We ordered two Laura Ashley sofas at a cost of £1,100 and chose a velvet fabric for one. When it arrived it looked terrible and the fabric is clearly too delicate as it marks every time we sit on it or even touch it. After only five weeks it is in a shocking state, bearing in mind our old sofa was 12 years old and in great condition – to the extent we were able to sell it on.
We like the sofas but believe this fabric is not fit for purpose although it is marketed as an upholstery fabric. These sofas are expensive investment pieces which we expect to last 10 years or more. We were asked by Laura Ashley to send in some photos but the marks don’t appear as bad as they really are.
We feel we are in a David and Goliath situation and completely powerless. GC and SC, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire
You have rights for a full refund under the terms of the 1979 Sale of Goods Act (subsumed on 1 October 2015 into the Consumer Rights Act) if you can prove that the fabric was, indeed, not fit for purpose.
After we got involved, Laura Ashley agreed to send a technician to your home who has now submitted a full report. But it is sticking to its position that the fabric is suitable for upholstery. You did see the fabric in store, even though you made your order online.
We urged Laura Ashley to take a second look, and it has now agreed to give you a full refund.
It said in a statement: “We arranged for a technician to visit the customers’ home and review the item in question. The subsequent report confirmed that the fabric was not faulty.
“It is our aim to produce items of the highest quality that meet our customers’ expectations. Therefore, we have been in contact with the customer and have resolved the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”
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