Carpet price. Misled over verbal price given as it didn't include VAT

smjxm09

I visited an independent carpet retailer, none of the carpet samples on display were priced but when asked whatever I looked at I was told cost £20 per square metre.



Eventually after taking samples home I agreed on a carpet and asked for the price including underlay and fitting. A price was calculated on my dimensions of the room and I was handed a hand written price of just over £800 plus VAT. I asked for the price to be recalculated including VAT which came to just over £1000.


My issue is that I assumed the £20 I was verbally quoted had the VAT removed in the hand written quote while in reality it was only added when I asked for the hand written price to have VAT added.



As the hand written quote and the emailed invoice did not include a breakdown of costs including the price of fitting and the cost of the underlay it has taken me a while to grasp the fact that my £20 per metre carpet actually cost me £24 per metre.


Was I misled or was I just stupid on the grounds that the small retailer did not display any prices and didn't mention VAT?

prowla

I thought that retail prices to the public had to include VAT?

unforeseen

So the total price wasn't broken down but you still managed to calculate the actual cost of the carpet?

marliepanda

But they told you the price was £1000 inc the VAT? You could have said no at that point when it was more money...

smjxm09

marliepanda wrote: »

But they told you the price was £1000 inc the VAT? You could have said no at that point when it was more money...

You are missing the point. I was told the carpet was £20 per metre when it was £24 per metre so I thought that was the price I was paying. The total price is irrelevant as to how the total price was reached. I was under the impression I was buying carpet at £20 per metre when I wasn't.

So the total price wasn't broken down but you still managed to calculate the actual cost of the carpet?

Yes unless they sell the worlds most expensive underlay but I did remember them saying it was £8.99m. Fitting charges should be around £3.50 a metre with no extras like gripper required so it didn't take much working out as there is a 20% difference


I just need to know should a retailer be upfront with regards to quoting VAT and not about my calculations.

peter_the_piper

Presumably you went to another retailer which gave an inclusive price, apart from being annoying nothing was lost.

zoob

£800 plus vat is £960

zoob

How many metres of carpet is needed?

smjxm09

I said just over £800. If you want the actual price it is £839.58


To me honest I would rather have no replies than pointless comments. This is just a question about consumer law and whether a retailer does not have to display prices of products on show and VAT. Simple question I would have thought.

unforeseen

But he wasn't displaying a price, you had to ask

The law says prices for consumers must be DISPLAYED as a VAT Inc price.

Pedantic I know, but the law can be very pedantic

John_Jones

It is not clear at all what the complaint is here. They gave you a price without VAT, and when you asked they included the VAT. What harm have you suffered?