New Next sofas arrived damaged

Alps

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Guys, I must be the most unluckiest person on the face of this earth! I received my new sofas from Next on Thursday, but one of them has a fairly large but relatively faint stain on it. I've attached pictures, but after taking this picture we noticed the stain is actually triple the size of what is shown on the photo. It's barely visible, but it's there. The total cost of the sofas was around £2,000.

I emailed Next and considering all that everyone is going through, they were shockingly quick to reply. The apologised and due to the stain and feet reason mentioned below offered to refund 20% for the stained sofa and 10% for the me to get someone else to fit the feet. In total we'd receive approximately £350 refund.

As the stain is so faint and on a part of the sofa where no one will ever see unless they sat on the floor and looked very very closely, is this a reasonable offer from Next?

They have also offered to have the sofa collected and replaced with a new one, but this will take another 3 months at least. My thinking is that even if they did replace the sofa, they would have to offer some kind of compensation for the inconvenience, wouldn't they? I wouldn't say the delivery situation of them not being able to bring the sofas in is inconvenient. That is absolutely understandable. But the fact they delivered defective sofas without the necessities for me to be able to fit the feet is inconvenient. Thankfully I delayed having someone pick up my old sofas as had that inkling something would go wrong!

The full story: Having waited 30 years for new sofas (a very very very long story as to why I waited so long), and after much bickering and arguing with the missuz about what style, material, size etc to get, I finally ordered sofas from Next 3 months ago.

Then finally, I got an email last week saying they would be arriving on the 25th. But on the day, due to all that's going on around us, I got a call from the delivery guys to say they'd just been informed that they couldn't bring the sofas into the house nor fit the feet on. They said they were happy to take them back and have them delivered at another time. I asked how difficult it would be to fit the feet to which they said I'd only need to screw them on. Phew! I'm horrific at DIY but I am able to screw stuff on!

So me and a friend bought the sofas in. But upon opening the large sofa I noticed the stain mentioned above. Then after opening the box for the feet, they were not screw on but needed to be drilled in. The instructions say there is a template on the base of the sofa to line up the feet, but the template is not on any of the sofas.

Decisions decisions, so need some advice from you sensible guys please.

The stain! It's actually triple the size than what's shown, but the same faintness.

InkedIMG_1192_LI.jpg


Instructions to install feet:

IMG_1189.jpg


But no template on the base of the sofa!

IMG_1190.jpg
 
Seeing as you still have the old sofas can you not ask next to pick up the faulty ones then get the replacements when they are ready. That's puts you back to where you were.
 
The screws don't require to be “drilled” in.
If you read the instructions it states quite clearly to use an electric screwdriver or a drill with a screwdriver bit on the end.
You don't need to use a powered driver, the holes (which you should be able find by feeling around that area with your finger) will be pre-drilled and a powered driver is recommended just for ease of screwing.
 
Hi, people are very different in outlook so, it most definitely is not for me to suggest what you should do.

IMO - Given the back story and the fact that you have posted on here I think the right thing for you to do is ask for the sofa to be replaced, the feet fitted on them when delivered and compensation for the inconvenience you mention.

What I would do my self would be fit the feet in 10 mins (I think I’m ok at DIY), spend the £350 on treats and sit on my sofa watching TV and say a prayer for the rest of the world.

Fitting the feet is easy by the way as the holes are there underneath the cloth

But, as mentioned above, people are different and there is no wrong or right here, juswhat is right for you

Emr, actually, on second look that is quite a stain isn’t it, your probably being quite generous in the way you describe it as faint, defo send back
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for the replies guys


Seeing as you still have the old sofas can you not ask next to pick up the faulty ones then get the replacements when they are ready. That's puts you back to where you were.

That's what I said. Then my wife said that with the refund, we'd get approximately £350 back, so got me thinking whether we should just take it! Hence, decisions decisions.

The screws don't require to be “drilled” in.
If you read the instructions it states quite clearly to use an electric screwdriver or a drill with a screwdriver bit on the end.
You don't need to use a powered driver, the holes (which you should be able find by feeling around that area with your finger) will be pre-drilled and a powered driver is recommended just for ease of screwing.

My panic of DIY probably made me not read the instructions properly. Alas, I did feel for the holes but they're not there. It's just solid wood. I'll feel around again later today.

Hi, people are very different in outlook so, it most definitely is not for me to suggest what you should do.

IMO - Given the back story and the fact that you have posted on here I think the right thing for you to do is ask for the sofa to be replaced, the feet fitted on them when delivered and compensation for the inconvenience you mention.

What I would do my self would be fit the feet in 10 mins (I think I’m ok at DIY), spend the £350 on treats and sit on my sofa watching TV and say a prayer for the rest of the world.

Fitting the feet is easy by the way as the holes are there underneath the cloth

But, as mentioned above, people are different and there is no wrong or right here, juswhat is right for you


Emr, actually, on second look that is quite a stain isn’t it, your probably being quite generous in the way you describe it as faint, defo send back

I'm going to go and revisit that stain again. Maybe try dabbing it with some water and see what happens.

Can I wait 3 more months (at least)! After 30 years, this might sound like a very stupid question :rotfl:
 
To be honest I cannot see the stain but that said if I had spent 2000 grand on what I assume is more than one sofa then I would want it to be perfect. The feet thing is a pretty none event though as others have said a simple enough job.
 
The feet wouldn't bother me at all, as above you should be able to just feel the holes, or the beams if they're soft enough to not be pre-drilled. You could even peel back a corner of the plastic if necessary, it's not going to go anywhere once you attach the feet.

