NEXT bed broken within 4 months of purchase.. advice please...

ihategossips

I bought a double slated base bed from Next (Ex Display) on 22nd July 2011. Just over two weeks ago the central support snapped and the screws holding the central support to the end panel bent. I went into the Next store where I purchased the bed and brought the screws with me and was told to contact their Customers Services. I contacted Next by phone despite being in the shop where I bought it and they advised a company would come out to do a temp fix and report while they determined what could be done.
This was done and the man who visited said that they would most likely provide a new central support as this had snapped and end panel as the screws had bent causing damage to it when the central support snapped. The temp fix was put in place - lots of screws bassically.
I have just received a letter from Next saying that there was no manufacturing fault found but they thanked me for giving them the opportunity to double check the bed! They have not offered any compensation or replacement of parts which broke. They have not admitted that the support had snapped in the middle but have just said that the centre rail had pulled away from the footboard fixings.

Obviously I'm disgusted that they are not taking responsibility for the bed breaking within 4 months of my purchase. I do not share the bed with anyone so it's not as if it has had a substantial amount of weight on it at any time...

I'm shocked at how they considered the bed breaking within this time as acceptable.
Can anyone advise what I can do or expect them to do to resolve this as this is not a perm fix just a temp one. I have rang CS again and I'm now waiting for a Customer Services Manager to call me back.

Thanks all

tomwakefield

At 4 months, the onus is on them to prove it is not an inherent fault. I would expect (though I'm not certain) that you are entitled to see that report, otherwise they could just refuse to refund for everyone.

You could ask for the part back (after all, if they don't refund or replace it, it's still yours), then get an independent report done. If your report disagrees with theirs, you'll have a much stronger case. You'll have to pay with your report, but you can claim the cost of the report together with whatever amount is necessary to resolve the initial fault.

ihategossips

Thanks for the reply, I'll ask to see the report if Customer Services call me... though I think I'll be chasing before that happens. I threw the screws away as they weren't interested in looking at them when I brought them to the shop or when I spoke to the Customer services the day after it broke. I've read the info on Sales of Goods Act 1979 on here so I think I'll mention that to them and hopefully get replacment parts or a replacement bed.