When is a small double 4' bed not a 4' small double bed?

b8210504

Answer: When it is a Mattressman small double 4' bed that is actually 4'8" with a 4' mattress!

I bought a mattress from mattressman.co.uk to replace my son's single bed.

Through lack of space in his room, we only had just over 4' width to fit the new bed in to. Therefore, we ordered the 'Small Double 4' bed' which came as a bundle with a mattress. For £179 - bargain!

The bed arrived very promptly, a few weeks before my son returned home from Uni. To stop him falling into a student's life when on holiday (loafing about etc!), we had him assemble the bed. Now imagine my shock when I got a phone call at work, from my son, saying that the bed was too big. I measured the bed when I got home and, sure enough, the bed-head was 4'10" and the narrowest part of the bed frame was 4'8"! The mattress was, however, 4'!

I contacted Mattressman's customer services and explained their mistake and sent them photos. Their reply was to say that the 'Small Double 4' bed' was actually 4'5", and that this was shown in the description of the bed as being 134cm.

Now, I don't know about you folks, but if I bought a 'Small Double 4' Bed' I would expect it to be 4'! And also, having asked around, how many of you would know that 134cm was not 4' (off the top of your heads).

The customer services manager just kept repeating her mantra: That the measurement was in the description and that the 7" gap between the mattress and side of the bed (3.5" on either side) was within "acceptable tolerances" and refused a refund, exchange, or even allow me to return it to them as it was over the 7 Days Returns period.

So where does this leave me? I have a bed frame that it much too big for the room, and a mattress that is much too small for the frame!

Any suggestions?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Richard

shaun_from_Africa

I've just had a look at the website, and the bed I looked at (sweet dreams) doesn't have any dimensions in cm.
Other models do have metric measurements shown but even these are only available after you've clicked on the "small double (4') tab.

If their small doubles can be 4'6", why do they then have a separate category for doubles (4'6")?

Personally I would contact them again and ask them to supply a contact name for someone in their legal dept as you are going to contacting Trading standards about this as having 2 different dimension shown for the same product is very misleading.
This may prompt them to change their mind.


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RadoJo

So does the mattress actually fit the frame snugly, or is there a significant gap between the edge of the mattress and the frame? You say there are 3.5 inches on both sides, but is that the actual frame width which contributes to its final size? I would expect a frame to be a few inches larger than the mattress all round, but I would have thought that it would be easy to make this clear on their website - could you post a link to the page that you bought from?

Pinkypants

Bed frames will nearly always be wider then the mattress. A 4'0 frame will fit a 4'0 mattress and will not necessary be the true width of the frame.

This is the case with almost all wood frame, metal one can be the same width as the mattress as the mattress sits "on" the side rails rather then "in" the side rails.

As for the gap around the mattress this will vary from frame to frame too. Some people like a big gap so you don't rip your knuckles off when folding the sheets under. Others like a tight fit. However mattress can vary in size slightly too, a 4ft0 mattress may come in slightly at 4ft1 for example. This is down to machine to tolerances.

Your only address on the situation would be if you've had it for less then 7 days and return it under the DSR's. But reading your post it may be that you had it for longer then that.

d.ross_2

The sizes will refer to the size of mattress it takes. So if it takes a 4' mattress, and the frame is bigger than the mattress, then the frame will obviously be more than 4'.

However considering the fact that they don't publish the external dimensions, then a company that gives good customer service should really make an exception.

Try calling them again, and ask to speak to a manager, as they are more likely to be able to make these decisions.

The only base that is likely to fit would be a divan base. So ask if they could exchange it for one.

Pinkypants

Just re read your post, if the gap really is 3.5 inches either side of the mattress, they may have sent you a double (4ft6) by accident. What did the packaging say?

But even if they do swap it, as previously mention a 4ft0 frame will still be wider then 4ft0.

d.ross_2

Pinkypants wrote: »

Just re read your post, if the gap really is 3.5 inches either side of the mattress, they may have sent you a double (4ft6) by accident. What did the packaging say?

But even if they do swap it, as previously mention a 4ft0 frame will still be wider then 4ft0.

I wasn't sure about that. Does the OP mean that it is 3.5" from the outside of the mattress to the outside of the frame. Or if like you say it is the gap between the mattress and the inside of the frame, then you are right, it is a 4'6"....well spotted. :T

Auntie-Dolly

If you buy a 4' mattress and a 'frame' style bed then logically it will be larger. Can you ask them to exchange it for a divan style bed maybe?

splot_2

Presumably you purchased it from their website. If so wouldn't the Distance Selling Regulations apply?

shaun_from_Africa

Normally the DSR's would apply, but in this case there was a few weeks between buying the bed and assembling it.

The bed arrived very promptly, a few weeks before my son returned home from Uni. To stop him falling into a student's life when on holiday (loafing about etc!), we had him assemble the bed.

Flyboy152

splot wrote: »

Presumably you purchased it from their website. If so wouldn't the Distance Selling Regulations apply?

The DSRs cancellation period has expired. The SOGA may apply under the heading "misdescribed."