British Gas ruined my dress

somethingcorporate

Zandoni wrote: »

Although everyone suggests writing I'd phone them first and explain what happened. Maybe suggest that some sort of supervisior comes out.

Don't sell yourself short on the value of the dress, it's not your fault that you don't have a receipt.

You can also make them aware of the time that you have taken trying to remove the stains.

If this all fails then you start writing.

I'd echo this as the first step - it's an informal starting point that should be exhausted before jumping in. They've obviously mucked up so hardly easy to excuse.

kazzah60

OP - just as a thought for once BG has settled the matter - could you dye the dress another colour so the stain isn't so obvious?
the washing machine dyes are very good now and maybe if you dyed it a dark colour - maybe grey, navy or black - you can still wear it?

I know what it is like to ruin a well loved item of clothing and have dyed items a few times when they have discoloured
good luck

Elvisia

What a brilliant idea. I have managed to get all the black off it, but there are two massive grey stains, albeit now light stains, but from a distance because of the colour and the place they're in I look rather like I've poo'ed myself which isn't really the look I am going for. Dye is an excellent idea!

NiallB

Would have been worse if you'd been wearing it at the time :eek:

pimento

I think that British Gas have a duty of care while they're in your home and this sounds like negligence on their engineer's part.

I wouldn't be telling them you got the dress in a sale and I hope you took photographs of the mess before you cleared it up.

Like you say, if it had been a cream carpet, would the posters here be saying "oh well"? I think not.

tinkle

pimento wrote: »

I think that British Gas have a duty of care while they're in your home and this sounds like negligence on their engineer's part.

I wouldn't be telling them you got the dress in a sale and I hope you took photographs of the mess before you cleared it up.

Like you say, if it had been a cream carpet, would the posters here be saying "oh well"? I think not.

Why would you not disclose the fact that the dress was in the sale? Would that not be fraud?

marywooyeah

OP nothing I can add I'm afraid other than I'm so sorry to hear about this I would have been livid and upset if it was me, hopefully it can be salvaged with dying x

pimento

tinkle wrote: »

Why would you not disclose the fact that the dress was in the sale? Would that not be fraud?

It's immaterial (if you'll pardon the pun). I didn't suggest the OP lie about the cost of the dress but the fact that it was purchased in a sale has nothing to do with the fact that the British Gas engineer didn't exercise a duty of care over the belongings of the householder.

British Gas should cough up the cost of a replacement. I wouldn't see bleaching or dying the frock as a suitable outcome.

Googlewhacker

Did you take any pictures of the black stains?

Gleeful

I know that if a BG engineer ruins your carpets they have a procedure to follow so they should have the same for other items.