Oak Furniture Land

oligopoly

Hi all,

We have recently spent a little over £2,000 to kit out our bedroom at our new house. We bought 2x wardrobes, a chest of drawers, dressing table and 2x bedside tables. We measured the room to ensure it would all fit...

Fast forward to this Wednesday's delivery and the driver couldn't fit the wardrobe up the stairs! It's a normal sized house and so we were left a little puzzled and very disappointed that it wouldn't fit. We really wanted all of the new furniture to match and so chose to send it all back.

OFL are ready to refund us our payment less their £350 return fee (I think it's £100 per wardrobe and then £50 spread across the other items). I'm a reasonable person and can see why they'd want to retain some money for their trouble but £350 seems excessive.

What makes it more interesting is the driver told my wife that he had had 9 wardrobe deliveries so far this week and only 5 would fit! As the wardrobe doesn't disassemble, it's seems to be a known issue - you'd think they'd build this into their sales process by now. Or not...

I have spoken to them a couple of times since but they're sticking to their T&C guns, which is fair enough I guess. I just thought I would ask on here in case anyone has any history in negotiating these charges. I appreciate it's not their fault the wardrobes won't fit but I don't feel we were made aware of the consequences (these charges). Thanks in advance.

Grenage

It's unfortunate, but given that it was your responsibility to check it would fit, it's not unreasonable.

oligopoly

If it were a £1,000 return charge, would that be acceptable? Surely OFL must know it's extremely difficult to measure a large 3D shape pivoting and rotating at various angles as it goes up the stairs and past the banister?! :-)

saverbuyer

oligopoly wrote: »

If it were a £1,000 return charge, would that be acceptable? Surely OFL must know it's extremely difficult to measure a large 3D shape pivoting and rotating at various angles as it goes up the stairs and past the banister?! :-)

What does OFL's terms and conditions state?

oligopoly

The T&Cs are emailed through after the transaction. I was asked to sign a sheet twice in the showroom by the sales chap who referred to it as 'the usual legal bore'. Had they pointed out it would cost £350 to return the lot then I think we would have raced home and tried to construct a shape the same size to test it out!

Chanes

Crikey, that is harsh! I wouldn't have thought it cost anything like that much! No comfort to you at all but thanks for sharing.

phil24_7

Ignore what was sent after as that is not your contract. What matters is what you signed in the shop when the transaction occurred.

Oakdene

oligopoly wrote: »

The T&Cs are emailed through after the transaction. I was asked to sign a sheet twice in the showroom by the sales chap who referred to it as 'the usual legal bore'. Had they pointed out it would cost £350 to return the lot then I think we would have raced home and tried to construct a shape the same size to test it out!

What was on the sheet of paper which you signed?

The T&Cs you were emailed are almost meaningless.

oligopoly

phil24_7 wrote: »

Ignore what was sent after as that is not your contract. What matters is what you signed in the shop when the transaction occurred.

Agreed; odd that the customer service reps keep referring to it...

I don't have a copy of what I signed in the shop, however. I feel stupid for not taking the time to read it, but even if i had starting reading the huge essay I might not have seen these figures.

oligopoly

After a couple of long phone-calls I've settled on a reduced returns charge of £175 (50%). I'm still a little annoyed but understand where they're coming from. Posting this in case it helps anyone else in the future.

daveyjp

Close shave, it could be the best £175 you ever spent.

See other threads about the poor quality furniture they produce and their reluctance to do anything about it when their furniture arrives damaged or falls apart under nothing more than gravity.

Find a decent UK manufacturer, plenty out there.