Damage to Monitor by Carpet Fitter

Kayulzz

Hi,
Looking for some help on where I stand regarding my property being damaged by the carpet fitters who laid carpet on 26th March.

When the carpet fitters showed up I showed them the room and asked if the desk in the room with my PC on was okay where it was as if not I could move it, this was the only thing in the room. The carpet fitter advised me this was okay and there was no need to move it. He laid the underlay with no issues. 

When the 2 fitters brought the carpet role into the room they knocked my monitor straight off the desk. When I went upstairs after to plug my monitor in to see if it was damaged I noticed the desk had been moved INTO the doorway so I am not surprised the carpet role took the monitor off. Why they moved the desk into the doorway preventing themselves getting into the room is beyond me.

I am just wondering where I stand with this and if this was my fault? The company I bought the carpet from argued that I should have moved ALL furniture out of the room and essentially yelled at me and told me this is always explained when buying a carpet. I politely advised him that he did not sell me the carpet nor was that explained and he was free to check any CCTV as I didn't appreciate being called a liar essentially. And secondly that the fitter had admitted fault. The fitter hasn't exactly been responding to me so I called the company in hopes they could give him a nudge but instead I got yelled at and now I really don't know where I stand. 

For clarity aswell the monitor cost me £200 and is a discontinued model, you can not buy these new anymore. I have seen one listed as used for £300. 

[Deleted User]

The carpet fitters should take full responsability for their actions and redress any damage they may have caused regardless if the fitters were subcontactors,  they should also have insurance to cover them for damage to householders property .

Alderbank

Kayulzz said:

Hi,
Looking for some help on where I stand regarding my property being damaged by the carpet fitters who laid carpet on 26th March.

When the carpet fitters showed up I showed them the room and asked if the desk in the room with my PC on was okay where it was as if not I could move it, this was the only thing in the room. The carpet fitter advised me this was okay and there was no need to move it. He laid the underlay with no issues. 

When the 2 fitters brought the carpet role into the room they knocked my monitor straight off the desk. When I went upstairs after to plug my monitor in to see if it was damaged I noticed the desk had been moved INTO the doorway so I am not surprised the carpet role took the monitor off. Why they moved the desk into the doorway preventing themselves getting into the room is beyond me.

I am just wondering where I stand with this and if this was my fault? The company I bought the carpet from argued that I should have moved ALL furniture out of the room and essentially yelled at me and told me this is always explained when buying a carpet. I politely advised him that he did not sell me the carpet nor was that explained and he was free to check any CCTV as I didn't appreciate being called a liar essentially. And secondly that the fitter had admitted fault. The fitter hasn't exactly been responding to me so I called the company in hopes they could give him a nudge but instead I got yelled at and now I really don't know where I stand. 

For clarity aswell the monitor cost me £200 and is a discontinued model, you can not buy these new anymore. I have seen one listed as used for £300. 

OP, your account is not very clear.
'The company I bought the carpet from argued that...I politely advised him that he did not sell me the carpet'
What does that mean?

You should read the paperwork you were given when you bought the carpet to determine whether the fitters are employed by the carpet company or whether fitting is a separate contract, and also to see whether you were given any written advice about how to prepare the room.

What does 'the fitter had admitted fault' mean? Did he write anything down?

It sounds to me like a simple accident and your best bet might be to claim off your contents insurance which is designed to cover incidents like this, especially if you have new for old cover. If your insurer thinks it is worthwhile they can try to claim against the fitter

Manxman_in_exile

Isn't it usual practice when buying a carpet and having it fitted that the purchaser is meant to be responsible for clearing the room(s) of furniture etc?  Isn't that usually printed on T&Cs?

Having said that, whenever we've had carpets fitted, the fitters have done most of the moving around of furniture themselves.  But I suspect that if they broke anything they'd say "It was your responsibility - not ours - to clear the room".

