Fitted kitchen damage.

[pinster73]

Hello all,

Well, this is the first time I've been here... so 'Hello everyone'. Google pointed me in this direction for dodgy workmanship and advice, so here goes.

Myself and my other half have been after a fitted kitchen for some time and after numerous quotes we found one company from Leicester to do the work. All quotes invites were done via different company websites.
So, this sales rep came around and worked his charms and we verbally agreed to his quote and also agreed via email. After paying a 10% deposit he sent an email stating how and when the work will be carried out, also when the rest of the money will be needed. This was done via email, with the company name on. We paid the rest of the money, £9200 in total and within a few days our old kitchen was history....and the fun began. The electrician came around to sort out spot lights and some other jobs. We paid for 9 lights but he only installed 6 (best is still to come), also he removed a switch that was going to be near where the sink will be placed. This switch was used for the outside light, which he has now wired in so it is ALWAYS on (which reminds me, I need to remove the bulb).
Work carried on and on the 23rd December 2016, one of the workforce was sorting out the skirting board. He kindly pierced our hot water pipe with his nail gun and this wasn't noticed until Christmas Eve when I went for a nice hot shower.... it was freezing!!! We got in contact with the builders and it took until the 28th Dec to repair. By this time, the entire water contents of the hot water system was underneath 18mm of solid oak, brand new, floor. This was now starting to warp and to which my Mrs went arse over tit and hurt herself. On complaining to the company rep, he sent someone out on the 10th Jan to remove the flooring and repair at OUR cost. His excuse was that any replacement flooring had to be on my insurance. Also, the builder who removed the flooring told me that the oak floor was unsuitable as it was not 'aqua block' flooring.... yet their rep recommending this floor. To this day, we have no flooring in our kitchen and also the wrong splash back (which is paid for).
Enough was enough so I called the company MD. I explained what had happened, so he checked his records.... he could not find me, so he tried my wife's name. Yup, found her but no agreement for the work. After the MD did some investigation, he told me that this rep had used his company email address and his website to get jobs on the side and he had used company workforce and family to fit our kitchen. Also the bank details that our money was paid into was also showing the company name.

So my question to the audience, has anyone had the same issue where they have gone through a company to have work done, only to find that this work was done on the side and not complete/damaged. How did resolve this??
Well... I am very sorry for the long story, but I hope someone out there can point me in the right direction as the insurance companies are not to happy to help out.
Cheers
P

 

[NewHomeExpert]

My god! First you agree to have a new kitchen fitted on 23rd December and second the fitters used a nail gun!
What a lot of bodgers! Perhaps new homes aren't that bad after all?

 

[Dez]

Wow either this is a clever get out of paying anything con trick by making allegations of skulduggery within his own company or this really was a Trojan horse ripping off his employer and making some readies on the side. Hard to believe that payments were going to the Companies bank accounts without the Company being aware of this contract money hitting the books. There would have to be some insider wheelin 'n dealing to get the cash out of the Company bank account into the back pockets of the insiders....or as I have been caught the named company is a fronting company for a bunch of unprofessionals hiding behind a front to give punters a feeling of comfort until of course the idiots start to perform and show they are worthless tossers on the make. This one would be to Trading Standards for them to help sort out with hopefully getting to the bottom of just what this Company is all about and may have knowledge of other misdeeds and rogue names to help your case. Like all these shite arrangements why would you let a crowd of tossers
back on the job having screwed it up. Also spend a few quid on downloading recent Company accounts for however many years they have been in existence.......usually £1 shareholders of no worth. If no accounts shown the likelihood of a shell front looks more likely. Trade contractors and subs should have their own insurance. Traditionally and for quickness one claims for flood damage (Look at your cover ie normal perils v's accident damage and micro print ref sums insured for additional new works) thereafter your insurer would make a claim from the culpable main or sub contractors insurance. This assumes trades were used and not DIY nobodies who could not give a stuff about insurance. The contractors nail gun was the originating negligence that caused the flooding therefore to state the wrong flooring was used is a total red herring. Flooring can take usual accident spills in the kitchen but not underground springs for such a huge amount of time....could the water supply not be turned off to mitigate the long flooding? Work before Xmas is bad news on any contract apart from the real professional trades which are now few and far between....added to which the extended long Xmas break takes it toll it getting the new year up and rolling again.