Betta Living/Shawbrook issue given Betta Living in administration

Freer

Called the shawbrook helpline and the shawbrook head office, both have said they cannot do anything till administrators are in place. I took a weeks annual leave to get kitchen sorted and dont have the leave or the time for the administrators to decide what they want to do, I just want out of the contract and order a kitchen from someone else.

Bradden

My wife and I ordered a kitchen through Betta Living with finance through Shawcross done by the sales consulatant.

The kitchen has been subject to numerous errors and delays due to mistakes on the design, errors on the survey and delays in delivery - and is still incomplete.

It was due to be delivered 6/10 with installation 11/10 for 3 days.

I won't list all the individual errors but installation did not start until 21/10.

I sent another email today chasing a response and was suprised when it bounced back.

It was only after a quick google I realised they had gone under.

I have spoken to the Finance company who told me funds were released 29/9. They had previously told me funds would only be released after delivery at which point they would write to confirm this and give me payment dates. They haven't written to date so I was unaware that funds had been released.

Can anyone advise me on our legal rights.. especially with regards to the Finance company.. I appreciate Betta Living are unlikely to help.

Can I hold Shawcross liable for the missing items?

Thanks

Brad

Valley

Sorry to hear that, I can imagine how upset you are about it

Valley

A note from a story here

Anthony Collier, joint administrator and partner at FRP Advisory, said: "We are currently working with all stakeholders to see if we can find a solution that rescues the business and would ask any parties interested in any aspect of the business to make contact as soon as possible. Betta Living is a business with a strong brand and is well known up and down the country.
"At present the business has however ceased to trade and orders are not currently being despatched. We will be reviewing the order book and writing to individual customers this week."

humble_2

I got a kitchen from them back in February 2013. One of our cupboard doors recently fell off and I called them on October 19th to come and fix it because we were protected under the 15 year warranty. They said they'll send out a repair kit in the post and someone to fix it on Nov 7th. We never received the kit and my mother waited in all day yesterday only for no one to come. I called them today and much to my horror I found out they are in administration. Two concerns: 1) what happens to my warranty? and 2) what happens to the remaining balance I owe them? I won't be happy about continuing to pay for a kitchen that is starting to fall apart and no warranty...

Jeeves58

Hi Humble

If you used shawbrook then they guarantee Betta livings guarantee so you will still be covered for the 15 years and should still make payments to them.

katejo

peted13 wrote: »

We ordered a kitchen and paid £1000 deposit on Friday, cannot get hold of anyone at betta living Natwest cannot help, I haven't got a clue what to do next apart from panic!

Did you pay by credit card? If so contact the CC company.

katejo

matt.hitchcock wrote: »

Hi Sneekes,

My wife and I are in the exact same position unfortunately, and we're pretty devastated as you can imagine.

We had paid the deposit via bank transfer, and the remaining balance was set up under a credit agreement with Shawbrook Bank, yet we had not yet even finalised the layout or final appliances of the kitchen, let alone have an install date.

I made a call to the Shawbrook Bank offices this morning who after a number of re-directions to the correct department, put me through to someone in their complaints team that are looking after the issue.

They advised me that they only lend the money to Betta Living once the kitchen is fitted, therefore our agreement is not considered live, and we aren't liable for the balance. In fact, they even said they are looking to 'cover any customers that had already paid a deposit and ensure no-one will be out of pocket'. I'll take that with a pinch of salt for now, as we don't even know yet who the administrators are. They said they will be in touch once they know who has been appointed, but said that someone may try and take over the business as a going concern. Watch this space on that I guess.

In any case, I’d advise anyone concerned to call Shawbrook straight away, I’ve also logged an e-mail to [EMAIL="compliance@shawbrook.co.uk"]compliance@shawbrook.co.uk[/EMAIL] detailing everything (I had a non deliverable e-mail on the [EMAIL="consumer.complaints@shawbrook.co.uk"]consumer.complaints@shawbrook.co.uk[/EMAIL] address they gave me).

I’m also going to call my bank to double check that no direct debit instructions were set up.

Interesting to see Wren are super keen to get in on the action “In order to maintain the public’s trust in the UK kitchen market, Wren have taken the decision to honour any quote provided by Betta Living”. I’ve never been to Wren or seen the quality of their kitchens, but I’m reluctant to jump straight into another agreement without knowing the outcome of the Betta Living deal, despite being desperate to have a new kitchen before Christmas! Maybe I could be tempted by John Lewis who you would have thought will be around for the foreseeable future?

Also, we paid well over 10% deposit (Betta Livings terms) so I’m not sure where I’d stand with the difference if I went to Wren?

Re the Credit agreement, do you know if our cash deposit is covered as some of the total balance of the whole job was to be paid via credit (with Shawbrook).

Thanks,
Matt

I haven't actually used either but have had contact with both. Based on reviews which I have read about Wren, they are initially OK until they have your money but then customer services goes out of the window. Do a search on the MSE section on home improvements and DIY and you will see plenty of complaints.
I contacted Betta Living about 5-6 years ago to request a brochure which took over 3 weeks to arrive. In the intervening weeks they repeatedly rang me on landline and mobile, sometimes several times a day until I had to make a an official complaint to the Information Commission.

adamg

Sneekes wrote: »

Today I became aware that Wren Kitchens are matching Betta Living quotes, but more importantly for me, will honour deposits paid to Betta Living of up to 10% of total cost.

Out of the frying pan into the fire, both cowboy company's

Simonesanders

I am posting in relation to the recent news about Betta Living going into administration and the concerns we have. Our bedroom was fitted 3 weeks ago today but there are a number of issues with the bedroom which I have emailed the installations manager about. The last email I had from the Installations Manager was on the 4th November confirming that the parts needed had been ordered. We now obviously have concerns that we will not receive the parts and therefore our bedroom will not be completed to a satisfactory standard. Even if we do receive the parts I assume we will be liable to pay an installer to rectify the faulty parts? Some of the things we know can't be put right anyway without causing damage to the fitted furniture or the walls. Furthermore we have paid for the bedroom via a Shawbrook fixed sum loan agreement which we were intending to pay off before the 12 month interest free period ended but understandably why would we pay for an unsatisfactory fitted bedroom, when parts are still outstanding? Where do we lie with paying for it via finance? I have emailed the administrator raising my concerns but won't hold my breath! Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks