Tent not fit for purpose, help!

gemmaleigh

I purchased a Berghaus Air 6XL in August 2018 online along with a carpet and groundsheet. 

Unfortunately due to the pandemic we only managed to use the tent a handful of times. Recently we noticed some tiny pin !!!!!! holes in the ceiling of the tent. I contacted Berghaus who advised, I needed to contact Blacks directly. Despite being told by Blacks that I needed to contact Berghaus.

When I explained the problem I was told this was a common fault and there would be something they could do. After some time I was told that they couldn't and to contact Customer Champions. 

I did this and they said they would try to arrange someone to repair. We have been waiting patiently for the details of the company repairing and upon chasing we have been told they cannot find anyone and there is nothing more they can do. 

Is there a retail ombudsman or anyone else I could contact? This tent is not fit for purpose.

theoretica

Do you really mean 2018?

Keep_pedalling

Buy some tent repair patches. The holes were not there the previous time you used the tent, and you are going to have a hard time showing that this is an inherent fault rather than damage caused by poor handling or storage.

Aylesbury_Duck

As above, it's three years old, so the onus is on you to prove a manufacturing fault or an inherent problem with the design or manufacture.

I'd repair it yourself.

Tokmon

gemmaleigh said:

I purchased a Berghaus Air 6XL in August 2018 online along with a carpet and groundsheet. 

Unfortunately due to the pandemic we only managed to use the tent a handful of times. Recently we noticed some tiny pin !!!!!! holes in the ceiling of the tent. I contacted Berghaus who advised, I needed to contact Blacks directly. Despite being told by Blacks that I needed to contact Berghaus.

When I explained the problem I was told this was a common fault and there would be something they could do. After some time I was told that they couldn't and to contact Customer Champions. 

I did this and they said they would try to arrange someone to repair. We have been waiting patiently for the details of the company repairing and upon chasing we have been told they cannot find anyone and there is nothing more they can do. 

Is there a retail ombudsman or anyone else I could contact? This tent is not fit for purpose.

It's funny how everyone blames the pandemic for everything these days. You had 18 months to use the tent from when you bought it until the first lockdown and then since the first lockdown there have been several periods when you could have used it including from April this year. So not really the pandemics fault it was only used a "handful of times". 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Given the cost of the tent (they seem to be £800) I would take this up with the retailer.

If you have anything in writing from Berghaus to confirm it's a common fault submit this to the retailer and request a repair, a replacement, a refund (which can be reduced to account for ownership) or a part refund to repair yourself/live with the issue. 

If they won't budge then send a letter before cation followed by small claims. 

maisie_cat

Where was the tent stored? If it was somewhere it might get hot regularly the coating may have perished, it happened to us with a TNF tent that we only used twice.