Double (Kitchen) trouble

timgallon

Happy New Year! I’m looking for some advice and help if anyone is an expert in consumer rights or has encountered a similar issue. Briefly, new kitchen installed 2 and half years ago. In run up to Xmas we were struck by 2 annoying occurrences:

• Integrated fridge freezer stops working. Probably lost £50 of food. Called manufacturers and agreed for them to send out one of their approved engineers to assess situation for £150 (which I have paid). They duly come days before Xmas and say its un-repairable. Not good as internet says cost for new about £600. Today I ring up manufacturers. They say happy to replace and fit fridge freezer which is good news but will not refund £150 engineers fee. They say usually they would only normally offer £150 off the price of new unit (so I would have to pay a further £450). Do I have any leg to stand on to get the £150 refunded and for the loss of food or should I accept their offer for replacement? If the former how do I go about doing this?
• Wife and I hear almighty bang in house one evening. Turns out 3 bay head height cupboard on wall of utility room came off the wall and smashed onto floor. It wasn’t overloaded in any way. Everyone who I have shown it to says it hasn’t been fitted anywhere near to the standard it should have been. Whilst Kitchen Company say they will replace and fit new unit this has made us really angry. Besides the physical damage and inconvenience this has caused us I don’t think I am exaggerating that had this cupboard come away when our children had been in this area they would have suffered severe physical trauma or possibly even death. The thought of this and the fact that they were playing in this area little more 20 minutes before the cupboards came down has brought a great deal of distress to both me and my wife. I think we are entitled to some compensation for this. Does anyone else agree? Again, if so how should I go about this with Kitchen Co. I am also half minded to bring this to attention of Trading Standards, does anyone agree?

Thanks in advance of any feedback.

Tim

Oakdene

timgallon wrote: »

• Wife and I hear almighty bang in house one evening. Turns out 3 bay head height cupboard on wall of utility room came off the wall and smashed onto floor. It wasn’t overloaded in any way. Everyone who I have shown it to says it hasn’t been fitted anywhere near to the standard it should have been. Whilst Kitchen Company say they will replace and fit new unit this has made us really angry. Besides the physical damage and inconvenience this has caused us I don’t think I am exaggerating that had this cupboard come away when our children had been in this area they would have suffered severe physical trauma or possibly even death. The thought of this and the fact that they were playing in this area little more 20 minutes before the cupboards came down has brought a great deal of distress to both me and my wife. I think we are entitled to some compensation for this. Does anyone else agree? Again, if so how should I go about this with Kitchen Co. I am also half minded to bring this to attention of Trading Standards, does anyone agree?

Of course, you should get hundreds, no wait thousands, of pounds in compensation for the trauma involved in an event that didn't happen!!

They have offered to replace the units so you will be back in the position you were before hand.

[Deleted User]

timgallon wrote: »

I think we are entitled to some compensation for this. Does anyone else agree?

No. .

timgallon

No !!!!!!! need for sarcasm mate. Just asking the question. I know what happened you don't. I have 2 year old twin boys. If they been in the area where this unit fell I stand by what I said, severe head injury or worse. It was only by chance that they were not there when it came down. Everyone who's seen how it was fixed say it was a botched job and accident waiting to happen.


I thought this was a place where people were meant to be helpful.

[Deleted User]

No food and no "compensation" for you I think...

It doesn't matter what could have happened, only what did.

I'd just ensure the new cabinets are installed to the standard you require and also ensure you keep the weight stored in them to a minimum in future.

Oakdene

timgallon wrote: »

No !!!!!!! need for sarcasm mate. Just asking the question. I know what happened you don't. I have 2 year old twin boys. If they been in the area where this unit fell I stand by what I said, severe head injury or worse. It was only by chance that they were not there when it came down. Everyone who's seen how it was fixed say it was a botched job and accident waiting to happen.


I thought this was a place where people were meant to be helpful.

Well you can't claim compensation for something that didn't happen, or that might have happened.

Browntoa

1) you didn't get the agreement from the manufacturer for an engineer report , it's sounds like they would have done some sort of deal if you had approached them first. Your home insurance covers freezer food loss.

2) of course no compensation , they've apologised and are making good for free , a hypothetical event that didn't happen doesn't mean compensation

[Deleted User]

Trading Standards do not deal with individual complaints and will not get you any "compensation" either

timgallon

Browntoa wrote: »

1) you didn't get the agreement from the manufacturer for an engineer report , it's sounds like they would have done some sort of deal if you had approached them first. Your home insurance covers freezer food loss.

2) of course no compensation , they've apologised and are making good for free , a hypothetical event that didn't happen doesn't mean compensation

1.) It was the manufacturers approved engineers who came out and assessed the FF. I had to pay them £150 for doing so. Cant see any benefit of claiming food on insurance, I'll only end up paying for it in higher premium off back of claim.


2.) The event did happen, it was just luck that no one was injured. It has caused inconvenience and distress to both of us though.

Oakdene

timgallon wrote: »

1.) It was the manufacturers approved engineers who came out and assessed the FF. I had to pay them £150 for doing so. Cant see any benefit of claiming food on insurance, I'll only end up paying for it in higher premium off back of claim.

I think at the end of the day, you are £300 better off as you have said they will replace & fit the fridge freezer, whereas normally they would only offer £150 off - leaving you to foot the £450.

timgallon wrote: »

2.) The event did happen, it was just luck that no one was injured. It has caused inconvenience and distress to both of us though.

It was lucky that no one was injured, but again you can't claim compensation for 'ifs & might haves'.

theonlywayisup

timgallon wrote: »

it was just luck that no one was injured. It has caused inconvenience and distress to both of us though.

You are not entitled to compensation for something that didn't happen. No matter how much you deem you have survived your twins severe head injury should they have been under the cabinet at the time.

If that has caused you distress - the mere thought of what might have happened - then you need to take a step back and look at everything you do.

Or, just deal in what ACTUALLY happened.