Howdens Kitchen Salesman taking advantage of elderly father

Cryptix

My brother and I have complained to Howdens through the general contact form on their website for a kitchen that was supplied and fitted by them. I say fitted by them, because the salesman who dealt with my father, clearly hooked the job up to a mate, and the salesman himself even spent 2 days at my father's house helping his mate to install the kitchen. 

The fitting cost £1,850 and my elderly father didn't notice a lot of the snags and issues with the kitchen, which my brother and I found this weekend. My father specifically wanted a masons mitre join for the worktop in the corner of the kitchen, which the salesman agreed would be no problem, and that Howdens would also supply and fit two 300x2000mm cupboard doors for the under stair cupboard in the kitchen.

There are 28 snags in total we found, which included an incorrectly spec'd cupboard door for the downstairs cupboard (4 pieces instead of 2 - and the salesman said he hadn't been charged for them when they're clearly written down on the plan), a metal bar being added instead of a masons mitre join for the worktop, which my father was disappointed with but the fitter just said "No, I'm doing it this way." – and my father who recently lost my mother (and isn't as confident now) didn't want to cause upset by pushing further on why it wasn't happening when it was agreed to.

The fitter also had my father pay his mother as she was apparently helping him to 'save up for a wedding', which my father complied with. 

My query is, what else should we be looking at doing? I feel that Howdens' salesman took advantage of my elderly father, profiteered with his mate, and also by his mate using another named account to pay into is likely also trying to evade tax.

Baldytyke88

What does your receipt say? It sounds like you are saying it wasn't fitted by Howdens, yet you are trying to hold them responsible.

Undervalued

Baldytyke88 said:

What does your receipt say? It sounds like you are saying it wasn't fitted by Howdens, yet you are trying to hold them responsible.

Howden's may take a dim view of one of their employees behaving as the OP has described. However they have no legal responsibility to the OP's father. 

For whatever reason, they will not sell direct to the public and, as I understand it,  after looking in their showrooms and getting design ideas you have to commission an independent fitter who has a Howden's account and order through them.

Any legal claim the OP's father has is against the fitter.

Difficult as it may be, unless the OP has power of attorney then his father must progress this with the OP's help in the background.

Cryptix

Baldytyke88 said:

What does your receipt say? It sounds like you are saying it wasn't fitted by Howdens, yet you are trying to hold them responsible.

I've asked my father to send me a photo of it, but I suspect it'll confirm the supply only, which will cover us for the incorrect cupboard doors. However, I'm not sure where they stand on the sales person also being one of the fitters – after a bit of internet sleuthing, he doesn't work for any other business other than Howdens, nor does he advertise as a sole trader.

At the very least, I'd hope to gain the fitter's details from Howdens and some form of investigation into their salesman's antics. There's a clear conflict of interest in Howden's salesman, in addition to putting a legal claim against the fitter.

Is it worth flagging with Trading Standards? 

Grumpy_chap

Howdens are a trade only supplier.
They truly do not sell to members of the public.
Who was the contract with?  
Any consumer rights are against whichever company the customer has engaged to provide the kitchen, not with Howdens.

Cryptix

Grumpy_chap said:

Howdens are a trade only supplier.
They truly do not sell to members of the public.
Who was the contract with?  
Any consumer rights are against whichever company the customer has engaged to provide the kitchen, not with Howdens.

Now I've received a copy of the invoice, the customer name is down as SL JOINERY AND DESIGNS, with my father's home address as the customer address. I'd still like Howdens to confirm all details they hold of the fitter though, as I can't find the supplier online – and get the incorrect cupboard doors rectified, which were supplied incorrectly by Howdens.

Penguin_

Cryptix said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Howdens are a trade only supplier.
They truly do not sell to members of the public.
Who was the contract with?  
Any consumer rights are against whichever company the customer has engaged to provide the kitchen, not with Howdens.

Now I've received a copy of the invoice, the customer name is down as SL JOINERY AND DESIGNS, with my father's home address as the customer address. I'd still like Howdens to confirm all details they hold of the fitter though, as I can't find the supplier online – and get the incorrect cupboard doors rectified, which were supplied incorrectly by Howdens.

Is this the company? SL Joinery | Facebook

prettyandfluffy

Now I've received a copy of the invoice, the customer name is down as SL JOINERY AND DESIGNS, with my father's home address as the customer address. I'd still like Howdens to confirm all details they hold of the fitter though, as I can't find the supplier online – and get the incorrect cupboard doors rectified, which were supplied incorrectly by Howdens.

The contract is with the kitchen fitters and they are your first point of contact.  You need to check what was ordered, it may be that Howdens have supplied the correct item as per order but the wrong item was ordered.

Cryptix

Penguin_ said:

Cryptix said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Howdens are a trade only supplier.
They truly do not sell to members of the public.
Who was the contract with?  
Any consumer rights are against whichever company the customer has engaged to provide the kitchen, not with Howdens.

Now I've received a copy of the invoice, the customer name is down as SL JOINERY AND DESIGNS, with my father's home address as the customer address. I'd still like Howdens to confirm all details they hold of the fitter though, as I can't find the supplier online – and get the incorrect cupboard doors rectified, which were supplied incorrectly by Howdens.

Is this the company? SL Joinery | Facebook

Thank you but no, I checked that too but doesn't seem to be the right one. Apparently the fitter didn't have any branding etc on his van, and it does not appear that my father received an actual invoice/receipt for fitting to check that.

Penguin_

Where abouts in the country are you? 

Cryptix

Penguin_ said:

Where abouts in the country are you? 

My father lives in County Durham.