(Even then I don't think I'd have left a computer monitor on a desk that had to be moved to put the carpet down - regardless of whether the fitters said it was OK or not.  We may have left setees and chairs in a room before, but fragile TVs and audio we would have moved to safety)

Grumpy_chap

Often, even with large national chains, the shops that sell carpets introduce the fitters but stress that the contract with the fitter is separate and paid separately.  That means, even if the carpet is expensive, the contract with the fitter is only £50 - £75.  That is a business model that does not allow the fitter to carry a great deal of liability for damage and, even if the fitter is insured, one claim is likely to make future insurance unaffordable.

Clearing the room is best but sometimes that is simply not possible.  However, if there is a heavy item of furniture that cannot be moved out, surely the fragile and specialist monitor was capable of being moved out of harm's way.  Why would anyone chose to leave such an item exposed?

I can't see that a successful claim off the fitter or the carpet supplier will be possible.  Especially if the OP paid the fitter at the time and signed the work sheet.

A claim on the OP's accidental damage section of their home insurance may be the only route forwards.

Gavin83

Kayulzz said:

Hi,
Looking for some help on where I stand regarding my property being damaged by the carpet fitters who laid carpet on 26th March.

When the carpet fitters showed up I showed them the room and asked if the desk in the room with my PC on was okay where it was as if not I could move it, this was the only thing in the room. The carpet fitter advised me this was okay and there was no need to move it. He laid the underlay with no issues. 

When the 2 fitters brought the carpet role into the room they knocked my monitor straight off the desk. When I went upstairs after to plug my monitor in to see if it was damaged I noticed the desk had been moved INTO the doorway so I am not surprised the carpet role took the monitor off. Why they moved the desk into the doorway preventing themselves getting into the room is beyond me.

I am just wondering where I stand with this and if this was my fault? The company I bought the carpet from argued that I should have moved ALL furniture out of the room and essentially yelled at me and told me this is always explained when buying a carpet. I politely advised him that he did not sell me the carpet nor was that explained and he was free to check any CCTV as I didn't appreciate being called a liar essentially. And secondly that the fitter had admitted fault. The fitter hasn't exactly been responding to me so I called the company in hopes they could give him a nudge but instead I got yelled at and now I really don't know where I stand. 

For clarity aswell the monitor cost me £200 and is a discontinued model, you can not buy these new anymore. I have seen one listed as used for £300. 

Just to clarify, as you don’t say, was the monitor actually broken?

Kayulzz

Sorry yes, I tried to see if I could edit my post but couldn't figure out how to.

Monitor is actually broken and when I said about not selling me the carpet, I mean the guy that was arguing with me that so and so was said and explained was not the guy who sold me the carpet in store and he was not present. The store had already explained that the fitters are self employed and we had to pay them X on the day. I am not expecting the store to resolve this, I only called to see if they could give the fitter a nudge as I wasn't hearing anything.

Me and my partner have never had fitters, we only just bought the house we're living in so every room is honestly filled with crap so it was difficult moving the desk and contents out which is why I asked first. Obviously heindsight is a powerful thing and I wont be as careless. I just didnt know where I stand as I asked them first and they did move an obstacle INTO the door way which prevented themselves getting into the room and then caused the monitor being smacked off.

When I said the fitter admitted fault, he did not write it down and this was all verbal whilst they were still in my house, very little communication has been had since they left. 

TELLIT01

I think you may have to write this one down to experience.  I would be happy to allow fitters to move pieces of furniture around, if they agreed to do so, but wouldn't leave anything breakable around.  It might be worth contacting the fitters again and suggesting splitting the cost of a monitor which would match the spec of the damaged one.

Kayulzz

TELLIT01 said:

I think you may have to write this one down to experience.  I would be happy to allow fitters to move pieces of furniture around, if they agreed to do so, but wouldn't leave anything breakable around.  It might be worth contacting the fitters again and suggesting splitting the cost of a monitor which would match the spec of the damaged one.

Yeah this is what I am thinking to be perfectly honest. The guys were nice and I dont really want to the hassle and I'm sure they don't either so I am just thinking of asking for £100 and calling it quits essentially. 

Alderbank

Kayulzz, what about the advice from me and others to claim on your household insurance?

That's what it's for.

user1977

Alderbank said:

Kayulzz, what about the advice from me and others to claim on your household insurance?

That's what it's for.

But worth it for a £200-300 claim? That's barely more than the excess of many/most policies.