Consumer rights when buying a sofa
If you have experienced problems buying a sofa or having one upholstered, then you are not alone. Complaints relating to sofas feature significantly in Consumer Direct’s top ten and the problem shows no sign of improving. So what do you need to watch out for and what are your rights?
Cooling off?
Buying a sofa is a big commitment, particularly if you have signed a credit agreement to spread the cost over several years. The first thing to be aware of is that any contract you make in-store will be legally binding from the moment you sign. You cannot simply wander back in the next day and tell them you’ve changed your mind. Cooling off rights only apply where you have bought the item by mail order – over the phone, or via the internet. And even then, it does not apply where sofas have been made to order – which is often the case.
Ordering and delivery
An approximate lead time will be given in your order. Although this is not legally binding, it shouldn’t take much longer than this. If you are experiencing what you would consider to be an unreasonable delay, you can make ‘time of the essence’ by writing to them, requesting they fulfil their contractual obligations within a specific time period (14 days), otherwise you will end the contract and request the return of any sums already paid.
As any sofa retailer will tell you, they cannot be held responsible if the unit is too big for the room, won’t fit through the door or up the stairs. Neither will they be liable for the cost of removing windows etc and are within their rights to charge an additional fee if they have to take it away again. It may seem like an obvious point, but the number of people who do not measure the doorframe in relation to the sofa is quite astonishing. Similarly, those in three-storey homes with a first floor lounge, should make additional allowances for a winding staircase.
Your consumer rights
Any sofa you buy should be of satisfactory quality, fit for the purposes specified and as described. Therefore, if it is described as leather, that’s exactly what it should be. If it described as a particular colour or fabric, it should not differ widely from this. If it a sofa-bed, it should function as a bed as well as a sofa. It should also remain in good condition for a reasonable length of time without sagging, coming apart, or deterioration to the fabric. Just because you have had the sofa for some time, this does not prevent you from making a complaint on the basis of premature or excessive wear and tear.
If you are making a complaint, the retailer will always be your first and only port of call, and not the manufacturer. Retailers may also try to tell you that there is nothing they can do because you are outside your warranty period, or because you don’t have one. A warranty is irrelevant where quality and durability are concerned, and you have the right to a remedy under Sale of Goods.
The trader’s obligations
If the sofa which has been delivered is damaged, of poor quality, unfit for purpose or not as described, you have the right to reject it and claim a refund. However, where a repair is feasible, you must allow the trader the opportunity to do this in the first instance. The trader must cover the costs of the repair (including collection and re-delivery) and must not take too long. If a repair cannot be carried out, or has been poorly carried out, if it has taken an unreasonable length of time, or if you have experienced significant inconvenience, you are then within your rights to request a replacement. If neither a repair or a replacement can be effected, you can then ask for a discount on the purchase price or your money back.
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Glasshells 13 month corner sunk ombusmans Comment 13 months is fair wear and tear offer to stuff more foam under springs no thanks not after paying about £3800 for 3 piece suite
I first bought sofa from Harvey in Hillington Glasgow on March 2016 came damaged waited another 3 months same problem ask to reselect wait for new 1 came on November 2016 phone in April of this year seats sagging had it repaired now they sent out technician said not a manufacturer fault they can’t do anything soft furnishing technician said phone up get your money back we’re is customers rights these days
I first bought sofa from Harvey in Hillington Glasgow on March 2016 came damaged waited another 3 months same problem ask to reselect wait for new 1 came on November 2016 phone in April of this year seats sagging had it repaired now they sent out technician said not a manufacturer fault they can’t do anything soft furnishing technician said phone up get your money back we’re is customers rights these days my friend has same sofa her is manufacturing fault how can 1 sofa be faulty other not same sofa
I Bought A Two Two Seater Sofa Fron DFS / 6/2016 And Since It Has Come Into The Home Its Been Faulty Had Two Boys From The Store Out And Its Been Sorted Three Four Times With Replaced Foam As It Keep Sinking In At The Right Hand Conner The Young Man Come Out Monday And Replaced The Chair With Yet An Other Lot Off New Foam And Its Verry Hard And Hurts My Bottom And Lower Back Causing Me Sever Pain on My Bottom And Lower Back Maneger Called Today To Say He Will Not Be Coming Back Out To Sort The Chairs As He Thinks Its Fine Now And He Tryed To Say The Foam Wasent Faulty From The Start He Changed The Foam As Good Will Can You Tell Me What To Do Now I Thought I Was Recording The Talk And Told The Manger I Was Recording It But The Record Did Not Work Not Sure Why This Sofa Has Given Me Problems Since I Got It I Bought It For Comfirt Now One Chair I Cant Use As It Hurts My Bottom And Im Told They Will Do Nothing Else The Other Chair Has Sunk Again Right Hand Cornner And The Will Not Sort They Said They Will Not Be Coming Back Out Mrs Ramzi .
