Warning your guarantee can be worthless

sueem99

I made a decision to purchase a bath from Bathshop321 based on a written email re the manufacturer and the fact it had a 25 year guarantee that was with Bathshop. The bath was checked upon delivery for no obvious damage issues. Required for a complete bathroom redesign the project was delayed getting trades to do work, then covid, then more delay. Finally deciding to fit the bath ourselves we discovered a slight dip in the edge profile fitting against a wall. This would result in a seal 2mm at each end and 7mm in the middle, unsightly, causing water pooling and possible impact on seal eventually. Contacting the manufacturer with images and measurements they said not to fit it and contact the seller for a refund. After a long saga Bathshop321 said we had had the bath in storage too long and had damaged it ourselves (kept level on its feet in a spare bedroom) they also variably denied any guarantee, then the guarantee was with the manufacturer not them, then the guarantee was void as the person who wrote it no longer worked for the company!!! Support from Citizens Advice, then going through the Trading Standards process (first as Small Claims was quoted as 9 months wait)  After providing all the written evidence plus evidence of the business refusing guarantees for other customers on Trustpilot, Trading Standards made a decision that..........the 25 year guarantee was a 'mistake'.  On this basis any guarantee or warranty can fail to be honoured as its issue was a 'mistake'.  Now unable to go to Small Claims as the business has the 'support' of Trading Standards. £300 out of pocket and now needing to purchase a replacement as a pensioner.