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Bespoke greenhouse, incorrect size - what are our rights?

deaston
deaston Posts: 477 Forumite
edited 4 July 2017 at 4:32PM in Consumer rights
Loooong story short.

We bought a greenhouse at a cost of £5,000 through eBay - bespoke made, painted and they came and installed it. We had to ensure we had a base of 10'6" x 6'8". We spent over £1,000 having a concrete and brick base made.

The greenhouse has arrived and is of pretty poor quality (badly sawn timber, packed joints, needs another coat of paint etc.) but, most annoyingly, the greenhouse is 10'8" long and so overhangs the brick plinth we had built to their specs. The installer insisted all the greenhouses are the same size and anyway, it's good to have it overhang for water run-off. But we don't think it looks good.

What are our rights considering it has been bespoke made? Frankly, we don't want it and want our money back. Is it then up to us to dismantle and return it?
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Comments

  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    deaston wrote: »
    Loooong story short.

    We bought a greenhouse at a cost of £5,000 through eBay - bespoke made, painted and they came and installed it. We had to ensure we had a base of 10'6" x 6'8". We spent over £1,000 having a concrete and brick base made.

    The greenhouse has arrived and is of pretty poor quality (badly sawn timber, packed joints, needs another coat of paint etc.) but, most annoyingly, the greenhouse is 10'8" long and so overhangs the brick plinth we had built to their specs. The installer insisted all the greenhouses are the same size and anyway, it's good to have it overhang for water run-off. But we don't think it looks good.

    What are our rights considering it has been bespoke made? Frankly, we don't want it and want our money back. Is it then up to us to dismantle and return it?
    Was it made to your specifications?

    In other words, did you specify the dimensions or did you choose the dimensions from a list of those offered?

    If the latter, then during the first fourteen days following delivery you can cancel the order for any reason.

    It is a shame that you allowed the thing to be assembled, as the law says the seller can reduce the amount refunded if the value of it it is reduced due to excessive handling.

    I foresee trouble ahead.
  • deaston
    deaston Posts: 477 Forumite
    wealdroam wrote: »
    Was it made to your specifications?

    In other words, did you specify the dimensions or did you choose the dimensions from a list of those offered?

    If the latter, then during the first fourteen days following delivery you can cancel the order for any reason.

    It is a shame that you allowed the thing to be assembled, as the law says the seller can reduce the amount refunded if the value of it it is reduced due to excessive handling.

    I foresee trouble ahead.

    No, we chose it from one of two available sizes. The size specified was 10'6" long. They specified on the paperwork: "Base size of 10'6 x 6'8".

    They're telling us it's built larger than 10'6" to allow for water run-off, but all the photos on the site show the greenhouse on a base significantly larger than the greenhouse. Plus the size it correct on the sides.

    We also requested a plan of the greenhouse to ensure we got the base correct and they refused to supply one.
  • meer53
    meer53 Posts: 10,217 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Did they advise the base needed to be 10' 6" or that the base of the greenhouse was 10' 6" ?
  • wealdroam
    wealdroam Posts: 19,180 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Are you able to point us to their website, or the ebay listing?
  • AndyMc.....
    AndyMc..... Posts: 3,248 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Five grand for a greenhouse.:eek:
  • Fosterdog
    Fosterdog Posts: 4,948 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edwardian-style-greenhouse-hand-made-delivered-erected-/332286952828?hash=item4d5dd8857c:g:lUgAAOSwImRYeepj

    Most of the images there do show them on a hard standing larger than the greenhouse itself
  • photome
    photome Posts: 16,683 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    The Ad says the greenhouse is 10 x 6 so your base should have been adequate and they have built the greenhouse the wrong size, getting them to accept that without a lot of hassle may not be easy
  • AndyMc.....
    AndyMc..... Posts: 3,248 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    That advert is for a 10'5" Greenhouse base.
  • deaston
    deaston Posts: 477 Forumite
    The ad says it's 10ft and 10'5, so we messaged them to confirm. They said it's 10'6. We asked for plans with dimensions, they said they don't give out plans until an order is placed.

    We paid a £1k deposit and confirmation came that we needed a base 10'6 long. We asked twice more for plans and the request was ignored.

    The greenhouse that we have is 10'8 long.
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