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Original poster

How to get a refund/exchange on a crappy sofa!

18 replies

2ndtime · 09/10/2006 22:30

In January I bought a very lovely pair of sofas with some money left to me by my dad. They cost ?2500. Bloody expensive to me, but they were a treat and intended to last a lifetime. They were from a local small furniture retailer and not a big chain.
Now 10 months later the cushions are half empty as the feathers constantly leak out and 2 of the zips are bust.
Where do I stand with the shop? I went in today and they said they have had no other complaints but will contact the manufacturer and get back to me. But I bought them from the shop not the manufacturer IYSWIM.
Ideally I want a refund or replacement of a different type of sofa, as if they just replace the cushions I'm sure it will happen again.
How do I best get what I'm after?

OP posts:
Original poster
2ndtime · 09/10/2006 22:31

£2500!

OP posts:
cece · 09/10/2006 22:33

Items should be fit for purpose. You also have a contratc with the shop, therefore it is up to them to sort it out. Write to them with the problem and what you would liek done. Guive them 14 days to sort it out or you will contact trading standards. Or maybe phone them first for advice!

hairymclary · 09/10/2006 22:38

ok it is up to the shop to sort it as your contract is with them.
However they are within their rights to inform the manufacturers first and see what they say in terms of maybe getting it repaired/replaced.

I don't think you can demand a full refund if they offer you a repair but i'll just check for you

Original poster
2ndtime · 09/10/2006 22:40

Thanks cece for your speedy reply. I never thought of writing a letter. Thats a good idea, as I'm terrible at complaining. I get all flustered and embarassed. I wish I was the kind of person who can stand their ground but I tend to jibber when under preassure!

OP posts:
hairymclary · 09/10/2006 22:43

www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page24700.html

hairymclary · 09/10/2006 22:43

note particularly:

Wherever goods are bought they must "conform to contract". This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale).

? Goods are of satisfactory quality if they reach the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking into account the price and any description.

? If goods do not conform to contract at the time of sale, purchasers can request their money back "within a reasonable time". (This is not defined and will depend on circumstances)

Original poster
2ndtime · 09/10/2006 22:44

Ta Hairy. Will have a look now.

OP posts:
Original poster
2ndtime · 09/10/2006 22:46

Hmm. Im sure in the lifetime of a sofa 10 months is a reasonable time. I was planning to buy new cushions until I had a reality check and remembered how much they cost me in the first place!

OP posts:
hairymclary · 09/10/2006 22:49

yes, i would say that you could reasonably expect it to last a LOT longer than that.
I had a similar problem a couple of years ago and I did have to let them try and repair it first though.

cece · 09/10/2006 22:52

My dad once took back some shoes to Clarks that were 5 years old he got a new pair...

Original poster
2ndtime · 09/10/2006 22:53

I love that cece. Will he come to the shop with me?

OP posts:
charliebat · 09/10/2006 23:04

I brought a sofa from DFS this one and there is a whole handwritten paragraph saying the cushions, that are nearly as big as me...need 10 minutes of plumping PER DAY and that as the customer I have been well warned of that bla de bla bla...
So I fully expected my sofa to look like shit within a couple of years...its getting there!

cece · 09/10/2006 23:04

It is embarassing - he quite often gets an added discount on things too, because of some little flaw or just because...

Original poster
2ndtime · 09/10/2006 23:16

Charliebat, that is similar to my sofa. There was no disclaimer with mine tho. I honestly spend about 10 minutes a day picking up feathers that have escaped through the very thin material the cushions are lined with and it does look like shit now as the cushions are all deflated and droopy.(sounds like another thread!) I have started to collect the feathers in a bag as evidence! Hope you have better luck with yours.

OP posts:
Original poster
2ndtime · 10/10/2006 22:32

The manufacturers are sending an upholsterer tomorrow to see what can be done. A quick response. Hope it can be sorted.

OP posts:
charliebat · 11/10/2006 07:48

Thats good Lets hope you get it sorted

Original poster
2ndtime · 18/11/2006 18:38

Hey Ho. The came out to fix the zips and then last week they posted out new scatter cushions to us.

Today a zip went on the new bloody cushions.

I will contact the shop again, I assume they will send someone out to fix it again.

How long before I just tell them to take the flipping thing away and give me another?

OP posts:
lorina · 18/11/2006 19:22

Local trading standards office are very helpful.

They will tell you exactly what to write in a letter to sort it out.

You will probably find that once Trading Standards are involved that the company sort it out pretty quickly.

Just google your town name and trading standards and there will be a link on the page for you to email a message

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