Returns & Cancellation Policy
At White's Antiques, we sell predominantly unique antique, vintage and pre-owned furniture and decorative items. Every piece is individual and often irreplaceable.
We take great care to photograph and describe our items accurately, including their age, condition, restoration and any notable imperfections. If you are unsure about an item's dimensions, condition, suitability or appearance, we strongly recommend contacting us before purchasing. We are happy to provide additional photographs, measurements or information wherever reasonably possible.
This policy applies to consumer purchases made through our website and does not affect your statutory rights.
1. Your right to cancel an online purchase
If you purchase goods from us online as a consumer, you have a statutory right to cancel your purchase without giving a reason.
You have 14 days from the day on which you, or a person nominated by you, receives the goods to notify us that you wish to cancel.
Once you have notified us of your cancellation, you must return the goods to us without undue delay and, in any event, no later than 14 days after notifying us of your cancellation.
You do not have to provide a reason for cancelling.
2. Non-faulty returns and restocking charge
Where a customer exercises their statutory cancellation right in respect of goods that are not faulty, damaged or incorrectly described, White's Antiques applies a 10% restocking and handling charge, calculated on the purchase price of the returned goods.
This charge reflects the substantial costs incurred by a small specialist antiques business when a non-faulty purchase is cancelled and returned, including administration, payment processing, packaging, unpacking, handling, preparation for collection or return, inspection, re-listing and the time involved in restoring a unique item to sale.
The 10% charge is intended to represent a reasonable contribution towards these costs and will not exceed the actual costs reasonably incurred in dealing with the return where applicable law requires otherwise.
This charge does not apply where the goods are being returned because they are faulty, damaged on arrival or materially not as described.
Nothing in this section is intended to restrict any statutory right that cannot legally be restricted.
3. Return transportation
If you cancel because you have changed your mind, you are responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods to us, unless we have agreed otherwise.
This is particularly important for antique furniture and other large, heavy, fragile or valuable items, where specialist transportation may be required.
You are responsible for arranging suitable return transportation and for ensuring that the goods are adequately protected during the return journey.
We strongly recommend using an experienced specialist antiques or furniture courier for large or fragile items.
Please contact us before arranging your return so that we can provide the appropriate return information.
4. Inspection and use of antique furniture
Customers have the right to inspect goods following delivery in order to establish their nature, characteristics and condition, in much the same way as they would reasonably be able to do in a shop.
This right is intended to allow reasonable inspection and does not provide an unrestricted period of use.
Antique and vintage furniture should therefore be handled with particular care during the cancellation period.
Customers should not use, alter, modify, repair, assemble, install or otherwise handle furniture beyond what is reasonably necessary to inspect the item.
Examples of handling or use that may result in a reduction in value include:
Where handling beyond what is reasonably necessary to inspect the goods results in a reduction in value, White's Antiques reserves the right to make an additional deduction reflecting that reduction in value, in accordance with applicable consumer legislation.
5. Condition of returned goods
Goods must be returned in the condition in which they were supplied, subject only to handling reasonably necessary to inspect them.
All returned goods will be inspected upon receipt.
If an item is returned damaged, scratched, stained, altered, incomplete, excessively worn or otherwise in a materially worse condition than when supplied, White's Antiques may make a deduction from the refund to reflect the resulting reduction in value, where permitted by law.
Customers are responsible for ensuring that returned goods are suitably protected during transportation.
Where an item is returned with damage caused during return transportation arranged by the customer, the customer may be responsible for the resulting reduction in value.
6. Packaging
Customers should retain the original packaging until they have decided whether to keep their purchase.
Packaging may be removed where reasonably necessary to inspect the goods.
Customers must take reasonable care when removing packaging, particularly where antique furniture or fragile decorative items are involved.
Damage caused by careless unpacking, handling or repackaging may result in a deduction from the refund reflecting the resulting reduction in value.
7. Refunds
Where a customer exercises their statutory cancellation right, White's Antiques will process the refund in accordance with applicable consumer legislation.
Where required by law, the refund will include the cost of the least expensive standard delivery option offered by us.
Where a more expensive delivery service was selected, we are not required to refund the additional amount above the cost of our least expensive standard delivery option.
Any applicable restocking/handling charge and any lawful deduction for diminished value will be taken into account when calculating the final refund.
Refunds will normally be made using the same payment method used for the original transaction, unless otherwise agreed.
We may withhold reimbursement until the returned goods have been received by us or the customer has provided evidence that the goods have been returned, whichever occurs first, where permitted by law.
8. Faulty, damaged or incorrectly described goods
Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights where goods are faulty, damaged on arrival or materially not as described.
If you believe an item is faulty, damaged or materially not as described, please contact us as soon as possible and provide photographs and details of the issue where appropriate.
We will assess the matter and deal with it in accordance with your statutory consumer rights.
The 10% restocking and handling charge does not apply where the return is being made because the goods are faulty, damaged or materially not as described.
9. Antique, vintage and pre-owned goods
Many of our goods are considerably older than modern retail furniture and will naturally display signs of age and previous use.
These may include:
Such characteristics will be described and/or photographed wherever reasonably possible.
A characteristic that has been accurately disclosed before purchase does not, by itself, constitute a fault or mean that an item is not as described.
If you require further information about an item's condition, please contact us before purchasing.
10. Collection
Customers may be offered the option of collecting their purchase from our showroom by prior arrangement.
Where collection is selected, the customer is responsible for ensuring that suitable transportation and assistance are available to safely transport the goods.
11. Trade and business customers
The statutory consumer cancellation rights described above apply to consumers.
Where goods are purchased wholly or mainly for the purposes of a customer's trade, business, craft or profession, different contractual terms may apply.
The fact that a customer has negotiated a trade price does not, by itself, make the customer a trade or business customer. The customer's status and the purpose for which the goods are purchased are relevant.
12. Contacting us about a cancellation
To exercise your statutory cancellation right, please contact White's Antiques and provide your order details together with a clear statement that you wish to cancel.
Please do not return goods without first contacting us so that we can provide the appropriate return information.
Nothing in this policy affects any statutory rights you may have under applicable consumer legislation.
