A Bournemouth woman purchased a £435 wheelchair from Lifestyle & Mobility for her disabled 46-year-old daughter, who had been hospitalized for tests. The daughter died two days later, before the wheelchair was ever used. The store has refused to accept a return or issue a refund, even a partial one, despite the chair never leaving the car boot.
Details of the Purchase and Loss
The buyer, identified as JS, bought the wheelchair in person to support a local business. She planned to use it for outings after her daughter's discharge. However, the daughter's condition deteriorated suddenly, leading to her death. The wheelchair remains unused and is a painful reminder of the loss.
Store's Refund Policy and Response
Lifestyle & Mobility states that refunds are only provided for faulty or mis-sold products. In a statement, the company acknowledged familiarity with such circumstances but said it takes no pleasure in applying its criteria. The store's terms and conditions allow goodwill variations at its discretion, but it declined to use this discretion in JS's case. The company did not respond to repeated requests for comment on why it would not make an exception.
Impact on the Family
JS's daughter was a single mother, and the refund would have helped her teenage granddaughter. For three months, JS has tried unsuccessfully to sell the wheelchair online. If purchased online, she would have had a 14-day statutory cooling-off period and saved up to £100.
