Goochie

Sorry this is so long but please take time to read it - cheers!

In October I ordered a kitchen from homebase, it arrived 3 days before christmas. The paperwork said I had 7 days to check it was all OK.

Now, seeing as it was just before christmas I checked the packaging, all seemed well so left it in the garage until January.

Having gutted my kitchen I fitted the wall units, then the floor units then came to fit the worktops. Opened up one and it was OK so I fitted it, then opened up the next (packaging undamaged) to find a dent in the front edge of it.

Went back to homebase who said I'd have to pay £90 for a new one as I'd not returned it within 7 days. Fair enough I thought as they threw in free delivery as a good will gesture. I cut a hole in the damaged one so I could temporarily mount the sink (after all I'd paid for the replacement and the original)

Nearly 2 months later a worktop arrived on Thursday, I checked it this morning to find it seemed to have a slightly different pattern on it!!

Back to homebase, where I was told they no longer make the original pattern!

Now, I've got half a kitchen in one pattern, fully fitted, tiled around etc. and another part (with the sink in it) some 10ft long with a big dent in the front edge.

If they say I have to choose a new worktop I'll have loads of work to do changing the fully fitted parts. Not to mention taking another day off work to accept delivery.

If I have to do this, could I reasonably take Homebase to the small claims court and claim for my time re-fitting whats already done and compensation for a day off work?

I thought about asking for free floor tiles as I havent bought that yet.

Chip

Speak to your local Trading standards people as soon as you can. They'll tell you what you can and cant do and say. You'll find them very helpful.

Chip

Goochie

thanks, Chip !

Rumplestiltskin!

I ordered a table & chairs from them a while ago, 6 weeks delivery.
6 months later still hadn't arrived (numerous calls / visits to outlet etc)
I contacted Watchdog who did a report on it all, was shown on telly.
Hey presto all sorted within days of knowing they were gonna be all over the telly.

David Lock

I'd push them on that. If someone at Homebase could be bothered I bet they could find the odd length of matching worktop from another Homebase or from their supplier even if it isn't currently stocked.

May be CAB could advise whether Homebase are within their rights to act as they have. But, as suggested, TS would be an excellent start. DL

CooperS

Go into the store and kick off in a nice way, see what they come up with, they may offer you the free tiles or the services of someone to swap them out for you.

On a slightly similar vein, was helping my bro to put his new fencing up today, hired an auger (boring machine) for the 2 foot deep holes for the posts, when we picked it up yesterday, we asked for them to show us how it works, as it comes in two pieces, the top and the screw that goes into the ground, the guy says don't worry about it, it's very easy and self-explanatory, so we took it and today came to use it and the screw is for a different model, so we've had to dig 9 2 foot deep holes by hand. so my bro's going in tomorrow to kick off and see what comes of it.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

Apparition

Mention the magic words "Watchdog"........ that usually gets their attention and as the previous reply says, surely some branch somewhere has some of the original pattern in their stock room. Its a case of someone not being bothered to do their job properly.

MattN

Hhhmmmm, think your jumping the gun a bit.

I ordered a kitchen from them and had 2 problems.

1. At the point of buying was told they no longer did 05 finance and
2. All the runners fro the drawers were right handed. Called the helpline but no new ones turned up, called again and again.

Wrote to head office and the branch.

Within 2 days branch jhad the left hand runners froma display model and gave me the 0% as it should have been offered. A week later head office replied with £40 of vouchers.

As it turns out the runners turned up the following day, bloody royal mail ahd lost them!!!!! So not homebase at fault, but still they kept saying they'd send new ones so I should of had dozens of the damn things.

Either way, Homebase as far as I'm concerned were more than helpful and offered compo immediately once the problems were pointed out.

fast bloke

I can't see that they have done anything wrong, but I would bet that if you make a fuss someone will find a piece of worktop to suit