I recently bought a new bed online. It took ages to find a bed that we both liked and which would go with the room's decor. I purchased the bed on 18th March for delivery at a later date when the decoration was finished. The bed was delivered on 8th April and unpacked for assembly on 9th April.
On unpacking it became apparent that the metal head and foot rails were badly damaged. The damage was notified, initially, by telephone and subsequently via an e-mail - to which photos of the damage were attached.
It was agreed that the head and foot rails were in need of replacement and this was arranged for 11th April – we also requested that the rails be checked prior to despatch and this was also agreed.
On 11th April the replacement head and foot rails were delivered but unfortunately these were also damaged and this was witnessed by the delivery driver. The driver stated that the rails had, as agreed, been checked prior to delivery – in fact three sets had been checked and what was sent was ‘the best ones they could find’.
This was totally unacceptable so another phone call was made to the company to notify the damage, this time in the presence of the delivery driver who also confirmed the damage - I was then offered either a discount or a refund.
I explained that a discount would not be acceptable (I didn't want a damaged bed in a newly decorated room) unless it was sufficient to cover the cost of having the rails powder coated which is what was required to put the bed into the condition it should have been in originally. By offering to accept this discount, and having the rails powdered coated myself, I was effectively offering them the opportunity to repair the item.
Neither would a refund be acceptable as this would leave us without a bed (we had already been without a bed for three nights) and, in any case, we liked the design and style of the bed – which is why I bought it in the first place! What I wanted, not unreasonably, was the bed I had paid for in the condition one would expect of a new bed.
We then discussed a third option. This involved us assembling the bed for use whilst, in the meantime, a new set of head and foot rails was sourced from head office and transported to the local branch.
Once the rails arrived in the branch we would be notified and delivery arranged – at this point we were to remove the damaged rails (eight bolts) and simply swap out with the new rails. This was acceptable to me and this course of action was agreed - although we were told that this was likely to take ‘a few days’.
Two weeks later, on 26th April, we had received no contact from anyone regarding the new rails. My wife spoke, yet again, with the company and she was informed that a new set of rails had been located and these would need sending to the local branch who would then contact us to arrange delivery. It was, however, stated that this ‘would be unlikely to be before the weekend as it is a Bank Holiday’.
Another two weeks later, on 10th May, we had still received no contact from anyone regarding the new rails. My wife telephoned again, early that Tuesday morning, and spoke with a lady who took all the details including the invoice numbers. She informed my wife that she would check with the warehouse and someone, either the lady herself or the warehouse, would phone us back and advise us what was happening and that this would be ‘quite soon’.
It is now the evening of Thursday 12th May, effectively three days since our last phone call and almost five weeks since the original delivery date, and we have still received no contact from anyone regarding progress on obtaining and delivering the new rails and we still have a substandard damaged bed frame.
Thus far I have been reasonable and patient and believe I have afforded them every opportunity to rectify the problem – something which, sadly, they seem unwilling or unable to do. My patience has now expired and, as stated above, what I want is the bed I have paid for in the condition one would expect of a new bed.
I have now written to them giving them fourteen days to deliver to me a set of head and foot rails in new condition – I've told them if there are any marks, blemishes or damage do not even bother sending them as they will be rejected.
I've also told them that if, after the fourteen days, I have not received replacement rails, in the new condition I can reasonably expect, I will remove the existing rails and take them to my local powder coaters to be refurbished to a new condition and send them the invoice for the work required. Once the work has been completed, and they have received the invoice, I will give them a further fourteen days to make a compensatory payment in the amount of the invoice.
If, after this time, they have not made payment I will file a claim through the Small Claims Court for the full amount of the invoice. Hopefully this will make them sit up and take notice.
I think it is ridiculous that I should have to go through this just to get what I paid for and it is a sad reflection on customer service in this country.
On unpacking it became apparent that the metal head and foot rails were badly damaged. The damage was notified, initially, by telephone and subsequently via an e-mail - to which photos of the damage were attached.
It was agreed that the head and foot rails were in need of replacement and this was arranged for 11th April – we also requested that the rails be checked prior to despatch and this was also agreed.
On 11th April the replacement head and foot rails were delivered but unfortunately these were also damaged and this was witnessed by the delivery driver. The driver stated that the rails had, as agreed, been checked prior to delivery – in fact three sets had been checked and what was sent was ‘the best ones they could find’.
This was totally unacceptable so another phone call was made to the company to notify the damage, this time in the presence of the delivery driver who also confirmed the damage - I was then offered either a discount or a refund.
I explained that a discount would not be acceptable (I didn't want a damaged bed in a newly decorated room) unless it was sufficient to cover the cost of having the rails powder coated which is what was required to put the bed into the condition it should have been in originally. By offering to accept this discount, and having the rails powdered coated myself, I was effectively offering them the opportunity to repair the item.
Neither would a refund be acceptable as this would leave us without a bed (we had already been without a bed for three nights) and, in any case, we liked the design and style of the bed – which is why I bought it in the first place! What I wanted, not unreasonably, was the bed I had paid for in the condition one would expect of a new bed.
We then discussed a third option. This involved us assembling the bed for use whilst, in the meantime, a new set of head and foot rails was sourced from head office and transported to the local branch.
Once the rails arrived in the branch we would be notified and delivery arranged – at this point we were to remove the damaged rails (eight bolts) and simply swap out with the new rails. This was acceptable to me and this course of action was agreed - although we were told that this was likely to take ‘a few days’.
Two weeks later, on 26th April, we had received no contact from anyone regarding the new rails. My wife spoke, yet again, with the company and she was informed that a new set of rails had been located and these would need sending to the local branch who would then contact us to arrange delivery. It was, however, stated that this ‘would be unlikely to be before the weekend as it is a Bank Holiday’.
Another two weeks later, on 10th May, we had still received no contact from anyone regarding the new rails. My wife telephoned again, early that Tuesday morning, and spoke with a lady who took all the details including the invoice numbers. She informed my wife that she would check with the warehouse and someone, either the lady herself or the warehouse, would phone us back and advise us what was happening and that this would be ‘quite soon’.
It is now the evening of Thursday 12th May, effectively three days since our last phone call and almost five weeks since the original delivery date, and we have still received no contact from anyone regarding progress on obtaining and delivering the new rails and we still have a substandard damaged bed frame.
Thus far I have been reasonable and patient and believe I have afforded them every opportunity to rectify the problem – something which, sadly, they seem unwilling or unable to do. My patience has now expired and, as stated above, what I want is the bed I have paid for in the condition one would expect of a new bed.
I have now written to them giving them fourteen days to deliver to me a set of head and foot rails in new condition – I've told them if there are any marks, blemishes or damage do not even bother sending them as they will be rejected.
I've also told them that if, after the fourteen days, I have not received replacement rails, in the new condition I can reasonably expect, I will remove the existing rails and take them to my local powder coaters to be refurbished to a new condition and send them the invoice for the work required. Once the work has been completed, and they have received the invoice, I will give them a further fourteen days to make a compensatory payment in the amount of the invoice.
If, after this time, they have not made payment I will file a claim through the Small Claims Court for the full amount of the invoice. Hopefully this will make them sit up and take notice.
I think it is ridiculous that I should have to go through this just to get what I paid for and it is a sad reflection on customer service in this country.