Stoves Direct/Stoves r us

milliemonster

We purchased a stove from this company online and received a call from their courier shortly afterwards to arrange delivery, great!

Delivery was arranged for a Friday 12th Dec then on Tuesday, the courier phoned again, to arrange delivery, now when I told them it had already been arranged they told me they had no record of it but could they deliver it today instead? as my husband was at home for the day we agreed, they told us it would be delivered to our house that morning.

lo and behold, it didn't turn up, I contacted stoves direct the next morning who were very apologetic and told us the courier would ring us to explain. When the courier phoned, they said they had had our paperwork but not the stove so that's why it wasn't delivered (so why hadn't they phoned us to let us know then instead my hubby had to stay in all day waiting for them!!), they asked if they could deliver today (Wed) instead but I said no as there was no-one at home, we were both out at work. So delivery was rearranged for this Friday 12th (as it was originally)

When I got home from work yesterday, my neighbour told me that I had had a delivery of a stove, I was surprised and he said the delivery driver was very angry there was no-one at home to help him with it (it weighs 100kg) and he had to get the coalman who was next door at the time to help him with it. they had dumped it on my patio at the back of the house.

I phoned the courier to tell them I was unhappy that it had been left at the back of my house exposed to the elements, without being signed for by anyone when delivery had been agreed for 12th, my husband is away until tomorrow working so I had no one available to help me move it. The courier company were very apologetic and said they would ring the delivery man and get him to come back.

He did come back and I asked him to take it back and redeliver on the day that had been agreed, he wouldn't as he was on his own and says its too heavy.

So now, I am left with a stove that is sat outside in the frost, I am so incensed with this that I have told Stoves direct I don't want it, to come and collect it and I want a refund and I will buy it from somewhere else.

I am angry that firstly it didn't turn up on Tuesday and they didn't bother to phone us to tell us, I appreciate mistakes happen and they had the paperwork and not our stove but why couldn't they have just phoned to tell us instead of leaving my poor oh spending his only day off this week stuck in the house all day?

I am also angry that when we rearranged delivery for Friday, they still delivered it yesterday and were annoyed that no one was at home to receive it, do they really expect me to stay in everyday just on the off chance they might deliver it?, also I can't believe that they only had one delivery driver to move this item that weighs 100kg and then expect the customer to help them to shift it!

I am also angry they have just left it on my patio exposed to the elements.

Delivery was arranged for tomorrow originally as I knew my oh would be at home and we would prepare space in the shed for it to be stored.

I have no idea when they are going to collect it. I told the courier yesterday when he said he couldn't take it back on his own to come back today which he said he would but so far no one has turned up.

I am worried that if the stove ends up ruined outside they will refuse to take it back and refund me

what should I do?

Optimist

As you bought it online you have a perfect right to reject it under the distance selling regulations. However it is the company you bought if from that you need to inform. The courier company is under contract to them and needs collection instructions from them now it has been delivered and rejected

You cant be expected to bring it indoors by yourself although I doubt there will be much if any damage. They seem pretty robust items

Interesting that the delivery driver was expecting someone to help them unload it. A courier company delivering something that heavy should really have had sufficient resource in place to deliver it safety. I see a lawsuit coming up from injured delivery drivers

stoveman

Pretty bad communication their fair play.

It should be upto Stoves are us to sort the mess out mind not the courier to ring you explain.

What stove was it you ordered? have you got it sorted?

I sell stoves and may be able to help

savemoney

Perhaps the OP could give us a update

Bood59

Hi. We have also just had a bad experience with Stoves R Us & their customer service is awful. They delivered the wrong stove and didn't do any of the things such as ring beforehand etc that we'd agreed. We had everyone starting on a major project ( solar panels being fitted with the stove been a boiler stove linked in with the solar panels and existing boiler - three sets of contractors) on the Monday, the (wrong) stove was delivered the Friday before. It clearly had the wrong address and was just down to sheer sloppiness by the driver/delivery person.

As they didn't ring, we weren't around to check the details ( ring any bells...?) When they reckoned they could sort their mistake out all the contractors were booked in for new jobs, so we would have been stuffed. In the end we agreed with Stoves R Us to get our fitters to exchange the wrongly delivered stoves - ours was at the address that was on the stove delivered to us. I had to pay twenty quid petrol money to the fitters and then the free registration plate/flue pipes etc were not brought back in the confusion, so we had to shell out another hundred and twenty quid for them. I blame Stoves R Us, as if they had done what they were supposed to, then none of this confusion would have happened.

I emailed Stoves R Us quite a few times to get my money back for the petrol at least, but they haven't answered any of them. I am now pursuing them with the Trading Standards people. I would never ever recommend them to anyone....

