Furniture Village Issues

SadQ

My mum bought a fabric recliner sofa  from Furniture Village in Oct 2022. A deposit of £1000 was paid via debit card (I know we'd have been protected if we'd used a credit card). The sofa was delivered Jan 2023. When we put it together we realised it was not the recliner we'd ordered. 

Straightaway we went to the store and informed them of the error. They said the error was their side as the order definitely said "recliner". The store staff and manager confirmed this. They said they would reorder this. After a couple of weeks as we'd not heard, we returned to the store and spoke to the staff again. Again they said that the sofa had been reordered and was awaiting approval from the general manager. We asked again if there would be additional costs and were told 'no' as the error was theirs.

Fast forward to delivery in April. Day before received a phone call from Furniture Village customer services team saying we have to pay an additional £500 for the recliner seat. We say 'that's not correct as we have never been informed of this by the store.' A little while later receive a text from delivery drivers confirming delivery the next day so assume they've changed their mind. On delivery day receive a call to say they're on their way, 10 minutes later get informed they have turned around as we have not paid the additional cost.

Speak to the customer service agent who sold the sofa and he said there is an additional cost and if we don't pay the sofa will be resold on the shop floor. He said he'd called and left voicemessages (he couldn't on my home phone as we don't have an answering machine and never has on the mobile).

I've emailed customer service, copied in the CEO and the most I've had from them is them is to refer it back to the store. Store staff have now said they would take a £100 off the cost and we can have the sofa that we should have received in the first place. At no point we were we directed that we'd pay more. 

We're now at a loss as they don't seem to be taking us seriously. We've spoken to the bank today and they've said if we read the terms and conditions we could say we were misold. However I want to inform Furniture Village that I want to take them to small claims court, as well as inform the finance firm that I'm pausing payments as I've not received the goods I ordered and paid for. My question is: can I legally pause the finance contract? What part of consumer law can I quote? Any other tips to help get through this with FV? 

Undervalued

SadQ said:

My mum bought a fabric recliner sofa  from Furniture Village in Oct 2022. A deposit of £1000 was paid via debit card (I know we'd have been protected if we'd used a credit card). The sofa was delivered Jan 2023. When we put it together we realised it was not the recliner we'd ordered. 

Straightaway we went to the store and informed them of the error. They said the error was their side as the order definitely said "recliner". The store staff and manager confirmed this. They said they would reorder this. After a couple of weeks as we'd not heard, we returned to the store and spoke to the staff again. Again they said that the sofa had been reordered and was awaiting approval from the general manager. We asked again if there would be additional costs and were told 'no' as the error was theirs.

Fast forward to delivery in April. Day before received a phone call from Furniture Village customer services team saying we have to pay an additional £500 for the recliner seat. We say 'that's not correct as we have never been informed of this by the store.' A little while later receive a text from delivery drivers confirming delivery the next day so assume they've changed their mind. On delivery day receive a call to say they're on their way, 10 minutes later get informed they have turned around as we have not paid the additional cost.

Speak to the customer service agent who sold the sofa and he said there is an additional cost and if we don't pay the sofa will be resold on the shop floor. He said he'd called and left voicemessages (he couldn't on my home phone as we don't have an answering machine and never has on the mobile).

I've emailed customer service, copied in the CEO and the most I've had from them is them is to refer it back to the store. Store staff have now said they would take a £100 off the cost and we can have the sofa that we should have received in the first place. At no point we were we directed that we'd pay more. 

We're now at a loss as they don't seem to be taking us seriously. We've spoken to the bank today and they've said if we read the terms and conditions we could say we were misold. However I want to inform Furniture Village that I want to take them to small claims court, as well as inform the finance firm that I'm pausing payments as I've not received the goods I ordered and paid for. My question is: can I legally pause the finance contract? What part of consumer law can I quote? Any other tips to help get through this with FV? 

Surely, if there is finance involved you are in just the same "protected" position as you would have been with a credit card. i.e the finance company is just as liable as the store (assuming of course you do have a valid claim).

Maybe a silly question but are you absolutely sure you don't have BT call minder or similar on your home phone line? Many people do without realising it and it can be a real nuisance. Have you tried ringing your landline and letting it ring for ages to see if any exchange based answering / voice mail service eventually cuts in? 

SadQ

Hi @Undervalued thank you for the reply.

I think you might be rignt about the finance company. We've contacted them to find out more information. 

Not a silly question at all about the phone line. We're not with BT, and previously I've called the landline and it's rung through with no voicemail service cutting in. 

daveyjp

Don't stop paying, the finance company are also part of the contract and they can put pressure on the retailer to get what you paid for.

Alternatively cancel fhe contract and demand a full refund of all money paid.

SadQ

Thanks @daveyjp that's very helpful. Hopefully the finance company will be supportive.