Terms and conditions

Terms and Conditions of Sale

The following are terms and conditions for the sale of goods that will govern any contract for sale that we enter into with you. Please read these terms and conditions carefully.

Stowfords' Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions tell you the rights and obligations you have. Please read these carefully. You may have other rights granted by law and these Terms and Conditions do not affect these. This does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer.

Stowfords' contact details

The business address and the address for all correspondence is 17-19 Erme Court, Leonards Road, Ivybridge, Devon, PL21 0SZ. You can telephone us on 01752 893414. The company’s registered number is 3395458. The directors are J Mulligan and F Mulligan. 

Description of products

We make every effort to describe the products offered for sale as accurately as possible. However, we reserve the right to add, remove or amend products without notice.

Purchasing from our showroom

Currently, we can only deliver within the United Kingdom. By placing an order with us, you are offering to buy the goods and allowing us to use your personal details for the purposes of supplying the goods (including passing your details onto couriers and other subcontractors). By signing this agreement you are also giving us your consent for us to keep you informed about issues related to the company and services/products it offers. Should you wish to have your details removed from our system please contact us using the details above. We are not obliged to supply the goods to you until we have confirmed acceptance of your order and this is when the contract is made. You do not own the goods until we receive payment in full. If you discover you have made a mistake with your order please contact us immediately. All prices and offers are subject to change and availability and VAT will be charged on all prices at the current rate. All prices displayed in the shop will include VAT but on some products the ex VAT price may also be displayed. All prices on the web site are shown both including and excluding VAT. Errors and omissions excepted. For stock items we require payment in full at the time of purchase. For items which need to be ordered for you, we require a 25% deposit with the balance payable on collection or before delivery but for certain items such as non-standard sizes of bed, or more unusual colour and size combinations, we will require a 50% deposit. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and Solo and we will only accept personal cheques for deposits. If you wish to make a balance payment by cheque, we will require payment at least 10 working days before delivery to allow for cheque clearance. For out of stock items, the delivery dates given are the best estimate based on current information from the manufacturer.

Cancellation

For non-stock items which are ordered for you, such as sofas, recliners, beds or office chairs, please consider carefully before you order. If you do decide to cancel an order which you have placed, a charge will be made as we may well be unable to cancel its production and delivery to us. So if you do wish to cancel, please inform us as soon as possible so that we can contact the manufacturer. If we cannot cancel the order with the manufacturer, we will charge you a minimum of 25% of the value of your order, to cover handling and disposal of the unplanned stock. For certain items such as non-standard sizes of bed, or more unusual colour and size combinations, we will require a 50% deposit with the order and will charge you a minimum of 30% of the value of the order if cancelled because of the difficulty of disposal.

You may cancel your order at any time within 7 days of placement without charge unless the goods have already been despatched, in which case you will be liable for our delivery/collection costs as below. Any goods returned within 7 days of receipt will attract a full refund, with the only liability on the customer being the costs of delivery and collection. The goods must be in their original packaging and be in perfect condition. A refund will only be given when the returned goods have been received and inspected by us.

Second thoughts

If, after delivery, you change your mind, there is no obligation for us to take the goods back for a refund. Items such as sofas, recliners, beds or office chairs that have been ordered for you in in your choice of finish will not be taken back by our suppliers and can be very difficult for us to re-sell. Under some circumstances we may offer to take the goods back, but we will charge a restocking fee of 50% to allow us to discount the goods to clear.

Delivery

We aim to deliver goods to you within the time indicated by us but we cannot give an exact delivery date. We also may deliver the goods in several consignments but will not charge any extra delivery for this. 

All items featured on this web site are normally delivered to the customer within 4 – 12 weeks. Furniture delivery quotes refer to the maximum time anticipated for customers’ furniture to arrive from the manufacturer to the warehouse of Big Furniture Superstore in Plymouth. In all cases delivery quotes are not guaranteed but should be regarded as a guide to the anticipated waiting time under normal circumstances.

