Office chair with inadequately designed backrest not fit for purpose - am I entitled to refund?

Olinda99

Have you contacted the company again and explained the problem? What did they say?

Exodi

jez9999 said:

1) It was repaired in the sense that they sent a replacement backrest.  I was able to fit it, but of course it came with the same weak plastic attachment that the first one had.

2) It was able to lock into place in several positions, but the problem of course was the plastic connection between the seat and backrest.

Manxman_in_exile said:

Did you try the chair before paying £800 for it?  I'd never buy something like an office chair without trying it out several times...

It was off the internet.  I very rarely find any opportunities to try these expensive chairs before buying them nowadays because everything is sold online.  Showrooms are few and far between, if they exist at all (for most office furniture companies).  If you have any tips as to how I'd be able to in future I'd like to hear them.

The chair was a high back office chair from Stuart Seating.  The page seems to have been taken down now but the archive of it is at: http://web.archive.org/web/20220808172419/https://www.stuartseating.com/spinekind-shop/High-Back-Ergonomic-Office-Chair/

And the current web address, where some chairs are still sold, is: https://homeofficeergonomics.co.uk/

I don't know if I'm just cynical but looking at stuartseating, I noticed that the company has been reported as dormant since 2017 (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08899337/filing-history)

jez9999

OK I've just received an email from them and to be fair he has agreed to refund me in full because of the chair failure, so fair dos to him.

Manxman_in_exile

jez9999 said:

... It was off the internet.  I very rarely find any opportunities to try these expensive chairs before buying them nowadays because everything is sold online.  Showrooms are few and far between, if they exist at all (for most office furniture companies).  If you have any tips as to how I'd be able to in future I'd like to hear them...

We bought our current office chair from a local independent office supplies shop.  They have a good range of kit at reasonable prices and they offer good customer service.  But they're a small firm and don't even have a website.  (Which I sometimes think is a good sign).

The previous chair we bought instore from the stationery branch of a local family department store.

I've had severe back problems over the last 40+ years and I would never buy anything I was going to sit on or lie on without trying it out in person first*.  And even then I'd still be reluctant to buy at a distance and would prefer to buy from somebody a couple of miles away who I can go and talk to if necessary.


* I'm constantly surprised by how uncomfortable and unsupportive so much modern living room furniture is.  Looks great but try sitting in the armchair or stretching out on the couch and be ready to be disappointed...

Manxman_in_exile

Alderbank said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

[Edit:  I'm also surprised an £800 chair would have a back supported by a plastic strut.  If it is plastic I'd suggest that's a built-in design flaw.]

Many plastics are extremely strong. I have often entrusted my life to nylon or kevlar ropes and structural components.

OP, to make progress it would be useful for you to reveal the retailer's name and especially the make and model of your chair.

Sorry - I should have made it clearer.  I'm going by the OP's description of the component as a "relatively weak piece of plastic" rather than as a stronger or reinforced synthetic material

jez9999

I don't know why they can't just always use metal for parts of a chair that are going to experience strain, anyway.  I'd be willing to pay extra for it, especially on expensive chairs.

MattMattMattUK

jez9999 said:

I don't know why they can't just always use metal for parts of a chair that are going to experience strain, anyway.  I'd be willing to pay extra for it, especially on expensive chairs.

Metal of various kinds can fail earlier than plastic under strain, it is horses for courses in terms of the right material for the job. Steel or aluminium is not ideal in a place where it will be subjected to repeated flexing, pressure pulls against rivets etc. in those cases plastics if used correctly can perform better. For a major rigid load bearing structural component then a metal would likely work better.

deannagone

I wonder if you might have been better off with a chair that can actually recline?  Because of my physical problems, I have one of these myself.  In actual fact, I bought a reclining armchair that is quite high (seat) and sit at my desk in that.  Had to lower the desk a couple of inches and put a cushion on the chair, but I am more comfortable than I have ever been when I spend long hours at my desk. If my back gets too uncomfortable, I can just recline it and stretch it out for a while.  Works wonders.

I went through a few chairs and lots of thinking before I hit on the solution that worked.  And lol, it didn't cost £800 but still looks very smart and is very comfortable in spite of all the aches and pains my body sees fit to serve up lol. I've actually slept in it a few times when my body is not co-operating.I wanted the extra padding an armchair rather than a desk chair could and does provide.  Its reduced my discomfort levels to almost nothing.

Your chair might be ergonomic, but still not actually meet your needs.Its breaking because you are straining parts of it its not built for, so I'd suggest its not meeting your needs.

I suppose an alternative, once repaired, is to get back and seat cushions so there's some give in the chair without the chair having to give it.

Unfortunately, finding a comfortable desk chair can be a long process.  I did consider one with a sliding seat myself (most chairs are too deep for me to be comfortable) but very happy with the solution I found.

born_again

deannagone said:desk chair can be a long process.  I did consider one with a sliding seat myself (most chairs are too deep for me to be comfortable) but very happy with the solution I found.

Will echo that. We have to use occupational health outsourced co to come & fit a chair to suit us when we have issues. The amount of measurements they take are amazing. But the results are very good, once they set your chair up for you.