The Furniture Ombudsman ("TFO"), is an independent not for profit organisation that was originally established in 1992. It is a membership-based scheme based in the United Kingdom. It specialises in providing Alternative Dispute Resolution solutions for customers of its members in the retail, furniture and home improvement industries. It also provides training and education services to its members which aim to raise standards, improve service and inspire consumer confidence.
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Jurisdiction
TFO members comprise over 8,000 retail, furniture and home improvement outlets in the United Kingdom. All full members pledge to abide by a code of practice which bestows additional rights and assurances on consumers who shop with them. Consumers considering a furniture purchase can use TFO's website to search out its members on a store locator.
Most complaints that TFO investigates are about upholstered furniture, beds and fitted kitchens. However it also deals with complaints about other domestic furniture such as dining room tables, chairs, bathrooms and home offices.
Many of the UK's biggest retailers have pledged their support the scheme.
Case Statistics
As part of its commitment to openness, honesty and integrity, TFO publishes an annual review each year which contains facts and figures relating to its work and case decisions.
In its 2011 annual review, TFO stated that in the year ending August 2011 it made 51% of its decisions in favour of the consumer, either in full or in part. In the year ending August 2012 it made 53% of its decisions in favour of the consumer, either in full or in part.
In the 2012 annual review, Stephen McPartland MP for Stevenage and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Furniture said:
"Whether you are an individual or a company, everyone values impartiality and to feel reassured that a decision is being looked at objectively. The Furniture Ombudsman acts as an independent adjudicator and tries to seek a solution which is fair and balanced."Qualitas
TFO was eventually established after critical reports from the UK Office of Fair Trading regarding the furniture industry - a 1986 discussion paper, The Protection of Consumer Prepayments, and, in 1990, Furniture and Carpets - A report by the Director General of Fair Trading. This recommended industry reforms relating to: labelling, consumer buying advice, deposits, quality, delivery damage, and compliance with codes of practice. The report was also critical of the furniture industry stating:
"if the industry cannot, or will not, improve the situation of its own volition, the Office will have no option but to consider whether legislation is appropriate... the Office will expect the trade associations to take the lead in re-examining this question, and in putting forward proposals for the establishment of a deposit protection." (para 1.8)As a consequence, in 1992 several trade associations, in conjunction with manufacturers and retailers, formed the 'Furniture and Carpet Action Group' which became a company (limited by guarantee) and ultimately became 'Qualitas Furnishing Standards Ltd'.
Further OFT investigations led to several home improvement organisations agreeing to undertakings mandating their membership of a deposit protection scheme. The OFT agreed that a scheme proposed by Qualitas was acceptable; as a result, Tesco Kitchens & Bathrooms, B&Q, Moben, Kitchens Direct, MFI and Magnet became members of Qualitas in the early 2000s (decade).
Originally based in central London, Qualitas struggled to gain traction in the industry, and was purchased by the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) in the late 1990s and moved to FIRA's Stevenage office in Hertfordshire. In 2014 The Furniture Ombudsman was re-established as a not for profit Company outside of the control and ownership of FIRA.
TFO
The name 'The Furniture Ombudsman' (TFO) was adopted in January 2007.
In 2011 TFO applied for membership of the OFT's Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS). As of the closure of this scheme in 2013 membership had not been granted. Oversight of the CCAS was passed to the Trading Standards Institute in 2013 who took over consideration of TFO's application.
TFO provides a testing and inspection service, training services (in consumer law and complaint handling, primarily to businesses) and a dispute resolution service. The latter is the most significant aspect of its business and is based around a code of practice and basic consumer and contract law.
A number of bodies refer consumers to the services of TFO, including the Trading Standards Institute, Citizens Advice Bureau and the European Commission and it has featured on UK television and radio. TFO is a full ombudsman member of the Ombudsman Association.