Returns without the runaround.
Three situations, and they are not the same thing.
It arrived damaged, short or wrong
Not a return, and not something you pay for. Note it on the driver's paperwork if you can, then tell us in writing within 5 days with a photograph, and we take it up with the carrier.
It has developed a fault
Also not a return, and there is no 14-day clock on it. Your statutory rights and the manufacturer's warranty both apply, and we are your single point of contact for a repair, a replacement or a refund.
You have changed your mind
This is the discretionary one. We do not offer change-of-mind returns as standard, but if you tell us within 14 days of delivery we will look at it properly. Conditions below, and a charge may apply.
It was made to order
Bespoke and made-to-order pieces are built to your specification and cannot be resold. Once we have acknowledged the order it cannot be cancelled, and it cannot be returned.
Five days, or fourteen. Not the same clock.
Five days: something was wrong on arrival
Damage, a missing box or the wrong item. Tell us in writing within 5 days of delivery and we put it right at no cost to you. Leave it longer and the goods count as delivered complete and in good order, which makes it very hard for anyone to claim against the carrier.
Fourteen days: you have changed your mind
The goods are exactly what you ordered and you would rather not keep them. You have 14 days from receiving them to ask. Ask later than that and there is nothing to discuss. Ask inside it and there is still a decision for us to make, which is the honest position rather than a promise we cannot keep.
If we do say yes, here is what has to be true.
Unused
Still as it arrived. Built, sat on for a fortnight and taken apart again is not unused, and we will be able to tell.
Packed for the journey back
In the original boxes if you still have them, or packed well enough to survive the trip. Furniture that gets damaged on the way back to us is no use to anybody, least of all you.
Ready on the collection day
We agree a day and send a van. The goods need to be there, downstairs, and findable by somebody who has never been to your building.
A charge may apply
We reserve the right to charge up to £35 an item towards collection and handling. It is a maximum, not a flat fee, and we tell you the figure before the van comes rather than after.
The bit that catches people out.
Questions people actually ask.
Can I return something just because I have changed my mind?+
Not automatically, no. We sell to businesses, so the consumer cooling-off rules do not apply, and our standard position is that an accepted order is binding. What we do say is that if you tell us within 14 days of delivery we will look at it properly and give you a straight answer. Often enough that answer is yes.
How do I start one?+
Email hi@deskwell.co.uk or ring 0208 138 0512 with your order number and what you would like to send back. The 14 days runs from when you received the goods, so get in touch early even if you are still deciding. Telling us costs nothing and keeps the option open.
Does the 14 days apply to something faulty?+
No, and this is the most important line on the page. Faults are dealt with under your statutory rights and the manufacturer's warranty, with no 14-day cut-off and no collection charge. The 14 days applies only to goods that are exactly what you ordered and in working order.
Do I have to post it back myself?+
No. We arrange collection and a van comes to you. Please do not book your own courier: if the goods are damaged on the way back on a carrier we did not arrange, there is nobody for us to claim against and the credit goes with it.
What does the £35 actually cover?+
Collection and handling, and it is a ceiling rather than a flat fee. A small item often costs us less than that to get back, and we charge less. Whatever the figure is, you hear it before we collect anything, and it comes off the refund rather than arriving as a separate bill.
What about made-to-order furniture?+
Once we have acknowledged the order it cannot be cancelled, and it cannot be returned for credit. Refusing the delivery does not change that: the goods are still yours and still payable, and a failed-delivery charge applies on top. Made-to-order lead times are shown on the product page before you buy, so if you are unsure about a finish or a size, ring us first. That is what we are for.
The small print, in plain English.
Everything above comes from our Terms and Conditions of Sale, and the terms are what actually govern the sale. Section 7 covers cancellation and returns, section 8 covers delivery and damage on arrival, and section 10 covers faulty goods and warranties.
We do not offer change-of-mind returns as standard, and any return we agree to is at our discretion (7.1).
A return must be asked for within 14 days of receiving the goods (7.4).
Goods must be unused, re-packaged so they survive the journey back, and ready on the collection day (7.5).
Additional services you have already had, such as installation, pre-assembled delivery or express delivery, are not credited (7.6).
We may charge up to £35 an item towards collection and handling (7.7).
Bespoke and made-to-order goods cannot be cancelled once acknowledged, cannot be returned for credit, and earn no credit if delivery is refused (7.8).
Damage, shortages and wrong items run on a 5-day window and are not returns at all (8.6 to 8.8).
None of this affects your statutory rights, or anything owed to you under the manufacturer's warranty (7.9, 10.1).
The long version lives in our terms and conditions, and we are happy to translate any of it. Delivery, installation and what to do on the day it arrives are on the delivery and installations page.
Not sure? Ask before you buy.
We would far rather answer a question now than arrange a collection later. Sizes, finishes, lead times and made-to-order flags are all on the product page, and we are on the end of the phone for the rest.
Talk to us