Ikea Busunge bed collapsed

Tombo2001

I bought a child's bed from ikea 18 months ago. It's a Busunge. It's been a really bad product, and has now completely collapsed. Legs gave way in the middle and is sagging badly. Ikea tell me it's outside the 12 month guarantee, basically tough luck. I am quite surprised by their response as the item is clearly faulty. Has anyone had experiences like this with ikea, and is it worth pursuing it with them. Many thanks.

Arbie

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I bought a child's bed from ikea 18 months ago. It's a Busunge. It's been a really bad product, and has now completely collapsed. Legs gave way in the middle and is sagging badly. Ikea tell me it's outside the 12 month guarantee, basically tough luck. I am quite surprised by their response as the item is clearly faulty. Has anyone had experiences like this with ikea, and is it worth pursuing it with them. Many thanks.

We had a significant problem with Ikea before and found their customer service very poor.

Have a read of this page: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer_affairs/consumer_protection/consumer_rights/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland.html

"Consumer contracts are protected by the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act, 1980. Under this Act the purchaser of goods has a number of rights - the main ones are:
Goods must be of merchantable quality – goods should be of reasonable quality taking into account what they are meant to do, their durability and their price
Goods must be fit for their purpose – they must do what they are reasonably expected to do"

I don't think 18 months is a reasonable lifespan for a bed.

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dudara

You say it had been a bad product. Had it been faulty before now?

I'm assuming here that the bed has not been damaged through misuse. You need to remind IKEA of your statutory rights. If they don't play ball, then write them a registered letter informing them that you will start a SCC case.

whomitconcerns

Sorry to be devils advocate here but. The leg gave way in the middle, and by this you mean the plastic leg, it snapped or bent? Would you not have gone and asked them for another, they are very accommodating on things like this with no charge. Of course the bed will sag and eventually break if there is no support.

Tombo2001

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Sorry to be devils advocate here but. The leg gave way in the middle, and by this you mean the plastic leg, it snapped or bent? Would you not have gone and asked them for another, they are very accommodating on things like this with no charge. Of course the bed will sag and eventually break if there is no support.

Hi there, I think its a wooden piece across the underside of the bed with two plastic parts as legs. Its fallen off.

If it was just that I might consider it.

However the slats are extremely light. The problem is that its an extendable bed, however when the bed is extended out there is just not enough support for the flimsy slats.

The slats themselves are not solid wood. They are wood pieces with this ZigZag fixtures joining two pieces together any they don't support much weight. These fixtures kept breaking. We were supporting the breaks with books under the bed; but there were too many of them, and then the legs falling off was just the final straw.

Having said that, I don't find Ikea accommodating.

-For example, there is no phone number to contact the Ikea store in Dublin.
-My one experience of returning goods before, I waited over an hour in the Q. They have a ticketing system much like Dublin Passport Office used to do.
- I have already been told by the IKEA Facebook page that the bed is out of warranty, therefore they will do nothing for me. As such, going out to the store to enquire is a 2 hour round trip for me, between driving, parking, qeueing - and chances are I will be told they cant do anything - based on what the facebook guy is saying.

Tombo2001

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I'd consider it - its a 25euro fee; my feeling is that if somethin is out of warranty, then its out of warranty; even if its a bed that falls apart after 18 months (Purchase date was 31 August 2015). And that I wouldn't get anywhere.

Its certainly a lesson learned for me about what constitutes 'value'.

Its interesting, I looked on various forums and reviews for the Busunge when I bought it, couldn't see much; am surprised this issue has not come up.

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Tombo2001

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"Sorry. The number you have dialed is temporarily out of service".

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Tombo2001

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Ok, will try them from a different phone. I am on to Consumer Connect now; thanks for the heads up.

Stheno

So the bed was damaged in the past and you propped it up with books?

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Is this the bed btw?

cnocbui

What companies claim as their warranty period is pretty much irrelevant unless it is superior to your rights as laid down in legislation. The Sale of goods act pretty much states things must be fit for purpose. 18 months for a bed is clearly not fit for purpose. The Act isn't so much specific about the time period but more about expectation given the nature of the product.

Aside from Irish consumer law, you are also covered by an EU directive which provides a mandatory two year warranty on all consumer goods.

In other words, you have them - they don't have a leg to stand on.

