MATTRESS NIGHTMARE FOR NATALIE
SWEET DREAMS: Natalie's guests can now sleep easy
By Maisha Frost
GUESTS were floored after a night spent in Natalie Gibbins’s spare room... but it wasn’t her hospitality that was to blame.
“My visitors found themselves sliding out of bed and I discovered the mattress had collapsed down the middle,” explained Natalie, who pointed out weight and heavy use were not the reason.
“It has been slept on for about five weeks in all, mostly by my slim mum,” she added.
Although she bought the £150 mattress just over a year ago, Natalie, from south London, was reassured by the five-year warranty that came with it, from manufacturer Silentnight Beds.
“I thought that would ensure a replacement but I’ve had a surprising reply,” she continued. “They want me to pay £43 more towards the new one – almost a third again. Apparently, it’s in the terms.
“I don’t think that is fair considering how little the bed has been used. Can the firm really do this?” she asked.
The answer is yes. Companies can ask for a contribution, so long as it is proportionate, and they are not obliged to supply a warranty in the first place.
“But that does not invalidate Natalie’s complaint,” emphasises Which? legal expert Peter McCarthy, who advises her to focus her argument on her sale of goods rights and whether the product was fit for purpose.
“Her point must be that the mattress has had only occasional use and should be of a quality expected to last longer,” adds McCarthy.
With this in mind, Crusader got in touch with Silentnight Beds – a reputable producer.
“We take our customer service very seriously and this one has, unfortunately, slipped through the net,” said marketing director Amanda Jones.
“In view of the circumstances, we would be happy to offer Ms Gibbins a free replacement as soon as convenient for her.”
Natalie responded: “There’ll be no more sinking feelings when I look at the bed – that’s a great result.”
