Company won't fix widow's bed

Bensons for Beds said customer guarantee was for her husband.

Shelagh Stringer was with her husband Roger when they bought the system from Bensons for Beds in Torquay in September 2014.

They paid a total of £4,250 from their joint account for a mattress, accessories and the double bed which can be electronically adjusted separately on both sides.

Mr Stringer, who died aged 74 in October 2017, was a member of Torbay Council for 15 years and ran Barton Post Office for 40 years.

His widow discovered the bed was faulty and reported it to the company in May, hoping it would be repaired under a five-year guarantee.

One side of the bed mechanism had jammed at an angle, raising the level of half the bed 4ins above the other side, making it difficult to sleep on.

After sending in a copy of her husband’s death certificate and will, Mrs Stringer said a customer services representative told her they were unable to help.

Mrs Stringer said she was told that as her husband was the named customer the guarantee could not be transferred to her after his death.

On Monday a letter arrived from Bensons addressed to Mr Stringer saying it was unable to reach an “amicable solution” and advising the next step was to get in touch with the Furniture Ombudsman.

But later the same day, after the company was asked by the LDRS about the issue, it said it would treat Mrs Stringer as a special case and offered to send out an engineer to assess and repair the bed.

Mrs Stringer, 70, who lives in Shiphay, Torquay, said before being called by the company on Monday: “I would just like an engineer to come out and fix the bed.

“I have been quite upset over it. They never call me back, I keep having to ring them.

“The girl on the telephone said the guarantee does not cover it.

“But we both bought it – It was bought for the both of us and paid for from a joint account. I think it’s very unfair.”

A spokesperson for Bensons said in a statement on Monday: “We are very sorry to hear that Mrs Stringer has experienced upset regarding the handling of her case. 

“With all customer concerns, we are committed to following clear processes, in order to evaluate the matter and try to reach an agreeable resolution.

 “In the case of Mrs Stringer’s request, as the bed was originally purchased in Mr Stringer’s name, we requested a copy of his death certificate, which was duly provided to us. 

“As part of our standard procedure, which aligns with our data protection policy, we also require proof of power of attorney in order to authorise a transfer of warranty to another name – however, Mrs Stringer does not hold power of attorney in this case.

 “In the spirit of resolution, we have arranged for a specialist to assess the bed. If a fault is found, then the necessary repairs will be made. 

“Due to the distressing circumstances, we will also be making an exception in offering to place the order in Mrs Stringer’s name, so that the warranty can be transferred.”