[OT] - Help with Kitchen

["Marcus Warrington" <marcusw@xxxxxxx>]

Before Christmas I ordered a kitchen (or rather I ordered the actual
units)=
>from
High Quality (i.e. solid 8mm backs, dowel and glued, and wood laminated th=
rough out) and I had to wait 6 weeks for them to be made for me.=20

The units were delivered on the 19th Dec 2003, ready assembled and I was
su=
pposed to be fitting them over the Christmas period. The units were
"protec=
ted" with thin cardboard sheets sellotaped onto 3 sides of each unit,
I fou=
nd this a bit inadequate given the conversation I'd had with the company
te=
lling how well packed the units would be. After unpacking I noticed that
ma=
ny of the units has chips in the laminate were they had not been properly
s=
cored before cutting and that many of the units were scratched etc on
their=
bottom/top edges etc. A few even has crushed corners and one unit had a sc=
rew placed so close to its top edge that it has crushed the hole.. this is
=
on the top of the units and will be hidden by the cornice but is not a
sign=
of high quality workmanship (see pictures at website)

Some examples of the sort of damage etc can be seen at http://www.marcusw.d=
sl.pipex.com/kitchen_issues.htm (move the images left/right with the
arrows=
and click on the small image to show a larger image).=20

Cutting a long story short I didn't fit the "sub standard" units
and I cont=
acted the supplier after the Christmas period. They were apologetic and
put=
in contact with there suppliers who also apologised and asked me to make a=
list of those units that needed replacing and those I "could make do
with"=
. Having spent over 5K on the units I was not happy at this, and sent them
=
an email detailing the faults and asking that the replace ALL the units or
=
give me compensation for the "low" of the other units. I also
asked for com=
pensation towards the cost of a kitchen fitter because  I now have no time
=
to fit the units myslef and I also had to cancel the Granite worktop
people=
who were due to come and template/fit the worktops (who are charging me =
=A3150 for late cancellation).  Their response was that they would only
rep=
lace damaged units that had damage on the visible parts;

---Quote-------------------------------

I will do what is required to rectify certain areas but will not for
exampl=
e replace the whole dresser tambour unit because there is a screw that is
4=
mm too far forward in an area that is impossible to see as it will have
the=
cornice screwed over it, The screw ideally should be 9mm back from the fro=
nt edge to center and it is probably 5mm back.

[...snip...]

With this being a new field to yourself I feel I must explain that with
the=
product being a custom made kitchen fully assembled it carries certain pro=
blems of loading/transit/unloading which will result on minor scratches to
=
unseen surface

[...snip...]

The main thing is to let us replace the parts that are damaged and seen
and=
you will end up with a stunning kitchen as enjoyed by all our other custom=
ers customers.=20

--End Quote ----------------------------

To my mind, this is a nonsense.. how can you run a business on the pretext
=
that the goods you send out WILL be damaged because of lack of packing. !

I just wondered if anyone has any advice as to where I stand legally or
has=
been in a similar situation ?
Am I within my rights to ask for a full replacement or my money back on
the=
grounds that the quality is sub standard ?

Just to make it slightly on-topic, CAT5e and ceiling speakers are being
ins=
talled in the kitchen as part of the refurbishment :)

Marcus

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