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Dear Which?,
I ordered a pet gate from Argos after moving into a new rental property. I have a cat – a purebred Maine Coon who is my therapy animal – and I need to stop him from going downstairs.
The only reason I chose this particular gate was because it said on the online listing that it didn’t require any drilling. As you might be aware, when renting you can’t do any drilling without permission. I specifically searched and relied on Argos’ product description.
Sadly, when I opened the installation instructions, I found out that a drill is in fact needed to put up the gate. I was furious, particularly as it took me almost two hours to pick up the gate from the nearest store that had it in stock.
When I complained, Argos told me I had to return it in-store for a refund and couldn’t provide me with an email address to escalate a complaint. They told me to write a letter to complain and get my travel expenses reimbursed, but we all know what results this yields.
I’ve since filed a dispute with my bank and told them I’m not visiting any Argos store, local or otherwise, until at least the travel expense from my initial trip to collect the item is reimbursed. Why should I be out-of-pocket?
Any help resolving my issue with Argos would be much appreciated.
Mrs Furby, Yorkshire
Put to Rights
Hannah Downes consumer rights expert at Which? says:
It’s always disappointing when something you’ve ordered online doesn’t quite match or live up to its description in real life. And in your case, Mrs Furby, it must be even more exasperating given your two hour schlep to pick the pet gate up.
Fortunately, you do have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if something you order turns out to be less than ‘purr-fect’. All products that you buy must match any description given to you, or any models or samples shown to you, at the time of purchase. They must also be of satisfactory quality and fit-for-purpose.
If what you’ve bought doesn’t fit this criteria, you have the right to reject your item and get a refund within 30 days of possessing the goods. You can also ask to have any delivery charges and the cost of returning the item reimbursed.
With this in mind, we contacted Argos about Mrs Furby’s experience and the inaccurate product listing.
Argos looked into the product and established that it can be assembled without a drill, but that the instructions in the product manual (which specifically ask you to locate four points for hole drilling) aren’t clear on this.
As a result of these unclear instructions, Argos has offered Mrs Furby a full refund, including travel costs, and for the item to be collected.
It also told us it’s working with the manufacturer to update the instructions as soon as possible to avoid any further confusion.
With a refund on its way, we hope Mrs Furby and her Maine Coon swiftly find another pet gate for their new home.
If you experience something similar, take a look at our tips below on how to get your issue put right.
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source https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/04/put-to-rights-argos-no-drill-pet-gate/