Debenhams Poor Service

cool_dude_2000

Just got to vent about the poor after sales services from Debenhams.

Ordered a super king size mattress, which was attempted to to be delivered three weeks later. Courier company insisted I had to sign a disclaimer absolving them of all responsibility for any damage caused.

The mattress ended up with a kink at the bottom due to the delivery guys forcing it up the stairs.

Tried to complain through Debenhams customer service who first tried to fob me off using the disclaimer that I signed. I insisted that the disclaimer did not relieve me of my statutory rights and they still had an obligation under SOGA. At any event, the disclaimer was with a courier company and not with Debenhams with whom I had a contract.

One week later, still waiting to hear back. I will pursue to the end and even take it to legal if necessary, but just annoying that their customer service is so incompetent and slow.

Fishingtime

Not really the delivery blokes fault if you order a king size mattress, and then they have to force it upstairs.
I often have to deliver mattress's that are too big for peoples stairways
If there is a kink in it then it is surely down to poor making of it

cool_dude_2000

Totally agree. SOGA is very clear in this instance - the responsibility lies with the retailer, Debenhams, to rectify the faulty item.

Money-Saving-King

cool_dude_2000 wrote: »

Totally agree. SOGA is very clear in this instance - the responsibility lies with the retailer, Debenhams, to rectify the faulty item.

What stairs was it carried up, to your front door or did you insist they carry it up stairs in you own home?

Pinkypants

I've helped deliver many a super king size mattress and sorry to say that in most house we've had to bend it/squeeze it to some degree in order to get it up the stairs. So my question is, was there anyway it could be delivered without the necessary bending of the mattress.

If not then no case to answer, if it could be delivered A ok then yes you have a case.

Pinkypants

Pinkypants wrote: »

I've helped deliver many a super king size mattress and sorry to say that in most house we've had to bend it/squeeze it to some degree in order to get it up the stairs. So my question is, was there anyway it could be delivered without the necessary bending of the mattress.

If not then no case to answer, if it could be delivered A ok then yes you have a case.

Bear in mind this product is 6ft wide by 6ft6 long and quite heavy.

cool_dude_2000

I didn't really insist on anything, I asked them to deliver to the bedroom upstairs as that was part of the service and I've ordered beds from them before. At any event I wasnt informed of the risks in taking it upstairs and its not stipulated in the Terms and Conditions anywhere.

I do consider the retailer has a legal responsibility under Sales of Goods Act as I have taken delivery of a faulty product not fit for purpose.

Pinkypants

You haven't answered the question, could the mattress physically get up the stairs without bending it?

If it couldn't then you are being unreasonable, because how else was it going to get up there?

If on the other hand you have plenty of room in your property to get a 6ft by 6ft6 by around 8 inch deep mattress upstairs without bending it, the delivery man mis handle it, then the shop is being unreasonable.

hollydays

They gave you a copy of the disclaimer? What does it say?
Presumably they warned you this could happen, that's why you signed the form!

cool_dude_2000

Even if it couldn't get up the stairs, it doesn't absolve the retailer from the Sales of Goods Act. I took receipt of a faulty and not fit for purpose item. For all i know, the fault was in the mattress before it even got off the truck.

By your logic, if my parcel is damaged by a courier forcing it through my insufficiently sized letter box then I am liable - which is completely bizarre.

The disclaimer I signed I was told was a generic 'you're responsible for any damage' waiver. I consider it unenforceable, not least because my contract was with Debenhams and not the courier, and it may even fall foul of Unfair Contract Terms Act.

Pinkypants

You still fail to answer the question, so therefore I assume that you don't wish to take any responsibility for the situation. Shame on you.

I'm 99% sure the mattress when it came off the van and arrived at your door step was NOT damaged in anyway.

But it was the forcing of the very large product into a smaller space that caused the damaged.

This situation is all about what is reasonable. I have left mattresses in a bad condition due to this very situation, only difference is we verbally tell the customer that the mattress may get damaged by squeezing it up a stair well. Customers normally responds by saying "it's got to go up there"

Even double mattresses in old cottages suffer this problem, let alone a 6 footer.

I feel you are being unreasonable about this situation. Is the mattress so badly damaged that you can't sleep on it?

I hope someone Debenhams comes out and looks at the stairs and then the size of the mattress and then makes an informed decision.