Damages to home after new boiler fitted.

Emmabutterfly

We had a new Boiler fitted last week 13/6/12 by a very well known electric company.
during the fitting they managed to damage a few things around my kitchen.
I have glue on my carpet, scratches and water damage on my worktops and a few other bits they didnt fit onto my new boiler.
The said company sent the fitter back out with his manager to asses the damage.
The manager told us the damage was there before they fitted the boiler and are now saying they wont help with any of the damages. When i told him i wasnt paying till the damages was sorted the manager then said thats ok we will send the collections team around.
The customer relations lady rang from the company, shes 'looking into it' but didnt sound very helpful.
We have yet to pay the final bill as we only paid the deposit.

Can anyone help with some advice.

Leif

I would send them a formal letter by recorded delivery, and state clearly the damage, and that you are giving them 14 days to arrange for repairs to the damage, and that if they do not do this, then you will arrange for repairs yourself, and deduct the cost from the final bill. I do not know if you should pay a contribution to the bill e.g. £1500, and withhold £500. (I'm plucking figures out of the air.) You could ring Citizens Advice (the old Consumer Direct) for advice. They are helpful.

gas4you

Sadly although you may be telling the truth, you case would be more solid if you had evidence, such as any photos before the work was carried out.

We on here cannot comment fully as we only hear your side of the story.

DVardysShadow

Pay a large proportion of the bill - send a letter stating that the rest is in dispute pending resolution of the issues. Do not hold money hostage if it is not needed to address the damage.

If you withhold all of the money, you do not have a defence for all of it, but if you withhold some, you make 'collections' a much harder task.

DVardysShadow

gas4you wrote: »

Sadly although you may be telling the truth, you case would be more solid if you had evidence, such as any photos before the work was carried out.

Don't get hung up on this. If anyone knew what would get damaged, they would get it protected or put out of harms way, rather than take a photo to send in to the small claims court as evidence.

roger196

How did the manager know the damage was there before the boiler was fitted? Had he visited your house?
What sort of glue was it? eg was it a sealant likely to have been used by the installer.
What were the "other bits they did not fit onto the new boiler".

Emmabutterfly

Hi all thanks for your replys.

The glue was being used by the fitter, who had noticed along with me and my father that the pot had fell over. He asked for a dish cloth and tried tidying it up with that. My dish cloth was truely stuck together.
They was also meant to put chemicals into the boiler before commisioning it. But failed to do that. They also didnt fit the Magnaclean saying that could be fitted at a later date. It works well in the box i must say.
We didnt take pictures as we didnt think a top company would do damages. (sounds stupid i know).
We have told them that we will get another plumber in to fit/correct the problems and we will get the carpet replaced and we will take the costs out of the monies we owe the company.
We are still waiting for the Customer relations department to get back into contact with us.
We didnt want to have all this hassle and are quite willing to pay what we owe but why should we be out of pocket putting their wrongs right?
Over the last 2 n half years ive proberly had this company out to fix my old boiler every month n some months 3-4 times. So we was hoping to get a new boiler n not have them visit. (just our luck)
Must say though our new boiler is lovely and ive never had such a lot of hot water.
We had a Worchester 28i Junior fitted. Cant fault that.
Thanks everyone.
Emma.

Leif

gas4you wrote: »

Sadly although you may be telling the truth, you case would be more solid if you had evidence, such as any photos before the work was carried out.

We on here cannot comment fully as we only hear your side of the story.

I don't think people normally take photos before work is done. I don't!

muckybutt

We had an issue a few years back with a plumber who ripped our carpet, when we confronted him he didnt give a stuff.

We sent a letter before action along with two quotes to him to show him what the cots to replace would be. Reluctantly he backed down when he saw we were serious in persuing him for damages, he agreed to cough up - not to us though he paid the carpet compant direct which was fair enough.

You really need to put things down in an official letter, the onus is on the company that did the work to prove that they took all resonable precautions to protect your property as work was being carried out, not the other way around.

Get some quotes as I did and submit them to the company with a 14 day deadline to either rectify the damage or you will instruct one of the other companies to rectify the damage and seek redress through the samll claims court.