Rathwood Enters Examinership as Customers Await Refunds Amid Rising Complaints

Rathwood, the garden centre and outdoor furniture retailer based outside Tullow near the Carlow/Wicklow border, has formally entered examinership and confirmed it will not issue refunds for undelivered orders until the court-supervised restructuring process is completed.

The company stated in a public announcement that while it continues to trade normally and operate in accordance with all applicable laws, it is currently unable to address outstanding payment or refund requests relating to amounts owed up to the date of the announcement.

Rathwood employs approximately 100 people and has confirmed it will remain open for business, continuing to sell goods and engage with customers and stakeholders as usual during the examinership period.

The examinership process is a legal mechanism that allows a financially distressed yet potentially viable company to obtain court protection from creditors in order to restructure and attempt to resolve its financial difficulties.

Rathwood’s move into examinership follows a significant increase in consumer complaints, with the company being the second-most complained about business to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s helpline in 2025, behind only Ryanair.

Complaints against Rathwood rose sharply from 24 in 2024 to 565 in 2025, largely driven by issues with delayed order deliveries and slow response times in processing refunds for undelivered goods.

The company previously acknowledged these shortcomings, admitting to problems with order fulfilment and delays in issuing refunds to customers who had paid for items that were not delivered.

As part of the examinership process, appointed examiners will review Rathwood’s financial situation and outstanding obligations, including customer refund claims, with further updates expected once their initial report is completed.

Rathwood has asked for public understanding and continued support during this period, emphasising its commitment to transparency and legal compliance throughout the proceedings.