Laminate flooring warranty query

derrick

I am having a problem with a bathroom floor and wanting to confirm that I go for the installer of the flooring.

Just over 10 years ago I employed a laminate flooring fitter to supply and fit a bathroom quality laminate floor, this was done in an empty bathroom, i.e. no sanitary ware in place, the flooring that he supplied has a 15 year warranty and the fitter’s card states : -“Wood & Laminate Flooring Supplied & Fitted. No maintenance. Hygienic easy to clean,15 year warranty.

There is some “spelching” of joints around the toilet pan and as stated above the flooring was laid before sanitary ware fitted, i.e no cutting of flooring around pan.

The floor has only been cleaned as per the instructions, a dry cloth or slightly damp floor cloth, there has been no water spillage of any kind, the rest of the floor is fine, I think maybe not enough adhesive in this area.

I got in touch with the fitter about 5 weeks ago and he has been round to look at it and agrees there is “water/damp ingress and stated he would contact the supplier.

After nearly 3 weeks without a response I rang again, he said his supplier wanted nothing to do with it and suggested the manufacturer who it turns out is still in business but based in France, he has managed to get in touch with someone who is setting up to import as the original importer has gone, this someone has said he will investigate, this is the email I received: -
"I think I may have tracked down the manufacturers through the copy right of the logo (espace production inrernationale) it appears to be a french company.I called them and asked for the number of the UK importer they gave me a mobile number the guy I spoke to said they have not started importing into the UK yet but he will look into things for us .Looks like the company is still there but the origional uk importer is not "

I have just emailed the fitter asking about any progress and he has just emailed me back saying: - “not yet this is the only email address I have for this company maybe they might respond to you “

Now I am correct in saying the fitter is totally responsible as he supplied and fitted, but as this is over 10 years ago, (but a 15 year warranty), SoGA cannot help as that is only for “up to 6 years”. So is it worth it to tell the fitter to sort it himself?




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Hintza

The fitter will not have offered the warranty it will have been the importer/manufacturer and since they are no longer in business you won't have anyone to claim against (apart from the manufacturer).

Sounds like Mr I.P Squint has been at work here.

penrhyn

I doubt that any man's aim is 100% accurate over a ten year period.

derrick

Hintza wrote: »

The fitter will not have offered the warranty it will have been the importer/manufacturer and since they are no longer in business you won't have anyone to claim against (apart from the manufacturer).

Yes I see that re the manufacturer, but the fitters business card,(different to the manufacturer), states: - "Wood & Laminate Flooring Supplied & Fitted. No maintenance. Hygienic easy to clean,15 year warranty."

Now surely he has offered a supply and fit service with the 15 year warranty so surely he has an obligation?


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Hintza

You might have a point, sounds like an ill thought out business card. You might need to play this softly with him as I imagine he could very well dig his heels in.

If he does you will then have to prove it is a manufacturing or fitting fault whilst he is going to argue misuse (esp. around a toilet bowl).

phill99

Hintza is correct. You need to prove the fault is either fitting or manufacturing. Good luck.

MamaMoo_2

derrick wrote: »

Yes I see that re the manufacturer, but the fitters business card,(different to the manufacturer), states: - "Wood & Laminate Flooring Supplied & Fitted. No maintenance. Hygienic easy to clean,15 year warranty."

Now surely he has offered a supply and fit service with the 15 year warranty so surely he has an obligation?


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However there are no warranty terms on the business card. What does your warranty documentation say?

derrick

MamaMoo wrote: »

However there are no warranty terms on the business card. What does your warranty documentation say?

