How long should a sofa last?

The_Deep

SOGA states that an article should last a reasonable time, but what is a reasonable time?

I bought two faux leather sofas for a rental property three and a half years ago for £650 from a well known furniture store.

A couple of months ago the fabric on the cushions of one of the sofa started to peel, the other sofa looks as good as new

I have no idea of the life expectancy of the artificial leather, but would expect it to last not less than six years, what do others think?

The shop where I bought the sofas is trying to wash their hands of the matter as it is "out of warranty". I have therefore sent them a copy of the article in "Which" dated February 2001 entitled "Passing the Buck".

I have asked for a 50% refund or that the recover the cushions, as I would expect a sofa to last not less than 6 years, am I being unreasonable

bris

Unfortunately, you have no consumer rights as this was for a rental property which puts it in the business to business bracket.

B2b is not covered by any warranty either unless explicitly implied in the contract so in this case your wasting your time.

neilmcl

Also, for any remedy to apply you would have to proof that the fault is inherent to manufacture. Give that they've been used in a rental property I'd argue that you'd be hard-pressed in proving that it isn't down to wear & tear.

AnnieO1234

As above re b2b, however if you were a consumer it would be down to you to commission a report that proves the fault to be inherent.

Fwiw, one faux leather sofa for £325, I wouldn't expect to last longer than a couple of years without some major wear to it.

Take this one on the chin and either buy sort cheap ikea removable cover sofas or buy something top of the line. One of my suites is real leather from a high end store and cost several thousand pounds. It's fifteen years old or more now and still going strong. You get what you pay for

X

OlliesDad

bris wrote: »

Unfortunately, you have no consumer rights as this was for a rental property which puts it in the business to business bracket.

B2b is not covered by any warranty either unless explicitly implied in the contract so in this case your wasting your time.

I was under the impression that the opposite was true - the terms of SOGA still apply, but the retailer can contract out of them. Also, a business can still be a consumer if the goods purchased are ones normally purchased by a consumer (I think this is covered under UCTA).

The_Deep

Oh dear, two conflicting views, I fear that I shall have to plough through SOGA and UCTA.

pinkshoes

Faux leather is essentially plastic, so will crack with age. How long they last will depend on what the faux leather is made from.

3.5 years for a well used sofa in a rental (assuming the worn one is the one sat on the most) is probably a reasonable time.