Our Sofa... Advice Needed HELP!!

[grace7]

Hi Girls,

We have moved into a new flat and we ordered a sofa from DFS thinking about it me and my partner have changed our minds as its rather expensive. Well rang up today and they said i cant cancel it as they have already made it. We then i said wel i dont want a sofa im not going to use and he then said we have to pay 25% of the total which is £375 and i thought that s alot of money to pay for nothing basically. Then my partner had a thought it has not been 28 days since we ordered it and we dont actually have the sofa so could i just refuse to pay it?!

All help appreciated i dont know what to do and i do worry alot!!!

Thanks A Worried Mummy Grace xx

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

Did you sign anything when you ordered it?

 

[cassi]

depends do they have a 28 day refund policy?

cas x

 

[grace7]

we signed a credit agreement but thats not due to start till next year also i rang the credit company and they haven't even recieved the paperwork

 

[grace7]

im not sure but to cancel the credit agreement you have 30 days

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

In that case you dont have to pay them anything, call them back and demand to speak to a manager, explain that you will not be paying anything as you have decided you do not want the sofa and thats that, inform them if they try to take any money from you (if you have given them bank/card details) it will be treated as fraud as they do not have your permission.

Too many stores like this end up on watchdog cos of this very type of thing!

 

[grace7]

Thanks GGG i have just found a sales contrct that i signed aswell. But it says absolutely nothing on there about if you need to cancel or anything?!

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

Then the sods dont have a leg to stand on

 

[grace7]

Thank God for that im going to go there later with my partner when he finishes work to explain that i am not paying anything thanks for all your help! And god help them if they try to take money out of my account as they do have my bank details!!!

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

let us know how you get on

 

[smurf]

Hi Grace

There should be something in the small print about a cooling off period its about 14 days but generally if you sign a credit agreement you do have a cooling off period when you can cancel without any repercussions.

Best of luck hun

 

[x-kirsty-x]

We ordered our sofas from DFS and when we signed we were told we couldnt cancel from that point on as they were made to order. A few days later we saw a better deal elsewhere and tried to cancel but it was too late, we didnt mind though and went ahead with DFS.

They should have pointed out when you signed that you would have a certain percentage to pay if you cancelled. If they didnt make this clear then maybe you can fight them about it, but to be honest you did sign the contract and they have a right to ask you for some payment as they made the sofa under the assumption you wanted it.

If they didnt charge customers anything for cancelling after their sofas have been made they'd be losing money and stuck with loads of unwanted goods! The cooling off period didnt apply as we'd bought the product in store - if we'd been sold it somewhere other than their premises it would be different. I still dont know how this works though

Dont get me wrong, I hate it when companies try and pull the wool over peoples eyes and Im not siding with them but we actually contacted Trading Standards about it just to make sure we weren't being taken for a ride and they backed up what DFS had told us regarding their credit agreements

 

[SarahH]

I used to work for Black Horse finance and they had a cooling off period of 30days... You do not have to take it or pay anything, they will be regualted by the FSA (Finacial Services Authority) so if they give you any hassel just say you will be reporting them to FSA.

 

[grace7]

Thanks for all your replies.

Sarah H so by what you said i can cancel as it has only been 27 days today? Does that mean i dont need to have th esofa or pay anything?

 

[grace7]

Also we weren't told when we orderd the sofa that we couldn't cancel we went in about 7.30 and the man was in such a rush

 

[SarahH]

Depends on who it is that supplies the finance. most of the time it is 4wks cooling off time. Even with a car... you could have it for 3wks, drive it everywhere and then send it back!

If they have a shorter period, you might have to pay 1mth installment but defo not 25% of the balance!

Phone the FSA or Citizen Advice.

 

[Urchin]

Found this online

"Generally larger stores do have a "no quibble return policy" so thats your first option. Pop into a local store and pretend to be a buyer (dont go to the one you used before in case they recognise you!) ask about buying a sofa, and then casually drop into the conversation what if you order it, then before its delivered change your mind. If they say they will take it back, make a note of the guys name and store location.

Call the company Head Office and tell them you havent taken delivery and want to cancel the order. Tell them what you were told in the other store, if it helps your case, and be pleasant and very sorry, getting arsey with them just gets their backs up and they'll do everything possible not to help you. Try to put them, in your shoes, go for sympathy.

If all else fails, when they call to deliver it be out. Arrange another time, and be out again. Call them up, and demand to know why they cant keep to a simple appointment, and demand your money back.

Good luck."

 

[Urchin]

If it's 27 days today call head office NOW and take the name and number of the person you are talking to and make sure they record the fact that you no longer want the sofa.

 

[SarahH]

If it's 27 days today call head office NOW and take the name and number of the person you are talking to and make sure they record the fact that you no longer want the sofa.

Some companies are being sh*tty and not giving full names so make sure you get a ext no.
If you just say you spoke to "john" they will say they have 100's of John's which one!

 

[grace7]

Ok Thanks for all your help girlies! I will wait till stu gets home from work at 3 and get things into action i hope we dont have to pay £375 we just dont have it!

On the pre-contract Information there is a bit that says You have no right to cancel this agreement under the consmer act 1974, the timeshare act 1992 or the financial services (distance marketing) regulations 2004.

Only just noticed this does the now mean we are the ones who dont have aleg to stand on?