Kitchen supplier and fitter shoddy work

foxes

Looking for advice please. I got a new kitchen put in 4 years ago. Over the years have never been happy with many aspects, doors starting to sag, warped doors on integrated fridge, hinges in cupboards broken etc. I left things on the long finger but contacted the company before Christmas, I explained the situation and also how I thought the installer wasn't the best. They sent out their 'trouble shooter' installer, he looked at the work done and agreed that all doors etc need to be replaced. The company has agreed to do this. So far so good.
However the worktop is, as the second installer agreed, rotting. There are two pieces of worktop joined together without any form of sealant, water is getting in and the same where two pieces of worktop are joined behind the sink. The second fitter couldn't believe the way this was installed, in his words - the fitter was asking for trouble-. I have contacted the original fitter and tried to arrange a date for him to inspect - rudely he texted that there is no way that he will do the work wothout being paid. I got back onto the company to be told that they are surprised with this response as they use him regularly over the years, but that they are contracted to supply the units etc and only supply the customers with a list of names of fitters.
Am beginning to get pi##ed off with this, neither compamny nor original fitter taking responsibility here. Any suggestions where to go next ?? cheers

Forest Master

You left it a VERY long time to contact them, but your contract is with the company - not their original fitter. Just keep chasing them - you already have their 'trouble shooter' saying it was shoddy to begin with. Get a copy of his report (call him directly and ask him to fax it ASAP, if possible) - once you have this, ask them to fix all issues within 60 days, or you'll go to SCC for compensation. You have THEIR report as proof it was never done right. If you proceed to small claims, get another report (i.e. a 2nd opinion) as backup.
Also tell them not to send the original fitter to fix anything - he's clearly ignorant & useless.

RangeR

foxes wrote: »

Looking for advice please. I got a new kitchen put in 4 years ago. Over the years have never been happy with many aspects, doors starting to sag, warped doors on integrated fridge, hinges in cupboards broken etc. I left things on the long finger but contacted the company before Christmas, I explained the situation and also how I thought the installer wasn't the best. They sent out their 'trouble shooter' installer, he looked at the work done and agreed that all doors etc need to be replaced. The company has agreed to do this. So far so good.
However the worktop is, as the second installer agreed, rotting. There are two pieces of worktop joined together without any form of sealant, water is getting in and the same where two pieces of worktop are joined behind the sink. The second fitter couldn't believe the way this was installed, in his words - the fitter was asking for trouble-. I have contacted the original fitter and tried to arrange a date for him to inspect - rudely he texted that there is no way that he will do the work wothout being paid. I got back onto the company to be told that they are surprised with this response as they use him regularly over the years, but that they are contracted to supply the units etc and only supply the customers with a list of names of fitters.
Am beginning to get pi##ed off with this, neither compamny nor original fitter taking responsibility here. Any suggestions where to go next ?? cheers

Who organise the fitter?
Who actually rang the fitter. If you, then you deal with the fitter. If kitchen company organised fitter*, then you deal with kitchen co.

*Even if fitter rang you to organise a time, the kitchen co contracted the fitter for the job.

RangeR

Forest Master wrote: »

You left it a VERY long time to contact them, but your contract is with the company - not their original fitter. Just keep chasing them - you already have their 'trouble shooter' saying it was shoddy to begin with. Get a copy of his report (call him directly and ask him to fax it ASAP, if possible) - once you have this, ask them to fix all issues within 60 days, or you'll go to SCC for compensation. You have THEIR report as proof it was never done right. If you proceed to small claims, get another report (i.e. a 2nd opinion) as backup.
Also tell them not to send the original fitter to fix anything - he's clearly ignorant & useless.

Can only do SCC if claim is for €2000 or less. Not many kitchens can be installed and fitted for less than €2000

Forest Master

RangeR wrote: »

Can only do SCC if claim is for €2000 or less. Not many kitchens can be installed and fitted for less than €2000

He needs the costs covered for repairs to bring it up to a good standard - not an entire new kitchen.
That said, I thought it was up to €5k.

RangeR

Forest Master wrote: »

He needs the costs covered for repairs to bring it up to a good standard - not an entire new kitchen.

Fair point

That said, I thought it was up to €5k.

Actually, I think we might both be wrong. Only (c) specifies an amount, not (a) or (b)

Type of claims dealt with
(a) a claim for goods or services bought for private use from someone selling them in the course of a business (consumer claims)

(b) a claim for minor damage to property (but excluding personal injuries)

(c) a claim for the non-return of a rent deposit for certain kinds of rented properties. For example, a holiday home or a room / flat in a premises where the owner also lives provided that a claim does not exceed €2,000.

Claims in respect of other matters relating to rented accommodation must be brought to: Private Residential Tenancies Board, 2nd Floor, O'Connell Bridge House, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Website: www.prtb.ie

Excluded from the small claims procedure are claims arising from:

(a) a hire-purchase agreement

(b) a breach of a leasing agreement

(c) debts

Forest Master

No, you're right:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/courts_system/small_claims_court.html

Consumer claims such as for faulty goods or bad workmanship.

The procedure is designed to deal with claims up to €2,000.

dudara

It all depends on who you had a contract with. That is who you go to.

looksee

Sounds like the deal you get with Cash and Carry Kitchens. They sell good quality kitchens but that is all they do. It is your responsibility to find and organise a fitter. They may offer a list of local fitters, but they do not take any responsibility for the fitter. Once you have purchased the kitchen it is yours to take your chance with.

If that is the case then it doesn't matter how sympathetic and critical the people are who have inspected the job, they are just angling for the job of putting it right - paid for by you - and proving how much they know about fitting and what they would not do!

For this reason, while I have purchased goods from C&CK and been entirely satisfied, when I wanted a kitchen fitted I was not prepared to spend money and then take a chance on a fitter hacking it up. You would struggle to get money back from a random fitter, especially if you have not established that he was responsible for the kitchen cost as well as the fitting cost.

Poppydee

If you paid for the kitchen & the fitter seperately then you have two contracts - one with the kitchen co, and one with the fitter.
The kitchen co sound reasonable if they are prepared to supply you with replacement doors/ hinges at this stage.

Its reasonable that you would have noticed the shoddy workmanship or the worktop wasn't sealed during the 4 years of use -has it only started to rot recently? you have left it really really late to complain about it.... you may have a case for bad workmanship but I would fear you might get nowhere because of the time passed?

Im work in the kitchen business btw and doors sagging are a normal wear and tear issue, not neccessarily shoddy work.

Good luck!

foxes

thanks for all the advice you gave. At the moment the kitchen supplier had agreed to replace all the units, doors etc that their own 'super' installer came out to check up on. This is still taking an age, I have difficulties in actually getting onto the manager, but seemingly everything has been ordered. The main oustanding issue is the kitchen work top. The company states that is a fitting issue, the original fitter refused to come to inspect his handiwork and alledged that i had been complaining about him to the kitchen suppliers (all true), he also said that his work only has a 12 month guarantee. The counter is rotting, would that be the work top supplied or the actual installation? Any advice would be gratefully recieved.

Poppydee

Depends on what material the counter top is and what type sink you have?

If it is laminate/chipboard counter it will rot if water gets into the joint, which sounds the most likely situation, especially as the joints are anywhere near the sink or kettle.