Furniture Purchase From Groupon - Advice Needed Please!

[paul79]

Hi folks, hoping you can help me with this one.

 

This all started back in November 2011 when we purchased a 3 + 2 furniture combo, link below:

https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/national-deal/cool-furniture/719328

scroll down a bit to see the full details:

 

So a £1600 suite for £579.99 - SORTED!

 

Now, here's where the problem with it is...

 

We have some cats in the house, and our previous suite had some minor scratches (and I do mean minor), no big deal.

 

This one with the bonded-leather which as taken from the sales page link about bonded leather...

 

"Bonded leather (also known as grain corrected leather) contains real leather processed to offer both consistency in colour and grain, as well as extra resilience to wear and tear. Bonded leather is the primary material used in new leather car interiors as it offers both luxury quality and excellent durability."

 

It was damaged when one of our cats had a minor slip. Not major damage, but noticeable if you knew where to look.

 

I queried this with the company cool-furniture and they told me they couldn't say for definite that cats couldn't scratch the leather.

 

So we left it at that.

 

About a month ago (Feb - 4 months after purchase), we noticed that the leftside of the 3 seater had lost all its support and effectively sunk when you sat on it.

 

So yet again I contacted the company and I include their initial response below:

 

"Dear Mr. ,

 

Thank you for confirming and this does confirm the springs have become misplaced and this would cause the seat to dip as you have reported.

 

The relevance of the cat scratches is that if we are to replace the item these are classed as damage and would affect the offer we can make to rectify the situation.

 

We can offer one of the following options to settle the issue.

 

1. Allowance/refund of £19.99 to keep the goods in full and final settlement or to go towards the arrangement for a local repair.

 

2. Exchange of the 3 seater sofa, but due to the accidental damage on the goods there would be a charge of £50.00.

 

Please confirm by return email which option you wish to select and we can then take the necessary action.

 

Kind regards

 

So we got quotes from two local repair companies for the damage to be repaired.

One quote was £160 and the other £145 (both + the VAT).

 

The second guy from a 30+ year established upholsters went as far to say that after looking at the suite it was "****", which didn't fill me with confidence.

 

Now, it doesnt take Einstein to work out that cool-furniture's offer of £19.99 was bordering on insulting, and the £50 surcharge for a replacement was well, confusing to say the least.

 

And even if we did pay the £50, what's to stop it happening again?

 

I understand there is minor cosmetic damage to the suite from the cat scratches BUT.

 

Surely taking the cat scratches out of the equation, this would still go down as a manufacturing fault for the collapsed seat?

 

I spoke with trading standards and they say I need to get a FIRA approved report that will confirm that the materials are defective or the suite was made to substandard levels.

 

But that is £99 + VAT with NO guarantee I will get the outcome I am after.

 

Why is it so hard for consumers to get justice these days?

 

Any advice would be appreciated here guys as I'm sure that trading standards are missing something here...

 

Thanks,

Paul.

Edited March 23, 2012 by paul79
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[assisted blonde]

Well the suite is not fit for purpose in that it has collapsed, but the cat scratchs are down to you, there is nothing that I can think of that a cat wont scratch or slip on and cause damage so I think that is a non starter. I think you would be entitled to a replacement due to the collapse though. Not sure why you have to get a report though the goods are not suitable and defective

[paul79]

Hi, thanks for your response.

 

This is my disagreement with the whole thing too.

They are refusing to budge on this and the trading standards seem to think I need this report.

 

I feel like I'm completely stuck