Dodgy Mattress

TheHead

Hi guys,

First time post here, so go easy!

Last February, I purchased a brand new mattress from Benson Beds in Aberdeen.
It was a "Singapore Luxury Supreme Mattress", costing me in excess of £500 (and was reduced from around £900!).

For the first few months, the mattress was great, but over the last two or three, it has developed very deep indentations where both myself and my girlfriend sleep.

I have spoken with their Customer Services people, who tell me that, as it is outwith the 1 year warranty, they can and will do nothing about it as "settlement" is expected in a mattress.
I told the lass I spoke to that, I agree there would be some sort of settlement in the mattress, but for such a supposedly luxurious item, the state it was in was abysmal.

Unfortunately, I was told that there was nothing they will do about it and I am now left with an expensive mattress which gives me, sometimes severe, back pain.

After asking, I was given the name and address for the Managing Director of the company, to send a letter and, hopefully, take things further.

Does anyone have any advice for the best action to take?

I am not accepting that a supposed luxury mattress is now almost unusable after only one year (it is only slept in between 11pm and 5.30am - 6 hours per night) and that it is giving me such bad back pain.

Failing any suitable response from the company, I am more than willing to see a solicitor about this.

Any advice / help would be most appreciated.

Many thanks

maninthestreet

Some pictures may help.

TheHead

On here, or to the company?

I have already sent pictures to them (honestly, the matress looks like waves!), but they still insist that this is "normal settlement" in the mattress

barginunter

Are you sure that it isn't one of those mattresses that you must turn every so often. We turn ours about once a fortnight.

TheHead

The mattress, as with the sheets, are changed every fortnight.

I have just spoken with the insurance company (i took out extra insurance on the item) and they have told me that since the problem began within the maufacturer's warranty, they cannot / will not do anything either.

I am now in limbo - neither the company who sold it or the insurance company are willing to me with this problem.

Looks like my only option is to talk to the solicitor.....

Arthurian

Before you go to a solicitor, which might cost more than a new mattress, how about phoning your local trading standards department, and complaining that you suspect the mattress is not "of merchantable quality" - i.e., not fit for purpose? Maybe they would be able to give you a definition of how long a mattress such as yours should reasonably be expected to last. If not, they might have some relevant and free advice.

aliasojo

Trading standards will tell you to commission an independent report. Been there...decided it wasn't worth the hassle and vowed never to buy from the same company again.

Nile

Hello TheHead

Welcome to the MSE site.:wave:

I'll move your thread to the 'Praise, Vent & Warnings' board.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

Regards

Nile

TheHead

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Yeah, just so I can say I have, I will give trading standards a call, just to see where I stand on this problem.

I can't believe that neither the company themselve or the insurance company are willing to help.

Tim_Deegan

The mattress is made by Sealy, and contains their Posturetech spring system. This is a continuous spring system that most manufacturers have stopped using due to it being very unreliable and noisey. The Silentnight group (which includes Sealy) are one of the companies who still use it, and it is called the Miracoil system in Silentnight mattresses.

The manufacturers are obliged to pay towards the cost of replacement or repair of any item which is within it's design life. A mattress which they claim to be worth over £900 :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:would be expected to have a design life of at least 5 years. So don't delay in contacting trading standards. And don't forget to tell Bensons in writing that you have reported the matter.

Good luck!!!

TheHead

Thanks very much for that reply, Tim.

Very interesting read.

I have contacted Consumer Direct who say they will be contacting Trading Standards regarding this issue - I was told that the least I should expect should be either a replacement or a refund.....all I want is a decent night's kip! lol

Hopefully this will get sorted out without the need for legal action.

Thanks again