was very polite and I think did everything he could. It just seems that M&P are not in the habit of refunding even faulty goods.

I will not be buying from them again.

Sadly your story of getting no where with them is very common on the internet. Wish I'd checked reviews first.

I have a Chicco highchair which the plastic pad split on. I email them and they told me to go back to the retailer and they would give me a new seat pad. I explained that the retailer had gone bust so I couldn't do that. They sent me out a new seatpad free which arrived in 2 days. Now that's what I call good customer service.

I dont know about the Pulse in Rio, it lives in the car, (sadly not just because I hate it but because nowhere to put it in the house) but I will check, if it is I will let you know and you can then brandish mumsnet support at them as well.

Just wanted to update my story to see if anyone has any further advice. I rand Mamas and Papas today as the wheels still haven't turned up. It turns out that the system say I need new wheels, but the guy ordering them didn't specify whether they were front or back and so they can't send them out until they know.

At this point I said I'd had enough and wanted my money back so I could go buy a working pushchair elsewhere. The lady on the phone said she would call the store and then phone me back. I got a call 3 hours later (whilst I was on the school run) saying that someone from the store would be contacting me about how we can resolve this. Well no one phoned me, and when I rang customer services back they were closed, so what can I do?

I can't ring the store direct as they won't give a direct phone number. DP and I are probably going to go over on saturday and kick up a fuss. I am now absolutly furious they have had 2 chances to fix the pushchair and I'm now a month down the line still with a faulty buggy.

Take heed people DO NOT BUY FROM MAMAS AND PAPAS!

I'm updating again with what will probably not be the final installment to this saga. My pushchair finally got sent off for repair again and I was told it would be delivered back to me 10 days later. After 15 days I made enquiries as to where it was. Apparently it was still at the store and hadn't be sent back to the service centre. As you can imagine I was furious. However when I pointed out I had been in touch with trading standards again they promised to have my buggy back to me by 5pm on Saturday otherwise I could go to the store and be given a new pushchair.

5pm Saturday no sign of a pushchair so DP and I go to the store where to start with the manager said she couldn't give me a new pushchair as I didn't have the old one to exchange - even though she had an email from Customer Services telling her to give me a new pushchair. Finally after a bit of shouting from DP and I we were given a new pushchair. I was told though that my old buggy was on it's way to me, and they would send me some returns labels to get it sent back. I did point out that would mean me waiting around for another courier to collect the buggy, but agreed to it as it seemed the only way to get a new pushchair.

Anyway the old pushchair did turn up today, and guess what despite the fact they have changed the wheels and apparently serviced the frame, the fault is worse than ever! Now the front right wheel doesn't touch the ground at all when you try to push it along. I am still totally gobsmacked and frustrated by the whole experience. Also someone was supposed to call me today from Mamas and Papas and guess what- they haven't.

So the story rumbles on. It has taken me 2 months to get a replacement pushchair, wasting lots of my time with phone calls and trips to store so I am not going to be put out by having to send back this old pushchair, how long do you think I have to hold onto it for if they don't contact me about it?