Best place to buy a new kitchen

Sparky29

Could anybody advise me on where to buy a reasonably priced kitchen for a property that I let out due to work commitments forcing me to leave the area. The last tenants trashed the place and its going to cost thousands to put right.

Many thanks

danger_mouse_2

just been doing a bit of digging about kitchens on MSE over the last couple of hours and theres a few things that seem to have been regular comments/advice from what ive seen..........

1. Moben & B&Q are overpriced and fitting isnt always the best
2. Howden joinery co. do the same units but at about a 3rd of the price
3. Local fitters who come recomended are generally the best way forward with fitting unless you have the time/skill to do it yourself.
4. Dont pay upfront for the work, once you do they lose the incentive to make things correct for you
hope its of some help to you

majjie

I guess it depends on the type of tenant you're expecting.

IKEA kitchens are fairly popular amongst property developers, because they're cheap but stylish ... but you need to work around the fact that there's no service void behind the units.

I think Wickes have the best reputation amongst the DIY sheds.

To use Howdens you need to have a trade account or to know someone who has one - and you need to be sure that the design is ok with their limited range of unit sizes. (You can get a free planning service from them).

If you're fitting it yourself, you could check out DIY Kitchens:
http://www.diy-kitchens.com/acatalog/Index_Home.html
they seem to be getting a reasonable reputation.

ormus

my uncle has 5 terraced properties he lets out. he alwasy uses wickes for cheapo kitchens. last one cost him 350 quid for the units.
he fits them himself though, so saves even more money.

Pennylane

If it's any help - I have never yet met anybody who is pleased with their kitchens from MFI. They seem to always have parts missing or damaged and then a LONG wait to get said parts.

Do you not take a deposit from your tenants for any damage caused?

Sassers

Promise me you'll not choose Moben or their carp subsiduary company Kitchens Direct. I'm actually suing KD - and the b******** went bankrupt then set up under a similar name but same holding company....

waddy80

I can recommend wickes. Used them twice and got a local handyman to fit. Good quality units. The appliances aren't always the best though.

poet123

You dont need a trade account to use Howdens,they were very helpful to us,they did ask where we using a builder so they knew we were have trade help. Saved us a lot off the same units flat packed from MFI(Howdens are factory built and the parts are available from stock)

Sparky29

Thanks everybody for their advice.

I've been on another forum and Howdens and Wickes were recommended. I'm pretty sure I could blag a trade account for Howdens if it came to it. The poster also said the carcasses from Wickes come with a 10 year guarantee but I expect there are plenty of exclusions in the small print. The quality of the units in these stores are apparently better than B & Q. I will check it out at the weekend.

Sparky29

Pennylane wrote: »

Do you not take a deposit from your tenants for any damage caused?

I did get a deposit but they stopped paying rent in August and I had to take them to court to evict the scum. The law is stacked in the tenants favour and if you don't follow it to the letter as a respectable land lord you end up in trouble or even prison. You have to let them have "quiet enjoyment of the property" wether they pay the rent or not.

The £650 deposit won't even cover the damage they have done in seven months never mind three grand rent arrears. Instead of telling me the bath was leaking into the kitchen they just balanced a pan on top of the boiler to catch the water as it came through the ceiling, spray painted walls, stripped newly decorated wallpaper off, fag burnt two brand new carpets, two dogs (weren't even allowed one!) allowed to chew Victorian doors, kitchen cabinets and radiator thermostats. Could have filled a skip with the amount of Cr*p they left behind including a large fish tank with four dead fish in it.

I am not a professional landlord. I only rent out my house because of work commitments 160 miles away.

No point dwelling on it. Just have to write it off, do it up and move on.

jay03

This reply may be a little late but I have just received a first class service on my new kitchen from a company called Richard Simon Interiors. I thought they may be out of my price range due to them being German built but was pleasantly surprised. What I chose would have cost the same if not more from Wickes and B&Q. They are a Kent based company which may not help those in the north but anyone local looking for a new kitchen I would recommend you pay them a visit.