Faulty couch bought on sale

fondue · 10-01-2017 2:26pm #1

Looking for a bit of advice. I bought a couch in August from Littlewoods. I bought it for €380, it was reduced from €650. Over Christmas I was sitting on it and one of the legs broke under me and now the couch is wonky and uneven. Needless to say I'm not happy.

I have been on to Littlewoods and they have informed me they don't offer an exchange service only refund and reorder. This option doesn't work for me as the couch is now out of stock. They will offer me a full refund of the sale price however I have looked around and I cannot find anything equivalent as the price I bought it for was so heavily discounted.

The second option they gave me is a discount of 15% to get the item repaired. This works out at about €55. I have no idea but I presume this won't cover the cost of a repair. I haven't gotten any quotes yet.

I am finding Littlewoods very difficult to deal with both in their call centre and via email.

What I want to know is am I entitled to either Littlewoods covering the full cost of the repair or providing me with a sofa similar to the broken one even if it is above the price that I paid and closer to the non sale price.

WildCardDoW · 10-01-2017 2:38pm

Littlewoods are obliged to offer repair, replace or refund. It's up to you and them to agree to one of these options but usually it'd be accepted that once the retailer offers one that customer should accept (within reason, replacements and repairs should be within a reasonable time frame and repairs should be permanent.

You would be hard pressed to force Littlewoods to offer more than the refund they already offered. You oculd of course go the SCC route and they might find in your favour but I'd think it's unlikely.

OP< it's possible Littlewoods don't have confidence in the couch which is why they've immediatly offered the refund option.

ohnonotgmail · 10-01-2017 2:39pm

you are entitled to one of repair/replace/refund. Littlewoods have offered a full refund. They have met their obligations.

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MarkR · 10-01-2017 2:41pm

They've offered you the full refund price, you can't really be expecting more than that? I'd also wonder would they bother collecting the faulty couch. See what their process in, maybe you get the refund and they leave you the couch? Loads of money for a repair then.

amcalester · 10-01-2017 2:41pm

Ask if you can have the refund and keep the couch? They're unlikely to repair and resell it and probably dont want the hassle of having to pick it up.

Then get it repaired at your own cost, repair cost should be less than the refund.

fondue · 10-01-2017 3:04pm

amcalester wrote: »

Ask if you can have the refund and keep the couch? They're unlikely to repair and resell it and probably dont want the hassle of having to pick it up.

Then get it repaired at your own cost, repair cost should be less than the refund.

Asked that already, they said no. Won't get the refund until they've collected the couch. It's just annoying because I like the couch and want to get it repaired but so far they won't agree to guarantee me that if I pay for the repair they will cover the cost. Now they're saying they'll take the couch back to assess it which will take at least 14 days, if they deem it to be a manufacturing fault they'll repair it. If they turn around and say it isn't I don't know where I'll be left then. They've been so difficult to deal with I just don't trust them at this stage.

fondue · 10-01-2017 3:05pm

MarkR wrote: »

They've offered you the full refund price, you can't really be expecting more than that? I'd also wonder would they bother collecting the faulty couch. See what their process in, maybe you get the refund and they leave you the couch? Loads of money for a repair then.

But a full refund doesn't help me much if I can't get something similar.

njs030 · 10-01-2017 3:17pm

They get to choose which of the three rs they offer. You should be offered a refund of the price you paid but no you won't be offered a refund and allowed to keep the item.

You can refuse their offer but then it's unlikely you'll get anything else.

Edit- they are of course entitled to see is it a manufacturers fault before offering to repair or even refund it. If you've caused the fault you could get nothing so at this point I'd stop pushing and take the refund!

Jayop · 10-01-2017 3:20pm

fondue wrote: »

But a full refund doesn't help me much if I can't get something similar.

That's not really their problem though. They can't be expected to refund you more than the price you paid.

nikkisclearout · 10-01-2017 3:23pm

Why would you expect them to offer you more money than you paid for the couch? that makes no sense

punisher5112 · 10-01-2017 3:28pm

Op how are they difficult.

That's a great company to deal with if the offer refund right away no hassle at all.

In my experience I find Argos very good and tesco etc.

Of course there are ones that don't help at all.

Op you are digging a hole where they may now find it was neglect.

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fondue · 10-01-2017 3:54pm

....... wrote: »

Why cant you buy something else on sale?

Because there's nothing else equivalent on sale. I'm not going to pick a couch in a colour that doesn't match my sitting room, I had hoped to have it for years. If it was a low value item I wouldn't be so fussy.
It's frustrating because there's no way of me proving it's a manufacturing defect. Its only been used for sitting and at that not very much as it's the "other" couch. It's pretty small, you wouldn't fit more than two people on it and anyone who has sat on it would have a BMI in the healthy range!

L1011 · 10-01-2017 4:02pm

fondue wrote: »

It's frustrating because there's no way of me proving it's a manufacturing defect.

That's not really relevant - even if you did; a refund would be legally acceptable.

fondue · 10-01-2017 4:05pm

L1011 wrote: »

That's not really relevant - even if you did; a refund would be legally acceptable.

Relevant or not it's still frustrating. Thanks for the advice everyone.

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Hollister11 · 10-01-2017 4:11pm

You can get a nice 2 seater in Ikea for 500

fondue · 10-01-2017 4:12pm

....... wrote: »

I didnt mean in littlewoods. I meant generally. Theres loads of places doing sales on couches at the moment (I only know cos Im in the market for one).

I've had a quick look around but can't see anything. I have a new baby so don't fancy trapsing round loads of shops to find something I like. Plus I did all that 6 months ago and found I couch I like but it's broken now!

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fondue · 10-01-2017 4:18pm

Hollister11 wrote: »

You can get a nice 2 seater in Ikea for 500

Thanks. If I thought I could get something that I liked/was similar for around the same price I'd take the refund. That way I'd have a couch and I'd be done dealing with littlewoods. I've had issues with them before and don't find them helpful. I've checked ikea, there's nothing that would suit.

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fondue · 10-01-2017 4:33pm

....... wrote: »

Have you a link to the littlewoods couch?

http://www.littlewoodsireland.ie/candynbsp3-seaternbspfabric-sofa-accent-chair-buy-and-save/1600053757.prd

It's a 2 seater version of this.

https://www.caseys.ie/sofas/2-seaters/walter-2-seater-sofa

This is the closest I've found but there's a big price difference!

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waterfaerie · 10-01-2017 5:11pm

I'd be the same. If you spend a long time looking and find something you love, you don't want to have to go looking again, or settling for an alternative that you don't like as much.

If you really love the couch, could you get a quote for a repair and then try negotiating with littlewoods again?

fondue · 10-01-2017 5:11pm

....... wrote: »

Similar price - they do deliver to Ireland:

https://www.superestudio.co.uk/multicolor-coushto-multicolor-button

Thanks a mil for all those suggestions! Will have a look at them properly later when baby is sleeping!

fondue · 10-01-2017 5:19pm

waterfaerie wrote: »

I'd be the same. If you spend a long time looking and find something you love, you don't want to have to go looking again, or settling for an alternative that you don't like as much.

If you really love the couch, could you get a quote for a repair and then try negotiating with littlewoods again?

Yeah I'm going to get a quote and see what they say. I hope the other 3 legs are sound!

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Faulty couch bought on sale

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