I bought a Mama's and Papa's cot bed. After two weeks the ends fell off - obviously very dangerous for baby. After much fuss i received a replacement. This fell apart due to the same manufacturing or design fault within days. Mamas and Papas refuse to give me a new cot or a refund. The cot is very dangerous. They clearly do not care about child safety once they have their money. If i try to speak to them, they just cut me off. This was £200 down the drain. I am outraged. Any suggestions.

Cerys, that sounds like a dreadful experience. Have you tried writing them a letter? In my experience sometimes the people on the end of helpline phones are anything but helpful!

Did you put the cot together or did it come assembled?

I put the cot together myself and they saw the first one before giving me a new one, thereby admitting the problem was theirs. I have managed to speak to the MD's assistant, but now if I phone up, they just put the phone down on me, or tell me someone will phone back, and then don't, and even once I spoke to a woman who basically said they don't care. When i told her i would quote her on that, she said "i don't care I'm leaving tomorrow!". Am not confident a letter would get through to who needs it. Will try tho'. Thanks x

That's shocking! I can't believe she said she didn't care, how unprofessional!

An attitude like that makes you wonder if she got the heave-ho.

Good luck getting it sorted, and keep us posted on how it goes, I'll be very interested to hear.

Cerys,

That's terrible, I can't believe the way you've been treated. I think Julie is right, writing a letter of complaint is usually the best way to do it, it really does help (from experience) when things are in writing. Make sure you note times, dates and names in your letter and it might help to take some pictures of the cot to send with the letter.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Hi Cerys,
OMG! How outrageous! Mamas and Papas normally provide such an excellant service, that's disgraceful!

If you're unsure how to make an effective complaint via letter- check out www.complaindomain.com - for a flat fee of £20 - they take your case and complain for you!
I saw it featured on television a couple of weeks ago- looked like a great idea!

I wish you the best of luck!

Hi,

Have just seen your post and its very concerning especially as its a baby bed have you thought of contacting your local trading standards office as the item sold to you is unfit for the purpose it was sold for?

Look on your local councils site you should find more info on there.

Good luck!

Thank you

Will do!

Hiya Cerys,

I've only had good experiences of Mama's and Papa's, so really surprised by this. Although all my dealings have been with one of their stores.

Where did you buy yours Cerys? Did you take it back to them?

Plus, I see you said you made it yourself Cerys, did Customer Services ask you about the building, just in case their instructions were wrong?

Also, I know that Mama's and Papa's Customer Services deal with customers who bought from third party retailers whereas as the stores handle it themselves.

Good luck with trading standards if you go that route. It would be worth finding out if there has been a national problem or not?

Cheers,
Jason.

Hi Cery's I just logged on and read about your experience with the cot bed. That is terrible but very surprising. Did you just let it lie or are you persisting on getting a new one or a refund?

Hi everyone, wanted to let you know... trading standards have been in touch. I can't disclose anything from their report, but watch out in the national press... thanks for all your support.

Sorry to join this forum so late but I've only just discovered this site.

2.5 years ago, just before my first baby was born, I had a similar problem with M+P. Basically they sold me a cot top changer that didn't fit on to the cot that they sold me in the same transaction. Then when the goods were delivered and assembled they refused to listen to me as "it was too late as I'd accepted the delivery and assembled the goods". Yet they had sold me 2 products that didn't go together!!!

I was livid, and this was just before my baby was due. Hassle that you just don't need. I complained by phone and email and was not satisfied with the rude and unhelpful staff, so to cut a long story short did a bit of research and contacted the MD directly and in the end got some compensation.

I am now expecting my 2nd baby and wouldn't touch M+P with a barge pole. They are overpriced and completely useless.

Sorry to hear that you had problems too, I had hoped that two and a half years down the line they might have got their act together.