Poor quality family tent - any advice?

[Paul_B]

We got a family tent made by Coleman's and after less than 5 trips out we've encountered failed zips torn mozzie netting at the seams, very poor guyline design (runners either don't lock or lock too much so you can't easily adjust depending on which of the 2 guylines types used) and now the webbing loops the guylines run through are nearly cut through. The last fault or wear and treat manifested itself after just one night of wind. The sort of wind that sounds worse when inside the tent, that rattles the tent but nothing too strong. Our old Vango family tents coped with a lot worse without failing so why would this better, more expensive tent be failing so badly. I would say the workmanship on this Coleman tent is a lot better than the Vango. Certainly it has a lot cleaner sewing stitching on it.

We've had the tent since Easter so do you think we should complain to Coleman? What would be the grounds for complaint? I doubt sh1t tent that's falling apart would win any arguments with brands like Coleman even if in this case it is a fair assessment (in this fed up Coleman tent user's opinion at least).

P.S. if these flaws hadn't happened, say no tears, failed zips and better runners had been used, then I'd rate this tent very highly. It's a good tent IMHO let down by a few faults. The tear I could accept as unfortunate but the guylines cutting though the webbing loops and the runners that lock or don't lock seem design flaws.

So, do I have any grounds to complain to Coleman's? How should I go about it? Guessing polite email with photographs of the problems. Is there any consumer law that could be mentioned to strengthen my case and would that just get their backs up if quoted? Really not the complaining type so any advice is much appreciated.

 

[Bigfoot]

Your grounds for complaint are the faults you have found in a tent after only 5 trips. I'm sure Coleman get the odd complaint and will deal with it as they are required under the Sale of Goods Act.

 

[TheNugget]

You should take it back to the shop where you bought it with the receipt, explain the faults and ask for a refund - or an alternative tent.

 

[santaman2000]

I've noticed a slip in quality in Coleman tents in the last decade or so myself. I don't know if complaining will get the results you want but it certainly won't hurt. At the very least they need to be told they have a problem.

 

[beachlover]

I may be wrong but I think your first port of call needs to be the retailer, as you have a right to expect a certain life from the tent and for it to be fit for purpose, but it can't do any harm to contact customer services at Coleman. It will be good to see the response you get, but I wouldn't hold my breath...

 

[Countryman]

As the others have said your first point of call is with the place you purchased it. This is with whom you have the contract of purchase.

Coleman will back the retailers commitment.

The problems you describe are tricky though. Fly screens get run into my kids, zips can be forced and abrasion on webbing loops sounds extremely odd.

Where did you buy it?

I've always favoured Coleman products. They make exceptionally good kit for a predominantly American market.


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[ged]

According to the law in the UK, the goods sold by a business to a consumer must be fit for purpose and meet reasonable expectations of durability.

You seem to have a valid claim that in this case the goods did not meet the minimum legal requirements.

There are clauses in the law about how long you take to notice the fault(s). In some circumstances if you leave it for too long before complaining you can be held to have accepted the faults. The law is reasonable about this.

As others have said, in UK law your contract is with the retailer from which you bought the tent, and it is the retailer you must first approach.

Many retailers are fine upstanding types and will help you. Some are not, and will fob you off -- sometimes with unbelievable garbage such as "A limited company isn't allowed to give a refund" which is what one told my mother once. The tune changed after they met me.

In view of the way a tent will tend to be used, it looks to me like you've probably not left it so long that the law will deem that you have accepted the faults, but I've not heard all the evidence and I'm not the one who will ultimately make that decision if it goes to the Small Claims Court.

Don't take any cr@p from the retailer, make it clear that this won't do and you want a refund.

A refund is your legal right - and really only that, you don't have the right to require them for example to make repairs, or to give you a different tent, although the retailer may offer that (it might be cheaper for them) and you can accept it if you wish.

If you get no satisfaction and you think it's worth it, the next step is a seven day letter to the retailer followed if that gets you nowhere by a claim in the Small Claims Court. (*)

Did you pay by credit card? And was it more than £100? If the answer is 'yes' to both questions then the credit card company is jointly liable with the retailer.
I've just got back the £155 price of a motorcycle tyre from a credit card company after the retailer went bust taking my tyre with them.

For what it's worth my experience of Coleman stuff closely mirrors Santaman's.

PS: (*) There's a vast amount of help and advice on the Internet about this sort of thing.

 

[baggins]

just pop back to the retailer. i had a tent from blacks years ago, it was sold as a 4 season mountain tent, the first snowdonia blizzard that hit it, caused all the poles to deform. i took it back, said it wasn't fit for purpose and they gave me a full refund and a blacks voucher for £50. i'd gone in expecting a fight and was pleasantly surprised how understanding and helpful they were.
Always start off nice, it really can help.

 

[Robson Valley]

I don't have much of a camping kit : 9' x 12' Woods canvas tent with exterior frame. Good ropes, good poles which stand up in my mountain winds.
Coleman petrol stove, Coleman petrol mantle lanterns (2) which light in any weather, under any condtions. All the light and all the cooking heat comes from my camp.
Nothing at all compact about any of it. I camp. I'm not tramping about = the gear shift would be considerable and I have my choices for that.

Bottom line: You have to get some realistic value for the money spent (we call it false advertising), you either do or you don't.
In camping life, you will wind up buncing off the walls to get the kit you need. I can admit that 30+ years of experience led me to the things I have and use.

You are 60 miles from the nearest road. Here is your kit. Here is your food. Do your job. We will fly in to get you in 3 months. That is all.

 

[Mike_B]

Assuming you bought it new, this Easter 2015 then clearly all is not well. As others suggest, your contract is with the retailer so they have to deal with the issue. You might want to check the Sale of Goods Act on what you are legally entitled to. However, at this point I suspect the tent is still within Coleman's guarantee period, so that is the first stance to take with the retailer.

 

[Paul_B]

It was bought just before its first trip out over Easter. Then one more weekend trip before this 2 week one. IMHO even Vango ones last longer before stuff fails.

The mesh that failed was high up at the back of the inner sleeping room (it's a da gama 4 family tent). Apparently my partner noticed it came with a small hole from when we bought it but I never saw that.

The guyline webbing loops are just that, webbing sewn into the seam through which the guy passes. The damage is through the guy line moving through that loop as you tighten the guy. It is normal.use. the guy lines are attached to the tent high up and pass through the 3 hole runner and through the webbing loop attached lower down. When pegged down there is an upper triangle formed between the webbing, runner and top fixed point. The runner then adjusts to tighten the guy line by you pulling down. This means the line moves through the webbing loop as it tightens. I noticed some of these loops were looking all bunched up and closer inspection and showed they were actually being cut by the line from each side. Won't be long before these cuts join making the guyline effectively useless.

I'll call the retailer first, was our first plan, then see what happens. That retailer has been around for quite some time so I'd hope they've got decent customer support. Last.time I bought.from them was almost 30 years ago for my D of E expedition. They were very helpful then and this time too.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

 

[Riven]

Sounds like you got a Friday afternoon special. We have been using a Coleman tent for the last four years which I bought from Decathlon and can't fault it.

It also has to stand up to two Border Collies bashing into guys and the walls of the tent so it does pretty well.

 

[rik_uk3]

I'm surprised at the problems your having my Coastline 8 has been trouble free