Dishonest and Misleading

I bought a loung suite from Essops Stonebridge on the 16th of April 2022 and my sales assistant was Kim. The lounge suite was delivered on the 26th of April 2022. During the period of the 26th of April to the 26th of May I noticed that the 2 seater couch was peeling. On the 26th of May I went to Essops Stonebridge and I spoke to Kim regarding this matter and she had advised me that I should send an email to Essops Stonebridge and she will forward it to the customer service centre. An email was sent to them on the 4th of June 2022 by me. The email had a description of the defect and photos were attached. No respond was given to me so I went back to the store a week after the email was sent and I was assisted by Lonwabo. When he checked he could see that Kim had forwarded the email to the customer service centre but they had not responded and he said he would advise Kim to do a follow up when she gets back from her day off. On the 17th of June I received a response from Aisha Malunga who stated that the warranty does not cover the leather. I quote

“ Re: Service Guarantee / Warranty on Lounge Suite

Fabric / Leather Lounge - Framework is 1 years - Workmanship is 1year (viz.stitching,seat filling,springs etc.) - NO guarantee on covering fabric or leather(refer to maintenance below) - Mechanism (if applicable) is 1 year

In this matter no Guarantee on covering leather or fabric, we more than welcome to assist you by referring you to a repair department, who will fix the lounge at your own costs.”

Now my problem with the response is this is not stated on the website on the terms and conditions page(www.essops.co.za). Which would mean the customer service centre is ********* and I expect complete honesty and integrity to be exercised at all times. Especially if I’m paying the amount of R45000 cash. Even the T and C of reporting any defects with 72 hrs of delivery does not apply because such defects cannot be reported before they occur.

The terms and conditions on the website are:

LEATHER WARRANTY Solvent spills Ink Paint Body fluids (human or animal) Improper cleaning techniques Placing furniture outdoors in direct sunlight or close proximity to an open heat source ********, fire places, barbeque stands) Sitting on arms and backs of the sofas lack of seating rotation 1.2 Extreme use is considered damaged caused by more than normal wear and tear this includes:

1.1. Defects or damage arising from negligence, abuse or misuse, including (but not limited to) improper maintenance – referred to as ‘dressing’, exposure to water, direct sunlight, coastal air, chemicals, accidents, any use for which the product was not designed nor does it cover ordinary wear and tear; failure to comply with Essops care instructions or specifications

Warranties do not apply to: Upholstered furniture is warranted for a period of 1*year from date of delivery/collection in respect of the frame and craftsmanship. (*also refer to IMPORTED PRODUCTS WARRANTY) The warranty does not extend to the fabric or leather used to upholster the product as this is subject to wear and tear associated with use. Furthermore, usage and treatment in the customer’s environment is beyond Essops’ control.

Firstly the terms and conditions are vague and do not make much sense. The Ts and Cs do not mention them not covering any peeling of the leather which should not be happening in the first place because this is supposed to be genuine leather. According to the cleaning instructions I have not caused any damages to the couch because I only use a damp soft cloth to wipe of the dust (see below). Now as someone who has had a genuine leather lounge suite before I know for a fact that my couch should be peeling with in less than a month of purchasing it. Not only is the 2 seater peeling but I have noticed that the one seater arm rest is discolouring as well. The service centre agent has not been of assistance to me it seem like they are trying to rid themselves of any kind of accountability for the defects on the lounge suites. Instead she has told me that I need pay to get the couch fixed in accordance to Ts and Cs that are not on the website.

I’m appalled by the service given because even after the responds give I had rep**** and I have not gotten any responds.

LEATHER Or objects with components of leather

ABOUT

At Essops Home, we celebrate the unique character of each hide. For this reason, we don’t try to cover up or exclude parts of the story of each piece of leather. Wrinkles, scars, tick bite marks and brand marks are all typical of the highest quality, natural, full-grain leather, also known as aniline leather. For this reason, the following may occur in leather products: – Marks, tick bite scars, scratches, stretch marks and scuff marks are characteristics of full grain leather and are therefore not defects. Prominent brand

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

Rotate seating positions for an even weight destribution which will prevent a variation in the appearance of the seats. – Always clean spills immediately, on all leather items. – Vacuum or dust frequently with a clean, dry cloth – If leather is soiled, it can be wiped with a soft, damp cloth using a lather of any mild white soap with lukewarm water – Do not spot clean leather; clean the entire surface – Wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry with a clean, soft cloth