Pensioner refused sofa refund due to 'stains from cholesterol medication'

A pensioner was refused a refund on his £1,500 sofa after staff blamed dark stains on the leather on his cholesterol medication which 'seeped out of his hair'.

Paul Hepburn, 70, and wife Pat spent their savings on the brown couch but within months were shocked to find it was covered in small round marks.

The couple complained to furniture chain Harveys but they were adamant it wasn't covered under guarantee because of Paul's medical condition.


Photo from here.

Paul suffers from high blood pressure and his doctor had placed him on a course of cholesterol-lowering drugs, Simvastatin and Terazosin. Harveys claimed the medication had seeped out of his body through his hair. They said because the damage was "caused by the customer" his warranty was invalid.

Paul, of Abbotskerswell near Newton Abbot, Devon, said: "It is just ridiculous. We were told that our doctor should have warned us, but why would I tell him I was buying a leather sofa? They certainly didn't warn me in the shop."

A Harveys spokesman said: "Some medications speed up the process. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done as it is caused by the customer, though not their fault."