Homebase - case for compensation

emmawilliamso1

Hi there,

I have recently had a very bad experience with Homebase so am keen to hear what other people think about compensation - I have been offered £100 but personally I do not think this is an acceptable amount.

Basically, I bought a £600 shower enclosure back in May and received the delivery shortly thereafter but the door had a very visible chip in it so I ordered a replacement. Despite only being told that this would be a few weeks I have had to wait until October (5 months later!!) to receive it.

Needless to say I have been on the phone to Homebase nearly every week and have been shocked at how clueless the people I have spoken with have been. I know the problem with the order is not their fault but for a company of Homebases' size I really did expect better service.

On a few occasions, including one with the local store's duty manager, I have been told that I have a good case for compensation but needed to be in full receipt of the order. The replacement finally arrived just over a week ago so last week I phoned Homebase up and was told I would be given £75. I said that this was unacceptable - I have been waiting 5 months, have had to put plumbers, joiners, plasters etc off, have had a shower enclosure sitting in my living room for 5 months and now I have two as the driver the other day was apparently only dropping off, he was not told that there was a pickup so refused to take the extra stock!! I was then transferred through to the escalations department where I was met with a very rude lady, at one point I had to say "I do not think there is any need for you to be rude to me".

The compensation was then upped to £100 but I still do not think this is an acceptable amount for all the trouble I have been through - am I mad to not accept this or should I push for more compensation?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Emma

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

Ok

Compensation is to put you back into your beginning position

Did the putting off of builders etc cost you money?
Did you incur other costs for not having the shower i.e prices for a local leisure centre etc
What other costs were incurred to resolve it?

Tbh I think £100 seems fair, you should have cancelled the order and started afresh elsewhere if it was such a big issue

You cant persist with a problem then demand extra for your own choice

uktim29

Do you want £100 compensation or £100 goodwill?

The two things are very different. Compensation has an exact figure. Goodwill is as it says. If this is goodwill then you haven't got much of an argument.

peediedj

frankly i dont think you have much to moan about,surely the enclosure could of been fitted,everything completed then the door fitted when it finally arrived,wheres the problem?

d.edna

peediedj wrote: »

wheres the problem?

The op wants a free shower hense the "compensation" wordage

uktyler

I would take the £100 and be thankful for it, you would not get that sort of money out of B&Q.

That £100 is to cover the cost of your calls for the last five months contacting them, surely it did not cost more than that?

petrafyde

£100 is 1/6th of what you originally paid. You are getting effectively £1 for every £6 you've paid toward that shower in interest.

If its been that expensive housing a shower in your lounge for 26 weeks then push for more. If however, it has not - just take the £100 and leg it!

We've coped with mice, floods, leaks, bust sealant on guaranteed new pvc windows (the old owners put in) rising damp, and a load of other horribles over the past six months - your lot could be MUCH worse...

andyrules

uktim29 wrote: »

Do you want £100 compensation or £100 goodwill?

The two things are very different. Compensation has an exact figure. Goodwill is as it says. If this is goodwill then you haven't got much of an argument.

Yes, the nail on the head there, Tim - if you are out of pocket then you SHOULD be entitled to be put 'back to where you were' on expenses (phone calls, builders etc).

However, unlike many on here, I do think there should be an element of goodwill payment here - you've been messed about quite a bit.

Personally, if there aren't too many out of pocket expenses, I would accept the offer, tell them to collect the faulty one within a short timeframe to suit you or you dump/sell it on ebay and go and have a nice hot shower;)

emmawilliamso1

Hi there,

Thank you all for your thoughts - I agree I have been messed about quite a bit here but I also just want this matter closed out so I think it may be time to call Homebase and accept the £100!

Thanks again.

Emma

myrnahaz

I'll have to tell my son to ask for compensation from Homebase, because he's had almost exactly the same problem - he ordered a bathroom suite in May but parts of the shower cubicle were missing and still haven't arrived (they've sent the wrong part 3 times). He can't put the shower cubicle together to use in the meantime as it's the main frame supports which are missing.
He's got the name of Homebase's supplier (I think they're called Jacuzzi, but they now say that they've stopped dealing with homebase) and he is liasing directly with them - but they still can't get it right.
Thank goodness the bath arrived intact or they'd be a pretty smelly bunch after 5 months without showering.

Brooker_Dave

emmawilliamso1 wrote: »

The compensation was then upped to £100 but I still do not think this is an acceptable amount for all the trouble I have been through

Demand compensation!!!

Although to be honest you don't deserve any.

People like you make everything in the shops more expensive for the rest of us.