Kitchen company not accepting card payment

victoriavictorious

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think a letter is okay, but I'd word it carefully and I certainly wouldn't make it an LBA. At the moment all you're missing is paperwork, not a kitchen.

I think the 'tea and cake' approach is still right, but speaking to the right person! Bear in mind that your husband is still happy, I don't think burning bridges before any tradesperson was planned to step foot over the threshold is a brilliant idea.

My letter was not a LBA at this stage. It simply outlined what has happened so far and asks that what was verbally promised is carried out. Unfortunately tea and cake doesn't cut any ice with this outfit - they just ignore it. I feel it is a firm but fair letter under the circumstances; after all, I'm sure the director themselves would not expect to receive this poor level of CS.
Yes I am missing paperwork but also a hefty deposit!
(OH is nicer than I am

victoriavictorious

Silvertabby wrote: »

After our first bathroom company that went bust (long story - still can't believe how lucky we were!) we resolved to pay any future deposits by credit card. The second bathroom company initially refused payment by credit card because of the 2.5% they would have to pay - but relented when we said that we would pay the costs.

That was £60 - but well worth it for peace of mind.

As a matter of interest, and of course if you feel like telling, how did you go about getting your money back?
You were right to insist on paying with a cc. Had I been in a more normal state (I had recently suffered a trauma) I would have done the same. I only wish I had.

teneighty

All this talk about credit card protection is a bit of a red herring.

Building firms aren't retailers so if they do offer credit card payments it is often through an intermediary such as izettle or paypal etc. which eliminates the card consumer protection as far as I know.

If you really have no choice but to pay a deposit for purpose made items etc. the best protection is to thoroughly check out the company to make sure they are a long established reputable company with excellent customer references. Then they are far less likely to take your money and run (not saying that is what's happened here, I think OP is being a bit hasty)

When I got my kitchen from a small independent company, all bespoke handmade solid timber cabinets, I didn't pay a single penny until the job was finished. You don't always have to pay a deposit if you shop around.

Doozergirl

victoriavictorious wrote: »

As a matter of interest, and of course if you feel like telling, how did you go about getting your money back?
You were right to insist on paying with a cc. Had I been in a more normal state (I had recently suffered a trauma) I would have done the same. I only wish I had.

After you started this thread, I was invoicing a client and I noticed that a little icon had appeared in my cloud-based accounting system and I can sign up to take credit card and Paypal payments. The charge is 1.4% on each transaction. I would consider taking an amount via credit card simply because Xero has made it easy for me. I don't think everyone uses their own accounting system, nor such a lovely one as mine, but it is getting easier.

Edit: just saw Eachpenny's post and am not sure if it's through an intermediary. It probably is.

victoriavictorious

As I understand it, PayPal etc operates on 2 different levels - one as the more familiar intermediary (minus Section 75 protection) and the other as a standalone credit card processor (which includes the standard Section 75 protection that you get with any other credit card.)
In any event, surely it isn't the customer's issue anyway (or necessarily even within their knowledge or control) as to how the company they are paying has chosen to process their card payment? They are handed a machine to input their pin no, and that's it, so how would they even know who the processor is?
I'm pretty sure the S75 protection would stand in such a scenario.

Silvertabby

!!!8220; After our first bathroom company that went bust (long story - still can't believe how lucky we were!) we resolved to pay any future deposits by credit card. The second bathroom company initially refused payment by credit card because of the 2.5% they would have to pay - but relented when we said that we would pay the costs.

That was £60 - but well worth it for peace of mind.

Originally posted by Silvertabby

victoriavictorious wrote: »

As a matter of interest, and of course if you feel like telling, how did you go about getting your money back?
You were right to insist on paying with a cc. Had I been in a more normal state (I had recently suffered a trauma) I would have done the same. I only wish I had.

