Bought a HOUGHTON GLAMOUR sofa online - IT'S FALLING TO BITS --HELP!!!!

cx6

Foam would not displace like that - it looks like fibre filling. Unless of course the foam has completely disintegrated. 

Anyway, you don't "plump up" foam.

Alderbank

The website says it has a foam filling rather than fibre, which I thought was odd as there is clear displacement occurring and only ever known foam to be solid blocks

Foam would not displace like that - it looks like fibre filling.

In view of the above, this (2020) critical review of that same sofa is very interesting. It seems that the OP's problem is not unique:
https://www.reviewcentre.com/furniture/next_sofa-review_14099255

“NEXT HOUGHTON SOFA ”

Written on: 21/06/2020
Do not buy this sofa. Like other people on this site the cushions on what should have been a 4 seater sofa have collapsed. They are filled with fibre when they should have been filled with foam. I complained to NEXT within 30 days of buying the sofa which cost 1700 POUNDS. A guy came down and weighted the largest cushion which was sagging on one side. He told me it was the right weight and met the specification on the cushion. I told him the specification was wrong. He said no it was as stated. He was apparently an upholsterer by trade - and had to acknowledge that the cushion on the chaise part of the sofa wasn't right...

Robbo66

Manxman_in_exile said:

I agree 100% with pinkshoes above.

That sofa is clearly not fit for purpose.  No cushions should look like that no matter what "normal" use they've had.  And the suggestion that the OP should need to plump the cushions more regularly - or that they aren't plumping them at all - are utterly ludicrous

Not as ludicrous as you might think, cushions that are stuffed with blown fibre need to be plumped everyday otherwise they start to look poor very quickly and that's why I now always pay the extra for foam so as to avoid this.

looking at the OPs photo he doesn't appear to have plumped the cushion once hence why all the filling is down one end 

Manxman_in_exile

Alderbank said:

The website says it has a foam filling rather than fibre, which I thought was odd as there is clear displacement occurring and only ever known foam to be solid blocks

Foam would not displace like that - it looks like fibre filling.

In view of the above, this (2020) critical review of that same sofa is very interesting. It seems that the OP's problem is not unique:
https://www.reviewcentre.com/furniture/next_sofa-review_14099255

“NEXT HOUGHTON SOFA ”

Written on: 21/06/2020
Do not buy this sofa. Like other people on this site the cushions on what should have been a 4 seater sofa have collapsed. They are filled with fibre when they should have been filled with foam. I complained to NEXT within 30 days of buying the sofa which cost 1700 POUNDS. A guy came down and weighted the largest cushion which was sagging on one side. He told me it was the right weight and met the specification on the cushion. I told him the specification was wrong. He said no it was as stated. He was apparently an upholsterer by trade - and had to acknowledge that the cushion on the chaise part of the sofa wasn't right...

Again it's obvious that there is something wrong with that sofa.

But then I can't understand why anyone would buy a sofa or chair with cushions that need "plumping".  That's an immediate warning signal to me that it's going to be uncomfortable to sit on most of the time and will have zero support.

It's like an awful hotel mattress where they think soft = comfort.

(They probably have them in the Travelodge in Aberdeen... )

MalMonroe

In 2007 we moved to a new property and bought two sofas from M&S. It was their sale and they came with a free 'pouffe' as they insisted on calling it. The whole lot cost £850. We have used them daily and they are still going well today. I felt that they were quality items when we bought them and still think that today. I'm proud of our sofas! (And pouffe). There was a 10 year guarantee.

There have been some bad reviews of M&S furniture but I'd buy from there again, I can't fault them. 

There has been no plumping. There has been turning and swapping around so that all the cushions have equal wear but definitely no plumping.

Sandtree

Manxman_in_exile said:

Alderbank said:

The website says it has a foam filling rather than fibre, which I thought was odd as there is clear displacement occurring and only ever known foam to be solid blocks

Foam would not displace like that - it looks like fibre filling.

In view of the above, this (2020) critical review of that same sofa is very interesting. It seems that the OP's problem is not unique:
https://www.reviewcentre.com/furniture/next_sofa-review_14099255

“NEXT HOUGHTON SOFA ”

Written on: 21/06/2020
Do not buy this sofa. Like other people on this site the cushions on what should have been a 4 seater sofa have collapsed. They are filled with fibre when they should have been filled with foam. I complained to NEXT within 30 days of buying the sofa which cost 1700 POUNDS. A guy came down and weighted the largest cushion which was sagging on one side. He told me it was the right weight and met the specification on the cushion. I told him the specification was wrong. He said no it was as stated. He was apparently an upholsterer by trade - and had to acknowledge that the cushion on the chaise part of the sofa wasn't right...

Again it's obvious that there is something wrong with that sofa.

But then I can't understand why anyone would buy a sofa or chair with cushions that need "plumping".  That's an immediate warning signal to me that it's going to be uncomfortable to sit on most of the time and will have zero support.

It's like an awful hotel mattress where they think soft = comfort.

