Poor Door fitting Service

snew

Hi All,


We recently had a door supplied and fitted, we checked the quote, signed a contract (explicitly noting that we were signing with the understanding that the door would be fitted on the day we had booked it for) and the process started with a survey. We had a series of errors:

• Survey incorrectly noted a lintel that was not present and did not record our want for a spyhole.
• Door was not fitted on the day it was booked for. Fitted a week later, the day before our holiday.
• Installers did not check for a lintel before removing existing door. they then realised there was no lintel and lose bricks were hanging over the opening. As we were leaving for holiday we had no choice but to fit the front door that day without a lintel. If the installers had arrived on the day we booked it for, this would have been resolved.
• In addition the finish was not very good, but this has now been resolved.

Since then we have been hounded for the remaining ~£500. I have called them to negotiate the balance but the bloke was rude and said we have no consumer rights for services we received, only for faulty products.
I am not trying to dodge the payment altogether, I simply want to negotiate the balance down to something that is inline with the service we have received. Instead of paying the fully balance for a service that was promised but not received.


Do I have any rights here?
What happens if I refuse to pay the balance unless they negotiate with me?
Thanks!

macman

Some context: what was the total cost agreed?
If you refuse to pay they then can ultimately pursue the debt through a civil claim: you can't force them to negotiate.

snew

The total cost was just under £2k, we have paid 2 payments. One Deposit, one on the day of Survey, and still have the final balance.


So is there no protection for this. Surely after agreeing a service and price, when the original service is not delivered you don't have to still pay the original price?


Maybe I am being naïve, but it seems people can be easily ripped off if that's the case.

pinkshoes

snew wrote: »

Surely after agreeing a service and price, when the original service is not delivered you don't have to still pay the original price?

Surely you don't renegotiate the price - you get them to come back and complete the service/job?

You need to give them a chance to put it right.

What exactly needs finishing?

snew

Ideally yes, but I do not think either party would want that. It would involve removing the door (probably difficult to do without breaking it) and installing a lintel above the opening, the refitting the whole door.


They definitely wouldn't want to do that as the cost to them would be more than the outstanding balance.

Fosterdog

What was the reason for it not being fitted on the original date agreed?

lincroft1710

Are you saying you have no lintel over the door??

snew

@Fosterdog - They told us on the phone (I think we may also have it on email) that they did not book it in with the manufacturer in time. We met all the deadlines that they asked us to in providing our specifications.


Now they have written a letter saying that they cannot be held responsible for delays from their manufacturer.


I still don't find that acceptable as my contract was with the company, not the manufacturer.

snew

@Lincroft - That's right, no lintel over the door.


However, it is a bungalow, I we only have two courses of bricks over the doorway.
I don't think it is going to collapse, but I paid for a survey and the surveyor made a mistake.


The mistake, in addition to the delay in fitting, meant that we did not have a chance to fit a lintel, which is what we would have done if we had the option.

lincroft1710

The frame may be damaged, but the door should be able to be removed intact.

What did you use? An Rsj? No, four by two.
Not bad, eh, dear? And not expensive.
I mean, for the Lintel.
Did you use an Rsj? You know, and iron girder? Or did you use a concrete lintel? No, a wooden one.
But that's a supporting wall.
What? Thanks very much for coming over this morning Just a minute.
That isn't strong enough? That's a supporting wall, Mrs.
Fawlty.
It could give way at any moment.
Any moment? God help the floors above.
Keep this door shut until I can get a screwjack to prop it up before the lot comes down


You do need a lintel

snew

@Lincroft - let's hope it doesn't come to that!


I have read in a few places that it is best practice, but not a building regs. requirement if there was not one there before.


However, I cannot find the actual build regs that refer to this. Even though there are only two courses of bricks and it is not a supporting wall, the opening is large (about 1.2 meters).


The guy from the company said that the doors have reinforced steel frames and that it is safe. But he would say that - I might ask a structural engineer for advice.