Returning Damaged Goods - Deconstruction and Packaging

The_Real_Matt_Dunn

We have recently taken delivery of some garden furniture, which after construction we found to be both damaged, and have obvious manufacturing defects.

After some negotiations with the retailer, we have decided to return the goods.

However, the retailer has asked us to:

• Accept a courier collect the goods on Monday to Friday. We work during the week, and would require to take a holiday for this to occur. Can they mandate this, or can we force them to collect on a Saturday? Or pay for our losses?
• Deconstruct the furniture. It took two hours to construct, so would be an inconvenience to spend another two deconstructing. Can they force us to do this?
• Return in the original packaging. I am pretty sure there is no legal obligation for us to provide the original packaging, but do we have to provide some alternative packaging? Or can we ask the retailer to send some with the courier?

Many thanks for you help people!

LilElvis

Did you pay extra for Saturday delivery when you ordered it?

[Deleted User]

I doubt any courier would accept fully constructed garden furniture (unless arranged in advance). Why have you disposed of the original packaging?

You need to get back to the retailer..

ARandomMiser

I think it is unfair to expect a customer to have to dismantle and place furniture back in tis original packaging. The deconstruction process could do more damage at which point the company could claim it was caused by the customer

JJ_Egan

Back to the retailer with the points you have posted and see what they say .

The_Real_Matt_Dunn

It wasn't until after construction that the defects were noticed.

The_Real_Matt_Dunn

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

I doubt any courier would accept fully constructed garden furniture (unless arranged in advance). Why have you disposed of the original packaging?

You need to get back to the retailer..

Because we have nowhere to store it.

[Deleted User]

The_Real_Matt_Dunn wrote: »

Because we have nowhere to store it.

Storing it should not have been an issue, because you only had to keep it until such time as you completed assembly of the product!

ARandomMiser wrote: »

The deconstruction process could do more damage at which point the company could claim it was caused by the customer

Obviously photos of the assembled product can be taken to prove this was not the case.

As already stated, it's for the convenience of the courier uplifting the offending item. However, while I'm certain such an uplift can be negotiated, the OP has no particular right to this.

Silver-Surfer_2

The_Real_Matt_Dunn wrote: »

It wasn't until after construction that the defects were noticed.

So what are the defects?