IKEA holding kitchen to ransom - what are our rights?

Balboulbola

We ordered our kitchen with IKEA on 29th of September, paying them for fit out as well as all of the cabinety and appliances. The kitchen is on the upstairs floor of the house. Something we've been clear on throughout the process as we knew we'd have to get deliveries up there. We were advised of a fitting date to commence on 6th of December and our countertops to be templated and fitted within 7-10 days of that point. We're now in March and our kitchen is still incomplete - currently without work surfaces so no sink, hob or anywhere to prepare food. 

We're now being told that they can't get the work surfaces up the stairs to the kitchen and we have to source and supply specialist lifting equipment to get them in through some double balcony doors. I literally spoke to the templater about the fact they'd need to fit up the stairs and he said that they would be fine. We have no idea what kind of lifting equipment is required, how long for, when for and even what kind of safety and insurance standards we'd need to meet for this. It seems a completely unrealistic expectation to get a customer to do this.

We've been unable to charge our tenant (my brother in law) the rent for the three months he's been without a kitchen. Poor guy has had to live off cuppa soups, store water in bottles for the kettle and wash up in the bath. We've had to take days off work to travel the 5 hours to be at the property for various appointments where contractors either don't turn up or do turn up and say there's a problem they can't do anything about. During installation we had incomplete and delayed deliveries, parts of the fit out not being completed to a high enough standard for the next bit to happen, and now are being held to ransom over these bloody surfaces that we've already paid for and are already cut.

They've already introduced extra charges along the way, take weeks to reply to any emails and you can't get anyone on the phone. We absolutely would not have gone with them had we been given the full price information and had even a vague idea of the degree of chasing and management they'd need to deliver on their contractual requirements. 

They are telling us they won't even consider refunds, goodwill or paying for the lifting equipment themselves until the process is over as we've been complaining since the first no-show templating in December. Any advice on what we can do to get IKEA to actually help resolve this situation instead of hammering us for more cash and failing to deliver?

Manxman_in_exile

Balboulbola said:

...
We've been unable to charge our tenant (my brother in law) the rent for the three months he's been without a kitchen. Poor guy has had to live off cuppa soups, store water in bottles for the kettle and wash up in the bath. We've had to take days off work to travel the 5 hours to be at the property ...

Is this a "business" transaction as opposed to a consumer rights question?

If it is a business transaction you won't have any protections offered by consumer legislation and you may be better off seeking paid-for legal advice or asking on the small businesses board.

Small Biz MoneySaving — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Balboulbola

I don't believe so. We bought the kitchen and services as private individuals. It's my partners house. She is in the military so lives away from her home address for alot of the year and goes back there when on leave. Her brother has one of the room and pays rent / contributes to the mortgage. She pays the rest. Maybe 'tenant' is a grand term for that situation?

cx6

You have to be clear about what you want.

If IKEA cannot fulfil the contract they entered into with you then you have the option of cancelling for a full refund. Obviously they are likely to take everything away. If they won't cancel, go to your card provider (I assume you paid by card) or the small claims court.

If you don't want to cancel then it really is up to you to negotiate and accept a change to the contract ie paying for lifting gear etc.

Any way you and a few burly mates can lift the worksurfaces up there?

Sandtree

Did they do a site survey before you buying it?

Presumably the issue is the length of the worktop and some corners etc?

If they didn't come to your property then its almost always stated in the contract that its your responsibility to ensure that the item can make its way up to the room. 

Most obvious two options are either to lift it (there are plenty of companies like https://www.haulitup.co.uk that will do the whole thing or you can just get the equipment and do it yourself) or to cut the work surface into smaller parts and live with the joints after.