DFS Sofa Arrived Damaged

stevieweevie

I bought a DFS suite (Odessa Leather in Pebble and Mocha Brown) 12 weeks ago which duly arrived today when they said it would. I have bought it on 'interest free' and don't have to pay anything for the first 12 months.

The sofa, 2 chairs and footstool were all well packed with loads of wrapping around them. The delivery drivers brought them in and unwrapped them in front of me.

Unfortunately, the wooden base of the sofa IS SNAPPED IN HALF and the sack-like cloth (don't know what it is called, sorry) stapled underneath the sofa was also hanging loose (due to the snapped base) but with other rips over the cloth as well! I wanted it taken away but the driver said that I cannot return it. He told me that DFS will call out and repair it!

He phoned DFS and then DFS phoned me back to advise a rep will come out on Monday (9/11/09) to assess the damage and then arrange for it to be repaired in my home.

Also the Odessa footstool is NOT Pebble but a lighter Cream colour! I don't mean to sound picky but putting the footstool next to a chair you can see the difference. It beggars belief!

This cost me £1800 in total and I am very unhappy having to accept it damaged. It says on the DFS website that it comes with a free 5 year frame guarantee - I would have liked to be able to sit on it first before having to use the guarantee.

I don't want it repaired - I want a new one (with a matching footstool!). Have I got any rights? I read on another forum somewhere that in the DFS contract, there is a clause saying that you are not covered under some consumer act which makes me wonder how they are allowed to trade.

Any help you can provide me with before my meeting with DFS next week would be appreciated

Finch

Somebody will be able to advise you on consumer rights better than I, but I wanted to offer my sympathies. A similar sitation happened to me 2 years ago when DFS delivered a faulty sofa to me. The delivery driver told me I had no choice but to accept the sofa, and a 'repair' would be arranged.

Now I was mightily !!!!ed off, and refused to sign for the faulty goods, telling him I had paid for new goods, not faulty goods. He became very verbally abusive, and I was extremely intimidated- thankfully my husband was in the house at the time, and the delivery man (after much swearing and ranting- from him, not me!) had no choice but to remove the faulty sofa. What swung it was when I (in front of him) called my credit card and told them I would not authorise any payment due to having received faulty goods. I was even visited by the store manager the next day, berating me for my "silliness" and urging me to accept the sofa, while they sent a repair man out.

I realise this is a bit too late in your situation, but it is a shame you accepted the goods- did you sign for them? I would now contact Trading Standards (consumer direct, I think), and ask their advice. I would also contact the credit company and tell them you tried to refuse acceptance of the sofa, but were given no option by the delivery driver. Do NOT accept a repair. If you had wanted damaged goods, I'm sure you would have bought a second hand sofa from ebay. You bought and paid for NEW sofa, which ought to be fit for purpose.

Personally, I would push for collection of the damaged goods, get a refund/cancellation of the credit agreement, and buy your sofa from anywhere but DFS. I will never go near them again!!

Finch

Oh and another thing. I would refuse to discuss anything with DFS on the phone. From now on, write (posted letter, not email) to them and CC the letter to the head office (googlable, I imagine) and trading standards.

Whatever you do, don't deal with them without written proof of what has been arranged. I would also be ask trading standards to accompany you to the meeting with them (I had huge help from TS several years ago re. a faulty Comet purchase- the man came with me to the store!!)

cremegg

That's shocking!!!!!!!

talulahbeige_2

I would speak to Trading standards and consumer direct ASAP. They will tell you your rights. There is also a furniture ombudsman who you can then be refered to if your still not happy.
As the furniture is less than 6mths old you have every leg to stand on. Don;t try and bluff them though, they know the law inside and out so make sure you read up on the slae of goods act. You should also be covered via your credit agreement, this isnt supplied by DFS (black horse i think).
I'm afraid the worst thing you could have done was sign the delivery note but I can understand how intimidating they can be.
You are well within your rights to demand a brand new replacement item. Keep at them but prepared to be messed around. We did and we eventually won and they replaced a faulty chair that was just over a year old. They arent allowed to inconvenince you either so we insisted they came out after 5pm on a Friday to look at the faulty chair and the manager soon agreed to what we wanted so he didnt have to visit on a Friday night!

The_Pedant

Did you actually sign for the goods when delivered?

I would explore the possibility of 'rejecting' the goods under the provisions of the Sale of Goods Act (suggest you read up on section 34 & 35 of the Sale of Goods Act).

You clearly indicated to the driver that you wanted the goods taken away, & it might possibly be argued that you attempted to reject them at that point, but were denied?

Consumer Direct may be able to advise better on whether it may be reasonable to allow them to repair an item of that value, or whether you should be allowed to reject outright.

stevieweevie

Thank you to Finch, Talulahbeige and The Pedant for your advice.

I looked at the Trading Standards website and it gave a link to Consumer Direct Wales so I called them. They were very helpful and explained that I should write a letter to DFS and also told me what I had to say in the letter regarding the Sale of Goods Act 1979. I did this and sent it by recorded delivery on Monday 9th November.

In the meantime the DFS rep came out on Monday 9th November to repair the sofa. I told him I was rejecting it so he packed up his tools and left.

Within an hour, DFS called to say that they would be collecting the sofa on Thursday 12th November!!! This was BEFORE they received my letter so I can only assume that the DFS rep could see it was badly damaged. I didn't expect them to remove it from my house so quickly.

jimmylees

I just cannot trust these so called "bigger" retailers.

I bought my sofa from an independent retailer near me and bought a footstool from http://www.footstools2u.co.uk/ Both great quality and both from independent retailers.

I just find that these people do take a lot more pride and care in there work.

stevieweevie

Thanks jimmylees.

I have now bought a new sofa from a local Welsh department store which is over £500 more than the DFS one but will be delivered in 4 weeks so I have something to sit on for Christmas!

I have not bought a footstool from them however as they are ridiculously on the large side these days and would leave no room in the living room! Thanks for the link to the footstool people - I have looked at their website and thank goodness they have 'normal' size footstools!

kiddy_guy

DFS - everyone knows this means "damaged from supplier".

They are rubbish - I would not touch them with a bargepole.

ant2p

:j D F S sofas, I have started a claim in the small claims court this week! and set trading standards onto them as well, to try and get my £2000 sofas sorted out.
I also hade great fun picketing the store in hull and got a good responce from the public.
The manager rang today to say they wanted to get it sorted out as quick as possible, I had promised to be out side the store all this week end, and I think they are finally getting the message! [ court cost me £95 to put in motion, but I will get it back if I win.] I feel good already.