Should I have paid for the kitchen?!

milliebear00001

Probably a bit late now, as I already have, but...

My fitters are starting tomorrow and are supplying me with a Howdens kitchen to be collected by them from the warehouse on Friday. My fitter just rang and asked me to pay for the kitchen as his credit account with them is maxed out. Fine I said and blithely rang Howdens and made payment.

The money has been credited to the fitter's credit account so that the order can be honoured, but I am now twitchy because I am not Howden's client, and therefore presumably have no credit card protection should my fitter simply decide not to turn up or should they go bankrupt or should they fit the kitchen elsewhere blah blah...

Any thoughts as to whether this sort of thing is normal practice? I am guessing it's reasonable to expect to pay a percentage (and maybe even 100%) up front,but here the contract isn't with me, but I have paid the costs!?

phill99

This isn't an unusual practice. Many fitters will ask you to pay Howdens/Benchmarx/Magnet Trade directly.

One reason that fitters do this is so that the cost doesn't go through their books which is a way of keeping below the VAT registration threshold. If they go above the threshold they have to register for VAT and then pass this on to customers.

You need to trust your fitters. The vast majority of tradesmen are not out to stripe you up, They just want to do the job, get paid and move on to the next job.

evoke

Who is your contract with?

milliebear00001

My contract is with my fitter and the fitter's contract is with Howdens to purchase (and myself to supply of course). So he has got the quote etc (forwarded to me) which has all his details on it as the purchaser. I am not Howdens' client at all.

I do instinctively trust him. He has good feedback and is part of my LA's 'Trusted Traders' scheme. I am sure everything will be fine, but I don't like exposing myself to risk normally and have never actually bought a fully supplied kitchen before so am not sure what's normal practice - although am now relieved to hear that it's not unusual for fitters to ask clients to pay the kitchen supplier directly.

This way actually suits me better as it's meant I have been able to stick the cost of the kitchen on my credit card, rather than writing him a cheque from my current account. I haven't paid for fitting, and am expecting this to be paid when the job is finished - especially as I will be away while they are doing the job.

leveller2911

If his credit account is maxed out that means he's fitted kicthens for other people and not yet been paid so why does he expect you to pay for yours upfront?.........He has up to 8 weeks to settle his account each month so maybe someone has not paid up.


I may be wrong but I always thought that the contract was between the supplier and the person who paid for the kitchen.

I'm sure it will all go well ......Good luck

McKneff

The fitter is still in the loop because the kitchen will still have been put onto his account then the payment will have been taken off.

Stop worrying, Howdens kitchens are good, you trust your fitter otherwise you wouldnt have employed him.

Whats the problem.

Susan1942

I have just had a Howdens kitchen fitted by my own Joiner. I was told by Howdens would bill my fitter for it. The kitchen was delivered on the Monday am and I immediately that day paid my Joiner making a cheque to him for the total amount.

I am sure that all will be well

Sue

leveller2911

McKneff wrote: »

The fitter is still in the loop because the kitchen will still have been put onto his account then the payment will have been taken off.

Stop worrying, Howdens kitchens are good, you trust your fitter otherwise you wouldnt have employed him.

Whats the problem.

Its a small point Mc Kneff but if Milliebear pays via CC ,cheque or cash for a kitchen from Howdens I'm pretty sure that in Law the contract is between Milliebear and Howdens and not Milliebear and the fitter......

I've fitted plenty of Howdens kitchens over the years and they are ok but the biggest problem I have with them is that 99% of the units are not square which can be a real pain in the butt when fitting face frames and lining up the doors and drawers...Quality has got poorer over the past few years....