A WOMAN who paid £1,600 for a DFS sofa says an "abused-looking" settee turned up at her front door – and workers told her to fix it herself.

Gemma Carmichael immediately told the company the Sanctuary model that arrived at her Manchester home wasn't right.

But she claims bosses at the branch in Trafford Park have flatly denied her requests to return the piece of furniture – and she'll face months of repayments to keep it.

One employee even told her to shave the fabric with a razor after she complained it was "bobbly", she said.

Gemma, 25, is a third-time customer with the company. She waited 14 weeks for the sofa to arrive, but when it finally turned up, it was "nothing like" the model in the showroom.

"It's a different colour and the material has sunk. The fabric itself is bobbly too," she told The Sun Online.

"Honestly, it looks like a completely different sofa."

Gemma complained straight away, but was told the settee wasn't faulty and couldn't be returned

'GOBSMACKED'

"One worker even told me the best way to deal with the fabric is to buy a razor and scrape away the bobbles by hand," she said.

"When I asked who would be liable if that went wrong, they said it would be me. I was gobsmacked."

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Gemma believed she'd ordered a design with foam inside. However, the furniture that arrived was filled with polyester.

"That's why it's so sunken-looking," she said.

"I've have endless arguments with them. When I asked for foam, they said it's another £350 and I'll be responsible for the cost."

And she said it looks like the sofa has been used before.

"I've been in, I've had four workers out, and they say there's nothing they can do," she said.

"It looks like I've had it for years. It looks like it's been abused. It's an old-looking sofa.

It's not what I wanted and I think the way I've been treated is appalling

"I went in and had a really big kick-off, but the manager told me that if I want to take this further, I'll have to seek legal advice.

"All I want is a replacement. I just want to go in and choose a new sofa that looks like it does in the showroom.

"It's not what I wanted and I think the way I've been treated is appalling. It just feels like they don't give a toss."

After being contacted by The Sun Online, a DFS spokesperson said: "At DFS we’re committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products. 

"We previously arranged for one of our experienced service managers to visit the property to assess the sofa.

'FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T GIVE A TOSS'

"While we found no manufacturing fault with the sofa at that time, in light of Ms Carmichael’s concerns, we have arranged a further service manager visit this week to provide a new wrap, which will fill out the cushions she is unhappy with.

"As a gesture of goodwill on this occasion, we will be making these adjustments free of charge.

"Ms Carmichael has accepted our offer and we are pleased to have been able to work with the customer to find a resolution.”

Another customer of the company spoke of his anger back in September after waiting almost four months for a delivery – only for the wrong sofa to turn up.

Liam Connell ordered a three-seat sofa, chair and stool in May, and was told it would arrive 11 weeks later.

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However, the pieces didn't arrive until September 1 – a month later than Liam, 58, expected.

And when they did turn up, the order was wrong, and Liam was given two identical right-hand seats rather than a full sofa.

When he flagged the mistake, he was told he'd have to give it all back or keep both pieces – despite having already chucked his own couch to make space.

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