What To Do?

[dunnitall]

A disabled friend had a bespoke recliner chair delivered to her by the DSS for which she was most grateful. Anyway they have got it wrong, firstly it is huge and I mean huge, it is so uncomfortable for her and there is no way she can use it. Obviously she is bitterly disappointed but she rang them, told them and they were fine about it. The crunch comes being told that they won't be able to collect it for five weeks!

She and hubby live in a small place and now they have their two armchairs and this huge one taking up space. It can't be moved as it is too heavy and there is nowhere else to put it. The worst part is, because she needs a reclining chair they have been and ordered one that suits her and paid for themselves but it will be delivered before the other one is removed.

The DSS people won't budge on collection date and she is distraught about maybe putting off delivery of the ordered chair as she needs it soon, plus having the other chair completely in the way.

Do you think she is entitled to say to them, if your chair isn't collected by such and such a date we will get someone to put it outside? She doesn't want to do this but is stressing out over the dilemma.

[B00]

Can they not, for what is really a relative short term, put it up against the back wall or something?

Ya see I hear what you're saying, but all I read was "my mate got a freeby, and now doesn't want it, so bought her own which she could obviously afford in the 1st place". I realise that probably isn't the case, but it does smack of a bit of ungratefulness on her part.

[dunnitall]

Hello Boo, certainly not ungrateful, she feels very guilty at not being able to use the chair, but it is totally unsuitable, her feet don't even touch the ground it is far too big. As for putting chair anywhere else there isn't anywhere, three chairs and a tv in the room and it's full, pity she doesn't live in a mansion!

The chair can't be moved it has to come apart and that's an experts job, she is so distraught about it because the other chair will be coming. She just wants this one gone as it is totally in the way. I said to give them an ultimatum but not sure if that is even the right way to go about it that's why I asked.

[B00]

Is there anyway she can beg the new armchair company to deliver the old one back to the DSS? Perhaps for a bit of cash?

Not sure how she stands legally on the ultimatum thing, but it just sounds morally wrong to me to do that to them. I'm aware (i think?) that the DSS can't afford to dish out chairs willy nilly, and this one will be unusable to anyone else once it's been left out in all weathers.

[dunnitall]

I very much doubt a retailer would deliver the chair back to them or that's my opinion and she has said she doesn't know where it came from anyway or she might have been able to arrange something. Mind you, there are strict rules with it I think and I guess it would have to be handled by their own staff I don't know.

I only made the ultimatum suggestion to ease her stress, I don't like it myself and nor did she as she feels guilty enough now. I was trying to say chivvy them up by saying it or something like that. Seems a bad position to be in and that's why she is so upset about it all. She wishes they hadn't got it so wrong with the chair as it wouldn't have led to this.

[Robinia]

My neighbour had a similar problem and I think they did fetch the item back sooner rather than later in the end.
I'd try again, call at a different time of day (might be different staff). I know from dealing with my brother's problems that you usually end up talking on the phone to someone who only does what's in the script but sometimes persistence pays off and you find someone with a bit of common sense who can get the job done.

[hc4361]

Could she offer to pay a firm to deliver the chair for her?

[choux]

When you say DSS do you mean Social Services? If so, then she could contact her local councillor and ask them to contact the department for a quicker removal of the chair.

[dunnitall]

Paying for another delivery route she hasn't a clue where to deliver to. She is dealing with this through the OT (since found that out not the DSS), probably social services. The Occ Therapy are the ones who phoned the delivery/collection part of the organisation and they say that's the earliest they will collect even though they know it's urgent. That's why I suggested the "collect by this date or else". I know she rang the makers of the chair who were very sympathetic but they can do nothing, they only supplied the chair for delivery by the department, I think even they got in touch with the collection service to say there's a problem but she's heard nothing back and date is still 5 weeks away.

I will suggest local councillor but not sure she will do it because she feels so terrible about all the fuss in the first place and yet it really isn't her fault that the chair is not suitable for her, they messed up as far as I see it.

[choux]

If the chair has been supplied by Social Services then explaining her problem to her councillor may be her best recourse. She should not worry about contacting them, they are there to help her.

[choux]

Apart from which, I bet some other soul could do with that chair sooner rather than later :)

[dunnitall]

Yes choux it could be put to good use and someone might even be waiting for this type of chair. I guess this is why people say the DSS and similar drag their heels and keep people waiting.

Apparently a week had gone by between OT being told it wasn't suitable and them promising it would be collected, then because she hadn't heard from anyone, my friend contacted OT again to be told "they forgot" to deal with it!

[choux]

Rhere you go then! Your friend should explain that to the councillor and invite them to view her home to see the space issue.

[joko]

well ring them and tell them you will organise to send the chair back yourselves and can they give you an delivery address for it