Please help - Carpetright Cowboys

revans_2

We purchased 2 bedroom and a hall, landing and stairs carpet from CarpetRight. We asked for everything to be included as we are moving into a newbuild house. The purchase was £749 and a fitter was to arrive yesterday. My problem is the fitter arrived with no glue to fit the downstairs hall carpet to the concrete floor. On phoning CarpetRight the manager said all he could do was rearrange for them to be fitted next week. However, as we have to be out of our current home by next Friday this was no use. After an hour of stalemate I travelled a 40 mile round trip to pick up some no nails glue and on getting back to my house the fitter had decided to nail the carpet into the concrete as he didn't want to be "... hanging around here for hours". I telephoned Carpetright again to be told very rudely that it was no longer their concern, it was between us and the fitter but I paid them all this money for fitted carpets. There was no mention of it being sub contracted out and essentially treated separately.
The carpets have been laid with a patch in the stairs as it has obviously been miscut, no grippers in the cupboards so the carpet is actually coming up the wall despite paying for all grippers, no door runners as Carpetright are arguing that I didn't specifically ask for them even though I had said we needed everything and thought they were included in the accessories. Surely that's like buying a car to discover it has no seatbelts - the manager who took the sale never mentioned once that they were extra so that's why I didn't realise. And now I have discovered in the cupboards there is a ever huge join even though we paid for extra carpet to be able to be cut exactly. I'm at the end of my tether, Carpetright won't even discuss this on the phone and I'm left facing a bodge job having paid out so much money. Can anyone suggest what I can do? :mad:

MamaMoo_2

Firstly, your contract is with Carpet Right, and as they hired the fitter, it's up to them to sort it.
I'd start by taking photographs of the work, and sending an e-mail to customer services, giving them say 14 days to rectify the situation.
The likelihood is it won't be ready in time for when you move in, and as such, it might be worth asking for a partial refund (5-10% maybe) for the inconvenience

Optimist

Check the copy of the paperwork you have signed as there is a very good possibility that somewhere in the terms and conditions it will say that Carpetright are acting as agents for the fitter. In which case your fight is with the fitter if it doesn't then you are entitled to consider that your contract is with Carpetright.

visidigi

Optimist wrote: »

Check the copy of the paperwork you have signed as there is a very good possibility that somewhere in the terms and conditions it will say that Carpetright are acting as agents for the fitter. In which case your fight is with the fitter if it doesn't then you are entitled to consider that your contract is with Carpetright.

how can they be the agent when they provide the carpet to the fitter to fit.

There seems to alot of assumption in the original post and its unfair to expect CR to know the door strips etc are needed, unless specifically told they wouldn't by default add these in.

If the OP told CR that there was a concrete floor which needed to have carpet/lino fitted then CR are responsible for ensure that is fitted to specification.

Additionally, advising its with the fitter is simply not right - CR took all monies and sub contracted the work with the provision of their product - they are responsible for ensuring they sold a product and its fitted according to specification.

In saying that, OP, next time use and support a local carpet fitter, they are cheaper and far more likely to treat you the way you expect...

Optimist

visidigi wrote: »

how can they be the agent when they provide the carpet to the fitter to fit..

They provide the carpet they do not contract to supply and fit, the fitting is an extra.

Which is why I asked the OP to read the contract and see if it says that Carpetright are acting as agents.

Generally the doctrine of privity means a contract cannot put obligations on a third party the exception is when acting as a agent.

Same principle as a travel agent generally your contract is with Thompson, Thomas Cooks or whoever they book your holiday with, not the travel agent.

Moot point until the OP comes back with further details as to the contract she/he signed that should specify if Carpetright are acting as an agent or not.

Flyboy152

From CarpetRigt's webste.

So your floor covering is at home – what now?
At Carpetright, we pride ourselves on giving you the very best customer service from the moment you start making your choice, to the time when you’re enjoying your new look room. That’s why we’ve been working with the Flooring Industry Training Association to ensure that the fitters that we recommend to install your new carpet, vinyl or laminate meet the high standards demanded by Carpetright. Therefore, when you buy from Carpetright, you can rely on the fact that we’ll choose a fitter whose quality of workmanship is constantly checked on your behalf. After all, you’ve chosen the perfect look, shouldn’t it be fitted perfectly for you!
Our competitively priced fitting charges are as follows:

• Carpet - £3.00 per square metre
• Vinyl - £4.00 per square metre
• Laminate - £10.00 per square metre

There is a minimum fitting charge of £40 for carpets and vinyl, and £100 for laminate.
There is also an additional charge or £35 for fitting Hall, Stairs and Landing areas due to the additional time and skill involved.

