British Heart Foundation Furniture & Electrical Stores Reviews 

I won’t be donating furniture to the British Heart Foundation again after using their collection service three times and having problems every single time.

My most recent collection was booked for 17th August. I had prepared the furniture ready for them, including a bookshelf that was practically brand new and in perfectly good condition. The only thing it would have needed was the appropriate fitting to secure it to a wall. They arrived and simply decided they wouldn’t take it.

There was also a TV unit that had been fine beforehand. It was only when I moved it to help with the collection that part of it came apart and needed securing. Again, they wouldn’t take it.

What frustrates me most is that this could have been avoided. If there are strict requirements about what furniture they will and won’t accept, why not ask people to upload photographs when booking a collection so somebody can assess the items beforehand? At the very least, this should be made extremely clear during the booking process. People are arranging their time around these collections and preparing and moving furniture specifically for the charity to collect.

The bookshelf in particular could now end up being thrown away despite being in excellent condition, which completely defeats the purpose of trying to donate something rather than waste it.

This also isn’t based on one bad experience. I’ve used the service three times. The first time was an absolute nightmare trying to arrange the collection, the second time there were again problems organising the collection, and now this has happened on the third occasion.

I was genuinely trying to give perfectly usable furniture to a charity so that it could be reused and hopefully benefit somebody else. Instead, I’ve repeatedly had my time wasted.

After three experiences with the collection service, I won’t be using it or donating furniture to the British Heart Foundation again.

I booked a BHF mattress collection and received written confirmation that it would take place on 9 September between 7am and 1pm.

I stayed at home for the entire six-hour collection window, but nobody arrived and I received no phone call, text or email. When I called after 1pm, I was told that the collection had been cancelled. What frustrated me even more was being told that either I had cancelled it myself or that I had already been notified. Neither was true.

I am extremely disappointed with how this was handled. My entire morning was wasted because of a cancellation I was never informed about.

Extremely Bad attitude from staff
I requested a collection of three furniture items .
Received a phone call to say they wouldn’t come all my way just for that ? I was totally dumbfounded at the attitude.
I’ve looked on their page and no way does it say they won’t collect from any area , so bad experience, I think they need to get staff who can talk to people in a reasonable manor , and not just decide we aren’t going to come all the way to where I live ?????

Extremely disappointed with the British Heart Foundation Ilford branch

I booked a furniture collection last week for today, 2nd September 2026, between 7am and 1pm. Nobody knocked or rang my door. At around 8:14am I briefly missed a call from the collection team. I called back within seconds and several more times, but nobody answered. I also left a voicemail for the driver.

I understand drivers cannot answer while driving, but surely the driver could have had the courtesy to call me back when it was safe to do so. Instead, I was left waiting with no communication.

After the store opened, I called three times before speaking to Shirley. I was told the drivers don’t answer their phones and that I would have to go online and book another collection if they didn’t come. The next available collection was well into next week.

I have mobility issues and the bed is taking up valuable space in my hallway, so this has left me extremely frustrated and disappointed.

This is particularly upsetting because my late brother died from a heart attack in 2011, and I have supported the British Heart Foundation ever since by donating unwanted items and spare change. I have also had family connections with the Ilford branch and another BHF branch.

Sadly, after today’s experience, I feel completely let down and will seriously reconsider donating to the British Heart Foundation again. A charity that relies on donations should show donors better communication, courtesy and customer service.

The collection was supposed to be in the morning but got the message at 12.55. They arrived at 2pm and would not take the bedframe as I had not broken it down into all the individual slats despite having removed the headboard. It would take them to long to help me a 76 year old widow with nobody to help me. It would have been easy to go down in the lift as a complete frame and saved them time constructing it again. It was a stylish bedroom suite in perfect condition and Age UK are now taking it and they will dismantle it for me if required so BHF have lost out twice as I was leaving them money in my will which will now go to Age UK.

I came into the Gravesend store with my daughter and made a decision to buy two sofas, upon trying to make my purchase the heart foundation employee said I would have to order it through eBay...what I have never heard any nonsense before. Well I can tell you I was not a happy customer and they lost my custom and I promise I will never return to this store
I give a zero star for British heart foundation they are a complete joke everything is negative this place is not a charity organisation they are a business charity my.......

Try to donate furniture to the North Finchley store and on their site they give you date options so you choose two different dates but did not turn up for either days just a waste of time and this is my second time this has happened with BHF and will be the last time i choose to help this charity..

Aranged for a vollection of a pristineLay-Z-boy 3 seater reclining sofa at the Carmarthen store. Resulting from the need to accomodate a hospital bed due the day after the arranged collection date. No time was was given for the collection, just any time. After waiting in until late afternoon, I rang several times to no avail. So drove there, and it appears it my my fault the staff never entered the collection on the computer or diarised in another form. I was treated as a liar. Despite the details recorded in their collection receipt book. Collection today, no apologies from the smug manager. Charities are screaming for money or donations but they just cant be bothered. I write this as thus is not the first time their lack of attention caused snother noncollrction a couple of years ago. Won"t nother again, landfill here we come.