ENGLISH - GUARANTEE

The guarantee is limited to 15 years from the date of purchase of the DOLFY.
The cash receipt, dated and giving the name of the product, attached to the laying instructions, is accepted as proof of purchase.
EPl, manufacturer of DOLFY floor covering guarantees:
• wear resistance for the patterned layer
• colour-fastness in sunlight and electric light
• the dirt-resistant quality of the floor covering under normal conditions of use This guarantee is subject to the following terms:
• DOLFY must be laid and used exclusively indoors, in accordance with these instructions.
• damage must not be the result of abusive use or due to scratching, impact or indentation.
• the damaged surface must be clearly visible in the middle of a strip (4 cm2 or bigger).
• damage will be assessed from a standing position (height at least 1.50 m), under normal lighting conditions,
• the guarantee is graduated and takes into account depreciation due to use at a rate of approximately 15% per year for DOLFY.
• the product is laid by a private individual or professional floor layer who agrees to follow professional regulations and the manufacturer's recommendations. The guarantee stipulates the use of straps, a polyethylene substrate and PROGLU PLUS glue to ensure validity. EPI cannot be held responsible for damage occurring in the shop or during transport. If the claim is accepted, the manufacturer agrees to repair or replace defective materials, excluding labour costs. This mode of compensation is the only possible means of recourse available to the customer. The services proposed within the context of this guarantee do not extend the initial guarantee period. No company or agent is authorized by the manufacturer to alter or extend the terms and conditions of the guarantee.

LAMINATED FLOOR COVERING
Suitable for rooms with humid atmospheres.

DOLFY is suitable for rooms such as kitchens or bathrooms, which have humid atmospheres.
- DOLFY should be laid on a clean, stable, flat smooth, dry indoor surface.
-store DOLFY in its original packaging for 48 hours, at room temperature (12° to 30°C and a maximum of 65°C RH), in the room in which it is to be laid
- use PROGLU PLUS polyurethane glue and the straps and laying kit designed to make your job easy
- Handle the parquet carefully during transport to avoid damaging the tongues and groove. laying damaged strips would affect DOLFY's sealing properties.
- Buy your skirting board today. There is a complete range of matching skirting board for DOLFY floor coverings.
- Make sure you have prepared the surface before starting to lay the strips:
a 0.2 mm thick polyane (high density PE) film substrate as a moisture barrier and a substrate in rolls of 2 or 4 mm thick expanded polystyrene foam depending on the sound-proofing required and surface defects to be flattened.

Tools required:
• 1 tape measure • 1 pencil • 1 set-square • 1 string to check the straightness • straps • a laying kit which includes: 20 spacers, 3 claw bar. • a saw • a drill, for passing small diameter circular objects through the floor covering • a cutter to cut out the underlayer.


Fabricante certificado
Hersteller: Qualitatsnorm
ISO 9002
ISO 1401

TRAFIC INTENSIF
INTENSIVE USE
TRANSITO INTENSIVO
STARKER VERKEHR
Selon normes europeennes
Complies with new European standards
Segun las normas europeas
Entspricht den neuen europiischen Normen
This product is produced by EN 13329.


All the above is everything from the product "wrapper" that is ,(mostly), in English.

Below is the fitters business card


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derrick

My understanding on re reading the terms are that there are no manufacturing defects, so the problem is down to installation, i.e.not enough glue in affected area, remember there are no cuts around the pan, the flooring was laid in an almost empty room, only the bath and shower tray where positioned in situ, flooring laid just under bath prior to side panel being installed, and shower tray was the only cut around.

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wealdroam

derrick wrote: »

• the guarantee is graduated and takes into account depreciation due to use at a rate of approximately 15% per year for DOLFY.

You say the floor has been down for ten years.
I fear any claim would not be met.

Not sure how that fits in with a fifteen year guarantee though.
It looks like any claim after 6-7 years would be pointless.

You also tell us that the problem appears at joints.
Another term in that guarantee says:

• the damaged surface must be clearly visible in the middle of a strip (4 cm2 or bigger).

derrick

wealdroam wrote: »

You say the floor has been down for ten years.
I fear any claim would not be met.

Not sure how that fits in with a fifteen year guarantee though.
It looks like any claim after 6-7 years would be pointless.

You also tell us that the problem appears at joints.
Another term in that guarantee says:

Yes, I could not understand that part, although on his first visit to inspect he said, "the warranty works on fifteen years sliding scale, i.e divide by 15, x by 10, = 5 left."

Hence my post just above yours re installation fault.

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