retail

Floored as Harveys constantly failed on its promises to deliver

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I ordered a three-piece suite from my local Harveys furniture store in January. Since then, I’ve visited the store and emailed many times for an update on delivery, and made a formal complaint at the beginning of April. I’ve been repeatedly told the order is on its way, but I realise I’ve been fobbed off. I have two autistic children and a bad back and we have been sitting on the floor for months as we await our furniture.

RK, Luton

We paid £1,668.80 for two sofas from Harveys in Gateshead last November. We were advised of a delivery date in March, then told it had been cancelled as the items had not reached the warehouse. Two more dates were cancelled for the same reason. Eventually 5 June was agreed, but a text message then confirmed 16 June. When 5 June arrived we were told that the sofas were in the van and would be with us that same day. It didn’t happen.

After several fruitless calls to customer service, I was told the system was showing the items as “delivered”. Then came another text “confirming” delivery on 16 June, but customer services claimed to know nothing of this. On 15 June I was informed of a “100% locked-in” date of 24 June.

It didn’t arrive and I was told the delivery had not been “in-putted correctly” and so had been cancelled. I was promised my goods on 30 June but they didn’t arrive.

We got rid of our old furniture to make room for the new in March and been making do very uncomfortably since lockdown.

GB, Jarrow

Unbeknown to both of you, Harveys went into administration on 30 June, the day GB was waiting for his sofas. Last November, three days before he placed his order, the parent company had also changed hands following liquidity issues and chaos seems to have ensued.

The administrator, PwC, cites cashflow pressures exacerbated by Covid-19, but both of you should have received your orders before lockdown. Harveys sister company, Bensons for Beds, has been sold in a deal that requires the new owner to honour Harveys’ orders, but, given your experiences so far, it’s unsurprising that neither of you feels confident you will see your sofas.

You should write to the company stating that time is of the essence and giving a deadline of 14 days for the delivery. If it ignores this and you paid by credit card, you could make a claim with your issuer, which is held jointly liable for a breach of contract under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. If they reject you, you can take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions

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