Dreams bed confirmed faulty from new - still waiting

[nomoremoney]

Hi everyone.

We purchased a new bed from dreams 26/12/2017 which was delivered 01/02/2018. 

We also purchased their delivery, assembly, take the old one away, tv, mattress, mattress protector, pillows and their 'bed cover' 8 years extended warranty. 

We paid by 30 monthly interest free instalments and so just made the final payment.  

 

 It is a heavy duty king size lift up storage bed with a built in tv at the end. 

It has always been a struggle to lift, my wife cannot do it on her own and it rarely stays up by itself.

 

At the beginning of this year, we noticed it had started to dip considerably in the middle. 

Not the mattress, but the wooden base the mattress is on. 

 

on 09/02/2020 I emailed them about the issue. 

They started by saying the mattress is not covered only the base, until I pointed out it is the base at fault not the mattress. 

they sent out Homeserve on the 25/02/2020 to come and repair. 

 

He did what he called a temporary repair, said that the bed had failed due to a manufacturing or design fault (the metal bolts holding the wooden base to the lift up supports have pulled out of the wood) and that dreams would be in touch to arrange a replacement. 

His temporary repair barely lasted a day, the bed was still dipping and he took plenty of photos for himself but seemed in a mad rush to leave.

 

Of course they didn't contact us, on 30/03/2020 I emailed them back. 

 

01/04/2020 they emailed back confirming in writing that it is a manufacturing fault and their sales team would contact me, however as expected due to Covid-19 this may take a while.

 

30/06/2020 I asked for an update.  03/07/2020 they replied saying their claims department would contact me within 5 working days.  They didn't.

 

15/07/2020 I emailed back asking them to escalate my complaint as well as providing a refund and compensation as we are now struggling to sleep and experiencing back ache due to the bed's extreme dipping, plus I am worried about the mattress getting damaged.

 

23/07/2020 They replied saying we are not entitled to a refund as it is a guarantee claim and they have passed it once again this time to their guarantee company to contact us.

I have still not heard back.

 

This is now getting beyond a joke and I wanted some guidance on how I should proceed. 

We are struggling to sleep in the bed and cannot now even open the bed to access our belongings inside as as soon as you try and lift you hear the sound of breaking wood.

 

Many thanks

 

[dx100uk]

send them a letter of claim.

 

 

[slick132]

Good that they have emailed saying it's a manufacturing fault - this is good for your complaint.

 

Odd that Homeserve are "qualified" to give opinion about mattresses. I'm sure they're great for leaky taps, dodgy electrics and faulty hobs but I'm not sure how they are mattress experts ?

 

I think you need to tell Dreams their own assessors have confirmed the bed is faulty and they need to refund in full and remove the bed, or you will file a court claim against them, citing the opinion. Their email of 1/4/20 confirmed this so you require their opinion about refunding you in full within 10 days.

[nomoremoney]

Ok so on 10th August I sent this email:

 

Quote

We have still not been contacted.

On 25/02/2020 and again in writing on 01/04/2020 you confirmed that the bed has a manufacturing fault. You have been given plenty of time to resolve the issue yet have failed to contact me as promised on each occasion. I therefore demand a full refund within 10 days after which I shall begin court proceedings.

Yours sincerely

 

And today they emailed back:

 

Good Afternoon,

Thank you for getting in touch.

I'm sorry that you feel this way.

You are not entitled to a refund, I'm really sorry.

 

I passed your information on to the guarantee company to discuss this with you but if you wish to contact them, their number is 0191 258 8138

 

If you do wish to seek further advice, you may call the Furniture Ombudsman. Their number is 0333 241 3209

I apologise once more.

 

Kind Regards, 

 

That number is for NGB insurance. 

I've been told their

sales team, 

guarantee department and

claims department

would contact me,

 

now I'm told to contact the guarantee company myself which when I try the number is an insurance company (which I assumed is who the bed car is with).

 

Does my email count as a letter of claim?

 

Thanks

 

[dx100uk]

actually looking at this a bit closer at this, i'm not 100% sure after 2.5yrs, even with a confirmed manufacturing fault, you are entitled to a full refund.

but you most certainly will be entitled to have it properly repaired or replaced under the consumer rights act and of course you have the extra bolt on of this  'bed cover' 8 years extended warranty. 

 

i would contact the insurance co as advised.

see where this goes.

 

 

[nomoremoney]

Ok fair enough.  Although the last 6 months have been messing about back and forth, fault was report at 2 years old.

 

I'll ring them and see what they say.  Tbf I'm happy just to have it fixed or replaced, if they refunded us we'd only have to go and buy a new one and wait a month for delivery with nothing!

[slick132]

Better to keep all exchanges in writing, either by email or posted letter.

 

See how you get on with the warranty - Dreams say they've passed your details on to them but you don't have to wait for them to contact you. You can contact them but keep it all in writing.