Damaged Property - Help with my rights please?

COLLY-WOBBLES

Hi there - not sure if anybody can help.

To cut a long story short, we bought a washing machine from Boots Appliances - it was installed by the company delivering it, and after one week we found our kitchen floor was soaking, and discovered the hose connected to the cold water inlet was leaking. I tightened up the nut, 2 days later it was leaking again. Husband tighted up the nut, 2 days later it was leaking again. I tightened up the nut, and 6 weeks later it was leaking. I tighted up the nut, and for last 2 months it hasn't leaked. The leak has ruined our floor (utility and part-way into kitchen), the manufacturer of our floor tiles has recently changed the composition of the tiles so we can't just replace the damaged tiles (we will have to replace full floor), this will cost £1000. Neither Boots nor the company who installed the machine (Expert Logistics) have admitted liability, but they have offered £400 as a goodwill gesture.

Neither will Boots or Zanussi (washing machine manufacturer) admit anything is wrong with the hose/nut.

So after buying a washing machine, I'm now faced with paying a further £600 of my own money to replace a floor with exactly the same floor tiles as I already have (I don't want to change my tiles, I like the ones I have). Do I have any rights to challenge them, or should I just accept the £400 goodwill gesture, or should I claim on house insurance (which will no doubt push up my premiums in the future)???

Sorry for the long story, hoping somebody can help????

BitterAndTwisted

Accept the £400 and then make a claim on your insurance.

moonrakerz

Who did you actually pay to install the machine - not who did it, but who did you pay ?

Then use this on them...............

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

McKneff

I would accept the £400 to be honest, how long has the floor been down.

Trouble is how much is your excess on your house insurance.

And I would think accepting the £400 and also claiming on your house insurance would be a no no.

COLLY-WOBBLES

Thanks .... Moonraker, would it make a difference if I hadn't paid? I didn't ask Boots to install machine, but the company delivering it did install - turns out Boots added installation by error, so after I queried this they refunded the £20 which they originally charged me. If this doesn't make a difference and the two companies fail to reimburse me, then I'll definitely give that website a go (before claiming on insurance). Thanks