Sofalux: Couple's fury at eight-month wait for sofas from troubled Sheffield company

A furious couple were left sitting on garden furniture for months after giving a Sheffield company £1,950 for sofas that never arrived.

Lorraine Wardle and Stephen Ruck paid Sofalux for two sofas in May last year.

The said delivery was promised in June, July, August and September. In October they said they offered to pick up the items from the warehouse themselves, but were told it was not possible.

Throughout this they were left sitting on garden furniture after disposing of their old sofas, Lorraine said.

She added: "We have had so many promises and excuses. In the end we used money we had saved up for a new boiler to buy new sofas for guests, friends and family at Christmas."

The couple, who live near Boston in Lincolnshire, say they have been asking for a refund since October. But they paid a cash deposit and the balance via bank transfer, which does not have refund rights, they discovered.

In December, a 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud after police raided the Sofalux shop at Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said he had been bailed pending further enquiries and the investigation was still active.

The shop remains closed but Sofalux is trading online.

A spokesperson for Sofalux said: "We acknowledge the concerns raised by Lorraine Wardle and Stephen Ruck. We are currently investigating their payment method and will provide details accordingly. 

"Our recent efforts to reach a resolution with Lorraine were met with resistance; however, we remain open to co-operation for a satisfactory resolution.

"Sofalux is actively trading, and we are committed to addressing customer concerns in a fair and transparent manner."