Issue with Wickes bathroom installtaion and goods supplied

skysurfer56

Hi everyone,

I hope someone here can offer me some advice, I recently purchased a new bathroom from Wickes using one of their in store designers. during this phase we spoke to the designer about the type of shower we wanted and decided on a Mira Platinum model (we did not know the model name at the time, the designer showed it to us in store and we agreed to have it)

the agreement was one during the same visit and all the paperwork was signed but at this time the designer had added the wrong shower to the order a Mira Mode model, and we were unaware of this. With the total for everything including the installation coming to around the £13000 mark.

Fast-forward to the installation and as the kit was delivered and we dutifully ticked off all the boxes as they arrived confirming they matched what was on the invoice, and it was not until the installation team (also arranged by Wickes) had installed the shower that it dawned on us that it was not the model we had chosen.

I have raised this with the designer who originally put the order together for us but they are saying that the original conversation never took place and that they have supplied us with what was agreed and so are unwilling to make any changes. 

The installation team have confirmed that it would be a simple process to swap to the model we want, and Wickes simply need to supply the unit and raise a remedial work order for them to come and fit it.

I have also told Wickes I am happy to pay the price difference so we can have the model we requested.

As I have no proof of the conversation that took place in the store and us selecting the platinum model other than the word of my wife and myself I am unsure what we can do about this. 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. 

tacpot12

Do you have home insurance? If so, check to see if you have Legal Expenses Cover. If you do, you can free legal advice, and potentially some support in the form of a solicitor's letter. 

Although you have no evidence that the conversation took place, you raised it immediately you realised the wrong shower had been sent on the order. This is not something that people who are trying to pull a fast one do. Nor is offering to pay the price difference.

I expect you didn't know about the price difference when you found out that what you wanted was a Platinum but what was delivered was a Mode. All this builds the picture that 'on the balance of probabilities' the mistake was made by Wickes' designer and not you - you knew what the shower you wanted loked like, and recognised immediately that the Mode wasn't it.

The 'balance of probabilities' quote relates to the standard of proof required in court for civil cases. You would seem to be capable of meeting this standard of proof, and therefore might reasonably expect to win any court case. This should not get as far as court. 

The designer really doesn't have a leg to stand on. You must have selected a shower; so a conversation definitely took place but if that conversation was "We want that bathroom on display there, but with the shower from the bathroom over there", then it is clearly an easy mistake for the designer to make in not processing the second part of that instruction.

Wickes may baulk at providing the new shower because the will also lose the cost of the old shower because it will be difficult for them to reuse, so they will have to write it off. You may get further if you offer to go halves on the cost of the new shower and installation rather than just the price difference on the new shower. It would resolve the problem for both parties to find a sensible compromise. 

visidigi

skysurfer56 said:

Hi everyone,

I hope someone here can offer me some advice, I recently purchased a new bathroom from Wickes using one of their in store designers. during this phase we spoke to the designer about the type of shower we wanted and decided on a Mira Platinum model (we did not know the model name at the time, the designer showed it to us in store and we agreed to have it)

the agreement was one during the same visit and all the paperwork was signed but at this time the designer had added the wrong shower to the order a Mira Mode model, and we were unaware of this. With the total for everything including the installation coming to around the £13000 mark.

Fast-forward to the installation and as the kit was delivered and we dutifully ticked off all the boxes as they arrived confirming they matched what was on the invoice, and it was not until the installation team (also arranged by Wickes) had installed the shower that it dawned on us that it was not the model we had chosen.

I have raised this with the designer who originally put the order together for us but they are saying that the original conversation never took place and that they have supplied us with what was agreed and so are unwilling to make any changes. 

The installation team have confirmed that it would be a simple process to swap to the model we want, and Wickes simply need to supply the unit and raise a remedial work order for them to come and fit it.

I have also told Wickes I am happy to pay the price difference so we can have the model we requested.

As I have no proof of the conversation that took place in the store and us selecting the platinum model other than the word of my wife and myself I am unsure what we can do about this. 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. 

So the paperwork you signed, in store, on the day was for the shower they have fitted - is that right?

skysurfer56

Thanks for the answers so far. 

Unfortunately, we do not have Legal Expenses Cover on our insurance so I don't think that is an option for us. The designer has come back to us today saying that the only way they will change it is if we pay the whole price for the shower we want and then pay for the fitters to change it out, so essentially buying it as a completely different order.

visidigi yes the paperwork we signed was for the shower that was fitted. We stupidly just took the designer's word that the shower had been changed and did not check the paperwork.

 

skysurfer56

SO i have had an official response from Wickes. Where they have essentially told me that I would have to buy the shower I want at full price and pay the installers to swap them out. The original shower supplied would then just be wasted. 

So they are just washing their hands of all responsibility and are willing to do nothing. 

Jumblebumble

skysurfer56 said:

SO i have had an official response from Wickes. Where they have essentially told me that I would have to buy the shower I want at full price and pay the installers to swap them out. The original shower supplied would then just be wasted. 

So they are just washing their hands of all responsibility and are willing to do nothing. 

Since the original designer has denied the conversation took place and the OP agreed to buy the shower they have  what exactly do you expect Wickes to do?
( Big consideration Wickes  have to work with the designer going forward but they do not have to work with the OP  Whose word will they take?)

skysurfer56

I did get a resolution to this for all those who may be wondering.

I escalated this to Wickes customer relations team and after several days they called me to discuss the situation, and during the call the agent told me he spoke to the designer who gave a very different account of the day we spent in store compared to what actually happened. He even said that we took the quote home and contacted him several days later to agree to it, when we actually agreed whilst in store and paid the deposit & signed the credit agreement while we were there. 

I think this was the evidence the rep needed as they had records of us singing the same day, thus confirming our version of events over the designers.

Although I didn't get exactly what I was asking for (I pay the price difference between the showers and Wickes cover the installation) I did get the shower I wanted completely free of charge with the understanding that I would pay for the installation rather than paying the price difference. 

The only downside to this is I have to wait for a month for the new shower to be delivered (not sure why as it shows as in stock and 2-5 days delivery on the website).

All in all, the Wickes customer relations team and all other staff members I spoke to were very sympathetic and helpful, I think the designer/ sales guy i got was worried that he would lose commission if he admitted to the mistake and was the one bad apple amongst a helpful team of people. 

Largs

I had read your problem when you posted last week and it is great to hear you got a better outcome in the end.