You’ve bought a new mattress, and you’ve realised it’s not quite right. Maybe you’ve already slept on it, and you now want to return it. If you’re wondering about your rights when it comes to returning mattresses, you’re in the right place.
Even if you’ve done extensive research into the best mattresses, sometimes you might’ve opted for the wrong one. This is particularly the case during the sales, when we snap up those mattress bargains in a rush.
As a sleep-product reviewer, I’ve tested a lot of mattress over the last three years. So I know better than most that what a brand says about its mattress, and the reality of sleeping on it might be quite different. I’m here to hold your hand if you’ve bought the wrong mattress – and I’ve checked in with some experts for their advice on what you can do if you need to return a mattress.
Can you return a mattress after sleeping on it?
It depends, as different brands have different policies. It’s really boring, I know, but investigate each company’s Ts and Cs carefully. I’ve drilled into those for most brands later in the article.
‘It depends on the retailer’s return policy but yes you can sometimes return a mattress after sleeping on it,’ says Jane Hawkes, a consumer champion and founder of Lady Janey. ‘For example, some online companies offer trials whereby you can sleep on the mattress for a certain period to see if it suits you. If you are not happy with the mattress after 30 days or however long the time period is, you can return or exchange it. Any information regarding returns or exchanges should be made clear before purchase.’
‘Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you are entitled to items that are of satisfactory quality, match the description, free from defects and last a reasonable length of time,’ says Helen Dewdney, consumer expert at The Complaining Cow. ‘If your mattress does not meet the requirements you are entitled to a refund up to 30 days from purchase and after this time a repair or replacement. If the item is not in breach then it will be for the store to decide whether they can take the item back.
‘Unless you have had a sleep trial you may struggle to get a refund if you have slept on it because you will have broken the hygiene seal,’ continues Helen, aka The Complaining Cow. ‘You can only handle the item as much as you would in store.’
‘Be aware that you may need to retain proof of purchase and original packaging and there may be restocking or collection fees,’ says consumer champion Jane Hawkes. ‘Unwanted mattresses should also be undamaged and free of stains. Any custom made or clearance mattresses may not be returnable. Always check specific refund policies for individual companies before purchase.’
How to return a mattress online
‘Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations you have 14 days from receiving goods to cancel your order for any reason,’ says consumer-rights expert Jane Hawkes. ‘You have another 14 days to return the goods and the seller must provide a full refund minus any return shipping costs if applicable within the next 14 days.’
Your best port of call in the first instance is to speak to customer services of the retailer you bought the mattress from, says Jane Hawkes: ‘Initiating a return should generally be a simple process. Contact customer services either online/ by telephone or live chat. Request to return the mattress, provide order number, contact details and reason for cancellation.’
As for physically returning it – again, this depends on the brand. ‘Some brands organise for a courier to collect the mattress, others may ask you to donate it to charity instead. If either of these options are not available then the company should advise how you can best dispose of the mattress,’ explains Jane Hawkes.
Helen Dewdney from The Complaining Cow reminds: ‘Whether you pay for that return will be decided by the retailer's ts and cs.’
How to return a mattress during a sleep trial
How to return a mattress during a sleep trial will vary from brand to brand (there are details below).
‘Ensure you know the duration of the trial, specific terms and conditions which apply and any applicable fees,’ advises Jane Hawkes from Lady Janey.
You must follow the brand’s guidelines for the sleep trial. This might include using a mattress protector during the sleep trial, making sure the mattress is in a resellable condition and that you’re within the window for the sleep trial. If you don’t follow these steps, you might not qualify for returning your mattress.
If all is well, then contact the retailer you bought the mattress through, following the same or similar steps mentioned in ‘how to return a mattress online’ above.
How to return a mattress bought in store
Under UK consumer laws, your rights are slightly different if you bought the mattress in store.
‘You do not have an automatic right to return if unwanted, only if not as described, fit for purpose or of satisfactory quality – eg. damaged – under the Consumer Rights Act 2015,’ warns consumer-rights champion Jane Hawkes.
Again, you should contact the retailer you bought the mattress from to see if you’re able to return the mattress. A returns policy is not a legal requirement, so it’s worth checking the retailer has one before buying it in the first place. Some might offer you what’s known as a ‘goodwill’ return – but it might be for a credit note or exchange only.
If your retailer will give you a refund, they will be able to talk you through if they will collect the mattress, how it needs to be packaged and any processing fees you might incur.
How to return a damaged mattress
If a mattress is damaged, you can return it:
‘You can return for full refund under Consumer Rights Act 2015,’ says Jane Hawkes, consumer-rights champion. ‘If the mattress is damaged courier costs need to be covered by the retailer and they need to organise collection. For smaller items, retailers may ask you to pop the item back to store but clearly for a mattress this is not going to be possible.’
This obviously only applies if the mattress arrives damaged. You must reject it within the first 30 days of receiving it to qualify for this type of return. You might find the retailer will consider extending this to around six months after purchase – or they may offer you a repair.
If it’s longer than the initial six months of use, look into whether you have a warranty or guarantee on your mattress and what this says about returning damaged goods or getting them repaired.
Returns policy by store
- Simba: 200-night sleep trial, 10-year mattress guarantee. Does not include mattresses soiled items and damage caused by accident (including by pets), disaster or misuse.
- Emma: 200-night sleep trial on mattresses, 10-year guarantee on mattresses (other products vary)
- Brook & Wilde: 200-night sleep trial (you must use a mattress protector) apart from the Lux mattress, 10-year guarantee (with several caveats)
- Tempur: 100-night sleep trial if it’s your first-time purchase with Tempur or you bought it in any kind of special offer, 10-year guarantee on workmanship
- Hypnos: depends on the retailer, they don’t sell directly
- Sealy: 14-day return period if bought through them
- Silentnight: 14-day return period if bought through them, 5 or 10-year guarantee on materials and workmanship depending on the mattress
- Panda London: 100-night sleep trial, 1-year guarantee
- Sleepeeze: 14-day returns period on unused mattresses unless it’s a bespoke product, 5-year guarantee
- REM-Fit: Up to 200-night sleep trial, 15-year guarantee
- OTTY: 100-night sleep trial as long as it’s undamaged/stained for Mainland UK and Ireland, 10-year warranty
- Eve: 200-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty for Great Britain
- Dreams: 100-night sleep trial (you must use a mattress protector)
- IKEA: 365-night sleep trial, or 1 year if unopened and unused; 10-year guarantee
- Dormeo: 200-night sleep trial, 20-year warranty on some mattresses
- Nectar: 365-night sleep trial, lifetime guarantee
- John Lewis & Partners: 60-night sleep trial on select John Lewis mattress (you must use a mattress protector and have bought it in the same transaction as the mattress), up to 7-year guarantee
- Millbrook Beds: 14-day return period; 5-year warranty, 5-year guarantee
- Button & Sprung: 100-night sleep trial (does not include bespoke items), 10-year guarantee
- Naturalmat: 14-day return period excluding bespoke items, 10-year guarantee on adult mattresses
- Harrison Spinks: depends on the retailer, they don’t sell directly
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