Sofa Returns UK: Your Rights When Buying Online

Buying a sofa online is a major purchase, and returns can be more complicated than sending back a small parcel. Before ordering, check both your legal cancellation rights and the retailer’s own returns terms.

Can you return a sofa bought online in the UK?

For most goods bought online, by mail or by phone, UK distance-selling rules give consumers a limited right to cancel even when the item is not faulty. Government guidance says you normally have 14 days after receiving the goods to tell the seller you want to cancel, followed by another 14 days to return them.

This is separate from your rights when goods are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose. Always check the retailer’s current terms before ordering because a retailer may offer a more generous policy than the legal minimum.

Made-to-order does not automatically mean bespoke

This distinction matters with sofas. UK government implementation guidance explains that an item assembled after an order is placed is not necessarily bespoke. It specifically gives the example that a sofa chosen from a retailer’s standard fabric and colour range may still not count as bespoke for the cancellation exemption. A genuinely personalised or specially specified item can be treated differently.

So do not rely only on the words “made to order”. Read exactly what is being customised and the retailer’s cancellation terms before paying.

Who pays to return a large sofa?

Returning bulky furniture can be expensive. Official Trading Standards guidance says consumers can be responsible for return costs where they were properly told about those costs in advance. For goods that cannot normally be returned by post, check whether the retailer states a collection charge and how collection is arranged.

Check these things before ordering

• Whether the sofa is standard-range, made to order or genuinely personalised.
• The retailer’s cancellation window and how cancellation must be communicated.
• Any collection or return charge for bulky furniture.
• Whether assembly or excessive handling could reduce a refund.
• Delivery lead time and what happens if several pieces arrive separately.
• Your room dimensions and full delivery route before purchase.

For the fit side of the decision, use the HODEALS Fit Guide and our door-measuring guide. If you are comparing lead times, also read In-Stock vs Made-to-Order Sofa UK.

If the sofa is faulty

Change-of-mind cancellation rules are not the same as your rights when a sofa is faulty or misdescribed. GOV.UK states that consumers have legal remedies for faulty goods, and a warranty does not replace those statutory rights. Our sofa guarantees and warranties guide explains what to check in retailer cover.

HODEALS checklist

Before clicking buy, save a copy of the retailer’s current returns terms, measure the sofa and access route, confirm whether your chosen configuration is genuinely personalised, and note any bulky-item collection cost. If you are still choosing between sofas, use Compare Sofas to review dimensions and practical features side by side, or browse HODEALS sofas before ordering. This guide is general consumer information, not legal advice; for a dispute, use current GOV.UK or Citizens Advice guidance.