Negative experience with UK Flooring Direct Engineered wood floors

emc80304

Anyone considering buying wood floors from UK Flooring Direct (UKFD) may want to read about my experience.

On the advice of my builder, I purchased around £800 worth of engineered wood flooring (Engineered European Oak Flooring Brushed Oiled).

The problems started even before the flooring was installed. The company sent me several packages of the wrong flooring, and the joiner I had hired to install them needed to return for an extra day of work after the correct flooring arrived. This was a major inconvenience for both me and my joiner.

Within 1 month of the flooring being installed, the veneer on one panel came completely unglued and started cracking (see pictures below). My joiner returned to inspect it and determined that the product was faulty. UKFD asked me to fill in an assessment form explaining the problem and the conditions in which the floor was installed.

One week after submitting this form, I had yet to get a response. I called back to inquire on the status of my assessment. A customer service representative said she would look into it. Several hours later, she phoned me back and provided details that were inaccurate, contradictory and in some cases ridiculous.

I was told (1) that my 1950s house was “quite old”; (2) that there were wet works going on in my house at the time of installation, which is inaccurate. (3) that the flooring had been simultaneously too damp and not humid enough. She offered me a single pack of flooring in compensation. I declined and asked to speak to a manager.

After more than a week of daily phone calls on my part, I managed to get through to Chris McAteer. He maintained that the damage was not UKFD’s fault and refused to offer any more compensation than a single package of flooring – and that has failed to materialize so far.

The floors UKFD sold me are beautiful. But based on my problems with the product and the way they treat customers, I would recommend looking elsewhere for flooring.

You can find pictures here: soyouvemovedtohackney.tumblr.com

bod1467

Wrong forum ... this belongs in Praise, Vent & Warnings. Please PM a board guide to get this moved.

Gleeful

emc80304 wrote: »

Anyone considering buying wood floors from UK Flooring Direct (UKFD) may want to read about my experience.

On the advice of my builder, I purchased around £800 worth of engineered wood flooring (Engineered European Oak Flooring Brushed Oiled).

The problems started even before the flooring was installed. The company sent me several packages of the wrong flooring, and the joiner I had hired to install them needed to return for an extra day of work after the correct flooring arrived. This was a major inconvenience for both me and my joiner.

Within 1 month of the flooring being installed, the veneer on one panel came completely unglued and started cracking (see pictures below). My joiner returned to inspect it and determined that the product was faulty. UKFD asked me to fill in an assessment form explaining the problem and the conditions in which the floor was installed.

One week after submitting this form, I had yet to get a response. I called back to inquire on the status of my assessment. A customer service representative said she would look into it. Several hours later, she phoned me back and provided details that were inaccurate, contradictory and in some cases ridiculous.

I was told (1) that my 1950s house was “quite old”; (2) that there were wet works going on in my house at the time of installation, which is inaccurate. (3) that the flooring had been simultaneously too damp and not humid enough. She offered me a single pack of flooring in compensation. I declined and asked to speak to a manager.

After more than a week of daily phone calls on my part, I managed to get through to Chris McAteer. He maintained that the damage was not UKFD’s fault and refused to offer any more compensation than a single package of flooring – and that has failed to materialize so far.

The floors UKFD sold me are beautiful. But based on my problems with the product and the way they treat customers, I would recommend looking elsewhere for flooring.

You can find pictures here: soyouvemovedtohackney.tumblr.com

If they've offered a replacement pack, then you can replace the faulty panel. I don't see what the issue is. Are you looking for the installation costs of the new panel to be covered?

neilmcl

So you've got a single veneer lifting and they've offered a whole pack of flooring as compensation, seems reasonable to me. You do know that the veneer "panels" can easily be repaired and glued back into place.

DCFC79

Link to the OP's pictures

http://soyouvemovedtohackney.tumblr.com

deanos

bit of glue and a few heavy books on top for a few hours would soon fix it ?

Hoof_Hearted

That's not good enough. The product is clearly faulty and should be replaced at the supplier's cost.

sheramber

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

That's not good enough. The product is clearly faulty and should be replaced at the supplier's cost.

The supplier has done so . He has given a whole pack of boards to replace one faulty one.

[Deleted User]

I must admit the boards do look terrible, they look they they haven't been properly sealed or stored.

I'd get them properly inspected, get a report and go through small claims. Obviously you will have to prove its not something you did or didn't do, its definitely a manufactors problem (or down to their storage which will be even harder to prove). But if the company doesn't pay you'll then have to get the case escalated to county court and get the sheriffs in.

I don't know who you'd go to to get the report. Maybe the installer can do it.., but he may not be legally accepted in court. If you win, you'll get your costs back, if you don't its more money gone after bad. Your decision.

If you win, you may also be able to claim back the extra day's work due to the mistake made by the company (supply of wrong boards initially).

wealdroam

It's not clear exactly how old this floor is, but it maybe worth mentioning that during the first six months following the sale, the goods can be assumed to have been faulty at the time of the sale and it is for the seller to prove otherwise.

Hoof_Hearted

sheramber wrote: »

The supplier has done so . He has given a whole pack of boards to replace one faulty one.

That may be true but it is not possible to take a board out in the middle of the floor. The whole floor will need to come up and this cost should be covered.