As they actually state the price for fitting, my presumption would be that the normal principal/agent relationship is not there. If CarpetRight were simply agents, acting as intermediaries for the fitter, they wouldn't be able to decide what the fitting charges were. They do not vary the fitting charges, thereby offering a competitive environment, so the fitters cannot be considered to be a separate entity to the transaction. That would be my interpretation of the relationship.

revans_2

No written contract to specify Carpetright are agents for a fitter - a handwritten quote which states fitting is included and a verbal agreement. And thanks for the comment visidigi regarding supporting a local fitter but living in the Highlands the cheapest "local fitter" was £200 more expensive and couldn't fit it in for 5 weeks. So it hasn't been about not showing support, it has been about convenience to ourselves. And TBH it's not really the point, I need advice on the situation with carpetright. It shouldn't be insinuated that because I've used a big firm what do I expect. Some sort of customer service is not too much to ask. Secondly, I agree there has been a certain amount of assumption where the carpet runners were concerned but when you go to make a purchase and declare you need everything - why was this not queried by the so called carpet expert. I didn't realise it wasn't standard so at the very least he could have pointed out they weren't included.

arcon5

revans wrote: »

No written contract to specify Carpetright are agents for a fitter - a handwritten quote which states fitting is included and a verbal agreement. And thanks for the comment visidigi regarding supporting a local fitter but living in the Highlands the cheapest "local fitter" was £200 more expensive and couldn't fit it in for 5 weeks. So it hasn't been about not showing support, it has been about convenience to ourselves. And TBH it's not really the point, I need advice on the situation with carpetright. It shouldn't be insinuated that because I've used a big firm what do I expect. Some sort of customer service is not too much to ask. Secondly, I agree there has been a certain amount of assumption where the carpet runners were concerned but when you go to make a purchase and declare you need everything - why was this not queried by the so called carpet expert. I didn't realise it wasn't standard so at the very least he could have pointed out they weren't included.

In all fairness op, I don't think the nature of visidigi's post was that of you get what you pay for, tough. More some light advice for future reference that the larger firms generally offer much poor level of service than local firms so when problems do arrive it is much tougher to sort it out. It could be extended to most industrys tbh.

I believe from reading other things about CR that their fitters pay a fee to be on their books, then get a fixed fee to do jobs so therefore acting as sub-contractors for CR. I would be surprised if it did transpire CR was simply acting as agents. If they was they will soon be quick to point this out whilst you exhaust their complains procedure.

Optimist

revans wrote: »

No written contract to specify Carpetright are agents for a fitter - a handwritten quote which states fitting is included and a verbal agreement. And thanks for the comment visidigi regarding supporting a local fitter but living in the Highlands the cheapest "local fitter" was £200 more expensive and couldn't fit it in for 5 weeks. So it hasn't been about not showing support, it has been about convenience to ourselves. And TBH it's not really the point, I need advice on the situation with carpetright. It shouldn't be insinuated that because I've used a big firm what do I expect. Some sort of customer service is not too much to ask. Secondly, I agree there has been a certain amount of assumption where the carpet runners were concerned but when you go to make a purchase and declare you need everything - why was this not queried by the so called carpet expert. I didn't realise it wasn't standard so at the very least he could have pointed out they weren't included.

Ahh we are talking Scottish law.....Not my field but...


If you are satisfied that your contract does not state that Carpet right are acting as agents then you need to write them a letter telling them of your displeasure and giving then 14 days to rectify or you will commence court proceedings

However a quick look at their terms and conditions gives

Fitting (Floorcoverings)

We act as agents for independent self-employed floorcoverings installers and can arrange for one of these to deliver and/or fit your purchase under a separate agreement between you and them. We retain full responsibility for the products and services we supply and the deliverer/installer is responsible for the standard and quality of, and any liability arising from, delivery and/or installation.

That said if there is nothing to indicate this on your contract then you are entitled to assume that your contract was with Carpetright and as such they are responsible for the fitting.


Edit I would probably write the letter anyway even if it is in the small print of your contract. Threatening them with your Sherriffs court gives them a reason to sort it out amicably.

Becles

I had a problem with Carpetright fitters.

I used to work mornings and when we bought the carpet, I asked if the fitter could come after 1pm as I had no holidays left. They said that was fine and they'd make a note and pass that onto the fitter.

I got home on the fitting day to two angry voicemails and a rude note pushed through the door as the fitter had called twice in the morning and I wasn't home. I called the store who got in touch with him and said he would call later that afternoon.

He turned up guns blazing and shouted at me for messing his schedule up as he never gives appointments and I should have been told I'd have to wait in all day. Should have kicked him out at that point but I wanted the carpet putting down!

Had paid for gripper rods and accessories, but these were not provided. He put the carpet down, quickly hacked round the edges so they were a frayed mess and he damaged the skirting boards in places, and then stapled it to the floor boards. The staples were not even at the edges of the carpet, as he'd done it in such a rush so some were a few inches away from the skirting board. As it was a dark low pile carpet, the silver staples looked obvious and awful. To top it off, he had wet glue on the underside of his toolbox, so I had a nice big glue stain in the middle of the floor!

At first Carpetright said there was nothing they could do and suggested putting furniture over the glue mark. However due to the layout of the room, putting furniture would obstruct the bedroom doorway and access into the en-suite.

I wrote a letter of complaint detailing everything I was unhappy with, and they came and removed the carpet and refunded me both the fitting cost and the carpet cost as I said I wasn't prepared to deal with them any more.

Altarf

Optimist wrote: »

If you are satisfied that your contract does not state that Carpet right are acting as agents then you need to write them a letter telling them of your displeasure and giving then 14 days to rectify or you will commence court proceedings

If it was paid by credit card, then an alternative route to take is to use Section 75.

It doesn't matter whether the Carpet Right were agent for the fitter or not, as the credit card company will have responsibility for the both the carpet and the fitting.

I would give Carpet Right one final opportunity to resolve matters, and then would solely deal with the credit card company.