Not a question of getting our money back, just very lucky the way things worked out. The same company had done a good job with our new kitchen a couple of years earlier, so we didn't have a problem when they asked for 25% up front (cheque) to pay for our new bathroom fittings. Until we called in at the showrooms a couple of days before the job was due to start and found the dreaded official receivers notice on the door....

We thought we had lost our money, until we had a 'phone call from one of the senior fitters, who had fitted our kitchen, and was due to work on our bathroom. Seems he and the other fitters (who were all self employed) had had a sniff of trouble ahead and so they'd gone into the office after hours and made copies of some of the job sheets, ours included. Still not sure of the legality of all this (but don't care - we had already paid for the work done!) but the fitter offered to do the job for the remaining 75% due. He obtained the fittings through a friend of his, who had his own kitchen and bathroom shop in a nearby town, but asked that we pay for them up front. he later explained that he and a couple of the other fitters had picked out jobs that they knew they could complete for the amount outstanding, which gave them employment when they would otherwise have been jobless. It worked out fine for both of us - we got the bathroom we wanted for the original price, and the fitters had paid work. Not everyone was so lucky - someone who lived in a large farmhouse was having a new bathroom and a new en-suite fitted at the same time. They had paid 100% up front, and they had got as far as completely stripping both bathrooms before the balloon went up.

A couple of years later we received 0.005p (yes, ha'penny!) in the pound refund from the receivers.

victoriavictorious

Wow Silvertabby, talk about luck - the bathroom angels must've been watching over you!
It's refreshing to hear of people actually using some initiative.
The halfpenny in the pound doesn't exactly fill me with hope in case the same thing happens to us. I'm already mentally (drastically) reducing our budget in case it does, we lose this deposit and we have to find another company - but next time it would definitely be credit card all the way!
IF this one still goes ahead (big IF) I will insist that any further payment is made on a card, even if only a tiny amount goes on it. I am also happy to cover the fee.

Silvertabby

victoriavictorious wrote: »

Wow Silvertabby, talk about luck - the bathroom angels must've been watching over you!
It's refreshing to hear of people actually using some initiative.
The halfpenny in the pound doesn't exactly fill me with hope in case the same thing happens to us. I'm already mentally (drastically) reducing our budget in case it does, we lose this deposit and we have to find another company - but next time it would definitely be credit card all the way!
IF this one still goes ahead (big IF) I will insist that any further payment is made on a card, even if only a tiny amount goes on it. I am also happy to cover the fee.

Yes, we were very very lucky! In hindsight, I think that the fitters were quite 'selective' in the customers they approached, as I suppose even a photocopy of the original plans/job sheet could have been deemed a business asset. However, we had built up a good rapport with them when they fitted our kitchen (lots of tea and biscuits) plus one of the older chaps was ex Armed Forces, as we are.

I hope you get your new bathroom without any drama!

bris

Furts wrote: »

As things stand, based on what you have written, I would refuse to deal with the company. There is an elephant in the room. Near my home are many independent kitchen companies and they all follow the norm. They are absolutely dire. There is no way I would have dealings with any of them.

You make no comment on materials, supply chain, workmanship, and installation. These are all the items that really matter. Instead you have been sucked in like a pawn to the designer's "enthusiasm and professionalism" . This "enthusiasm and professionalism" will count for nothing if you end up with a sub standard kitchen. Since the designer has a vested interest in being a sales person (purely to make money out of you), and since they are trained to be "enthusiastic and professional" I would be saying no.

A reputable kitchen company will be turning over six - seven figure sums obtained from retail consumers. If credit card protection is not available this shows that the company really does not care about the items I have mentioned.

You are in denial and I suggest you seek a reality check. The Director who was "enthusaiastic and professional" is so "enthusiastic and professional" that they cannot be bothered to offer simple consumer payment and protection terms.

What a load of tosh.

Primrose

We have a 30 year old kitchen and bathroom in our house. Both are looking rather shabby now and have seen better days but are still functional. After reading this thread I think I'll stick with the motto "If it ain't broke, don't fit it!"