Problem with leather sofa - any solutions/suggestions?

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 14:23

We purchased a leather sofa (hard leather) here 2 years ago and paid quite a lot of money for it ~ but the seats have cracked and a lighter colour is showing through from underneath which doesn't look very good. I clean it regularly with a leather cleaner/conditioner in an attempt to soften the leather and stop the cracks but to no avail.



I have been back to the shop (in their new large premises on the Catalkoy road) but got no suggestions to solve the problem. Their comment was 'the hot weather in this country is not good for leather'!!



I don't really want to get rid of the sofa so any suggestions / help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 14:30

What a shame may be you will have to have it re upholstered if the frame is good.

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 14:32

Forgot to say its hardly been used!

HappyLappy


Joined: 01/02/2012
Posts: 22

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 14:53

Kizzy, check out the web site:- http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/how-to-restore-leather.php

jamboree


Joined: 25/06/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 14:55

some of the leather cleaners are light abbrasives so take off the surface coat, which is now showing unerneath the top coat. so you should clean it less, there different types of leather and very difficult to make hard leather soft ? as far as i know? but then again it could be the paint poor quality would do this also.



what colour are the sofas?

hoe deep are the cracks?

are the cracks all over or just the seat part?

is it flaking on any other parts?



depending on your answers i may be able to help you. but i cant say for sure. take care for now..

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 15:09

Msg. 4 - will do. Thanks.



Msg. 5 - Dark brown sofa. Cracks not deep - really only surface and just on the seat parts. No flaking any where else - in perfect condition. I have used some dark brown leather polish to try to hide the cracks but they just show again after a few days. We don't use it any more and still the cracks continue to appear! Any help you could give would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot.

jamboree


Joined: 25/06/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 15:37

hello by the sound of what you are telling me if the cracks are light and show after you have put on leather polish then there is a problem with the top coat which is very thin and poor quality. in which case they will keep comming back. the only other thing to try is leather colour dye. but when you cover the cracks, there will be other places where the cracks will show. the only way to stop it is that sofas need stripping and respraying which is a very costly job, and i dont know any one that could do a proper job out here in cyprus...



if i was you i would go back to the shop and complain, and if nothing happens i will try and find the number of the consumer protection group in lefkosa which is connected to the government. you have consumer rites even out here, how long was the guarrantee on the sofa do you know?

i will by the end of the day get you the number, and they may be able to help you if the shop wont.

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 16:04

Hi jamboree - thanks for your reply.



I have already tried a leather colour dye which looks ok when you put it on but a couple of days later back to the same thing. I will go back to the shop again but I don't think I will get any where. They really didn't want to know. From what you say it probably is poor quality paint. If there was a guarantee it is long past I'm sure.



We are very disappointed with the shop as we bought quite a few large furniture items from them and recommended friends to buy from there as well. No more of our money will be spent at their new larger premises!



Thanks again.

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 16:04

There are quite a number of furniture shops up the Çatalköy road including my daughter's shop Smart Plus who moved farther up the road. Can you name the shop please?

ismet

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 16:11

Ismet - It is not Smart Plus ~ have bought a couple of garden items from them and always had first class service.



Want to visit the shop again before I say more.

jamboree


Joined: 25/06/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 17:27

hello i kept on thinking about what they told you that the hot weather is no good for the leather. this is a load of total bullsh1t, i brought my leather sofas back from england and thay have sat in direct sunlight for the past 5 years and they are ok, why havent the the cars that have leather seats cracked?(yes they do but from constant wear and spillage etc, but not from evry day light use), because they used decent quality paint to surface them. if the sun was no good for leather then 30%-40% or more would not be using leather products. very bad customer service, but a very good way to get rid of you...big shame who ever they are???? i will have that number for you very soon...

ttoli


Joined: 24/03/2007
Posts: 1172

Message Posted:
10/02/2012 19:53

I can back up Jamborees post, I too bought in the UK, they've been in direct sunlight for 6 years and No Cracks, sounds like poor quality leather to me.



I have used the expensive Leather conditioners/Cleaners in the past but now use STP Son of a Gun, (Yellow bottle, Lemar sell it same shelf as car wax etc).

deputydawg


Joined: 30/03/2010
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
11/02/2012 10:30

Consumers Association is in the old quarter of Lefkosa. There is/was a local representative also working from the Grapevine restaurant in Girne. Contact Hasan Yilmazisik 0392 228 9520 or 0392 229 0790. He appears to be a very mild mannered person but once he has a grasp of the situation he is like a dog with a bone who has a good record of success as he seems to have swingeing powers and the ability to bring all businesses to heel when necessary.

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
11/02/2012 17:43

Many thanks for all your replys. I have emailed the company and am awaiting their written comments before taking next step with consumer ass. Will update in due course. Thanks again

blade


Joined: 19/06/2010
Posts: 1286

Message Posted:
11/02/2012 17:55

We have a leather settee which we have had for around ten years now, still good as the day we purchased it in the UK. Sorry but its the poor quality you were sold.

Kizzy


Joined: 09/09/2011
Posts: 88

Message Posted:
11/02/2012 18:02

We have 2 others we bought 10 yrs ago in uk no probs whatsoever. Paid over £1000 for this 1 sofa here!!!

japeal



Joined: 12/09/2008
Posts: 1052

Message Posted:
11/02/2012 18:16

Kizzy



Sounds like the shop that was at the current Smart Plus location before them. We bought a 3 piece suite and within 6 months the 'chrome' legs started to go rusty. They refused to change the or accept them being returned.