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Upset with hutch.

Aly&Poppy<3

Wise Old Thumper
I don't know how to feel.. Why is it always me who has the rubbish experience :(

Charlie's new hutch and run is great. For her.

We've had to make adjustments to it and I'm wanting new locks already :( I paid an extra £12 for strong locks but with them being where they are at the bottom the hutch hangs over the back slightly because they leave a gap between the hutch and run at the front. They also don't fit in the top slots of the lock, if that makes sense, so the lock bits keep falling down.

The hutch is really bloody heavy and the run can't support it so we've had to make a support and frankly, I hate it being there :cry: It just looks untidy now but I can't open the damn doors without it :( I don't understand.. am I the only person to have these problems!? I'm hoping painting it will take away the ugliness but it's still something that shouldn't be there :(

I just thought for £215 (got the refund for the fact the door on the run I paid for wasn't there, something else that needs fixing :() I would get something that was well made (there was screw damage to the hutch) and with all the hype I thought I was in safe hands with welfare hutches..

I don't know how to feel.. I feel like crying tbh. Charlie is really happy which is the main thing ..I just don't feel I have my moneys worth when we're having to make all these changes :(
 
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Oh what a shame! It's always upsetting when you spend a lot of money on something and its not what you hoped it would be. Plus I have to admit I have had a look at welfare hutches and I was pretty envious of them, I thought they looked fab! Maybe not so much now...

Is it worth contacting them to discuss your issues? I don't think the run not being able to support the hutch is something they would have aimed for or what customers would expect so I'm guessing they would be willing to at least take on board what you have to say. And if you are having these problems I bet other customers are too...
 
I think you ought to tell Welfare Hutches how you feel about this, it isn't in their interests to have a dissatisfied customer, particularly one who frequents a rabbit forum. If the run is sold to fit to the hutch, you didn't ought to be having any of those problems.
 
I would contact them again. I have a welfare hutch for my foster bunnies and had a couple of teething problems with it, but the guy was very helpful offering to sort them out.

My locks didn't line up perfectly either, but I have the same problem on other makes of hutches too. I think it it where the hutch is constructed as it's built then taken apart for flat pack transport, then you construct it again on a slightly different 'levelness' of ground, and the locks are no longer in quite the right position. I'm not sure how hutch makers can get around this on large hutches other than supplying the bolts etc separately. I've taken the bolts off and screwed them in again in the right place.

Regarding the weight not being supported, I would consider that a major issue and would certainly go back to him about that as it is dangerous for your buns apart from anything else. He has always been excellent with anything I've asked him about and I know he would be very keen to put things right. He really values his customers from my experience.
 
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Yeah I'm going to email tomorrow, just upset that I have to in the first place :(

The locks line up but the silver bit doesn't go past the second bit where the sticky out bit should sit so they don't fall down, it's really difficult to explain :lol:
 
:wave: if its that bad and the hutch isnt supported by the run then its not really fit for purpose as such so try contacting again you could ask for a replacement a bit of money off or a refund.
I know its disappointing tho i got 1from amazon which half of it wouldnt bolt together but after quite a few emails i was offered a discount or a refund ( i took the refund not sure what use they thought half a hutch would be :roll:) So if you dont be firm and ask and state each problem you have you wont get its definatly worth a try :D
 
I imagine it will be one of those 'easily fixed' situations, but I've been in a quite a bad mood today which hasn't helped :oops:
 
i had a bad experience with happy hutch years and years ago and i was really upset about it so know how you feel. :( if i see them mentioned even now i'm like :evil::evil::evil:

definitely contact them and see what they say though. :wave:
 
i had a bad experience with happy hutch years and years ago and i was really upset about it so know how you feel. :( if i see them mentioned even now i'm like :evil::evil::evil:

definitely contact them and see what they say though. :wave:

Yeah I've seen quite a few "they're one of the best" "top quality" etc and I'm sitting here like :(:evil: with locks that keep falling down and a random bit of wood holding the hutch up so I can open the doors!
 
Aww, I remember how excited you were to get this for Charlie, and when you try so hard and pay so much to get things right they should be 100%. Even if it was a cheap hutch from wherever that was self assembly it should be fit for purpose.

I would be inclined to contact them in writing either email or letter (recorded) and say that under the sales of goods act it should be fit for the purpose it was designed for, and explain its major flaws and safety issues. I would explain you've had to put those support pieces in and that it is unsafe, and that the bolts which you have been charged extra for mean it doesn't fit together properly.

Makes you wonder if you've been supplied completely the wrong run for the hutch.....
 
Any update on response from welfare hutches??

We've had to make adjustments to it and I'm wanting new locks already :( I paid an extra £12 for strong locks but with them being where they are at the bottom the hutch hangs over the back slightly because they leave a gap between the hutch and run at the front. They also don't fit in the top slots of the lock, if that makes sense, so the lock bits keep falling down.

The hutch is really bloody heavy and the run can't support it so we've had to make a support and frankly, I hate it being there :cry: It just looks untidy now but I can't open the damn doors without it :( I don't understand.. am I the only person to have these problems!? I'm hoping painting it will take away the ugliness but it's still something that shouldn't be there :(

Any chance you could take pics to help me visualise the problems? As i was considering buying hutch and run from them and now im worrying. Also please keep us updated on any responses from the welfare hutch company.
 
I would definitely write them a letter explaining the issues and that the item is not fit for purpose. Photographs to illustrate your points are always a good idea.

It's such a shame that it's not up to par, I really hope they sort it out for you.:(
 
With support -

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Without support, it won't budge, just doesn't open -

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The locks work which is the main thing I guess, but this is one of two locks that don't 'fit' into the top area, it doesn't go any higher than this so they drop down if I unlock those ones first -

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The email I wrote keeps saving into my drafts :( can't get to a computer until tomorrow afternoon so can't send it until then.

Aside from this I love it and Charlie loves it, just hate the support we've had to make :(
 
If you ever want another huge hutch, my OH makes all of mine and believe you me they are very strong, sturdy and......huge! Two tier, 8' x 2' x 2'.....and a 10 year guarantee.:thumb:

Best of luck with your hutch makers.
 
I would speak to them, we had teething probs but they were quick to sort things out. We had issues with the locks, but they sent me lots of replacements, and to be fair it looks like yours has different lock to mine so they obviously took my issues on board and tried to find a better supplier so I'm sure they'd want to know they still aren't right.
 
Can I just ask why you'd replace mesh?

Looks really thin grade mesh.

I can tell you just by looking that a fox would have no issues ripping straight through it, so a rabbit could probably chrew through it possibly too if they so desired.
 
I haven't worried about the mesh, it's really strong and barely moves if you lean on it. Charlie had a go at it but it doesn't move like the last mesh she had so has since given up. It's smaller than Donny and Lola's run mesh, I was thinking about doing theirs with it. It's thicker material than the really small square mesh my other run has.
 
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Looks really thin grade mesh.

I can tell you just by looking that a fox would have no issues ripping straight through it, so a rabbit could probably chrew through it possibly too if they so desired.

I have a run from them and their mesh is 19g. Obviously could be stronger but we've had no problems at all with the strength
 
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