Best Loungelovers Living Storage Furniture Pieces

TLDR; Bought a fancy oak TV unit. Nine months later, a hidden filler pops out like ‘surprise!’ Lounge Lovers blames chemicals. I just dusted it... … Read more

We purchased the Bronte TV Unit from Lounge Lovers. Overall the piece is attractive and well designed. As the timber has aged, the wood has naturally darkened, which we understand is normal for oak, but a filled mark on the top has now become very noticeable as the timber has darkened. The filler appears to match the original lighter colour, and it stands out clearly and unfortunately sits at the centre front of the unit. This was not visible when the unit was delivered in “new” condition. LL sent a technician out to see it, and their report is that "the damage was caused by a reaction to an unknown chemical or liquid, and no manufacturing faults were found". The unit is only nine months old and has been used normally (to hold a TV) — it is dusted regularly and occasionally wiped with a damp cloth. No chemicals have EVER been used on it. We're a retired couple for goodness sake! The suggestion that normal household cleaning has caused this issue is unreasonable. The mark is clearly a filled defect that has become visible as the timber has darkened over time. This strongly suggests a pre-existing repair that has become visible with ageing, rather than damage caused through use. I am so disappointed that responsibility has been put on me without any clear basis. Particularly given that this order has already involved significant inconvenience — we had to reorder a sofa after it was confirmed as a suitable size but could not fit through our entryway, and a Bronte bookcase that was assembled backwards (yes, you read that right) and needed replacement — I honestly would've expected a more constructive response from LL than "chemicals". At this stage, I consider replacement of the TV unit to be the only reasonable resolution and request that this matter be escalated for further review.