Take-to-seller checklist

Cot or Moses basket mattress

If you still choose a used mattress, take this list with you and treat every Lullaby Trust point as a must. Ticking the boxes is not medical advice and is not a guarantee.

Look for a fire-resistant label. Many UK cot mattresses also show BS 1877-10 or BS EN 16890.

This viewing

Fill in what you know from the listing, then print or keep this page open on your phone.

SellerWhere listedMeeting placeDateAsking priceBrandModelStandard mark / approval no.

Before you leave the house

Must passI have searched official records on GOV.UK Product Recalls for this brand and modelSearch the OPSS list of product safety alerts, reports and recalls. A clear search is not a guarantee — spellings and model codes vary.
CheckI can get the original instructions (paper copy or a download from the maker)OPSS advises checking that instructions come with the product or are available online, especially for mechanical items.

Ask the seller

AskWhere has this mattress been stored, and was that home smoke-free?The Lullaby Trust says a used mattress should have been kept somewhere clean, dry and smoke-free.

Hands-on at the meeting

Must passIt has a well-fitting, 100% waterproof coverCopied from the Lullaby Trust second-hand mattress checklist — the cover is there to stop moisture reaching the core.
Must passNo rips, tears or punctures in the cover
Must passNo water damage, staining that suggests leaks, or a musty smell
Must passIt is firm and flat, with no sagging hollowsThe Lullaby Trust: the surface should be firm enough that a baby’s head does not sink in more than a few millimetres. Soft mattresses are linked with a higher chance of SIDS.
Must passIt fits the cot or Moses basket with no gaps (no more than two fingers at the side)
Must passIt has a fire-resistant label
Must passNo raised or cushioned edges, pods or “nests” built into the sleep surface
Write downI have written down brand, size (cm) and any standard mark

Walk away if

You cannot meet every point on the Lullaby Trust used-mattress list.
The cover is not fully waterproof, or it is ripped.
The mattress sags, smells damp, or has water damage.
It does not fit the cot — any gap is a trapping risk.
There is no fire-resistant label.

This viewing

Before you leave the house

Ask the seller

Hands-on at the meeting

Walk away if

Notes at the meeting