Furniture and Carpets - some tips on buying

One of the major purchases in your home is likely to be a suite of furniture or a carpet. A little planning beforehand could save a lot of heartache later.

Points to consider when buying furniture

• Buy the best you can afford.
• Make sure it will fit in your house. If it doesn’t you may be stuck with it
• How easy is it to clean? Are they removable covers; can you wash them; is it protected with a stain guard?
• Check the comfort - is the back high enough (important with an elderly person); the base firm enough etc?
• Can you move it if you need to?
• Is it easy to match your decor?
• What is the fabric and filling made of - important if you have allergies
• Is there a guarantee (this is in addition to your statutory rights). Remember the one you buy should match the one in the shop, which is your sample
• If buying the one in the shop check it carefully for damage and visible faults.
• Is there a delivery charge?

Points to consider when buying carpet

• Most carpets are either woven or tufted
• Woven tend to be more expensive but one is not necessarily better than the other
• Choose a carpet suitable for the wear it will get
• - Class 1 suitable for moderate use such as a bedroom
• - Class 2 suitable for general use such as a dining room
• - Class 3 and 4 suitable for heavy use such as a hall, stairs and lounge
• What type of flooring will the carpet be laid on?
• Foam backed shouldn’t go directly on asphalt, concrete or composition floor or where there is underfloor heating.
• Buy the best underlay you can afford. It will make your carpet look and feel better and make it last longer
• Do you want patterned or plain?
• Remember patterned may be more expensive to lay if it has to be joined (to get a pattern match) and you may get tired of it after a number of years
• How easy will it be to clean?
• Bear in mind that nylon may suffer from static electricity

Some general advice

• Be wary of ‘export rejects/fire and flood damage/one day sales’. If you do have a problem you may not be able to get in touch with the seller
• Remember that as well as any guarantees the manufacturers might give you, the seller is the person who is responsible for the sale of any defective merchandise
• If the furniture or carpet you have bought is faulty the seller should sort out your complaint although they do quite often ask the manufacturers to inspect the item in dispute
• If you have bought the goods on credit you may be able to ask for assistance from the finance company
• Independent reports can often help with any unresolved complaints

For help with any complaints/enquiries please contact us.

This page was last updated on 3 October 2009