problem with flooring

vanessa1977

Hello, I purchased multiple packs of laminate from a well known company in November. We had used their products before with no issues. For numerous reasons, there were set backs with our extension being built and we are only ready to lay the laminate now. Unfortunately, numerous planks are bowed despite being stored correctly in the installation area. We hoped it would just be a couple but on getting several packs open, it is multiple products. We laid some of it to see if it would flatten but it hasn't. I contacted the company to advise them of this and sent photos. They have come back with - as we hadn't checked all the planks within 30 days then they can't do anything. The product came with a 20 year guarantee and the CRA 2015 allows for up to 6 months to complain if something is faulty (according to MSE article). I don't know whether to go into a store (not really local to me), complain to the credit card company or go back to them - any suggestions welcome thanks.

Aylesbury_Duck

vanessa1977 said:

Hello, I purchased multiple packs of laminate from a well known company in November. We had used their products before with no issues. For numerous reasons, there were set backs with our extension being built and we are only ready to lay the laminate now. Unfortunately, numerous planks are bowed despite being stored correctly in the installation area. We hoped it would just be a couple but on getting several packs open, it is multiple products. We laid some of it to see if it would flatten but it hasn't. I contacted the company to advise them of this and sent photos. They have come back with - as we hadn't checked all the planks within 30 days then they can't do anything. The product came with a 20 year guarantee and the CRA 2015 allows for up to 6 months to complain if something is faulty (according to MSE article). I don't know whether to go into a store (not really local to me), complain to the credit card company or go back to them - any suggestions welcome thanks.

You say they've been stored in the installation area, and presumably that area was a building site, exposing them to variations in temperature and humidity which will have been sizeable variations between November and now.  The fact that it's happened to all packs might suggest that's the cause.  If so, I'd say you're on shaky ground (terrible pun!). 

As it's (just?) within six months then it's up to the retailer to show the product isn't faulty, but I suspect they'll adopt the reasoning I've made.  You may need to have them independently inspected to show they're faulty.

vanessa1977

Hi thanks for the reply. They were stored in the extension which at that stage was fully enclosed (doors/windows installed, floor down, interior wall plastered) and we were using the space but other stuff was going on so we postponed laying the flooring. So I think the conditions were ok as there would have been no major variations in temp/humidity compared to the rest of the house. I have gone to them and said that the CRA allows up to 6 months and they have to prove it isn't faulty but they said they can't do anything.

Aylesbury_Duck

vanessa1977 said:

Hi thanks for the reply. They were stored in the extension which at that stage was fully enclosed (doors/windows installed, floor down, interior wall plastered) and we were using the space but other stuff was going on so we postponed laying the flooring. So I think the conditions were ok as there would have been no major variations in temp/humidity compared to the rest of the house. I have gone to them and said that the CRA allows up to 6 months and they have to prove it isn't faulty but they said they can't do anything.

You might try your credit card company, then.  I still think you're on shaky ground if you've stored them in an unfinished (and presumably unheated?) room, perhaps with drying plaster adding to the humidity.  Normally, you put packs of flooring into the destination room a couple of days before laying, to acclimatise them to the temperature and humidity, not months beforehand when the room isn't finished.

The retailer might ask for the batch code (do you have it?).  If they haven't had similar complaints from others buying the same batch then it does suggest that it's the way you've stored them that's caused the problem.  You may find that if the card company are prepared to intervene, it levers some action from the retailer.

born_again

Well you are out of time for a chargeback for faulty goods at 6 months (120 days limit) so would be looking at S75. Which will require a independent report to show they are faulty.
Might also fail if the packs are under £100 each as well.