Mattress Guarantees and Trials: Reading the Small Print
The number in the headline is the length of the guarantee. What it covers is in the small print, and across the whole industry it covers less than people assume. This page explains ours, and the parts that are the same everywhere.
What a mattress guarantee actually covers
Manufacturing defects. In practice that means three things:
- Sag beyond a stated depth, measured with nothing on the mattress.
- Broken or displaced springs.
- Failed stitching or seams.
It does not cover the mattress getting softer, which every mattress does, or you deciding the firmness is wrong.
The sag threshold is the number that matters
Almost every guarantee in the trade specifies a depth of body impression below which a dip is considered normal settlement rather than a fault. Typically that is somewhere between 2 and 4 cm. Under it, no claim; over it, a claim.
Measure it yourself before you contact anyone: strip the bed completely, lay a straight edge across the mattress where you sleep, and measure the largest gap underneath. That single measurement decides the outcome, so take it first.
The three exclusions that catch people
1. Inadequate support underneath
The most common refusal, industry-wide. Slats more than 7 cm apart, a missing centre rail on a double or larger, or a broken slat will all cause a dip — and every guarantee excludes damage caused by the base. Photograph your base when the mattress arrives. It takes ten seconds and it settles the argument years later.
2. Stains
The second most common. A stained mattress cannot be assessed or handled, so claims are refused. A protector costs less than a takeaway.
3. Not rotating it
Most guarantees require rotation head to foot, typically every three months for the first year and twice a year after. Uneven wear from never rotating is excluded.
Guarantee, trial and your legal rights are three different things
| What it is | Who gives it | |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | Change your mind because it does not suit you | The retailer, voluntarily |
| Guarantee | Cover for manufacturing defects | The maker, voluntarily |
| Consumer Rights Act 2015 | Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described | The law |
The third one is not optional and cannot be signed away by anything in a guarantee document. For a fault appearing in the first six months, the burden is on the retailer to show the goods were not faulty when supplied — not on you to prove they were.
How ours work
- Guarantee: 5 to 10 years depending on the build. The figure for each mattress is on its own product page and in the specification table — we do not quote one number across the range, because it is not one number.
- Trial: 100 nights on standard sizes, with free collection. Give it at least three weeks first; a new mattress feels wrong at the start because your body has adapted to the old one.
- Made to measure: outside the trial, because a mattress cut to one bed cannot be resold. Faults are still covered. This is the reason we would rather spend time on your measurements than take the order quickly.
Common questions
Is a longer guarantee a better mattress?
Not reliably. A long guarantee with a 4 cm sag threshold can be worth less than a short one with a 2 cm threshold. Read the threshold, not the years.
Is the guarantee pro-rata?
Some are — meaning cover reduces each year and you pay a share of the replacement. Check. Ours is not.
What do I need to make a claim?
Proof of purchase, a photograph of the straight-edge measurement, and a photograph of the base.