Vent: Magnet kitchen units

gmatkin

We've just returned from Magnet Trade at Maidstone, where we were finally given new kitchen unit fronts to replace a previous Magnet set that had delaminated and crumbled. I'm pleased we've finally got to this point, but also furious at the way we've been treated, and I would not willingly buy anything from this company again.

The company advertises that it offers a 15-year guarantee - but we've had a struggle to get them to honour it. For some weeks the company's head office customer service people led us to understand that their internal rules meant the company couldn't or wouldn't help. However, we kept up the pressure on Magnet and finally someone came round to inspect the kitchen fittings.

That was bad enough. Today we had a prearranged appointment to pick up the doors and encountered some more dreadful customer service. We were made to wait nearly 30 minutes without an explanation, and when I asked the reason for the delay, I was lectured on the virtue of patience.

Most of us find it easier to be patient when we understand what we're being patient about, but the folks at Magnet at Maidstone don't seem to be aware of the point... No apology for the delay was forthcoming, and the salesman's attitude could fairly be described as smart-alec.

Perhaps the worst part was when the sales manager then tried to suggest that we'd done something drastic to cause the delamination problem in the first place. No, we just live in the normal way in a modern house, and the only cleaning these unit fronts have required is a wipe down with a damp cloth.

Despite their guarantee and 'government-backed quality assurance scheme', I would not wish to buy anything from Magnet at Maidstone again.

Gavin Atkin

gmatkin

In reflecting this evening on the events at Magnet Trade in Maidstone yesterday, our first thought was how very inappropriate it was to answer our reasonable question about what we were waiting for 30 minutes in the store with a lecture on how we should be patient. We had after all been waiting for months by this point.

The second was just what a poor attitude Magnet's staff had taken to the companies much vaunted 15-year guarantee. They really had been very reluctant to honour it - both of us were told by different staff members in different parts of the organisation that we could only expect to receive some help from the company if the builder we bought our house claimed the replacement doors.

I should also point out that the kitchyen unit doors that Magnet made such difficulties about were only three years old, or maybe four at the most.

Gavin Atkin