Problems with Howdens

MarkEG123

Good Folks of Everywhere,

I am looking for some guidance as we have hit a brick wall with Howdens over our kitchen.

I’ll try and keep this as brief as possible.  We had a kitchen fitted in December 2017, it was a gloss kitchen and cost a lot of money. The kitchen was installed and we were very happy with the fitting and everything. The kitchen was purchased via our builder through their trade account and we paid Howdens direct.

A few months after we noticed some blistering on the cupboard doors and contacted Howdens, we sent photos and they agreed to send new doors which where after many phone calls fitted by our builder. Then over the course of many months we had more doors becoming faulty and each time we would complain and new doors would be sent, overall I believe it’s around 18 door and draw replacements and we have become so frustrated we contacted head office.

We were first advised to use antibacterial spray by our builder but Howdens claims you were not meant to use this and this is the reason which is complete hogwash as the damage is under the gloss. We have for the past year only been using warm soapy water as per their guidelines.

Now they have changed stance and say it’s us not taking care of them despite it unquestionably being a manufacturing fault. They have also said we are not the customer and the builder is the customer and all complaints need to go through him where they have always dealt with us before. They have offered us 1 more set of replacement doors and have said we wouldn’t get any more and its only a good will gesture admitting no liability.

I am considering going to small claims court but not sure if ifs the builder I would need to take or Howdens as it’s the builders account and not ours.

I am really am at my wits end and would like any advice on next steps?

Many thanks in advance

Mark

bris

Unfortunately you have no contract with Howdens, you can only hold your builder liable for this.

Your builder has the contract with Howdens but it's not a consumer rights issue.
between you and your builder you have consumer rights, betwee your builder and Howdens it's a business to business contract so he is bound by it's terms.

Basically you need to pursue the builder for a remedy, it's nothing to do with Howdens your end.

photome

Howdens are trade only so I believe it’s the builder that would need to take them to court

MarkEG123

Thank you.

Where do I stand with the 5 year guarantee on the doors? Its one of the reasons why we chose a Howdens Kitchen.

photome

I think it’s your builder that has the gtee...I may be wrong though so don’t just go on my opinion

Supersonos

MarkEG123 said:

Thank you.

Where do I stand with the 5 year guarantee on the doors? Its one of the reasons why we chose a Howdens Kitchen.

You didn't buy the cabinetry - your builder did.  So it's them who has the 5yr guarantee. 

Howdens do not supply to the public and, as you're the public, any problems/guarantees/deals etc. are not for you, they're for trade customers.

MarkEG123

I understand. Thank you all

photome

Have you asked your builder

Jumblebumble

photome said:

Have you asked your builder

Lets hope he has not gone bust
This is incredibly shoddy behaviour by Howdens
as they claim on their website
 We will replace any door (subject to availability of the model) for a period of within 5 years from the date of its installation in the UK. ( No mention of having to go through the builder)
 I would go to the small claims court if I were the OP and they got no sense from the builder who probably has no interest in sorting it out
After all I don't suppose that anyone here would be pleased to buy a Bosch Washing Machine and be told that only the shop supplying it to you could claim off the Bosch  2 year  warranty if the shop had stopped trading

452

Jumblebumble said:

photome said:

Have you asked your builder

Lets hope he has not gone bust
This is incredibly shoddy behaviour by Howdens
as they claim on their website
 We will replace any door (subject to availability of the model) for a period of within 5 years from the date of its installation in the UK. ( No mention of having to go through the builder)
 I would go to the small claims court if I were the OP and they got no sense from the builder who probably has no interest in sorting it out
After all I don't suppose that anyone here would be pleased to buy a Bosch Washing Machine and be told that only the shop supplying it to you could claim off the Bosch  2 year  warranty if the shop had stopped

What's shoddy? They will replace the door, if the customer returns it's to them. 

As Howdens are trade only the OP didn't buy the kitchen from Howdens so has no contract with them. 

Jumblebumble

452 said:

Jumblebumble said:

photome said:

Have you asked your builder

Lets hope he has not gone bust
This is incredibly shoddy behaviour by Howdens
as they claim on their website
 We will replace any door (subject to availability of the model) for a period of within 5 years from the date of its installation in the UK. ( No mention of having to go through the builder)
 I would go to the small claims court if I were the OP and they got no sense from the builder who probably has no interest in sorting it out
After all I don't suppose that anyone here would be pleased to buy a Bosch Washing Machine and be told that only the shop supplying it to you could claim off the Bosch  2 year  warranty if the shop had stopped

What's shoddy? They will replace the door, if the customer returns it's to them. 

Unfortunately that is not what the op said and I quote
They have also said we are not the customer and the builder is the customer and all complaints need to go through him 
As I said  they have promised the customer a guarantee on their website that they apparantly will not honour if the builder does not deal with the problem.
Shoddy