Goods delivered by us as standard will be placed in the customer’s preferred room, provided that reasonable access is available. If assistance is likely to be required in unpacking and inspection of the goods, please mention this to us when we telephone you to arrange delivery. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure the furniture they purchase can pass through the doorways, hallways, rooms and staircases to the room of their choice. In the event of restricted access our drivers will leave the goods at the nearest convenient point for the customer. It will not be the responsibility of Stowfords to deliver, unpack or assemble furniture in locations that have no reasonable access for the items being delivered. A residential phone number must be provided for all orders placed, and this number must be for the address on the order, and in the name of the person placing the order. We must also have a number (eg mobile) at which you can be contacted on the day of delivery.

Delivery of large items Larger items, such as beds, wardrobes and tables, in the ranges of fully assembled furniture are often supplied partly dismantled to assist in delivery. Big Pine & Oak does not undertake to assemble these items. However, if assistance is required with assembly this service can be purchased in advance from the delivery company. Please discuss your requirements with them when they telephone to arrange delivery.

Delivery charges Delivery is charged at a flat rate according to the distance from our Plymouth store: zone 1 £25, zone 2 £30, zone 3 £40, zone 4 £50, zone 5 £60, zone 6 £70. For areas outside these zones please contact us on 01752 893414 for a price.

Damaged or defective goods

We will supply goods that are free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 12 months (or longer if required by law) from the date of delivery. You should inspect the goods when you receive them for defects or damage. If you find a defect or damage you must tell us as soon as possible and we will arrange for their return to us or the manufacturer at no cost to you.

Product guarantee

All furniture from Stowfords comes with a 1 year guarantee against manufacturing defects. Should a problem manifest itself within this period the furniture will be repaired or replaced.

Replacement of damaged goods

Goods that are damaged on arrival with the customer will be replaced at no additional cost. It is in the customer's own interests to unwrap and fully inspect all furniture at the time of delivery. Customers have up to 7 days following delivery to report damage, we will then send a representative of the company to inspect, or if photographic evidence can be sent to us we will can then ensure the smooth transition of replacing your furniture as quickly as possible.

Complaints Procedure

Should you have a complaint regarding any product or service that we have provided, please in the first instance contact us directly by telephone on 01752 893414 or alternatively if you would prefer to put your complaint in writing please email us at sales@stowfords.co.uk or by post to : Stowfords, 17-19 Erme Court, Leonards Road, Ivybridge, PL21 0SZ.

 

Care Of Items

Care, inspection and handling of goods.

Wood will exhibit variations in colour, grain pattern and tone within individual pieces of furniture and between different items of furniture from the same range. This is not a fault but a natural characteristic of the material. Wood will also change colour as it ages. Again this is not a fault but part of the inherent characteristics of the material.

It is not unusual for wooden furniture to crack or split as the timber settles; this happens more frequently with waxed furniture and is completely normal.

Wooden furniture will swell in damp conditions and shrink in hot, dry conditions.

The furniture we supply is not suitable for areas which attract strong sunlight and heat such as conservatories.

Waxed furniture requires regular wax treatments to preserve its appearance. The wax is merely a coating on bare wood, and as such the wood will exhibit shiny marks where the wax may have been rubbed. This is natural and unavoidable.

No wooden products are stain or heat resistant, although a lacquered product offers slightly greater protection.

No refunds will be payable for damage caused by mishandling furniture, misuse of furniture or the application of unsuitable coatings, polishes or abrasives.

Distressed furniture

Customers are required to familiarise themselves with what is commonly understood by the terms ‘distressed finish’ and ‘distressed furniture’ before ordering such items.

These terms mean the goods will exhibit a variety of imperfections to the surfaces, such as cracked, flaking or incomplete paintwork or lacquer, marks, gouges, splits or cracks to the surfaces or any other blemishes deliberately intended to create a worn, aged or re-used appearance.

Painted furniture Wood and wood-based furniture has inherent inconsistencies in the absorbency of its surfaces. It is inevitable therefore that this will result in some colour variations in the finish on mass-market painted furniture.

There are also variations in colour finishes as depicted on the internet due to technical factors, such a lighting of the furniture when photographed, and editing of images.

Paint is normally only applied to the external surfaces of furniture.

