Furniture Ombudsman (Qualitas)
This page contains information about the Furniture Ombudsman. This scheme was called 'Qualitas' until the end of 2006.
This website gives an independent overview of the Furniture Ombudsman. We do not run this scheme ourselves. If you have a complaint about furniture, kitchens or bathrooms, please call the Furniture Ombudsman's consumer advice line, which is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, on 0845 653 2064. You can also use the link to the Furniture Ombudsman’s own website at the bottom of this page.
What it does
Advantages and disadvantages
Which complaints are eligible and which are not?
Cost
Timescale
Procedure
Outcomes
What it does
FIRA (the Furniture Industry Research Association) operates an independent conciliation and adjudication scheme for disputes about purchases of new furniture, floor coverings, and kitchen, bedroom or bathroom installations. Around 250 retailers are registered with the Furniture Ombudsman.
The scheme has an independent advisory panel which is chaired by a Senior Trading Standards Officer, and includes representatives from Trading Standards and Which? Legal Services. The panel reviews a sample of adjudications regularly to ensure they are fair and reasonable, but you can’t appeal if you are not happy with the decision in your case. Your only option would be to take the case to court.
The scheme is an associate member of the British and Irish Ombudsman Association, but not a full voting member, as it does not meet all of their membership criteria. For more information on the difference, have a look at An ombudsman overview. The scheme is also a member of the Trading Standards Institute, and its adjudicators are accredited by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
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Advantages
- The conciliation stage is free
- It is independent
- It is relatively quick
- There is no need to attend a hearing
- Independent testing can be arranged
Disadvantages
- Not every furnishing provider is registered with the scheme
- There is a £50 fee for the inspection at the adjudication stage (although this is refunded if the complaint is upheld)
- There is no opportunity to discuss the problem face to face, as it is primarily a paper process
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Which complaints are eligible and which are not?
The complaint must be about a service or product provided by a company which is registered with the Furniture Ombudsman scheme. Members include:
- B&Q
- DFS
- Dreams
- House of Fraser
- Kitchens Direct
- Moben
- Marks and Spencer
A full list of members is available on The Furniture Ombudsman website.
There is no upper limit to the claim value.
The Furniture Ombudsman does not consider complaints related to personal injury.
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Cost
The conciliation service is free to consumers.
Disputes that are not resolved through the free conciliation process can go on to adjudication. The consumer pays a fee of £50 towards the cost of an inspection; this fee will be refunded if your complaint is upheld. If your complaint is not upheld you forfeit the £50 fee, but there are no further costs.
If you have a dispute with a furniture, kitchen or bathroom provider that is not a member of the scheme, the Furniture Ombudsman service will provide an independent inspection and report for consumers. You can use this to try to negotiate a solution to the problem, or as evidence in court.
There are three levels of inspection:
- An ombudsman opinion letter, based on a sample of fabric sent to the Furniture Ombudsman. This costs £50.
- A ‘Smart Report’, where FIRA Home Service Technicians conduct an independent test at home and produce a brief report for consumer and retailer. This costs £99.
- An ‘Independent Consultant Report’ which goes into more detail, and could be used as evidence in court. This costs upwards of £295.
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Timescale
This varies, depending on the nature of the complaint. The conciliation stage usually takes around three months. If the complaint goes on to the adjudication stage, this takes a further two months. This doesn't include the time taken to complete any remedial work that needs doing.
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Procedure
Consumers are expected to try to resolve the complaint directly with the supplier first.
If the complaint can't be resolved directly with the provider, then a complaint can be made to the Furniture Ombudsman.
The Furniture Ombudsman's first stage is conciliation, which is free. The consumer puts their complaint in writing, with a copy of any documents and letters, and the provider replies in writing. Furniture Ombudsman staff give advice and suggestions, and try to negotiate a fair solution. The aim is to reach a conclusion that is acceptable to both parties.
If the complaint is not resolved, you can choose whether to go on to the next stage, which is adjudication. You have to pay a fee of £50 towards the cost of testing or inspection. If the complaint is upheld, then your fee is refunded. The report on the test or inspection is provided to both parties, and both are given the opportunity to comment on it. After examining the case, the report, and any comments, the adjudicator will present a final report with the decision.
During 2007, the Furniture Ombudsman resolved 1642 complaints through conciliation, and 307 through arbitration.
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Outcomes
Adjudication decisions are binding on the member trader but not on the consumer. Suppliers who are registered with the scheme are required to comply with an adjudicator's decision as a condition of membership. It is unusual for traders to fail to comply, but if they do FIRA cannot enforce their decision. Their only recourse is to expel the trader from membership.
In such cases, or where you are not happy with the final outcome, you are free to take the case to court.
Remedies include:
- repairs
- refunds
- replacements
- compensation
During 2007, at the adjudication stage, customers complaining received some form of redress in around 66% of cases.
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Revised July 2009
