I cut fire safety labels off, do I now need to buy new??

[Guest EvaChup]

Hi

I am thinking of renting out my property. It was all furnished newly over last 5 years, most of the furniture is from IKEA or ARGOS. However, at the point of purchasing I did not realise the importance of keeping the labels (also IKEA only provides them on request as I understand). Is there any way of having the furnishings in my house tested by someone who is certified to do so and can provide me with a certificate?

It seems a total madness (and rather costly) to be replacing all the furnishing lacking the label.. I would be happy to replace/ get rid of anything that won't meet the standards however, I am sure most of it should be fine.

How can I go about this?

Many thanks,

Eva

[Tom Sutton 0]

Eva which labels are you talking about the display label or the permanent label the display label is only for retailers who are selling the upholstered furniture. The permanent label is securely fixed and should remain with the furniture also should be difficult to remove.

Check out http://www.satra.co.uk/spotlight/article_view.php?id=254 which shows the two types of label.

[Guest Hannahmu]

Hi there, following a recent tv programme highlighting the boom in false fire safety stickers I thought i'd check my just over a year old mattress which was quite cheap and has already bust springs etc.

I have attached a photo where i believe a part of the sticker to be missing or sewn in to the bed, do you agree this is probably faulty. The ebay user has since closed their account so i am not sure what I can do at this point.

Thank you for your time and help,

Hannah

[Tom Sutton 0]

I am afraid there is no legal requirement for manufacturers to fix label to mattresses the guidance says,

The fire safety of all mattresses (of any size), divans and bed bases is controlled by both the Regulations and the GPSR. Only the filling material (foam or non-foam) contained in a mattress, upholstered divan or bed base must meet the Regulations. However, the fire safety of the complete product is controlled via the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. The normal route to achieve legal obligations is to have products evaluated against the British Standard best suited to product safety. In this context, a finished mattress and mattress topper, divan or bed base should comply with the low hazard category of BS 7177.

There is no formal scheme for proving compliance with a Standard and a supplier can simply claim compliance. However, the accuracy of such a claim needs to be justified when challenged by purchasers or Enforcement Authorities.

Check out http://www.fira.co.uk/document/fira-contract-flammability-guide-october-2011pdf.pdf and http://www.fira.co.uk/document/fira-flammability-guide-october-2011pdf.pdf for more information.

[Tom Sutton 0]

I watched the BBC program you spoke of and it is certainly food for thought which can be seen by,

Searching for "Fake Britain Special: Furniture Inferno" in the BBC iPlayer or try http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03qfnsf/Fake_Britain_Special_Furniture_Inferno/

The trouble is what can be done about it, at present the Trading Standards are the enforcing authority but how do they check out testing stations and manufacturers in foreign parts where the problems seems to be. The retailer should ensure the products meet the required standards and should be insisting on proof from the manufacturers that their products are legal. Also the purchaser should be asking the retailers does their product conform to the regulations and not relying on the label only but asking for a copy of the test certificate, if possible.

If you check out the two guides above, the images of the labels are shown, so at least so you can see if the label is what it should be but unfortunately not a total guarantee.

PS I could not see a copy of the image you posted. It said " You do not have permission to view this attachment".

[Guest Guest]

Hi, this is an old post but I have a similar problem. The 'permanent' fire label kept hanging down (sewn to front base, under the cushions)so I cut it off! Now I'd like to rent my flat out furnished....

The sofa is over 5 years old. Think I may be onto a loser here....

[Tom Sutton 0]

Where furniture is supplied by a landlord, the application of the Regulations will depend on whether or not the landlord is acting in the course of a business in letting that property. For example, if a landlord lets furnished property on a one off short-term basis (i.e. whilst, temporarily working away from home) and is unlikely to do so in the course of a business then the Regulations will not apply. If the landlord views the primary purpose of the property as a source of income, rather than his own residence, then this would be considered a business activity and the landlord a supplier. As such the Regulations apply in this case.

If the regulation do apply then as you say you are on a loser but why did you cut it off you could have used copydex to stick it back on.

[Guest Helen]

Thanks for replying. Yes, I wish I'd just glued it in place but I never envisaged renting my place out - but now I've got a job abroad for at least two years, which isn't exactly short term....hopefully I'll be OK as I'm not renting it for business purposes - just to cover my mortgage and to avoid having to sell it. I'll see what the estate agents say. Best wishes, Helen.

[Guest Gordon]

Hi

I have bought a memory foam mattress topper and there is no label on the actual memory foam and only a white label on the cover with what the cover is made of and washing instructions and a line of red text "KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE"

is this the correct labelling? Many thanks

[Tom Sutton 0]

BS 7177 defines a mattress pad (topper) as a product which comprises a cover and filling(s), or filling material(s) alone, designed to be used in conjunction with a mattress or upholstered bed base. Mattress pads (toppers) are mattresses, albeit secondary, as they are not intended to be used separately. Therefore the filling material (foam or non-foam) contained in a mattress pad (topper) must meet the Regulations. In addition the fire safety of the complete product is controlled via the GPSR hence the mattress pad (topper) must also comply with the low hazard category of BS 7177.

It should carry this label,

[Guest Sarah]

Hi 

I cant find the Fire Safety label on my sofa bed. I bought from Argos 3 years ago. I no longer need would like to donate to my local charity shop. Unfortunately they won’t accept my donations because of the fire safety label. Can I buy a new label or can the shop provide with a new label.

[green-foam 0]

If you could buy a fire safety label then "everyone" would do it just to say the item is safe, when indeed this may not be the case.

You can however legally give it away providing you point out it has no fire safety label, or take it to the tip like everyone else does. It's a sad thing to do, but its down to liability at the end of the day.

[Guest Albert Ross]

I have two high spec leather sofa's in very good condition where I cut off the labels as soon as I bought the sofas because they looked unsightly, at a time when I was unaware of their importance when selling on / donating later on. I now wish to either donate or sell these sofas. Can I simply reattach a label (one can buy from ebay) or is there anything else I can do as it seems a waste to landfill two splendid sofas. There appears to be a suggest from one of Tom Sutton's helpful posts that I could try doing back to the furniture store as there should be traceability back to manufacturer?

[green-foam 0]

As I understand it the label has to be sewn in during manufacture, not afterwards. You could try going back to where you got it from but that store is probably not trading just now. For what it is worth, It is only businesses that can not sell furniture with no fire label, are you a business?

[Tom Sutton 0]

Are you talking about the display label or the permanent label, it is the permanent label you are required to have.