High street DIY - Bathroom problems - What to do next

workingboy

We purchased a complete bathroom suite (wall tiles, complete shower and cubicle, hand basin, toilet and composite floor tiles) from a High street DIY store.

It was purchased in December 2020 and installed April 2021 with completion end of April with delivery delays, wrong items and broken tiles on delivery etc.

Since completion, issues with the composite floor not being entirely waterproof with moisture collecting in the joints so much so the ceiling below in the hall has water stains in several areas.

The store was contacted some 6 weeks ago and sent the installer in to assess the problem. He resealed certain areas as suspect to the problem, reporting back to the store of problem.

Some 10 days passed with no response. I emailed the CEO with copies of photos showing the problem some 4 weeks ago. He past it to his CEO complaint team. With no progress with any urgency in resolving the problem, I emailed the Chairman with copies of the photos and emails etc. No response from him.

Worryingly with this moisture under the flooring, what damage is being done to the sub floor, ceilings in hallway and downstairs toilet where its now spreading to.

They asked us to choose replacement floor tiles which they were given, I also asked for refund of the flooring and underlay plus installation charges and making good the ceiling below the bathroom. Also told them the current flooring would have to be removed to allow the sub floor to dry out etc before retiling.

This was 2 days ago and we were told "I am reviewing this now and will be in touch with you shortly". The same type of laid back answers we get from them showing no urgency.

At lost of what more can be done or who to approach to sort this.

If I called in our house insurers to make a claim on the issue, would they increase our premium or recovery their losses from the DIY store.

Or is there a Ombudsman to approach.

thanks 

NSG666

I'm a bit confused, is it a wet room or do you have an enclosed shower cubicle? If the latter then how is the rest of the floor getting so wet?

workingboy

Sorry. No its not a wet room.

Its a enclosed shower cubicle with a sliding door. 

The flooring is the composite type that is clicked together on a plastic foam type underlay. 

GDB2222

Do you have a bath mat outside the shower?  You really need to avoid a floor like that getting very wet.

You would have been better off with sheet vinyl. It's gone out of fashion, but it's really practical!  A sensible solution is either to change how you use the bathroom, or rip up the floor tiles and put in vinyl.

workingboy

Originally the floor was covered with non-slip ceramic tiles, laid approx 15yrs ago. Had no problems with them. 

The composite tile was suggested by the salesperson being cost effective and warmer to walk on etc. 

A mat has always been used with these tiles or the ceramic. Water had started dripping through the hall ceiling. So now a bath towel is laid on the floor when shower is used. 

But the Company is not showing any urgency in solving the problem. 

lesalanos

workingboy said:

Originally the floor was covered with non-slip ceramic tiles, laid approx 15yrs ago. Had no problems with them. 

The composite tile was suggested by the salesperson being cost effective and warmer to walk on etc. 

A mat has always been used with these tiles or the ceramic. Water had started dripping through the hall ceiling. So now a bath towel is laid on the floor when shower is used. 

But the Company is not showing any urgency in solving the problem. 

How is so much water coming out of the shower cubicle that it is getting through the floorboards? 

EssexExile

Why on earth is the floor getting so wet? We don't have waterproof floors in any of our bathrooms and don't have any problems.

Doozergirl

lesalanos said:

workingboy said:

Originally the floor was covered with non-slip ceramic tiles, laid approx 15yrs ago. Had no problems with them. 

The composite tile was suggested by the salesperson being cost effective and warmer to walk on etc. 

A mat has always been used with these tiles or the ceramic. Water had started dripping through the hall ceiling. So now a bath towel is laid on the floor when shower is used. 

But the Company is not showing any urgency in solving the problem. 

How is so much water coming out of the shower cubicle that it is getting through the floorboards? 

This is the question.  The flooring should not be an issue.  Even tiles are not waterproof - I can testify to that with my 20 year old in our old house who would repeatedly douse the floor when no one else managed to.  

workingboy

The bathroom originally had a enclosed shower cubicle with a hinged door and pan since 2007 and just a bathroom mat to step onto from shower to dry off - no problems

New enclosed shower cubicle with a sliding door and pan also a mat to step onto from shower to dry off - problems. Now using a bath towel covering a larger area. But the floor joints ooze with water when stepped on and coloured and smells.
Toilet and hand basin checked for leaks.

But which/what ever flooring is laid, the Company are not forth coming in investigating or solving the issue having spent £7k in total. 

My question is who can I turn to, to get it sorted or go to my house insurance company and get them involved. ??

Doozergirl

How did you pay?  If it's with finance or a credit card then you may have some rights that way.  

lesalanos

For me the issue is the leaking water, the flooring is a red herring

What do they say when you speak to them in store?

The insurance are likely to only fix issues caused by the leak, not fix the leak themselves but give them a call.  If you have legal protection they may have more leverage in getting it resolved