Ripped off and needing advice

hoopssussex

Help! Been in dispute with a flooring company since March and getting nowhere...
The defect - We bought (online, credit card) some wooden flooring (order around £2k). The packs were opened for fitting (within 30 days of receipt) to discover that the 1st 4 planks in a pack of 10 were stuck together, forcing them apart caused the oil finish to be ripped off in places, and in some cases to cause marking.
The story - We immediately called the seller and provided video and photo evidence. They made all the right noises and after much discussion suggested that we fit the defective planks and they would refund the total number of those planks, which amounted to >£600. We went with this suggestion (naively) based on the fact that we could use money for future repair. The fitter cleverly used the minimum amount of boards, but it remains that we have defective boards as part of our new flooring (the unfitted defective boards are still cluttering up our shed). Then followed months of procrastation (them) and frustration (us). We provided loads more evidence including an independent expert witness statement. The sellers started ignoring our contact, even a letter to the director went unanswered.
The follow ups - CAB suggested going through the Credit Card company, then through Consumer Ombudsman. (They also reported the company to Trading Standards for not providing pre-contractual information.) The Credit Card company would go weeks without responding to us so we ended up raising an internal complaint with them to try to generate some progress and communication. That caused them to get back on the case. They have today come back to us to say that they cannot progress any refund because the planks are fitted (we have told them that there are an additional amount of planks not fitted but they seem to have forgotten that) but the company are offering £75 compensation for our time (we have not yet responded to this).
Meantime, due to the inactivity from the Credit Card company, I had raised a case with the Consumer Ombudsman who have replied to let me know that "The company has not agreed to work with us, therefore we are not able to investigate your issues."
So... We have no refund, sections of fitted defective floorboards, a pile of unfitted defective floorboards, no refund through the CC company or Consumer Ombudsman. We feel like we have fallen fowl of the false promise to refund and that £75 does not cover it (hours and hours of work and £16 of phone calls, never mind the stress) or cover the defective goods supplied.
Can anyone help us with advice on what we can do now?
Thanks in advance, here's hoping...

agrinnall

Continue your complaint with the CC provider, and if they don't offer a satisfactory solution go the the Financial Ombudsman.

hoopssussex

Thank you, appreciate the advice.