Faulty Xmas Lights - Burnt Sofa!

-Jonski-

Hi All,

A few days ago, my elderly parents started using some Christmas tree lights they bought from B&M Bargains this January. From my understanding they were okay the first couple of times they were switched on, but after their most recent use, the plastic box attached to the cable melted and burnt a holE through their sofa arm almost causing a fire.

I have images of the damage HERE: Imgur DOTCOM /a/AY4sA (Can't post links as a newbie)

Worth noting, they always switch them off at night or when they leave the house etc, this happened while they were in the room! My mum noticed they were off for some reason and then saw the damage.

Obviously my parents are quite distressed after this, so they've been back into store, who were pretty unhelpful and suggested contacting head office OR getting a refund and "ending it there."

The sofa is ruined and I have no idea where they stand as consumers.

Unfortunately, they have no receipt for the lights and they think they paid in cash for them. (The lights are covered in B&M stickers however).

They do have a receipt for the £399 sofa which they'd want to get replaced/repaired.

What can we do here? Any advice is much appreciated!

unholyangel

How old is the sofa? Did the lights have any warnings about not placing them on upholstery or the likes?

wealdroam

-Jonski- wrote: »

Hi All,

A few days ago, my elderly parents started using some Christmas tree lights they bought from B&M Bargains this January. From my understanding they were okay the first couple of times they were switched on, but after their most recent use, the plastic box attached to the cable melted and burnt a holE through their sofa arm almost causing a fire.

I have images of the damage HERE: Imgur DOTCOM /a/AY4sA (Can't post links as a newbie)

Worth noting, they always switch them off at night or when they leave the house etc, this happened while they were in the room! My mum noticed they were off for some reason and then saw the damage.

Obviously my parents are quite distressed after this, so they've been back into store, who were pretty unhelpful and suggested contacting head office OR getting a refund and "ending it there."

The sofa is ruined and I have no idea where they stand as consumers.

Unfortunately, they have no receipt for the lights and they think they paid in cash for them. (The lights are covered in B&M stickers however).

They do have a receipt for the £399 sofa which they'd want to get replaced/repaired.

What can we do here? Any advice is much appreciated!

Firstly, before B&M need to do anything you need some proof of purchase. As you have no receipt and paid in cash, I think it is pretty safe to say that you have reached the end of the road.

The goods being marked 'B&M' is no proof that the thing was bought from them. For example, and I am sure this isn't the case, but the lights could've been picked out of a skip at the recycling centre - thrown there because they were faulty.

Even if you had proof of purchase, the seller is entitled to ask you to prove that the goods are inherently faulty. That is to say that the problem is due to a manufacturing issue, or design issue, that was present at the time of sale.

Every where I have said 'you' I do of course mean your parents.

arcon5

Problem is they'd have to proof the item was inherently faulty

PasturesNew

Link to image: http://imgur.com/a/AY4sA

BykerSands

What were they doing on the sofa?

LilElvis

Judging by the wiring these look like battery operated lights. Could well be that the batteries were the cause rather than the lights.

whitegoods_engineer

Elderly parents - irrelevant. Burnt a hole? - Well minor singe marks. Almost caused a fire? - Plastic deformed, didn't burst into flames so didn't nearly cause a fire then!

Descriptions are always so dramatic on here!

Cheap Chinese lights from a discount shop. Caveat emptor!

Keep_pedalling

It looks like having the transformer wedged in the corner of the sofa has been a contributory factor to its over heating. These things should not sit on a carpet let alone a sofa, so I don't think they have a case for compensation for the damage caused.

On a positive note I would have thought a competent upholsterer could do a pretty good repair job on the sofa avoiding the expense of buying a new one.

splishsplash

It is precisely for reasons such as this that throw cushions were invented .

Tony69

BykerSands wrote: »

What were they doing on the sofa?

That's rather a personal question?