Bathroom Cupboards Discoloured

sheramber

It could be that a different batch of paint different paint was used on some doors.

There was a problem a few years ago with white gloss paint yellowing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/47fLZ1JSrJKf6J7g6HJsNdj/the-white-paint-that-yellows

It happened tp the gloss paint in my bathroom but as the walls are cream it is not a problem.

Ro5ie

Thank you sheramber, that is a very useful link. That problem ocurred the same year that I purchased my bathroom furniture.

paddyrg

Let's say there's an inherent fault (frankly it sounds like doors are from 2 batches with different ageing characteristics). First, you need to be able to demonstrate it is inherent. Photographs will go partway, but ideally you'll have an expert provide an independent report stating that there was a fault inherent from manufacture, and challenge the retailer with that. You'll probably have to pay the expert.

The retailer can either fold or double down - I suspect they'd fold if the case is as you say and you have the report. In that case, they'll probably offer a partial refund based on the loss of value you suffered. The proportion they use would be based on the expected life, the price you paid, how defective it is, material chosen, etc. As the doors still function after 5 years, with only cosmetic damage, then you may find the offer very low. If they were solid wood they'd be expected to last better than cheap melamine too.

By all means take them to court if you cannot agree a price, but you should consider that the doors value after 5 years continuous service might be dramatically lower than new replacement doors.

If the carcasses are OK, perhaps you can buy replacement doors and they'll agree a better price for you. Some people change the doors and look of their furniture regularly, others don't.

Ro5ie

I have an update!!!!

Thanks to persistance and the power of Social Media it looks as though I am getting replacements for the discoloured units!

Brief Summary of progress:

1: I Contacted B&Q to complain where I am told that they cannot help as the units are older than 12 months.

2: Armed with Info re Sale of Goods Act I contact B&Q again where I am told that I will need a report from Trading Standards confirming that this is a manufacting fault. It was estimated that this would cost between £250 - £500.

3: Trading Standards said they didn't do this.

4: I Contacted B&Q again and was told that I would need a report from a professional bathroom fitter to confirm that this was a manufacturing fault. They could not explain how someone who fitted bathrooms was any more qualified than anyone else to decide if this was a manufacturing fault.

5: Feeling very annoyed by this I posted a photo of he discoloured units and a moan on the B&Q facebook page.

6: My complaint wa immediately escalated and I was offered £80 as apparently I had had £400 of use out of my cupboard.

7As £80 really wouldn't solve the problem, I posted the photo again on facebook with my thoughts on that offer.

8: Complaint escalated again. I went into B&Q where they tried to find suitable replacements but were unsuccessful as they don't stock anything in the same sizes. During this visit I was told that this discoloration was a known problem.

9: Manufacturer contacted me today to say they are going to make me new replacements doors and panels for the affected units, and if these don't match they will replace all of them!

So fingers crossed my problem should be resolved.

Persistance has paid off and now B&Q and manufacturers couldn't be more helpful

I hope this helps anyone else with a similar problem.

unholyangel

Likely too late now given the update but if the units were painted in gloss......wouldn't an easier solution have been to get them repainted rather than completely replace them?

I'm hoping i've misunderstood and that perhaps OP meant a high gloss finish as surely - even despite the throw away culture we live in - its not the done thing to replace something just because it needs repainted?

Ro5ie

Of course they were not painted!

If it was that easy of course I would have repainted them. duh I'm not that stupid! It is a high gloss finish. Sigh ....

unholyangel

Ro5ie wrote: »

Of course they were not painted!

If it was that easy of course I would have repainted them. duh I'm not that stupid! It is a high gloss finish. Sigh ....

Well I was giving you the benefit of the doubt given you'd only said it was a gloss finish

But replying that sherambers link was very useful when it was about gloss paint perhaps didn't help clear up the confusion.

Zandoni

Ro5ie wrote: »

I have an update!!!!

Thanks to persistance and the power of Social Media it looks as though I am getting replacements for the discoloured units!

Brief Summary of progress:

1: I Contacted B&Q to complain where I am told that they cannot help as the units are older than 12 months.

2: Armed with Info re Sale of Goods Act I contact B&Q again where I am told that I will need a report from Trading Standards confirming that this is a manufacting fault. It was estimated that this would cost between £250 - £500.

3: Trading Standards said they didn't do this.

4: I Contacted B&Q again and was told that I would need a report from a professional bathroom fitter to confirm that this was a manufacturing fault. They could not explain how someone who fitted bathrooms was any more qualified than anyone else to decide if this was a manufacturing fault.

5: Feeling very annoyed by this I posted a photo of he discoloured units and a moan on the B&Q facebook page.

6: My complaint wa immediately escalated and I was offered £80 as apparently I had had £400 of use out of my cupboard.

7As £80 really wouldn't solve the problem, I posted the photo again on facebook with my thoughts on that offer.

8: Complaint escalated again. I went into B&Q where they tried to find suitable replacements but were unsuccessful as they don't stock anything in the same sizes. During this visit I was told that this discoloration was a known problem.

9: Manufacturer contacted me today to say they are going to make me new replacements doors and panels for the affected units, and if these don't match they will replace all of them!

So fingers crossed my problem should be resolved.

Persistance has paid off and now B&Q and manufacturers couldn't be more helpful

I hope this helps anyone else with a similar problem.

That's brilliant news, it's always good to moan as much as possible when you feel cheated, too many people accept faulty goods. Imagine how people would moan if something like this happened to their cars.