Flooring company refusing to reinstall laminate unless we pay for subfloor repairs

Charliewashere

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82163178#Comment_82163178

The £700 was relating to the independent fitters quite for just ply, which we both agreed won’t be economical nor really help.

I hear you, I do. I wholly regret chasing it. We’re planning on selling in 4 years or so, already sunk £20k of money we could barely afford into other refurbishments in this house as it was neglected, I feel enough is enough now

Isthisforreal99

So if you understand their position why do you think you can reclaim the independent fitters fees should you go with them. To me, it's a case of either get the subfloor sorted and get Tapi to install (then you have some sort of protection in future) or pay for the independent fitter at your own cost and have little protection.

Imagine it did go to small claims in future, don't you think the fact it has already failed points to a defective subfloor.

Charliewashere

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82163192#Comment_82163192

I think it boils down to:

Spending thousands of pounds (which we don’t have) on yet another household repair to obtain free fitting as planned, dragging out the process making our house unusable for much longer.

Or spend £600, get it over and done with by end of day Tuesday with the potential to claw back costs, though I do acknowledge the difficulties you mentioned. Citizens Advice told me yesterday this avenue does exist.

Bear in mind my wife is pregnant and finds any aspect of ‘house being a building site’ incredibly upsetting and stressful, never mind my own emotional wellbeing, can you see why option 2 looks the most attractive to us?

Isthisforreal99

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82163195#Comment_82163195

I think you will find that persuing any claim equally stressful and emotional.

If option 2 is the only financial option for you then fair enough but trying to reclaim that money from Tapi won't be an easy task. And by your own admission you are possibly only postponing the issue for 2/3 years when Tapi won't be on the hook for sorting it.

HHarry

Then go for option 2, with the knowledge that getting the £600 back is not guarenteed, will cost you another couple of hundred £’s to take to court, and that the life span of the floor may be reduced.

Charliewashere

Ok, I’ve asked for a reduction in cost in accordance to section 56 of CRA and a letter of deadlock if they refuse. I have also logged a section 75 claim (as it was financed). Independent fitter booked

mta999

I am not quite sure why you are claiming ?

1. you originally paid for the laminate flooring - you still have that
2. you originally paid for fitting and they said they will refit it once the subfloor is repaired

so at this moment you have no financial loss

you have of course had the house in a mess

regarding the subfloor it is your responsibility it always was it could have been done at the beginning but has to be done now at your cost

PTP123

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82163177#Comment_82163177

Wow, if you're aware the problem will happen again I'm not surprised the flooring company don't want to get involved

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82163195#Comment_82163195

You seem to be thinking that it will be "done with by the end of day Tuesday", yet your previous thread indicates a three year long ongoing problem that will not be resolved at all by taking the route you are currently planning.

I think with Citizen's Advice's advice should be taken with a pinch of salt here, reinstalling it on a substandard floor is going to be a huge issue, from what you have said I can see pretty much any claim (court, S75) failing, you are now choosing to ignore their advice and reinstall something destined to fail to save money, that is not going to work.

Your wife being pregnant is irrelevant, the building site reference just sounds like hyperbole and I really cannot see why this is causing so many "emotional wellbeing" issue, you have two choices, fix it properly or bodge it, one resolves the issue, the other just kicks the can down the road for a few weeks/months at most, if you find the current situation stressful I imagine a failing floor with a newborn is going to feel positively apocalyptic. Your "option 2" is not really an option and all it seems like is an attempt at sticking your head in the sand for a few weeks, months at most.

Ergates

Did Tapi say what thickness of ply would be needed to fix the subfloor?

With the flooring up, fitting a layer of 5mm or 9mm ply would be a relatively simple DIY task. Then Tapi come back and refit the flooring. You'd then only have to pay the cost of the wood itself, which would likely be significantly less than £700.