Internal surfaces will either be in bare wood or a thin or mist coat.

Special orders Goods which are ordered to a non-standard specification or finish cannot easily be offered for resale, so they are classed as special order items.

Customers who cancel a special order are liable for the costs incurred by Stowfords. This includes any carriage costs incurred or any charges made to us by the manufacturer.

All special orders are subject to a non-refundable deposit of 50%.

User Registration

Users may register their name and address details with the Big Furniture Superstore website via the users button. This saves returning customers having to enter their details afresh, and also allows them to view their order history.

A user who registers will be sent an e-mail with a link to confirm the registration. The details required do not include credit/card information and are saved only for this purpose. They will not be passed on to any other organisation.

Use of Stowfords Website -

Stowfords owns the copyright and all other intellectual property of, or has the right to use and make available for purchase where relevant, all material on the site including but not limited to the text, graphics, logos and all other material available or downloaded through the site.

Any links to third-party websites are provided for information only and do not imply an approval or endorsement of the site.

Stowfords shall not be held responsible for the contents of any linked site; and shall be under no liability arising from your use of these sites. The site is provided 'as is' and without warranty of any kind to the extent allowed by the applicable law.

Stowfords does not warrant that the Site is free of errors and/or omissions, worms, viruses, Trojan horses and the like. You are solely responsible for your use of the site and any materials contained therein. Variation of Terms & Conditions Stowfords reserves the right to change these Terms & Conditions at any time and without notice. You will be automatically bound by these modifications when you use the site, and should periodically read these Terms.

Commercial/Public Sector Customers

If you are a business or if the goods are used wholly or in part for business purposes we shall not be liable to you for any business loss including loss of profits (whether direct or indirect) business data, revenue, goodwill, or incidental, or consequential loss that you may suffer as a result of the purchase of goods from us. Any other liability shall be limited to the price paid for the goods. We do not exclude our liability for fraud or for death or personal injury. Returns are subject to a 15% handling fee. If you have a credit account with us, payment is due 30 days after the date of our invoice and we may charge interest for late payment calculated daily at 4% above Bank of England base rate both before and after judgment.

For Internet and Telephone Sales

If you are a consumer you have the right, in addition to your other rights, to cancel the contract and receive a refund, if the goods are complete with all relevant packaging in an unused and re-saleable condition. You must inform us in writing of your desire to cancel within seven working days starting on the day after the day the goods are delivered to you. You must return the goods to us at your cost and we advise you to ensure the goods are adequately insured during any return journey. If you have not returned the goods within 14 days of cancellation or if requested we can collect the goods from you at your cost.

This is important. Please read carefully.

You have the right to cancel this contract for no reason at all and without penalty. However, we will only accept unwanted products for refund within 7 days of delivery, provided that the goods are complete with all relevant packaging in an unused and re-saleable condition. If you wish to cancel this contract, please write to Stowfords, 17-19 Erme Court, Leonards Road, Ivybridge, Devon, PL21 0SZ. To cancel this contract you must give us notice within 7 working days starting on the day after the day you receive the goods from us. Please call us on 01752 893414 or e-mail us at sales@stowfords.co.uk. We shall refund the total amount of money paid by you for the goods, less any costs to collect the goods if required, within 30 days starting with the day on which we receive a notice of cancellation in writing from you. We would remind you that once you have notified us of your desire to cancel the contract there is a legal requirement for you to take good care of the goods. You must return the goods to us at your cost to the relevant address below and we advise you to ensure the goods are adequately insured during any return journey. If you have not returned the goods within 14 days of cancellation or if requested we can collect the goods from you at your cost. Returns should be sent to: Stowfords, Erme Court, Leonards Road, Ivybridge, Devon, PL21 0SZ PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to accept the return of mattresses, pillows, mattress toppers (mattress overlays), bed linen, any products which are used next to the naked skin. This is for reasons of hygiene as outlined in The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. If you are in any doubt, please call us.

Other information you need to be aware of

Your order details may not be kept by us indefinitely and so we advise you to keep a copy for your information in the future. We advise you to keep safe a copy of these Terms and Conditions. Updated 25th March 2021.