One of the men was about to carry two very large bags out of the front door. As the door started closing I tried to help by keeping it open. He snapped and said "leave it" I said I am only trying to help. He snapped again and said "no, I can help myself" The lack of basic manners was astounding. Tbh I was dreading the collection as the unpleasant experience is always the same with Bhf. I won't choose them again.

We recently moved into a new property and there was a fridge freezer already in the house so we decided to donate it as we didn’t need 2 fridges. 3 guys came to collect it and took one look at it and said they couldn’t take it due to a dent, other then that it’s a perfectly good fridge freezer as we were using it whilst moving stuff over. The comments made by the 3 men made me feel like we were just using them to get a free collection which is not the case at all as we could have sold it. One guy just stared at me the whole time making me feel uncomfortable.
We thought we were doing a nice thing by donating to a charity as they are there to help those who maybe can’t afford top ranges of furniture and appliances.
So unless your items are brand new STAY AWAY. I will not be donating furniture to this charity again.

I donated furniture today, I received notification that the driver would be arriving an hour after they had actually picked the furniture up. The driver was very unfriendly throughout the process and a thank you for the donation would have been appreciated. It was not a pleasant experience and would be reluctant to donate using this service again

Visited the store in York city centre...i am disabled and have a card from the bladder & bowel org.,... that says....please help!... i have a medical condition and need to use a toilet "quickly"....
When i showed the lady who was working in the back of the shop...her reply was..."we do not have a toilet".???? Really.??...where do you and your staff go then.?..she told me to go to the pub across the road, which was CLOSED, but, was waiting for a delivery...the lady there still let me use the toilet though...how kind..
Never donating to this charity again.

Visited our local superstore, found a lovely side table for £25 . Asked for delivery charge as I only live about 1 mile away , was told £35 minimum, absolute rip-off, needless to say the side tables still there . This isn't a charity it's a business. No wonder this shop is nearly always empty.

We booked a date for furniture removal from a private house. When the removal people arrived they said that they couldn't take the furniture as it was outside the house. The fact that it had been put there 10 minutes earlier and was under a tarpaulin didn't change things; "it's a rule" was the response. It is absolutely fine to have rules as long as they are communicated which this rule was not. We reviewed all emails received from the BHF and not one of them referred to this rule. When we pointed this out to the removal people they responded with "well you should have been told". Yes, clearly we should have! A colossal waste of everyone's time. We rang the BHF to discuss what happened. We suggested making it absolutely clear that furniture should not be waiting outside, even for 10 minutes. The rep stated that this would be a head office matter that he does not have any influence over and then promptly hung up.
Sorry BHF, but your removal service is flawed because your admin is not fit for purpose. Also, to hang up on a customer who has been let down by your mis-communication is unforgivable.

Had a fully working high end CD player plus speakers to offer but was rudely dismissed by BHF employee who said it could not be collected.
It is a heavy article and difficult for me to lift and transfer to vehicle for dropping off at nearest shop.
Really disappointed by attitude, and will not contact BHF again.

I arranged with BHF Homestore Woking to collect a fridge freezer from my elderly mother's house. I explained it was in full working order but would need a clean. I was told this is completely fine as all items were cleaned before sale anyway. After waiting a whole morning for the collection they arrived and refused to take it because it wasn't clean. Complete waste of time for everybody! I only wish I had read these other Trust pilot reviews before trying to deal with the British heart Foundation. Suggest you take your donations and Goodwill elsewhere.

What a horrible experience. First, on the day before collection I get a list of what is to be collected with several items removed. Phoned, due to health and safety they say not taking desks or filing cabinets, warehouse full. Disappointing but OK, they could have told me. Next, call from delivery men outside, problem - they can't park, even though they're in a space, a defunct car club space. I tell them car club no longer operating and our council allows loading and offloading for 20 minutes. .. They want me to show them proof of that! They come in and reject a really good chest of drawers with some wear and tear. Really bad customer service, Wandsworth branch, when we're trying to do the right thing.

A waste of time and a very disappointing experience. I decided to donate furniture and equipments to BHF, and when they came to my house, the first thing they saw was an excellent fabric sofa bed with some small stains from normal use that would come out easily with a wash. They rudely and immediately told us they wouldn't take it but then asked about the new refrigerator and freezer that were on the list of equipment for donation. I immediately told them that everything would be given to someone who respected us and deserved this kind donation. The next day, everything was in another place, certainly more useful than at BHF. This was my first and last time with this undoubtedly multi-million dollar organization that can afford to treat its benefactors this way.this happened in Kirkliston - managed by Livingston Store (all fine with that team)/ Edinburgh area.

Be wary of donations if not absolutely perfect. We offered an expensive leather sofa accepted by photo so we moved ready for collection .it was rejected at the point of pickup is unacceptable and inconvenient. I had just been discharged after cancer op so could have done without the hassle. For goodness sake look at the photos of phone to query doubts we are not there for your convenience. No more donations from me im afraid .

Happened again (3 times) in the last 2 months with donations of furniture booked and confirmed by email and phone but on the day not turning up. On top of the frustration is that when you ring the Old Kent Road store to see what's happening there's NEVER anybody answering. Wasted another whole day waiting for them to process the confirmed pick up and never going to use this charity again.