My buggy is not safe but mothercare has said its fine (long post - sorry) pls read

RACHIE77

I bought a buggy from Mothercare in March (see here) and to start with everything seemed okay. However, I don't use it all that often but every time I have used it I am less and less impressed with it.

My main gripe is that the straps are two long for the harnesses - I have two babies (one boy who is 18 months and a 6 month old girl) and the shoulder harnesses are much too long to restrain my little boy in the front. No matter how hard I try I cannot shorten them so they are fitting him in a proper way... this seat is suitable from 6 months... I would not put my 6 months old in there!

The back seat has the same length straps and really don't offer any shoulder supprt at all, when the seat is in the upright position (it only has two positions - up or down) it is very upright and i dont feel it is safe.

My other gripe is how 'rikkety' the front wheels are, they are regularly twisting in odd angles, shaking with really fierce sudders, jolting all over the place and it is hard to get up a kerb. On Monday they twisted sideways causing the buggy to jar and tip up, with the added problem that my son wasn't adequatley strapped in (the straps had fallen down) I was really frightened when he was hanging out the front of the buggy!!

The last gripe is that my little girl is only 6 months old yet when she is in the back seat and i lay the front seat down her legs get trapped or have to curl them up... I am beginning to wish I never bought this buggy as it doesn't seem its going to last for much longer.

Had a major row with mothercare who insisted it was fine and the fact I probably have used the buggy on less than 20 occassions (maybe even less!) yet was told it was 'well used' (bought end of March 05) - they told me the buggy was fine yet I know its not. In the end they gave me their head offices number who did nothing more than phone back up the store.

I then got so infuriated that i walked back in the store and spoke to the manager asking him to write down the names of all the members of staff that i had spoken to who would GUARANTEE my childrens lives were not at risk because of this buggy and I was going to speak to the local papers about the fact mothercare dont give a !!!! about kids safety and after a long discussion he agreed to send it off for safety checking.

He then told me that the buggy was made by Graco and not mothercare yet it was branded as their own make (see here... This made me even more unhappy as I deliberatley had chosen to avoid buying a Graco buggy yet I had done so without being made aware as quite a few people I know have had problems with Graco's standards!!

The manager asked me if the buggy came back and that it 'adhered to saftey standards' then would I be happy?? And I said not really as I know its not safe!!

I dont really know what I should do - as is often highlighted by Wihch? reports whilst Graco products meet the minimum safety standards they don't always meet real testing requirements and I'm just bascially not happy - I'm sure this buggy will be the same quality as the other ones that Graco produce and feel that then I will be forced to bow down and accept that I've bought this buggy that doesn't meet my 'expectations' rather than 'standards' - Surely there are more more safety standards in place for our children than this?? :eek:

Any advice welcome!!!!!!

plotholder

Hi Rachie

my advice would be to back to m'care and tell them that unless they exchange it you will go to trading standards. have they seen the loosness of the straps when in use.

ask them if they will be willing to pay comp if either of your children are injured whilst in the buggy and do all of this in a VERY LOUD VOICE. shops don't like customers who complain loudly. i did this once in another shop and even asked the opinion of the lady behind me in the queue (felt sorry for her after) and they couldn't give me my money back quick enough.

if still no joy then contact trading standards and let them see the problem,

good luck and i hope it gets sorted before one of your babies is hurt.

xx

scooper

all i can say is keep on going back and speaking to the manager, ringing up head office and making complaints, just dont give up until you are satisfied.
this is something you could well do without with isnt it with 2 young children, i know myself(7 weeks, and a 3 yr old)
why should you have to put up with something when you are obviouly not happy without, what right has the manager got to say weather he thinks that the buggy is ok, he hasn't pushed it around the streets!
hope you get what you want out of this, sounds like a new or different buggy eh?
good luck, let us know how you get on.

RACHIE77

Thanks for taking the time to read my rant! I think I might write to Mothercare whilst the buggy is on for testing and tell them that I have since gone away and am very unhappy not just about the buggy but the way I have been treated...

Yes I very loudly exclaimed to the whole store about how mothercare didnt care about childrens safety - lol!

They could see how loose the straps were but aparantley this is standard on these buggies and the straps aren't actually designed to restrain a child - erm well what are they there for then?????

!!!!!!!!!!! thanks again!

elona

"The straps are not designed to restrain a child?????"

I would definately phone Trading Standards and tell them that little line as I am sure that they would be interested!

I would also write to the Director of the company pointing out the problem and the fact that this is being mentioned on MSE and actively discussed and read by potentially half a million people!

Good Luck and let us know how you get on.

Counting_Pennies_2

You could try looking at this, and seeing what they have to say. I think this is fairly new facility.

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

Good luck

trafalgar_2

Counting_Pennies wrote:

You could try looking at this, and seeing what they have to say. I think this is fairly new facility.

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

Good luck

great site for information ,thank you Counting_Pennies

RACHIE77

Thanks Elona (did you know that my Avatar is the new barbie called 'Elina' - very similar to ur name ) - they could see that the straps were loose and i was told the waist strap would suffice and the shoulder straps weren't really essential, or somthing along those lines??

I think I will write to mothercare and then wait and see whether they announce this buggy safe or not??

Oh yes and they also mentioned that even though my son is 18 months & the straps were big on him that it depends on the size of the child... He is walking, babbling and a genuine little monkey - erm I mean toddler.... My 6 month old baby who was laid in her car seat at the time was fairly obviously much smaller than him but they still argued it was dependant on the size of the child as 'all children are different' - I can't see the point myself as it was hardly as if I was arguing that the straps were too big for my daughter - I can't see there would be many 6 month old babies (which is was the front seat is suitable for) larger than my 18 month boy?? so what was their point exactly??

EDIT: p.s. thanks counting_pennies! I will check that out - looks like we cross posted!

filigree_2

I remember this clearly from when I worked in Health and Safety (as a secretary tbh but I picked up a lot!).

When something like a kettle or buggy passes the British Safety Standard it means that the DESIGN has passed the standards, not the individual item. It is still perfectly possible for an individual item to be unsafe even if it has a BS sticker (or something equivalent to BS).

This came up when my boss sued for damages when a thermos flask broke and scalded his daughter. They tried to fob him off with excuses about it passing British Standards and they messed with the wrong bloke - he was able to quote chapter and verse on the law that the flask was unfit for its intended purpose. He did have the advantage of ordering all the relevant paperwork through our expenses

If the straps don't restrain the children safely then they are not fit for their purpose. I think your best bet is to contact Trading Standards at the council.

jenpoptab

As a mum I can see why you are annoyed. Fight your corner, threaten watchdog, trading standards, local newspaper/baby magazine and I'm sure you will get somewhere.

If you still have to use buggy in meantime strap reigns to front straps, it works wonders for keeping my 2 year old strapped in & she can't try to unbuckle as clasp is at back of her.

Good luck.

RACHIE77

Thanks everyone, at least i know i'm not going potty (scuse the pun!) will let you know what they come back with and then if its a lame answer then hopefully this advice will help me get things sorted!!

Fingers crossed ey!

Thnx again