HELP! Dry-cleaners have shrunk my LK Bennett coat!

Floss

As the title says, my regular dry cleaners have shrunk the silk LL Bennett coat I bought for my son's wedding lat September. I was going to take it to a local dress agency to sell on, and thought it would be better freshened up beforehand as it was rather warm on the day. I picked it up today, and the hem is now 1/2" above the hem of the lining 3/4 of the way around, plus the lining is showing on both sleeves.

How do I approach the cleaners? We've never had any problems before, the coat was cleaned before the wedding and has its fabric & care labels in so I'm not sure what has gone wrong...

Tiddlywinks

You'd be better posting on the Consumer Rights board:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=173

Floss

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

You'd be better posting on the Consumer Rights board:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=173

TBH I looked on there, but it all seems to be about refund rights, purchaser rights & how to get a new tumble dryer.

Tiddlywinks

Floss wrote: »

TBH I looked on there, but it all seems to be about refund rights, purchaser rights & how to get a new tumble dryer.

No, that is the right board as consumer law is relevant to the purchase of services as well as goods.

Have you approached the dry cleaner to make a claim on their insurance?

That's your first port of call.

fuddle

Hey floss.

I would go back to the dry cleaners with your coat. Although dry cleaning machines are pretty much computerised there is a technical knack involved in machine care. A rubbish dry cleaner with a poorly maintained machine can cause problems. I have known dry cleaners to wash cold silk if there's little else in the load colour (and loads of darker stuff needed in the dry cleaner)

Does it smell like it could have been washed?

Also could it have been pressed to within an inch of it's life? Could it be that the altering of how it hangs could be down to the pressing process. With silk it's likely that the lining would have taken the weight and heat of the steam plate on the pressing table, in order to press the silk without applying direct pressure. That's as clear as mud, I know. Sorry, I know what I'm trying to say.

There's visual altering of the jacket after cleaning. Get it back there ASAP. Any dry cleaner worth their salt would look for problems before submitting the garment for cleaning to cover their back. If they haven't done that then it's a given, to me at least, that it went in fine. Any shrinkage when following the care labels is down to the dry cleaner to rectify. It won't fix your coat but you are well within your rights to submit a claim for compensation. I hope it's speedy and stress free. Don't back down floss. They have ruined your coat by not doing something correctly. HTH

Floss

Thanks Fuddle :wave:

I went back last night, the dry cleaning is done off site so am to expect a call today from the manager.