Extremely Poor Service & Unacceptable Repair Quality – Russells

I purchased a reclining lounge suite from Russells in 2025. Within the first week, we experienced issues, which were replaced promptly — thanks to the excellent service from the sales representative, Marcus.

However, the experience since then has been nothing short of frustrating.

Earlier this year, the stitching began coming apart and the cable operating one of the reclining mechanisms broke. I reported the issue to the store on 15 January 2026, and a reference number was only issued on 30 January 2026. The sofas were eventually collected for repairs on 18 February 2026 and returned a full month later on 18 March 2026 — despite being told the repair process would take just two weeks.

During this entire period, I continued paying for furniture I could not use.

To make matters worse, the sofas were returned in a significantly worse condition than when they were collected:

The recliner mechanism on the 2-seater is now loose and unstable, posing a safety risk. The cushioning under the leg rest has been incorrectly fitted and rides up, making the recliner defective. The backrests are uneven, reflecting poor workmanship. The sofa is now visibly lopsided, with one side lower than the other, indicating structural imbalance. The sofas were returned dirty, unwiped, and with exposed staples — showing a complete lack of care and professionalism.

Additionally, the sofas were originally collected disassembled for transport, yet returned fully assembled. This is unacceptable and increases the risk of internal damage, clearly pointing to negligent handling and poor transport practices.

Communication throughout this process has been completely unacceptable. I have sent multiple emails to both Russells and Pepkor, yet I continue to receive only automated responses. To date, no one has made direct contact with me to resolve this issue. My wife and I have been forced to constantly follow up ourselves, with no meaningful assistance or accountability.

This entire experience reflects extremely poor service delivery, substandard repairs, and a complete disregard for customer satisfaction.

I expect this matter to be addressed urgently and resolved properly.