Wrong carpet underlay fitted

motownick

Well, I thought that this was all sorted, but when the guys came to do the 2nd part of my carpet fitting, the carpet they laid in the landing is a slightly different colour to that in the bedroom (the same carpet was ordered for both). I have complained and they sent someone round to check and he has just emailed me the following...

Unfortunately the colour differential you have noticed between rooms is part and parcel of 100% Wool roll colour differentiation.

This material has been sold to you at less than 50% of RRP due to it being recently discontinued stock.

We understand it is frustrating for you to have this variation in colour and with this in mind we would like to offer you a £75.00 payment deduction from your balance. Thus: £750.00 reduced to £675.00.


The 11 mm Underlay was a free upgrade for you and we reduced your Estimate by £125.00 at your request.

The 8 mm Underlay installation was a genuine error for which we apologise and are happy to complete the rectification of at your earliest convenience.


I don't understand why he mentions that the carpet was discounted as this has no baring on the quality of the job. All the carpet was ordered at the same time, so if this is down to wool roll colour differentiation then they should have cut all my carpet from the same rool. I'm not prepared to accept their £75 discount and have told them that I'm not paying the outstanding £750 unless they change the carpet, otherwise I will use that money to buy a carpet for the bedroom that compliments the landing carpet and replace the underlay. I'll let you know what happens in case it is of use to someone else.

motownick

I realised that I didn't update the end (hopefully) of this saga, just in case someone else is interested.

Well I sent an email replying to the manager, stating that the £75 discount was nowhere near enough and that if they didn't remedy the situation they would get no more money from me. I then got a phonecall from the MD - I let it go to voicemail as I have preferred to communicate with them over email as I want everything in writing. He said that I was out of order for talking about witholding money and that he wouldn't let me get away with that. I text him back and told him i was happy for him to come around and look at the carpet (baring in mind the manager of the shop had already been round and offered me the £75 discount as mentioned above). He agreed and turned up at my house, very grumpy, came in and looked at my carpet and admitted straight away that they were different colours and said he would have it changed. Would have been nice to get an apology, but I was content to have everything sorted.

The carpet fitters came round and did the job (they mentioned to me that they were shocked that the wrong colour carpet had been installed and that the original fitters should have noticed). Once they had finished they told me they had been told by the MD not to leave the house until I paid the balance! I wrote a cheque for the remaining money minus the £75. I did smirk when I received an invoice for the remaining £75 a week or so later - they were lucky I didn't dedcut more, especially when i noticed after the fitters had left that they had smashed a vase, but put it back together!

Lastly, I want to let you all know that the company is called Central Carpets - my problem was with their Dulwich branch, but they also have branches in Balham and Pimlico. If I was you, I'd avoid at all costs - according to the fitters most of their work is corporate