So the question is whether you'd rather have a sofa with just the usual imperfections for £1150 or a sofa with an invisible stain for £800. It sounds like next are happy to go either way so it's really down to how much it bothers you.

The delay is likely due to coronavirus measures which are completely outside of next's control. In terms of compensation I would expect them to allow you to use the sofa for the next three months but nothing more than that.
 
I can't even see a stain in the photos... but if you can see it and it bothers you now it's always going to bother you so probably worth replacing. The only thing I'd add to that is how much the refunded money is really worth to you. If it's a huge amount of money then it's hard to pass up.
 
Looks like a water stain to me if you could get it out or are happy with and drilling out the Feet should be easy line up the feet with the corner of the solid wood you should feel It easy enough and using a small drill bit drill out the required pilot holes the. Screw the feet it.
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to uncover the sofa again later this afternoon or tomorrow and check the mark again and see if a bit of water rubbed over it will make a difference. Also going to try and feel for those holes again.

Next have been absolutely great about the whole situation. I really could not believe how quickly they got back to me considering all that is going on. Their staff have been working from home and at all hours. I've emailed companies when times were good and they've been horrific in their replies times.
 
We wouldn’t clean it with anything incase u make it worse. If we were not in lockdown I would say get a good sofa cleaner in to look at it
 
We wouldn’t clean it with anything incase u make it worse. If we were not in lockdown I would say get a good sofa cleaner in to look at it

I thought the same thing about a sofa cleaner. Alas, my original comment of being the most unluckiest person on the face of this earth - 30 years wait. Finally arrive but during unprecedented times AND on the strike of midday when deliveries indoors stopped. Lock down so no-one can come and check etc etc etc 😩

I took all the covering off and found a few more marks, but fortunately on the seats and back rests, which means only new covers needed. Pics below.

My initial thoughts now are to ask for a good will gesture of a part refund for the mark on the sofa itself and for the inconvenience, and request replacements covers for the seats and backrests. I have a feeling I won't be getting a new sofa for at least 4 months! This one took 3 months!

Gonna sleep on it.

Back rest

IMG_1224.jpg


Forgot where this was

IMG_1226.jpg


Seat

IMG_1227.jpg
 
I'd replace and ask them to let you use it as normal until the replacement arrives. No need for compensation if they do that, it's not like you're going to be having people round
 
I'd replace and ask them to let you use it as normal until the replacement arrives. No need for compensation if they do that, it's not like you're going to be having people round

Firstly, "... it's not like you're going to be having people round" :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: But, I do have 2 kids - one of whom is 10, behaved, listens (most of the times) to what we ask of her and thus shouldn't be an issue. Then there is the other one. The poloar opposite of the eldest in every way possible 😫.

My concern is that if at any time over the next x months anything were to happen to them, I don't think Next will take them back. Otherwise, this is the ideal option.

Also, should I go down the path of keeping / using the sofas, I found a drill I could use. It's been used once previously to drill brackets for roller blinds. And, yes, I did slightly mess that task up 🤦‍♂️

IMG_1230.jpg
 
Firstly, "... it's not like you're going to be having people round" :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: But, I do have 2 kids - one of whom is 10, behaved, listens (most of the times) to what we ask of her and thus shouldn't be an issue. Then there is the other one. The poloar opposite of the eldest in every way possible 😫.

My concern is that if at any time over the next x months anything were to happen to them, I don't think Next will take them back. Otherwise, this is the ideal option.

Also, should I go down the path of keeping / using the sofas, I found a drill I could use. It's been used once previously to drill brackets for roller blinds. And, yes, I did slightly mess that task up 🤦‍♂️

View attachment 1274607
There's little a kid can do to them now compared to those stains - more or worse stains aren't a problem. If they let you use them, they'll be going back to the factory and fully restored anyway. Just check with them that you aren't liable for issues arising from everyday use
 
I've emailed Next enquiring about using the sofas until they can pick them up and what would happen should they get damaged in any way. I also asked about compensation as the marks on the sofa, lack of template etc is something that is an error on their part. But I cannot in any way or form blame them for the delivery situation. And their customer service so far has been amazing.
 
I’d get them replaced and ask to use them until the new ones arrive. Regardless of anything else, £2k for sofas isn’t insignificant, so they should arrive in brand new condition.
I recently bought a sofa and had to put the feet on. They had made a template on the bottom but it didn’t fit the bracket. The bracket was also so poorly designed that you had to use an extended screwdriver to attach them otherwise the screws wouldn’t go in straight. Annoyance but not the end of the world.
 
What are you looking compensated for?

I appreciate that you've received a sofa that appears to be damaged so it's either a partial refund and you live with it, or a full refund/exchange and you package it up and return it.
 
What are you looking compensated for?

I appreciate that you've received a sofa that appears to be damaged so it's either a partial refund and you live with it, or a full refund/exchange and you package it up and return it.
Sorry. Compensation is.the wrong choice of word. Partial refund as good will gesture is what I meant. :facepalm:
 
After seeing those other pics from further away, I'd be wanting it replaced.
 
Apologies for the delayed reply guys. I've been juggling a hundred pieces of hot coal for the last 2 days. This CV disruption is getting beyond belief.

But in regard to the sofas - I finally sent Next an email requesting a refund and stating I will reorder once everything begins to reach normality. Awaiting a reply from them now.

I've waited 30 years for new sofas, so what's a few more months to wait!!!
 

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