Ironically, our fitter popped round the other day to see how the fire was performing - he had the time because he couldn't start his next job as..guess what Stoves R Us had delivered the wrong stove to his next clients...... what a shower! I am going to pursue this as they should not be allowed to behave so poorly and then ignore angry customers.

Bood59

Hi. We have also just had a bad experience with Stoves R Us & their customer service is awful. They delivered the wrong stove (ring any bells here...) and didn't do any of the things such as ring beforehand etc that we'd agreed. We had everyone starting on a major project ( solar panels being fitted with the stove been a boiler stove linked in with the solar panels and existing boiler - three sets of contractors) on the Monday, the (wrong) stove was delivered the Friday before. It clearly had the wrong address and was just down to sheer sloppiness by the driver/delivery person.

As they didn't ring, we weren't around to check the details ( ring anymore bells...?) When they reckoned they could sort their mistake out all the contractors were booked in for new jobs, so we would have been stuffed. In the end we agreed with Stoves R Us to get our fitters to exchange the wrongly delivered stoves - ours was at the address that was on the stove delivered to us. I had to pay twenty quid petrol money to the fitters and then the free registration plate/flue pipes etc were not brought back in the confusion, so we had to shell out another hundred and twenty quid for them. I blame Stoves R Us, as if they had done what they were supposed to, then none of this confusion would have happened.

I emailed Stoves R Us quite a few times to get my money back for the petrol at least, but they haven't answered any of them. I am now pursuing them with the Trading Standards people. I would never ever recommend them to anyone....

Ironically, our fitter popped round the other day to see how the fire was performing - he had the time because he couldn't start his next job as..guess what Stoves R Us had delivered the wrong stove to his next clients...... what a shower! I am going to pursue this as they should not be allowed to behave so poorly and then ignore angry customers.

TBeckett100

I am lost with the OP. They delivered the stove in the end but the OP wants it collected and returned another time? You say it is sat outside, why not move it?

isplumm

TBeckett100 wrote: »

I am lost with the OP. They delivered the stove in the end but the OP wants it collected and returned another time? You say it is sat outside, why not move it?

The OP originally posted in Dec 08 - so I suspect this has already been sorted one way or the other!!

Mark

hethmar

We fit stoves and people are always telling us they can get the stove cheaper online than from the local dealer - yeah course they can because exactly what happens is as above except no one has mentioned the stoves that are damaged or dont have the right fittings and so on and on........ Our hearts drop when we hear a cheery voice telling us how they have saved so much money by getting it on line and yes, the stoves are normally dumped outside unless you pay for a two man delivery.

Same goes for the people who tell us they have saved so much on buying chimney liner on line - yep, theres a reason for that also - usually arrives damaged, usually the lowest quality and not suitable for wood and you dont have the fittings or insulation with it. Nor do you get a compliance certificate or genuine data plate. Still, a couple of years down the line and they are normally looking for a proper installer because their bargain has collapsed ..........(and cant be used again, not if they want a certificate of compliance)

Bood59

To be fair, we had booked a proper fitter - registered company etc and they were going to supply and fit the stove. There was a mix up their end ( they forgot in other words) so we had no alternative than to order one quickly over the net, as the alternative was to postpone them and all the other people on site putting up the solar panels and taking out the bathroom. Given that it took two months to coordinate them to be in the same place at the same time, it wasn't really a goer...We were fed up with the fitting company, but sometimes you have to make the best job you can with the people you've got! Stoves R Us sending the wrong one and then doing a chocolate teapot impression when asked to put it right was definitely the high point of a very bad week. I have since heard back from Stoves R Us/Stoves Direct who have said they have no intention of reimbursing the petrol money I had to lay out. It has now gone to the Trading Standards as although it is a relatively small amount it is a very big point of principle for me. Not to mention the fact that we didn't get the 'free' registration plate or flue pipe either, so had to fork out another hundred and twenty quid for that too. So, although we did try and do it locally and not via the net, human error forced us down that path,,,and now I'm on that path that no-good company are going to play fair or have me dogging them for a very, very long time!!

mamawiz

This company should be avoided at all cost. They are nothing short of robbers. They bumped up prices after we'd ordered. Gave backword on their pricematch deals and took the payment even when we'd cancelled the order immediately on finding out they were pulling a fast one. Now they won't give us our £550 back. I email, I phone to complain and their customer service stinks.
They won;t put me through to accounts and won't tell me when i will get my money back. I have no stove and no cash.
I am going to report them too. It doesn't come as a surprise to find there's a massive internet threead about them. They should be closed down. Do not buy anything from them or risk it at your peril.