(They probably have them in the Travelodge in Aberdeen... )

We bought a sofa (chesterfield) that needs plumping more than a fibre one would (its feather) but it was an active decision and the depressed look of the cushions is part of its aesthetic (obviously looks nothing like the OPs). In deed the company that sells it gives the three options of feather, foam or fibre with a graphic of a row of seats with a depression, a row squared off and a row bulging to show the impact of the different fillings and a note that fibre and feather need plumping.

Its a very different beast to the OP's but was never imagined to be the most comfortable thing in the world when bought (it is comfortable all the same) but some will buy things that need plumping. Pillows the same, we have goose down rather than foam with the same plumping requirement as a result.


The description on the Next website states:

Comfy is our priority

We’ll do everything we can to make you comfortable. Hardwood frames and supportive sprung bases are combined with high density seat foam and deep filled back cushions so you keep feeling comfy no matter how long you lounge. 

Ignore the argument over if its faulty or not, focus on the fact it is not as described... they sell it as high density foam seat but what they have provided is fibre.

Want2BeDebtFree

Hi Guys.

Original Poster [OP] here, back again.. 

So it has definitely "paid off" to complain to NEXT regarding the HOUGHTON COLLECTION sofa's.  Yesterday the first 4 "Newly Stuffed" cushions arrived (via Royal Mail).  [I have to wait till 11th Feb for the rest - so that is 12 cushions in total to be delivered,  and I've received 4 so far].

And all I can say is -- so far, so good!  Please see comparison pics below. 

The first thing I noticed was how much lighter the new cushions are.  I unzipped them all up, (new and old), and as you can see the OLD cushions are stuffed with bits of grated-up foam / shredded foam.  Looks like Grated Cheese. Whereas the new cushions (same as I sat on in the NEXT showroom), are stuffed with high density foam. I am just sitting on one now, and it is WORLDS AWAY from the "Shredded Foam" cushions regarding comfort. 

Must say a big thanks to the guy (on here) who said: (Quote): "Why do you want Memory Foam as that would mould into your bum".  Yes I never thought of that one!  So thanks for that tip. 

The BIG THING I have learned from this incident is that I did not do enough homework before purchasing.  The one I sat on in the NEXT showroom was definitely FOAM. (Not shredded).  So, looking back -- what I should have done (but never thought to) was to UNZIP the comfy cushion,  and take a pic of what was inside,  and then said to the Salesperson,  "So, will mine be exactly the same foam as this?  And can you guarantee that please -- before I go ahead and pay?"... I never did that.   I just ASSUMED it would be the same!  Bad assumption when you're buying something that should last out my lifetime... 

Anyway,  THANKS guys,  it is ALL sorted now!

I just feel VERY sorry for that other guy who put this Review on Review Centre --  https://www.reviewcentre.com/furniture/next_sofa-review_14099255 -, but never heard back from NEXT.  I hope he is reading this as maybe he can do what I did?   (Although I see his Review is from 2020, so it might be too late)  

P.S
Random Sequence Of Events for me was this. 
Feb 2021 - Tried out Sofa in NEXT showroom. 
March 2021 - Bought same sofa online with Credit Card.
May 2021 - Sofa was delivered.
Summer 2021 - Happy with Sofa
Sept 2021 - Sofa begins to sag quite drastically. 
Oct 2021 - Getting fed up with plumping up sofa every day. Sagging gets worse by the day
Oct 2021 - Complain via Email to NEXT. They say nothing they can do.
Oct 2021 - Persist in my complaints.
Nov 2021 - Put a 1-Star GOOGLE review online, & also a 1 Star TRUSTPILOT Review Online & copy in NEXT via Email
Jan 2021 - Next advise they have "spoken to a manager" and he says we can have them "Re-stuffed" and if we are NOT happy with the Re-stuffing - then we can "Go down the route of having a refund"
Jan 2021 - Put the story on here (Martin Lewis site)
Feb 2022 - Receivd the first 4 re-stuffed cushions, and am happy... 

Manxman_in_exile

Well done and thanks for letting us know.  As pinkshoes and I said before, it was obvious from your original photo that there was something wrong with it.

Corum_uk

Came across this thread today whilst doing my due diligence.
We went into our local Next over the weekend to sit on a Houghton corner sofa we liked from their website (£2.5k).
It seems these have two cushion options, which seems to tie in with the OP's description and photo's:
Firmer sit - a single piece of foam in each cushion
Relaxed sit - lots of small pieces of foam (as described by the salesperson, giving them a 'plumped up' feel
The relaxed sit is actually more expensive and was the only option available for the sofa configuration we liked.
Having read the problems encountered, and the need to constantly be 'dressing' the cushions, I think we'll continue our search elsewhere for now.

Ditzy_Mitzy

Late arrival, I know, but the Houghton settee advertises itself as a 'deep sit' and I can't help but wonder whether some of the issues were caused by the poor posture such a thing encourages one to adopt.  The settee is, apparently, 3'6" deep; it is impossible therefore, to sit on it in conventional fashion whilst receiving support from the back cushion.  If one desires that, it would be necessary to sit right back in the thing, which means the knees cannot be bent naturally to allow the feet to rest on the floor.  The only other options are to slouch or sprawl.  I tried a 'deep' armchair once in a furniture showroom and it was awful; I was forced to either perch on the edge of the seat like a child or lie back in it with my spine in a terrible position.  I'm not short, either.