Can I get compensation for poor service and mental distress

Aylesbury_Duck

Not really, unless you want to try one of those 'sad face pointing at your kitchen' reports in the local rag.

eskbanker

RSD7a said:

Aside from calculating time spent chasing them up to finish the job, which while it adds up isn't going to be that significant, is there no other way of prising an ex gracia payment out of them in recognition of their truly appalling service and the disdain with which we were treated once our money was in their pockets?

But that's the point - you might prise an ex gratia payment from them, but that means that there's no legal liability as such.

screech_78

As someone who deals with high level complaints, we pay very little attention to “mental distress”. We hear it every single day and it wears thin. I’m sorry to sound harsh. 

If you’re looking for compensation, you’ll need to show how you’ve arrived at that figure (as it should be your losses) and you’ll also have to show how you mitigated them. If you’re not willing to do that, then you’re asking for a goodwill payment and that’s down to Wren to decide on and you can negotiate if you wish. 

When discussing goodwill gestures, I don’t take into account what a customer earns (some will try to say they should be reimbursed their hourly rate for sending an email). I don’t see why someone who earns £50 an hour should get more for sending an email than someone that earns £10 an hour as everyone’s time is valuable so that’s a no go for me. 

Really, if you can’t justify £3,000 I can’t see you getting anywhere close to that. As a side note, I had no kitchen for almost 9 months. Mostly because we were building an extension and my dad and husband were doing it themselves. Obviously you’ve paid a lot of money but it’s not the end of the world. I wish you luck though. 

bris

Wifes friend is going through this now too.

Wren are awful, first kitchen fitted it was condemned by wrens rep, told it needed ripped out and done from scratch.

This is where the fun began, units would turn up, new fitter would send them back as they were damaged, complaint would be made.

This went on for weeks, it seems they just pass faulty cabinets around all their customers in the hope they will get used.

Finally after the fitting was acceptable, months later, they offered £150 compo, doesn't even cover the cost of the calls she had to make.

Currently its still in dispute, days off waiting in etc have mounted up as she's a self employed dental hygienist and she can prove her losses.

Currently waiting on the outcome of the bill shes sent them, still no word yet, they are making her wait.

MalMonroe

Hi, if you paid by credit card, what about considering a Section 75 claim?

There's a fairly new article just been published on this very site about it -

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/section75-protect-your-purchases/

I made such a claim a few years ago for only £700 for a pile of junk (or, as the car dealer said, a used motor). It took a few months but I ended up receiving not only a full refund of £700 but also compensation of £250 and a bouquet of flowers from the credit card company. So I think it's always worth having a go. 

And I actually DO feel that mental distress should be compensated for. Too many people, sadly, dismiss it as being unimportant when it isn't.  Any business that discounts 'mental distress' is not a business I'd be happy dealing with.

You might also be interested in this info -

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2014/10/i-got-23k-back-under-section-75-after-paying-just-200-on-credit-card/

It's old and the circumstances were different to yours but it highlights the importance of not giving up. I'm afraid (no, I'm proud!) to be one of those people who are like a dog with a bone and I won't give up. Ever. Until it's over and I've been offered the correct solution.

Anything is worth a try and in my experience, if you don't give up the rewards can be excellent. 

Good luck to you, you've been treated abominably by Wren.

powerful_Rogue

MalMonroe said:

Hi, if you paid by credit card, what about considering a Section 75 claim?

There's a fairly new article just been published on this very site about it -

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/section75-protect-your-purchases/

I made such a claim a few years ago for only £700 for a pile of junk (or, as the car dealer said, a used motor). It took a few months but I ended up receiving not only a full refund of £700 but also compensation of £250 and a bouquet of flowers from the credit card company. So I think it's always worth having a go. 

And I actually DO feel that mental distress should be compensated for. Too many people, sadly, dismiss it as being unimportant when it isn't.  Any business that discounts 'mental distress' is not a business I'd be happy dealing with.

You might also be interested in this info -

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2014/10/i-got-23k-back-under-section-75-after-paying-just-200-on-credit-card/

It's old and the circumstances were different to yours but it highlights the importance of not giving up. I'm afraid (no, I'm proud!) to be one of those people who are like a dog with a bone and I won't give up. Ever. Until it's over and I've been offered the correct solution.

Anything is worth a try and in my experience, if you don't give up the rewards can be excellent. 

Good luck to you, you've been treated abominably by Wren.

Claim exactly what using section 75?

RSD7a

I've made a section 75 application which was rejected. A quote from their letter:

Section 75 is an evidence-based process which relies upon documentation provided by our customers to allow us to establish a breach of contract or misrepresentation of the service to be provided by the merchant. Upon review of the documentation provided, I am unable to uphold your claim.

 

LeRedoute

RSD7a said:

Thanks for the time taken writing these helpful replies and pointers. 

As I understand it, the consumer Rites act, when purchasing services says suppliers should offer

reasonable care and skill, 

within a reasonable time,

at a reasonable price. 

Surely a  seven month timescale to install a kitchen is by no means reasonable.

Aside from calculating time spent chasing them up to finish the job, which while it adds up isn't going to be that significant, is there no other way of prising an ex gracia payment out of them in recognition of their truly appalling service and the disdain with which we were treated once our money was in their pockets?

It's not, but you let it drag on for 7 months.

You could have rejected it, but you didn't.

You're really at the mercy of the company as to what they'll give you.

RSD7a

LeRedoute said:

RSD7a said:

Thanks for the time taken writing these helpful replies and pointers. 

As I understand it, the consumer Rites act, when purchasing services says suppliers should offer

reasonable care and skill, 

within a reasonable time,

at a reasonable price. 

Surely a  seven month timescale to install a kitchen is by no means reasonable.

Aside from calculating time spent chasing them up to finish the job, which while it adds up isn't going to be that significant, is there no other way of prising an ex gracia payment out of them in recognition of their truly appalling service and the disdain with which we were treated once our money was in their pockets?

It's not, but you let it drag on for 7 months.

You could have rejected it, but you didn't.

You're really at the mercy of the company as to what they'll give you.

Thanks for these comments. I would say
1. Wren was the party who "let it drag on". We were pursuing them relentlessly.
2. I rejected the kitchen several times. After 7 months the kitchen had been fixed.
3. Yes I am at their mercy.

I'm getting close, now, to leafleting  customers in their showroom in order to get some attention .

RSD7a

sheramber said:

We purchased a Wren kitchen in March 2022, paid in full, (almost £20k) at their insistence prior to installation which began on 2nd May 2022.

You could have gone elsewhere. You did not need to buy from them.

That sets a new standard.