Ocean Furniture - www.ocean-furniture.co.uk

I recently ordered a Haiti cube for delivery to a Family Friend, the sales team were incredibly helpful supplying numerous answers to my numerous questions, there was no pressure or heavy selling and I felt they offered me an excellent service.

They contacted me as requested and booked in the delivery, they explained about the restricted delivery (to the door) and took some details about a restriction on a bridge.

The delivery driver was so lovely, he called me about 45minutes ahead and arrived promptly. He offered to help me move the goods to the area that I needed them in and took the packaging away for me.

The person whose gift it was is delighted with the set, and has just purchased the weather cover to go with it.

I did not have any issues with their service and the product is delightful!

I did write in and compliment them but wanted to put it here as well after reading the not so good reviews. There are others who have like me had a brilliant service with them and have no concerns over ordering again.

Sales lady at a Cardiff show 2 summers ago told us the Carribean hut could stay up all year, but they could not guarantee the canopy would withstand the weight of snow (fair enough). But it wasn't until after paying, and then installation that it was later brought to our attention that the canopy is supposed to come down in inclement weather. NO ONE TOLD US THIS UP FRONT. Nor was it on the website or brochure. And it was not what we were told by the sales lady. The canopy soon ripped badly due to wind.

It takes 2 adults on tall step ladders about an hour to put on, and another hour to take off, the canopy. Are we expected to get up and do this in the middle of the night, potentially several times each week, if the wind gets up??? This is the UK. These things should not be sold here, without full detailed warnings. All Oceans care about is getting your money and then they become indifferent.

I've had a lot of correspondence with Oceans who said they have done nothing wrong, but won't of course comment on their misleading sale lady's information or the fact that full and correct warnings are not part in their literature or website copy. Their website now says it can be left up from spring to autumn - but again no specific warning about the potential need to remove the canopy frequently - or what a job it is to do so.

Reluctantly, and while still trying to argue my case, I bought a new canopy, which is a different design to the original. When I pointed this out to Oceans, they said the design was the same but made in a different factory - more lies - the design is distinctly different. They probably had to redesign because they knew the original was not fit for purpose.

When wanting to buy the new canopy, I was told they only supply a canopy plus curtains package. Why? The two can easily be sold separately. Just another money making scheme from Oceans.

The table and sofa covers also have not held up and are torn. The water drainage hole is in the wrong place and gets blocked with leaves in winter. Even light wind blows the table cover off. So I have to weight it down and constantly clear the large pools of rain water off the poorly designed sagging cover. The curtains toggles also broke in the wind. Again no mention by Oceans about having to remove curtains.

Unfortunately we did not know what to check for when the hut was installed - there was no check list - and we signed to say we were satisfied with it. Later we realised that only 2 bolts were put into the feet of each of the hut's pillars, whereas there are 4 bolt holes. This has resulted in the bolts working loose, because it hasn't held down securely. When pointed out to them, Oceans made no comment on this, other than to say we signed the installation form.

Interestingly, they now (03/05/13) have a clearance sale on the huts!!!! BUT DONT BUY ONE AT ANY PRICE. They told me this was because the huts are being dropped in favour of a conservatory style designed structure - probably because the huts are not fit for purpose. I have contacted legal people and will take this all the way, having just tried to reason with them yet agin. HARD-NOSED CUSTOMER NON-SERVICE is what I've experienced. I wouldn't trust them them If I were you - whatever you may be considering buying from them. Their customer reviews on the website are all good of course. Yet when you look around at sites like this you find a very different picture.

The quality of the cover supplied with this set is of very poor quality. Our first cover had to be replaced within a few weeks due to seams coming apart. We were promised a refund of postage costs, which took Ocean a very long time to action. Our second cover has now also split and I am advised that a replacement will cost £54.OO. I find this unacceptable given the fact this set was purchased just over a year ago. We have also discovered the cover is not waterproof with the result of finding wet cushions. As yet Ocean have not responded to my e-mail in which I suugested that they should replace the cover as a gesture of goodwill as it is obviously not fit for it's purpose.

Firstly, they always tend to have a sale on however, the price of furniture is still almost double their competitors. I did not have a problem with this until I experienced their service! Let's face it, you can't truly judge service until something goes wrong and see how well they sort it. For that reason, I tend to disregard people who say the 'furniture is great' and 'delivered on time' because that is what I expected when I paid for it!

They got our delivery date wrong. The lady who placed the order happened to be away when I called to query an email warning me of the delivery. Everybody relied on paperwork that she had signed. I was never sent a copy of this to look over and confirm so they said 'it was my word against hers'! Can you imagine saying that to a customer? When I finally got to speak to the lady who made the order, she said 'I need to speak to customer services'! When I asked her to handle it, she said she would call me back. Nothing returned, no call back! Called customer services, spoke of cancelling my order. Absolutely no care in their approach to the thought of losing an order or that they have an unhappy customer on their hands. Finally, spoke to another person (not mentioning any names) who listened but again could/would not help. When asked that I would like the managing directors' name so I could write a letter, I was told that there was a 'no names policy'!!! It almost makes you want to laugh! Trading Standards does come to mind though!

Ok, we got the furniture. It's ok but not as impressive as the pic. I thought I would find out where I stand if I exchanged it for another product from Oceans. Sorry, there's a £100 collection fee and it has to be 'as new'. I don't trust them now. There's nothing to stop them telling me something is not 'as new' and it may get damaged in transit on return. I now question their 10 year warranty (which is what attracted me to them over others). Read it CAREFULLY on their website. They've managed to bypass the Distance Selling Regulations which gives consumers an

unconditional right to cancel a contract where Oceans would be legally obliged to refund all sums due in relation to the contract, this

means the full price of the goods made including the cost of the delivery. So, I gave them an idea. I asked if I order another item (£500 parasol), would they collect the other furniture on the same visit and bring the replacement? 'No, sorry but what parasol would you like?'!

Looking back at it all. I would go to someone else for Rattan furniture at half the price and buy another product again in 5 years on to avoid dealing with these people. In the end, I would have spent the same and benefitted from a much better experience. Let's hope the furniture lasts!

Bought a Tahiti bar and chairs one of their luxury sets !!!

hinges on doors are rusting after three weeks on patio. Told by customer services to wash with soapy water, the cheek of it you would have to shot blast these the rust is that bad. Shame on your poor after sales service and guarantee does not exist on these parts

They don't deliver. I bought furniture from Ocean Furniture, and I was told it was in stock at the time of purchase. When I eventually got through to them to arrange delivery, I was told I would have to wait two to three MONTHS on top of the seven weeks I had already waited. Truly atrocious customer service. The next bit of fun was getting my money back.

It has been a really awful experience, and very stressful, and they have not done anything to make amends.

We paid for a bed from Ocean Furniture in May 2006. We were promised a delivery of 4 weeks. We called constantly to Customer Services, to be told to 'Call back in a couple of weeks'. We have been promised a refund but we have not received one yet.

I bought a Le Corbusier 3 seater sofa from Ocean Furniture in October 2005 and I was promised a delivery in 6 weeks. In January 2006 I ordered another item of furniture from them and requested it to be delivered together with my initial order. Not long after this they went into administration but did not inform me of this fact, and they have refused to honour my initial order.

No apologies were given and no vouchers were offered. This company does not know the meaning of the words 'Customer Service'.