Furniture Ombudsman

Contact Information

We are a member of the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman, if you wish to contact them please go to http://www.fhio.org/

What is it?

The Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman is an independent body, created to protect both customers and businesses in the furniture and floor covering world. It’s role is to improve standards and service within the furniture sector and resolve disputes between customers, retailers, manufacturers and other associated companies.

Why should I buy from a registered member of FHIO?

Buying from a registered member of Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman means reassurance that the retailer is following the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman Code of Practice.

Why would I need to contact them?

Should you experience a problem with your furniture, you should first contact the retailer and allow them to investigate your complaint. This is usually dealt with by a customer service adviser, if you do not find as a result that your complaint was dealt with satisfactorily, your next step would be to contact a higher source (i.e. manager ) and escalated accordingly.

In the unlikely event of an unresolved dispute, you can ask The Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman to look into the problem.

How does it work?

The dispute resolution service is a two stage process:

  • Conciliation
  • Adjudication

What is conciliation? - conciliation essentially means reaching a conclusion that is acceptable to both parties.

The Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman Conciliation Service resolves complaints against retailers that are registered with the service. They will take an active role in helping resolve the complaint, looking at the history and evidence for and against each party. They may then be able to suggest and give advice on the most subtle course of action. Around 80% of all cases are resolved at this stage.

What is Adjudication? - Adjudication is the process by which an adjudicator reviews the complaint to arrive at a decision.

How does Adjudication work?

This may involve an independent investigation of the product in your home or further testing. The case is examined and a report is produced, this includes the FHIO’s decision about the validity of the complaint and the action that should be taken to resolve it.

The decision is binding on registered members of The Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman, but you retain your full legal rights to take the matter further (e.g. through court) if you wish. A charge of £50 is made towards the cost of the inspection but this is refunded if your claim is upheld.

We at Danetti are always looking for the best way to help and support our customers and are members of The Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman Association.

Where next?

Bedroom

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Dining Room

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