Faulty Sink, company driving me mad.

seosamh1980

Hi,

Hoping to get some advice on what to do, before I lose my mind. We had a new kitchen fitted 4 years ago, the first sink they fitted got "stabbed" by a normal kitchen cutting knife about two weeks after it was fitted. The knife was just put in the sink to wash and hit the bottom and the tip went straight through it. At the time they replaced the sink promptly, not before first telling us that if we were that "rough" with sinks we'd probably need an industrial one

So the second sink went in, all was fine. A few months later we realised it was leaking into the press below, and it turned out to be leaking from where the pipe joins the sink as they hadn't fitted it correctly. Again a while later it leaked, from around the sides of the big sink (it has the small one to the side), where it attaches to the frame of the sink. We called them, they came and put some sealant in the spots to stop it. Another few weeks later the sink leaked again, this time coming out over the sealant they had put on. They said if it leaked again the next step would be to replace it, but thankfully it didn't.

That was summer 2012. May this year I opened the press and noticed the sink was leaking again, badly. It smelled bad, the shelf was wrecked with all cleaning product bases stuck to it, and a gloopy slimy film over everything. I rang them, and was told somebody would be out to check it. Weeks later we had no reply so I called again, was told somebody would call me back. This went on for two months (this business is literally a 5 minute drive from us, if even), until finally I sent an angry email (if I called there I'll just get fobbed off by the receptionist). Finally the guy who "fixed it" the year before contacted us and said he had passed it on to the head of the company, who then came to look at it. This was in July. He saw the state of it, the smell, and said that the water was still leaking through, it was dripping over the sealant for so long that the silicone in that was entering the water, which is why we had the brown smelly slime collecting in the bucket now in the press. He said the sink would be in by next week and he'd fit it asap.

Since July I have rang numerous times, I've been told the sink is delayed because the place they order from are on holidays, I've been told he has the sink and will fit it "this week", last time I heard that was August. I rang again twice this month and left messages for the MD, nothing. We got his mobile number, no answer, and doesn't return calls.

I am absolutely fed up of this. Our kitchen stinks, all of the presses surrounding that press smell bad. The water that drips is now completely brown, and constant. Nothing can be kept in the press underneath, just the bucket to collect the wet smelly slime. We don't have a dishwasher so have to use the sink every day.

I think I will go there this week, but I just know I'll be told that nobody is there to deal with me and to leave my number. Even the receptionists know my name at this stage and commiserate with me. The MD has a distinctive car so I might just watch and wait for it to be there. Why not just replace the bloody sink?? Why drag it out for so long with lies? Is there anything I can do? If I ask for a refund it will cost us more to get a new sink and get it fitted.

Rant over. Help!

emeldc

Things like this can become all consuming for you. If it were me I'd call a decent plumber and get him to fix it properly once and for all. The company have had a few attempts and failed, it's not rocket science, I wouldn't let them at it again. If it really needs another new sink, then press them for this, but tell them you'll fit it yourself. I know it will cost a few quid but what price a bit of peace.

seosamh1980

It can't be fixed though, it needs to be replaced I thought? They've already tried to fix it, just putting more and more sealant on, and it hasn't worked. I've been asking for a new sink since May and getting nowhere.

I just rang now and spoke to a receptionist again because he's not there, I absolutely begged to just find out what's happening. She said she'll call him, because he's not there. Argh!

Mountjoy Mugger

At this stage I'd suggest sending in a formal letter outlining your grievance in detail and give them 10 working days to respond, failing such you'd refer the matter to the Small Claims Court.

Putting you on the long finger has proven quite successful for them thus far; it may well continue unless you apply a little pressure.

seosamh1980

Mountjoy Mugger wrote: »

At this stage I'd suggest sending in a formal letter outlining your grievance in detail and give them 10 working days to respond, failing such you'd refer the matter to the Small Claims Court.

Putting you on the long finger has proven quite successful for them thus far; it may well continue unless you apply a little pressure.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, well, something along those lines. My problem is a good old Irish problem though, we live in a small town that I'm not from and my other half likes to keep things calm and nice with companies his family knows, not having me kicking up murder Even when I rang now she asked who I was, I gave my name, a few minutes in she asked "Oh are you X's partner? I hadn't made the connection, I'll get right on it" :rolleyes: Considering that sort of "I know who you are now" hasn't gotten things done any faster I don't see why they say it like we're in some sort of club. If I write that letter I'll get an earful from OH, but I don't really care, I'm sick of my kitchen stinking.

The Glass Key

Wet wood stinks something rotten so you need to make it clear that because of their failure to fix the problem correctly in the first place there is now a hole lot more than just the sink that needs replacing. Get a quote from another company for all the work specifically for the SCC case so you have a decent amount to claim for.

seosamh1980

Just an update of sorts on this, after my phonecall where I was assured she'd get onto him about it and they'd get back to me we have heard absolutely nothing. I can't believe this really, if they have the sink in stock what the hell is making them be such dicks about it. I'm either going to call up there on Tuesday or send an email with photos of what the sink looks like now, or both. Then I'm going to send the letter with formal complaint.

I find it ridiculous that I've to go this far over a relatively small initial job that they just haven't bothered doing. The entire process of removing and replacing the sink would take just a couple of hours, we are no distance from them, why put it off, make it worse and piss us off so much!