I bought sofa from dfs. 2 years ago and the pillows fraid . They sent some one out and brought new cushion covers that was nothing like mine . Then I got told I could have a new sofa .money back .Our money of and buy my own cushions . I picked the new sofa but told them I was not rushing into one straight away. I kept going in store and looking and by seen nothing . Then one day found one . Went in and told them . Then man who Offord me the exchange said . Sorry the offor was of table now . I said what happens now . I kept ringing them . Then one day Mr winter from dfs rang me very nasty and said go and order the one I picked. So I went and the man in the other store said he new nothing about it . So I rang Mr winter back and he was on holiday . So waited for him to come home . He came round my house so my boyfriend taped him . I asked why did you tell me to go and order my new one . He said he was sorry he was stresses ????. He then rang few days later and said he would recover mine with any fabric I wanted .so picked few fabrics . Told him . He then told me sorry they went Dfs fabrics . So I asked for my money back he said we couldn’t. He then rang me other day and said he doesn’t think we can recover mine now . So he said he would give us money back but we had to pay a usage fee . He said usage fee would be 1700 I only paid 3200 for my sofa . Then he said he would do me favour and knock Some money of . So he said if we would give him 1.200 he would give us money back to buy a new one in he’s store . Dfs are a joke . It’s not our fault they don’t have our fabric any more . Has anyone else had to pay a usage few?
We are having similar problems with DFS. It is soul destroying.
The latest DFS Advertisement would make me laugh, if I did not want to cry so much about this purchase.
Will contact CAB again and go from there.
Colour variations with sofas. Having bought a Mink sofa in the past ..on buying another from the same company their shade of mink has changed. There are so many shade variations with this colour. From dark brown to a silver grey. Is it right that they can put just mink as a colour ? When there fabric shading change. My daughter has bought another sofa which she thought was the same. But on opening it its a silver grey mink. Which does not go with the new design of her living room. If there changing s hadings of mink surely they should be stating it. Due to the shading range of the colour.if your walking into a store then you see what you buy. But online it’s slightly different. We have someone coming out from DFS. So I’d like to know where we stand legally please. As there’s a huge difference in the mink range, if there selling the lightest mink which is silver grey..it’s not going to match the interior which is made up of Brown’s creams and taupe. Surely they should state which shade of mink there selling.
I bought a sofa from Harvey’s store, the first thing that was wrong was one of the parts to attach the chairs was missing; and now 2 plus years the fabric is coming off.
Not only have I wasted my money but the fabric comes off in little bit and gets in my kids eyes.
How do I go about getting a replacement/refund?
I bought a sofa from scs its only 3months old ive had the cushions replaced and now its got a nail sticking out the back which has torn the covers I want a refund dont want it repaired .apparentley there within there rights to repair it .its not fit for purpose .
