Wickes Kitchens - Beware of their Dodgy software - it will cost you!!!!

[Steve Harvey]

Hi, We recently dealt with an in-store 'kitchen design consultant' and at one of Wickes' branches.

He used a package called 'Plan-It' to produce a package of drawings and impressive 3D rendered overviews to implement the kitchen layout that we were looking for.

The software produced a full material list, of worktops and units, with a total price of over £2,500. We decided to sign on the dotted line and "bought" the package which will be delivered in early December.

The problems started a week or two after signing the agreement when I started totting up the total length of the worktops as shown on their fully dimensioned 2D drawings. I was immediately apparent that the length of worktop required added up to between 7 and 8 metres. The material list showed two worktops (length not given) however I later discovered that each was only 3 metres each so there is NO WAY that the materials can do the job. I do not even DARE to start to see if I am going to get enough base and wall units to do the job and the delivery is next week.

I called the "consultant" and he tells me that he can sort it, all he needs is a CREDIT CARD number from me - BLOODY CHEEK. Their COCK-UP and they expect ME to cough up more cash. They admitted their fault but refuse to increase the quantity of materials to make up the difference unless I pay EXTRA at FULL PRICE above what was quoted to the layout on the agreement/sale form.

Does anyone have similar experiences with this [shady] outfit ??

Steve

steveharvey [at] dsl [dot] pipex [dot] com

[Sparks]

Surly if they have quoted for something, and you have accepted the quote, they are obliged to meet any shortfall?

Are the dimensions of the room correct they were working from? Who provided them if not!

Sparks...

[Jim]

No experience with Wicks--but I hope you paid by credit card. I would get the credit card company to withdraw the payment based on "defective product un-suitable for the application". Next time try Howdens. I am installing my Howdens now and am satisfied with what I got for my money. Good Luck mate

[Paul King]

We bought from Wickes over 5 years ago and "fell" into a similar "trap".

As the Sale of Goods Act goes, its up to you to ensure that the dimensions/quantities ordered are correct *BEFORE* you sign up for the agreement.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to defend Wickes OR their salesmen - but, he will have said to you words to the effect of "does that look right to you - just check the quantities and sign". That's it! Any shortcomings now become your fault! There's a bewildering amount of stuff on the list and you just can't remember *EVERYTHING* you ordered!

When we ordered the new kitchen we were underlengthed worktopwise. I ordered the whole kitchen for delivery 250miles away from the store! I contacted Wickes when it was delivered and they offered to send a further worktop at my expense as the order was fulfilled as originally agreed. I managed to find the exact same identical worktop (at half the price) from a local discount shed!

All said and done - I can't fault the quality of the kitchen for the price paid - and at least I'm not in the position of those you see on Watchdog who entrust the fitting to "specialists"!

[Michael Mcneil]

That sounds bloody awful and shouldn't be allowed.

Write to their top management not the instore charlies but the directors of their whole shebang and get a clearing on that. If they decide to cover their arses go to your MP and see how he covers his with lugrubriousness. Next stage is the local newspaper and whatever else you can do to force a damage limitations.

The law aught to be changed to protect the customer from such criminal elements.

[Steve Harvey]

The deposit was paid for ny credit card - Unfornutely the balance is on a credit ageement we have signed !!

[Steve Harvey]

Even if the room measurements were wrong (which they are not) I would not have found this out until after delivery. It not possible to check just comparing the dimension sketch with the material list (both on the formal printed order) unless one also knows the length of the worktops which are NOT printed on it (just a part number).

Steve

[PJO]

So I assume you have cancelled your order and insisted that they refund you in total. You also have a claim on them for negligence, inconvenience, etc. They are in breach of contract too.

Sounds to me like you're a soft touch and will simply allow them to deliver what they will and walk all over you.

Is you new kitchen that important to have before Christmas??!!

[PJO]

Yes it is up to the buyer to check what he is buying BUT if you contract someone to design and supply then they have to comply with that contract If they don't they are in breach of that contract and you have a very good claim against them.

Put it this way. If it was me I'd have the court papers written out by now. No messing.

[PJO]

The law is just fine. A contract is a contract and if one breaks that contract then there is a case.

As for writing to the directors.... no. I always write to the chairperson (by name) and I always put the chairpersons name on any summons that I issue! It has quite a remarkable effect!

shortcomings

[dave]

[kitchen woes]

Food for BBC Watchdog program perhaps?

[PJO]

With respect. Do you really think BBC are interested in little cases like this and even if they are how many do you reckon they have to choose from?!

[Al Reynolds]

I suspect the contract is "supply-only". The design service is free. I also suspect that the situation is deliberately set up this way to prevent liability for precisely the situation the OP described.

If I was being given a free design service, I would make damn sure that what was designed met my needs before I ordered it. FWIW, if the OP had spotted the problem, they would have just added in the cost of the extra worktop and the quote would have been £2500+X. As it is, he is now being asked for £X, so he's paying the same price as he would have done if they had found the problem earlier.

Consumers have rights, but that doesn't include the right to buy something without looking carefully enough at what it is and then to moan about it afterwards because it wasn't what you wanted*

Just my two cents, Al

• unless the law has changed ;-)

[dave]

I don't think often about the BBC at all actually but I guess it depends how many little cases like this there are doesn't it? These things are quite expensive "mistakes" I believe. and there have been a few similar complaints in this thread already. If no-one writes in they won't have *any* to choose from. I'm not a big fan of WD or anything - it was just a thought.

[Gavin Gillespie]

I wouldn't be surprised if Watchdog did a report on Cinderella, claiming damages for losing an ill fitting shoe, the programme seems to be rapidly degenerating into a pantomime.

[usenet]

[David Hemmings]

Well i imagine they do a tote, if there are enough complaints about a particular company then they would look into doing one of their expose.

However i would only use anyones design service as a starting point, when i did my kitchen i got 3 differnet free designs. Then started from scratch, incorporating good ideas from each of them.

Went with ikea, which is very reasonably priced, then i had to run the ikea checkout challenge half-dozen times, the best (read longest) time was around about 1.5h in the queue and having a gimp bring out the wrong worktop 4 times.

What made this marathon wait worth while was when he brought out some rancid looking brown worktop, when he knew it was matching up with two black/white marbled tops, he asked whether i thought i would notice the difference in the kitchen, heh heh.

[Gin Smith]

I had the opposite problem - having produced the plan myself using a

2D drawing package (spent months on it) - I got one of their designers to draw out the plan using their software. My only special request was that I needed 8m of work surface, but 2m of those I was getting 2x1m stainless steel surface made up elsewhere......but their software insisted that I needed 8m and so automatically ordered me 3x3m work surfaces !!!! I noticed it as soon as the order was printed (I did check it a fine tooth comb though)....they said order it as it would be good to have a spare (since i was fitting it, and just in case i made a mistake !!!) but I refused that.....

they then said when its delivered i should phone them and they will collect the work surface and then refund me...I also refused this option. The final solution was to re-enter the order manually.

I have to say that despite the trouble ordering that I am very impressed by the quality of the units. I have just got some their fitted bedroom furniture for some more fun over the xmas vacation.

Gin

[Christian McArdle]

It will still be covered by the consumer credit act.

Christian.

[Zymurgy]

"Michael Mcneil" wrote

Don't bother complaining to their head office in Harrow. My letter obviously got filed in the round filing cabinet :-/

Cheers,

Paul.