Default on bed

Direstraights5

Hi I’m new on the forum. I’m looking for advice about a bed I purchased online. They’ve delivered it but the wrong mattress so I’ve had to email them and explain my situation regarding the mattress so they sent another one and took the other one back. After setting the bed up I noticed that it was the wrong mattress again and the bed base had staples protruding through the cloth also there are no holes or connections to fix the headboard on now after countless emails to both companies I’m still no further on as none of them seem to want to take any fault on there part . I’ve only had this bed for 31 days. If possible could anyone help. Thank you 

Aylesbury_Duck

Why are there two companies, and who are they?

How did you pay?

Direstraights5

The company was Wowcher and the other was a merchant called sleepyn that uses wowcher to sell there beds. 

I payed with card online 

Aylesbury_Duck

Direstraights5 said:

The company was Wowcher and the other was a merchant called sleepyn that uses wowcher to sell there beds. 

I payed with card online 

Ok, that complicates things.  As I understand it, by using your card to pay for a voucher with which to purchase the bed, you’ve lost any chargeback or section 75 options, because you got what you paid for by card, which is a voucher.  That leaves you chasing the retailer (sleepyn).  Write to them, setting out the problem and what solution you want.  What outcome do you want?

Direstraights5

I would like them to collect the bed as what they’ve sent to me is not the one on the site also I’d like to be refunded. They’re basically calling me a liar even though I have all pictures of the faults on the bed . 

Aylesbury_Duck

Direstraights5 said:

I would like them to collect the bed as what they’ve sent to me is not the one on the site also I’d like to be refunded. They’re basically calling me a liar even though I have all pictures of the faults on the bed . 

Then write to them to ask that they do just that, and that if they don't, you will issue court proceedings.

Bear in mind that your refund will probably be in wowcher credit.

born_again

Direstraights5 said:

I would like them to collect the bed as what they’ve sent to me is not the one on the site also I’d like to be refunded. They’re basically calling me a liar even though I have all pictures of the faults on the bed . 

You need to decide which way you are going.
Not as described or Faulty.
Of which Faulty would be the strongest case.

If you paid Wowcher for a voucher to redeem at sleepyn. Then no chargeback or S75 rights.

Direstraights5

I’ve been onto them earlier and they’ve offered a refund or replacement of the bed. 

Aylesbury_Duck

Direstraights5 said:

I’ve been onto them earlier and they’ve offered a refund or replacement of the bed. 

Just be aware that a refund will presumably be in wowcher credit, so if you don't have anything you'd want to spend that on, a replacement might be a better bet.

Direstraights5

I was thinking the same to be honest. Thanks again for your help. 

Jellynailer

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Just be aware that a refund will presumably be in wowcher credit, so if you don't have anything you'd want to spend that on, a replacement might be a better bet.

Direstraights5 said:

I was thinking the same to be honest. Thanks again for your help. 

I tried to find the terms and conditions without success for a) Sleepn and found it is merely a brand name (TrustPilot score 1.7) for The Sleep Factory (TP score 1.9); and b) Wowcher with high TP score but from paid for manipulation = seeks reviews immediately after purchase via an email that is actually from TP. I did learn that some 'bargains' could only be bought by purchase of a voucher.

Why some but not all? I suggest that vouchers are a way of distancing Wowcher from suppliers it knows to be dodgy. So, if you can get a replacement I think you will have done better than most one star TP reviewers of Sleepyn.

Returning to Wowcher, I checked out the company on Companies House via a search of ownership. [It is actually quicker to check a company via this method than my searches outlined above). I found a long series of 'Holding companies' included companies called Bidco, Midco, Debtco, and Holdco. This was enough for me to know that Wowcher is not a company I would ever buy from.

How do I know? I am linked in to a group of researchers mainly based at various universities + with international links. The group has devised a report on different categories of corporate enterprises including the category of Holding companies. I reproduce relevant extracts from this guide as my contribution to money saving advice = always check the company before purchase or you could lose the lot!

Extracts: A Holding Company is form of parent company that doesn’t produce or sell any goods or services itself, and has been set up purely to hold shares/stock in its subsidiaries. Aside from potential tax perks, one benefit of this arrangement is to avoid liability: a group’s assets in the hands of a holding company may be protected if a subsidiary goes under, or if the subsidiary is sued.

In the search bar of Companies House enter the name of the company. Once you click on the correct company, you’ll see a series of tabs. Click the ‘people’ one – this will give you the former and current directors of the business:

[Click ‘persons with significant control’ to reveal the dominant shareholder as well as the approximate percentage of shares they hold (described as the ‘nature of control’). More often than not, you’ll find the name of another company, or person]

Copy the name of the individual or company with significant control, and paste it in the search bar; Repeat [ to ] until you can go no further: your search might take you to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; a Guernsey-based shell company; or some bloke in Essex.

Once you start seeing ridiculous names like Bidco, Midco and Topco; Bidco 2, Topco 2 etc., you haven’t gone mad — you’ve merely entered the murky world of private equity firms.

The same process can lead to other categories e.g. Shell and or single owner companies.  All are bad news for consumers as I found out when I researched my own mattress problem then the bedding problems posted by other forumites.

p.s. due to personal circumstances, I cannot respond to any comments on this post but anyone who wants more information, please PM me and I will reply when I am able to.