Harveys sofa won't fit - customer service shocking!

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kittykitten
kittykitten Posts: 418 Forumite
edited 21 October 2011 at 4:16PM in Consumer rights
I ordered a 3 seater sofa and recliner chair from Harveys 12 weeks ago. At the time I was still living with my parents, because although I'd completed on my house I was decorating before I moved, so when it came to paying the deposit it had to go down as my parents' address as that's where my credit card bills were going to. Salesman took details of new address and said he'd change it on system once the deposit went through. That obviously never happened because when they rang 2 weeks ago to book delivery they thought they were delivering it to my parents house! Spoke to store and they again said theyd change address, again got a phone call to arrange delivery with wrong address! Took until last friday to sort this, agreed delivery for today.

At no point was I given any dimensions of sofa, or asked to measure doorways etc. All I was asked in store, then again over the phone when booking delivery, was were there any steps up to the house (1), any corners to get the sofa around (none, it's straight through the front door, through the porch, into the living room) and was it going upstairs (no).

Delivery arrived today and before men even got the sofa off the van they were tutting about it not fitting. Bearing in mind there's 30" clearance at the front door, and 29.5" at the porch door, I don't exactly have narrow doorways! They had the cheek to tell me most people have sofas delivered through patio doors, which I find hard to believe because there are lots of houses without patio doors, and even those that have you still need to get the sofa through the internal doors into the living room!

Anyway, turns out they were right, they couldn't get it in, basically because depth of the back of the sofa is too big (33"!) although they didn't try very hard, because, in their words, if they damaged the sofa trying to get it in the damaged sofa would then be mine!

Delivery men were less than helpful, all they could say was I needed to speak to the store, so I phoned the store and agreed they could take it there. So my sofa and recliner chair are currently sitting in the storage part of the store. Man in store then told me that they know an upholsterer who would remove the arms of the sofa to get it in, then replace them once its in the living room, but apparently I would have to pay for that.

After all this I got my paperwork back out. Nowhere on my invoice does it give me the dimensions of the sofa. Call me naive but I would have expected them to inform me if there was likely to be a problem because of the size of the sofa, considering they didn't give me the info about the size so I could check for myself.

I'm a touch cynical about this whole thing anyway, because the man from the store was very quick to suggest this upholsterer, sounds almost like a scam! I wonder if they're on commission for referrals to him? Upholsterer doesn't actually work for Harveys, he's self-employed, so it wouldn't surprise me!

Let's see what tomorrow brings, but any advice would be gratefully appreciated in the meantime, particularly anyone who has contact details for Harveys head office. Man in store gave me address but either couldn't or wouldn't give me phone number.
OS weight loss challenge: 4.5/6 lbs
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Comments

  • Torry_Quine
    Torry_Quine Posts: 18,834 Forumite
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    Why on earth wouldn't you measure the space,access doors and the sofa, it is very obviously your responsibility as they can't possibly know the dimensions of your home.
    Lost my soulmate so life is empty.

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  • poet123
    poet123 Posts: 24,099 Forumite
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    It isn't mentioned because it is common sense! Have you never bought a sofa before? I am afraid it is your responsibility to ensure a sofa fits your room and is able to be placed there.
  • LMCD
    LMCD Posts: 649 Forumite
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    edited 20 October 2011 at 6:17PM
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    Seriously - it does not say in terms and conditions - this is common sense. You have to think about this real hard, when did you just think any size sofa would fit through your front door? I went TWICE to measure the couch that I was getting as I was paranoid about it fitting through the front door. Just because they didn't offer it to you - didn't mean your brain should of stopped working. (that sounds cheeky but its not meant as insult!)

    Delivery men are just delivery men - they are only paid to lift n place..

    If anything I think you should speak to the manager admit error but explain as you cannot fit this into your house what can be done if anything.....oh and take measurements of front door and living room door and hall !!!

    Infact having just re read your post again - pay for the upholsterer and save yourself any further embarrassment.
  • NCISROCKS
    NCISROCKS Posts: 337 Forumite
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    Sorry kitty, it's your responsibility to make sure anything you buy fits through your doors/windows. People have found removing a window the easiest option.
  • NCISROCKS
    NCISROCKS Posts: 337 Forumite
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    From Harveys website:-

    Access

    Please be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure there is sufficient access to deliver the product into you home and into your chosen location. You should consider vehicle access, lifts and tight stairs etc. If windows or doors need to be removed in order for access to be gained it is your responsibility to arrange this at your cost and risk. If you are unsure about access to or within your property, please visit your nearest store and discuss this with a salesperson to avoid disappointment.
  • kittykitten
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    OK, just to clarify, some background. I live in the most average house there is - standard width doors, standard height doors, straight access from front door through porch into living room, no corners to get sofa around, etc.

    Sofa is average size 3 seater sofa. Had I been buying a corner sofa or something I could see your point about measuring, but honestly if this sofa won't go through my front door it won't go through hardly anyone's! I spend half my life measuring door widths (I work with people in wheelchairs) so know when a doorway is narrow. Mine certainly isn't.

    Call me naive, but I've never done this before. I'm a first time buyer, never owned my own furniture before. If they hadn't asked anything about access I might have said fair enough, I should have considered it, but between the fact that they ask questions re: access (corners, steps, etc) and they don't give dimensions of sofa anyway, I thought it must be standard size! They got a double bed base in my house no probs, so didn't expect a sofa problem! I did know the door widths before I ordered the sofa, didn't realise that sofas aren't standard sizes like beds. And I knew there had been a 3 seater sofa in here before, because there is a picture of one in the estate agents info about the house!
    OS weight loss challenge: 4.5/6 lbs
  • LMCD
    LMCD Posts: 649 Forumite
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    OK, just to clarify, some background. I live in the most average house there is - standard width doors, standard height doors, straight access from front door through porch into living room, no corners to get sofa around, etc.

    Sofa is average size 3 seater sofa. Had I been buying a corner sofa or something I could see your point about measuring, but honestly if this sofa won't go through my front door it won't go through hardly anyone's! I spend half my life measuring door widths (I work with people in wheelchairs) so know when a doorway is narrow. Mine certainly isn't.

    Call me naive, but I've never done this before. I'm a first time buyer, never owned my own furniture before. If they hadn't asked anything about access I might have said fair enough, I should have considered it, but between the fact that they ask questions re: access (corners, steps, etc) and they don't give dimensions of sofa anyway, I thought it must be standard size! They got a double bed base in my house no probs, so didn't expect a sofa problem! I did know the door widths before I ordered the sofa, didn't realise that sofas aren't standard sizes like beds. And I knew there had been a 3 seater sofa in here before, because there is a picture of one in the estate agents info about the house!


    what is standard?!
  • TheSaint_2
    TheSaint_2 Posts: 1,011 Forumite
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    I can understand the OP's point of view - but the OP has made a standard mistake...

    I guess you could try selling it on ebay.
  • Hintza
    Hintza Posts: 19,420 Forumite
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    Easily solved take the window out.
  • dellbell
    dellbell Posts: 50 Forumite
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    OP have you ever wondered why people walk around furniture shops measuring things ? or why IKEA gives out free paper measuring tapes ? its not to check there shoe size ill tell you that.
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