What kind of standard can I expect from a repair?

TinkerDaze

I purchased a chest of drawers from a well known furniture retailer in November. I noticed in April that the support bracket between two of the drawers had split. The bracket holds the runners for the drawers and is therefore an important part of the chest of drawers. 

The retailer sent an engineer, who has confirmed that the bracket has split along the grain. However, they have only offered to glue it.
What are my rights here? 

I do not believe that simply gluing the wood would be satisfactory. The crack would still be visible and the weakness would still be there. The bracket holds the weight of the drawers. I am worried that the repair wouldn’t last. I paid £450 for the chest of drawers and expected it to last years, not only a matter of months. The repair won’t be perfect. 
Do I have the right to ask for a replacement or refund instead?

Ergates

In terms of strength - a glued crack like that, if properly done, would be very strong - especially as the load on a strut like that would not be excessive (assuming you're not storing gold bars in the drawers!).  Most of the rest of the joints in the unit will be glued.

To do it properly the repairer would probably have to completely dismantle the furniture though - but that's their problem.

If you wanted extra assurance, it would be relatively easy to screw a short metal brace into the back of the strut (either side of the crack) which would be out of sight.

In terms of appearance - again, if done properly, it would be barely visible, but if you knew it was there you'd be able to see it.

In terms of rights - you're outside the timeframe where you can just reject it, so the retailer is entitled to *one* attempt at repair (or replacement) before you are then allowed to insist on a refund.  You can, obviously, allow them more than that.  So, if they attempt a repair and either botch it, or it doesn't last, you can then demand a refund.    

The caveat to that is if the repair lasts for a couple of years, then that would impact how much you could ask for as a refund (as you'd have had a few years use of the furniture at that point).

Alderbank

It's not a bracket. It's a centre stile.

I'm only an amateur woodworker but I would have no problem with gluing that break. The resultant join, done competently, will be both invisible and stronger than the original wood.

Okell

TinkerDaze said:

... Do I have the right to ask for a replacement or refund instead?

@TinkerDaze -  no, you are not entitled to ask for a refund at this stage.

Legally the trader is entitled to one attempt at either a repair or a replacement.  If that repair or replacement fails, you are entitled to a refund.  If that repair or replacement failure is more than six months after delivery of the original goods to you, the trader is entitled to reduce your refund to reflect the use you have had of the goods.

Technically - at this current stage - you are entitled to ask for a replacement rather than a repair, but if the trader considers a replacement to be "disproportionate" (ie more costly or more difficult) as opposed to a repair, then they are entitled to carry out the more proportionate repair.

As to the broader question of what standard of repair you can expect...

... It depends what the repair is.

I would expect a repair to return an item to a "good as new" state.  So if the original fault was external or cosmetic, I'd expect any repair to be invisible or undetectable.  In the case of a repair to the internal structure of an item, I'd simply expect a repair to return it to the same standard of functionality as the original should have had.

Mark_d

You need to give the retailer the opportunity to repair the product.  If the repair fails...even years later, then you can claim for a refund/replacement under the Consumer Rights Act 2015

Okell

Mark_d said:

You need to give the retailer the opportunity to repair the product.  If the repair fails...even years later, then you can claim for a refund/replacement under the Consumer Rights Act 2015

I think that might be a little misleading.

I'm not sure the consumer could claim a replacement "even years later" and any refund could be reduced to reflect the years of use the consumer has had.

And only up to a maximum of 6 years from delivery of the original item...

DullGreyGuy

TinkerDaze said:

I do not believe that simply gluing the wood would be satisfactory. The crack would still be visible and the weakness would still be there. 

Wood glue, when not end grain to end grain, is stronger than wood and so there will be no weakness, in fact it will be stronger than a replacement. I accidentally glued some wood in the wrong order, allegedly, mrs' tried to break them apart and the board snapped rather than the glued joint. 

If done properly it should be almost invisible and potentially totally invisible. They ultimately have a right to repair it as it's over 30 days old. Once the repair is done if it's not satisfactory you can then talk of your rights to reject the goods. 

eskbanker

In terms of visibility, won't the join be almost completely obscured by the drawers anyway (when in position and closed)?

TELLIT01

The poorly made join above that break will be far more visible than the break if it is glue properly.  No need to disassemble anything.  Push the worktop up a few millimetres to enble the glue to be squirted into the crack, realign the pieces and lower the worktop again.  The weight of the worktop will ensure good contact.

TinkerDaze

Thank you everyone for your responses. They are really helpful!