Faulty furniture from China: who do I complain to?

Find the seller behind your order

Gather the order confirmation, invoice, payment record and messages. Look for the name and address of the business that agreed to sell you the furniture. A factory label, delivery company's name or payment recipient may be a clue, but does not settle who sold it. Ask for written clarification if the documents name different businesses. For checks before another purchase, see checking an Alibaba furniture seller.

Check whether a UK sourcing company sold you the furniture or arranged a purchase from another seller. Read about buying through a UK company. This guide concerns furniture bought for yourself, your home or family. If the paperwork describes your household purchase as a trade order, see home purchases under trade-only terms.

Record the arrival before assembly

Photograph the unopened packaging, delivery labels, crushed corners, punctures and damp patches. Note visible damage on the delivery record and keep a copy. While unpacking, photograph how the furniture was protected and where each damaged part sat. Keep cartons, protective material, fittings and labels while the complaint is being assessed.

Compare the furniture with the saved listing, agreed drawing, sample photographs and colour or fabric choice. Record dimensions, missing parts and the exact mismatch. Keep the assembly instructions and dated photographs from before installation. Stop using anything unstable or unsafe; do not force joints, drill new holes or arrange repairs before documenting the problem.

Separate the possible causes

Describe what you can see before deciding who caused it. Damage to a carton beside a broken panel suggests a transport problem; it does not prove one. An intact carton does not rule out damage during handling. Photograph the outside and inside together.

For fitted furniture, compare photographs taken before and after installation. Ask the installer to explain any adjustments, substituted fixings or difficulties following the instructions. Missing parts, inaccurate holes or unclear instructions may be relevant. If the cause remains uncertain, ask for an assessment that separates observations from assumptions.

Choose the route for your purchase

If a UK business sold you the furniture for personal use, complain to that seller. Faulty furniture or furniture that does not match its description can justify a refund. Ask promptly which remedy and deadline apply to your case. If the seller arranged delivery, ask it to investigate the delivery damage rather than treating a courier referral as the end of your complaint.

If you bought directly from an overseas seller, send your complaint to that seller and use any dispute process provided by the platform or payment provider. Check the process and its deadline immediately. Ask a consumer adviser about your particular arrangement before assuming that a UK refund route will apply.

If an agent arranged the purchase, ask it to forward the evidence and identify the seller's complaint contact. Raise a separate complaint about any problem with the agent's own agreed work. On a marketplace, save the seller's details and order page, and use the platform's dispute channel alongside your written complaint.

Ask for a concrete solution

Write: “The furniture arrived on the recorded delivery date. I ordered the specification attached. The photographs show the damage or mismatch described below. I am asking for a refund, replacement or repair as appropriate. Please confirm your proposed solution and how collection or inspection will be arranged.” State your preferred outcome and attach the supporting records.

For bulky or fitted furniture, ask who will arrange collection, dismantling and any refitting, and who proposes to pay. Keep quotations and receipts before agreeing to work. Read removal and refitting costs. Before booking an overseas return, get written return instructions and read returning a personal purchase to China.

If the complaint stalls

Keep the complaint, replies and photographs together. Ask the seller to explain any refusal in writing. For consumer advice, contact Citizens Advice in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland in Scotland, or Consumerline in Northern Ireland. Give the adviser the seller's location, purchase arrangement and payment method so they can assess the next step.

If you want to ask Cambridge China Bridge about an existing supplier dispute, start with supplier problems and provide the order documents. Cambridge China Bridge has its own staff in China, but this guide does not promise that it will refund, repair or take over another seller's order. Check its agreed role and any proposed assistance.