Sellers of consumer goods within the EU are obliged to guarantee the conformity of the goods with a contract, for a period of two years after the delivery of the goods.

Certain standards exist for assessing when conformity can be assumed and when not. If the goods are not delivered in conformity with the sales contract, consumers can ask for the goods to be repaired, replaced, and reduced in price or for the contract to be rescinded.

The final seller, who is responsible to the consumer, can also hold the producer liable in their business relationship.

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumer_rights/rights-contracts/sales-guarantee/index_en.htm

I'd start by asking them why they are selling goods in an EU member country and yet think they don't have to comply with EU legislation covering the sale of goods?

Tombo2001

Stheno wrote: »

So the bed was damaged in the past and you propped it up with books?

Correct.

In the past being in the past 12 months.

And damaged being broke because it couldn't support the weight of a child getting into bed.

emeldc

If it's this thing and you got 18 months out of it, I'd say you've done well!

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/childrens-ikea-products/children-3-7/childrens-beds/busunge-extendable-bed-light-pink-art-90229017/

Stheno

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Correct.

In the past being in the past 12 months.

And damaged being broke because it couldn't support the weight of an 8 year old getting into bed.

Why didn't you bring it back when it first broke?

Tombo2001

emeldc wrote: »

If it's this thing and you got 18 months out of it, I'd say you've done well!

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/products/childrens-ikea-products/children-3-7/childrens-beds/busunge-extendable-bed-light-pink-art-90229017/

Yes that's the one.

All in though its 245 euros after you buy the mattress and slats also.

pilly

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I bought a child's bed from ikea 18 months ago. It's a Busunge. It's been a really bad product, and has now completely collapsed. Legs gave way in the middle and is sagging badly. Ikea tell me it's outside the 12 month guarantee, basically tough luck. I am quite surprised by their response as the item is clearly faulty. Has anyone had experiences like this with ikea, and is it worth pursuing it with them. Many thanks.

If it's always been a problem why didn't you bring it back before the 12 months?

I've had bad experiences with Ikea furniture myself, sometimes though because they were badly put together. Other times especially with kids furniture because they're really not built to withstand rough and tumble that kids put them through.

Tombo2001

Stheno wrote: »

Why didn't you bring it back when it first broke?

Because the initial problem was just with the slats, and I could prop them up without having to trek out to ikea for a refund. The slats themselves are cheap enough.

The bigger problem is the frame breaking, and that's just in the past fortnight.

Kimbot

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Because the initial problem was just with the slats, and I could prop them up without having to trek out to ikea for a refund. The slats themselves are cheap enough.

The bigger problem is the frame breaking, and that's just in the past fortnight.

If the slats are broken tho then surely you would expect the frame to follow suit not long after.

Tombo2001

jonnycivic wrote: »

If the slats are broken tho then surely you would expect the frame to follow suit not long after.

really? why?

davo10

Tombo2001 wrote: »

really? why?

Slats help to absorb and distribute loads placed on bed. Without them the frame is more likely to break.

Tombo2001

davo10 wrote: »

Slats help to absorb and distribute loads placed on bed. Without them the frame is more likely to break.

Maybe so.

dudara

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Correct.

In the past being in the past 12 months.

And damaged being broke because it couldn't support the weight of a child getting into bed.

You really should have bought it back when it first broke. That would have given IKEA a chance to fix, replace etc. Slats are integral for load distribution. So once they break, other failures would follow. By leaving it until the damage was total, you may have damaged your claim (though I'm not 100% sure on this).

Start with a registered letter to iKEA and see if that can get the ball rolling.

Tombo2001

dudara wrote: »

You really should have bought it back when it first broke. That would have given IKEA a chance to fix, replace etc. Slats are integral for load distribution. So once they break, other failures would follow. By leaving it until the damage was total, you may have damaged your claim (though I'm not 100% sure on this).

Start with a registered letter to iKEA and see if that can get the ball rolling.

You may be right.

I already have written confirmation from Ikea that they wont redress in anyway, and also confirmed over the phone. This is nothing to do with the slats going first; its just that its out of warranty.

Just to be clear, probably 3 slats broke out of 12, not a massive redistribution of weight; but that's overthinking it anyway.

To be honest - for 240 euros, its probably not worth taking it any further at this point.