We purchased a three piece suite from 90
Miles away.. when first sitting on the sofa I found it very comfortable, unfortunately after delivery and a few evenings on sitting on it, I find cushions go nearly to the base and I have a disablement where I need help getting out..!! There is a crease in the armchair which I complained about and they are sending an upholster out next week to see how to remedy the crease.. obviously they would not consider using a more solid cushion for the settee.. also the chair cushion ends up slipping forward which then sends the back cushion to the back of the chair.!!! We complained about the crease within 10 days and we would like it to be returned.. the suite was priced initially at £4.000 odd but the sale price was half of that with a £100 delivery cost… we should never have purchased from that distance.!!!! Should that price have been selling at some point before the sale…? We were told Harrods sold it too..!!!!although irrelevant… could you help me with my rights we’ve now had it 23 days…. can I get them to collect and refund.. thank you for your time…
Hi there,We purchased a two leather sofas from Range nearly two years ago, a couple of months ago the leather started to split in a few places on two of the seats,could you please advise us what we can do thank you John Cooper.
Hi, my mum who is 82 bought 2 sofas from furniture village and the delivery is 6 -8 weeks. The same furniture is now in their sale and I wondered what her position is in asking for a refund to reflect the sale price which allows s £500 cheaper. She hasn’t yet received delivery of the furniture as half way into when ordered. Many thanks linda
Hi I ordered a three piece suite from Harveys in September with a promise of Christmas delivery, the morning of delivery I received a phone call informing me that one chair was out of stock.
I was given a new date for delivery of the chair which was 2nd of January, however I have just received a phone call telling me it’s still out of stock and they don’t know when they will have one in .
Please could you tell me if there is any action I can take as I have a family and I am a chair short, they promised delivery of a whole suite not part of one for Christmas and have now not filled their promise on two occasions.
I was in scs yesterday i bought a 3 seater and 2 seater 1600 he told me they were electric recliners but when it come to signing the form he said they were manual so i thought i had made a mistake my wife had left the shop by then so when i got home i told the wife and she said i did not make a mistake he did say they were electric so i just phoned up wanting my money back cos he had conned me he said i could have the electric but would cost me more and im not allowed to cancel the day after
I brought lazy boy static 3seater from scs in shop the one i sat in was a recliner as they did not have static but it was meant to be same measurements and as comfy I brought it with finance but when had it delivered and sat on it it was no where near the same I one in shop not comfy and measurements not right what can I do and rights.
We haven’t received are sofa but the company sofolagy have sent the finance up to be paid next month but they don’t now when the couch is coming are we in are rights to cancel the order and as for are £200 deposit back. ?
I bought a sofa from sofa storm in bury with 12 months warranty the arm on my sofa is loose the man from sofa storm as been very rude towards me saying if the arm fall off he will repair it I said my sofa is 2 months old it shouldn’t do this and he just walked away being bee arrogant
I ordered a sofa from scs in October it came two days before Christmas and was the wrong colour my replacement came today and it was still the wrong colour and not the same material and wood legs instead of chrome this is appalling specially when the first order wasn’t correct how they can get the second one wrong again is beyond me and specially the state of it it was like they sent me a cheaper version I just can’t belive this for a company so big I think they should be offering compensation it’s been 5 month and now I have to wait months again
ive had my sofa for 14 month and q few weeks back its dropped about 2 inces someone came out and tried to repair it now ive got a gap here it used 2 be solids and it slopes from the edge 2 where the saofs is joined sofology says that this is acceptable but ive got just under 3 more years 2 pay for it now there wont respond 2 emails ive rang back uo there said they wont do anythuing about it
I brought and payed cash for my sofa waited 10 weeks for it to come then it was broken they sent a man out to fix it but puting a screw in it lol so rang and said I’m not happy with this so they ordered a new one four weeks later I had a phone call saying we are sorry but we are not buying that sofa anymore so we can not replace it so can you come chose another one waited another 10 weeks for that to come and that was broken to the sip on the bottom was broken so once again they sent a man out with a piece of stuff he was just going to stick it start over the top of the other one I said wot about the sip he said that’s ok just let them no if I need any work done on it cuz they will need to bring some more stuff to put over the other stuff lol so I rang them and said no way am I happy so they orderd a bottom with a sip 10 weeks later a man turned up and put a new bottom on it I told him the chair was sagging so it put some more filling in it and it has gone again why are they’d people alias to sell stuff like this my sofa and chairs was not cheap so I have rang them and told them I want my money back now it’s a waiting game once again