British Heart Foundation - Home Store

We completed the on line form to donate some items of furniture. A member of staff phoned the next day to discuss. One of the items was a large corner cabinet, and was even itemised as 'tall' on the on line form. The member of staff said they'd be delighted to accept our donation, especially as I was gift aiding it. An appointment to collect was made. The van arrived and the driver immediately said he couldn't take the corner cabinet because it was too tall. No amount of my telling him what the man in the shop had said would persuade him, and he even rang his manager and got him to say that no, they wouldn't take it. The driver said it would have been a shop volunteer who rang me to discuss, "and they don't know what they're talking about". He said they constantly had items they couldn't collect and had to deal with irate people like me. They took the other item and went off. I rang the shop. The person I spoke to was unhelpful and frankly rude. He said whoever had called me from the shop should have told me they couldn't take the cabinet. He didn't apologise. I said that this was the second time this had happened (we had a similar argument about a wardrobe donation a few months ago) and that I would now be very reluctant to make any further donations to BHF. The man said that was my decision and wasn't in the least concerned. I said I found that attitude very surprising, to which he said he didn't know what else to say as I just kept saying the same things to him. I asked what he was going to do about the situation, and he didn't say beyond telling me that instructions were available for all staff to follow. He asked if I wanted to complain but I said I couldn't really see the point, at which point I ended the call. Appalling attitude and not for the first time at this shop. Needless to say we will be finding another outlet for charity donations in future.

Extremely Disappointing Experience I recently attempted to donate items in good condition and was left thoroughly frustrated. The collection team arrived two and a half hours later than the agreed time, only to take two bookcases and refuse one set of bookcases because the back panel required a single tacking —a minor fix I was ready to complete immediately. Despite keeping me waiting for over two hours, they claimed they had only eight minutes for the collection and would not allow five minutes for me to secure the panel. As a result, a perfectly good set of shelves went to waste. This level of inflexibility and disregard for donors’ time is unacceptable. I will not be donating to this organisation again; there are far better charities that appreciate contributions and treat donors with respect. Disappointed and frustrated.

2/3rds of my order didn't reach me, was broken. They let me know when delivery was outside. Offered a refund on broken furniture, but wouldn't let me cancel as it was too late to cancel (delivery was literally arriving at the time). It's a bit too expensive delivery for the shelves that survived.

A wonderful place to shop for household items at great prices! The store offers a fantastic selection of both brand-new and pre-loved pieces. You can also donate or gift your own items, knowing that the proceeds go towards helping heart patients. The staff are incredibly friendly, helpful, and always ready to assist. A truly heartwarming experience with a meaningful cause. Highly recommended!

***BUYER BEWARE*** Shameful customer service by the manager. Two weeks ago my wife and I purchased a sofa, which included four cushions. On delivery day, the sofa turned up with only two cushions. This was highlighted to the delivery drivers, the van was searched, no additional cushions. A phone call to the shop was made. Thankfully we took a photo of the sofa sat in the showroom on the day of purchase, which clearly shows four cushions. All staff, (with the exception of the manager) were helpful in attempting to find the missing cushions, however they were lost. I was advised by a staff member to arrange to speak with the manager, who was absent on the days I'd made contact. I called in store today and was instantly recognised by two members of staff who made the manger aware of the situation. On eventually speaking with the manager, I was told that two of the cushions were "thrown on as a gift from another matching sofa, as another customer didn't want them." She stated there was nothing she could do. I kindly requested that she either provide me with two alternative cushions or some sort of partial refund. I was reluctantly offered a £15 discount but only on the grounds that I provide the original receipt, despite two members of staff recognising myself and the sofa we'd bought. I see this service and professionalism as completely inadequate as we have been sold a product that is not as initially described or advertised. Included is a photo of the sofa, clearly showing four cushions. ***BUYER BEWARE***