I have a call in to the District Court to see where I would stand with a small claim. However getting parts repaired would be no good to me as I just think its poorly made anyway, ergo don't have any confidence.

There is a minimum 25 euro fee for a small claim; and when then return is 'maybe you get 240, maybe you get nothing' that's enough for me not to bother.

Did you buy it assembled?

Tombo2001

Deleted User wrote: »

Did you buy it assembled?

Its Ikea.

(No).

emeldc

You know, rather than throw it out anyone handy with a saw and a hammer (not necessarily a qualified carpenter) should be able to put it back together again so that you could get another year or two out of it.

cnocbui

Tombo2001 wrote: »

You may be right.

I already have written confirmation from Ikea that they wont redress in anyway, and also confirmed over the phone. This is nothing to do with the slats going first; its just that its out of warranty.

Just to be clear, probably 3 slats broke out of 12, not a massive redistribution of weight; but that's overthinking it anyway.

To be honest - for 240 euros, its probably not worth taking it any further at this point.

I have a call in to the District Court to see where I would stand with a small claim. However getting parts repaired would be no good to me as I just think its poorly made anyway, ergo don't have any confidence.

There is a minimum 25 euro fee for a small claim; and when then return is 'maybe you get 240, maybe you get nothing' that's enough for me not to bother.

Did you see my post on the previous page?

Try quoting the EU mandatory 2 year consumer product warranty at them and ask why they think they don't need to comply.

antoinolachtnai

You won't get the full 240 euros back if you win. You will get the depreciated value of the goods. Realistically, that is an item that in my mind is designed to last three years, the duration of a child's infancy up to the point they need a 'proper' bed. You have gotten 17 or 18 months out of it already, which is half the life. As a result, you could expect to win at most 120 euros, i.e., compensation for the remaining half of its life. You might do a bit better than that (with that the argument that you are going to have to buy a completely new one now to last through the remainder of the young fella/girl's infancy) but I wouldn't bank on it.

davo10

cnocbui wrote: »

Did you see my post on the previous page?

Try quoting the EU mandatory 2 year consumer product warranty at them and ask why they think they don't need to comply.

They will tell you that the consumer directive you are referring to was never adopted into Irish Law because our SOGAS Act offers better consumer protection. So Ikea actually do not need to comply with that EU directive.

davo10

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

You won't get the full 240 euros back if you win. You will get the depreciated value of the goods. Realistically, that is an item that in my mind is designed to last three years, the duration of a child's infancy up to the point they need a 'proper' bed. You have gotten 17 or 18 months out of it already, which is half the life. As a result, you could expect to win at most 120 euros, i.e., compensation for the remaining half of its life. You might do a bit better than that (with that the argument that you are going to have to buy a completely new one now to last through the remainder of the young fella/girl's infancy) but I wouldn't bank on it.

Bed was €140 on Ikea link. The balance was mattress/pillows etc according to op.

antoinolachtnai

Well then 70 euros, if the mattress and pillows can genuinely be reused. Business case for taking a day off to go to the District Court is thin!

cnocbui

davo10 wrote: »

They will tell you that the consumer directive you are referring to was never adopted into Irish Law because our SOGAS Act offers better consumer protection. So Ikea actually do not need to comply with that EU directive.

They still have to comply with the directive in the same way Ireland is complying with the directive through the SOGAS.

Besides the hair splitting, it is still the case that Ikea can not hide behind their warranty and state that 12 months have passed, tough luck, because their obligations to the OP are not defined by or limited to their warranty. A bed is quite clearly a long-lifetime product in normal expectations. A childs bed that breaks under a childs weight is very clearly not fit for purpose.

whomitconcerns

But if the central sorry leg was not replaced in a manner fitting for the bed then the bed was not being used as intended and thru wouldn't be liable. I would chalk this one up OP. Going forward all IKEA for any posts that break or go missing.

dudara

cnocbui wrote: »

Did you see my post on the previous page?

Try quoting the EU mandatory 2 year consumer product warranty at them and ask why they think they don't need to comply.

That Directive was not enacted in Ireland as our consumer legislation was deemed stronger.

Warranty doesn't really matter to be honest, as you have stronger protection under Irish Consumer Law. As said earlier, you are entitled to expect a product to last a reasonable amount of type (dependent of type/quality of product), assuming no misuse on your part.