Kazakhstan is considering the introduction of licensing for furniture companies following numerous consumer complaints about missed production deadlines, poor-quality workmanship, and difficulties in obtaining refunds of advance payments.
Kazakhstan is considering the introduction of licensing for furniture companies. The initiative follows numerous complaints from consumers who have faced breaches of obligations by furniture manufacturers.
According to the Astana Department for Consumer Rights Protection, 281 complaints regarding unfulfilled furniture manufacturing contracts have been received since the beginning of the year. Consumers have already recovered 36.5 million tenge through pre-trial dispute resolution procedures.
Experts note that a common pattern is repeatedly observed: customers are promised furniture within a short timeframe and asked to make a substantial advance payment, after which delivery deadlines are repeatedly postponed. In some cases, contractors stop responding to calls and messages, forcing consumers to seek refunds through claims and court proceedings.
Our experience shows that such cases occur regularly in the furniture market. In many instances, dozens of customers are affected by the actions of a single company, and recovering funds requires significant time and financial resources.
In response, industry representatives propose creating a registry of furniture manufacturers, establishing mandatory requirements for market participants, and considering the introduction of licensing. In their view, these measures would help reduce disputes and increase accountability within the industry.
Before making an advance payment, we recommend checking a company in the Debtors Registry, reviewing information on tax arrears through the State Revenue Committee portal, and reading customer reviews on social media and 2GIS.
