Newly fitted kitchen problems, aib too demanding?

[MyPatronusIsABadger]

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help or give guidance and let me know if I am expecting too much. I've never bought a kitchen before so I don't know what the norm is.
We bought our kitchen from a well known high street company and had it installed in April. It took 2 months to complete and my husband signed it off on the last day despite me raising concerns that there were scratches on the worktop. After speaking to a few people from the company they agreed that the scratches the worktop arrived with meant it shouldn’t have been installed and that it wasn’t just ‘what the worktops were like’.
A couple of weeks later the splash back between the laminate worktop and tiles peeled off the wall and the kick plates fell over as they weren’t stuck on. The worktop started to peel in half as there doesn’t seem to be glue on it so the top part of the laminate is coming away from the majority of the base.
The floor is also splitting because instead of putting in a small step like we asked the fitter to (only because our builder told us to) he just lay it flat up the slope so that at the top of the slope it is then turned to go flat again.
The company have said we need to use the same fitter (provided by them) that we had install everything and that they are not paying for the replacement flooring.
I feel that I don’t want the same fitter to fix it because part of the problem of why it took so long was because he was ‘doing jobs’ for our neighbours when he should have been doing our kitchen. He also didn’t fit things well in the first place and has caused this upset.
I also feel that we shouldn’t pay for the new flooring because they installed it incorrectly and it’s not that I’ve just changed my mind. The flooring will only need fixed around this step and perhaps where the dining area is, so its not the whole kitchen. I am also worried it will cause a precedent where if they ruin the skirting boards or something else then I’ll have to cover that too.
Am I being too princess? What should normally happen or what would you expect? This is causing so much stress and its just so upsetting that I have to see all these mistakes every day. They’re now ignoring my emails and only speaking to my husband who is out of the country (not that we’re both bombarding them!) which means that everything is taking ages. They wont even copy me in on emails and customer services just keep saying that unless we pay for the flooring and get the same fitter we’ll have to go to the ombudsman.

[user1471549018]

That sounds awful- who is the company? There is no way I'd use the same fitters! Part of the reason for using a big chain is you have redress when things go wrong. I often hear that they don't always use the best fitters though, and like everything else I always use my own that have been recommended to me. If you have followed their complaints procedure and not got anywhere it sounds like the next step will have to be the ombudsman.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

We had our kitchen done and the bulk of the work took 7 days. 1 day of snagging. Floor & splahback done separately over 3 more days.
It sounds like you've had terrible service and poor quality product.

[MyPatronusIsABadger]

Thank you, it was wickes who we thought we'd be safe with as they're a bug company and this is our first house.
I just want this fixed, but I'm glad to know that what I'm asking for isn't 'entitled'.
Everything they offer is 'a good will gesture' or 'was checked before it left the depot' so not their fault!

[sparkleglitterdaisy]

That's awful - the company who you bought it from should replace it . Especially as you used their recommended fitters . Is it not guaranteed ? I had a new kitchen fitted last year & it's under guarantee , plus my splash back is also under guarantee from the splash back people . Also I had everything done & it was finished in about 10 days - would have been sooner but we had to wait for the plastering to dry . 2 months seems a long time . Is your builder on checkatrader ? What are other people saying about him ? I'd refuse to have him back . Although we had a builder allocated to us by the kitchen firm the first thing I did was check his reviews .

[wowfudge]

At a guess I'd say the fitter is a sub-contractor so issues down to his workmanship have to be resolved by him at his own cost rather than Wickes paying out for someone else. Do they know he was doing jobs for your neighbour when he was supposed to be working on your kitchen. My DP would insist they deal with me in those circumstances btw.

[MyPatronusIsABadger]

We raised it with wickes that he was doing jobs and have neighbours who can confirm this but they've not said anything other than some jobs can take a while and it was only him doing a big job so it was hound to run on.
DH has repeatedly asked then to liaise with me as hes 8 hours ahead of us right now but they email only him back when he cc's me in. If DH doesn't email them back (as at the time we thought they'd contact me instead) they start a new email thread or letter saying that as WE'VE not gotten in touch they assume it's fine and are we happy to close the case.
It's a 10 year guarantee on work,hence why DH signed off in it but they just don't see any failures. The worktop is apparently our fault as we picked one that scratches easily. When we say that it's peeling it was delivered with big tram track scratches they ignore that by email or letter, and if in person they acknowledge it and say anything but don't follow it up with written evidence if that conversation.
I'm do exhausted by it and it's really upsetting. We can go to the ombudsman but it'll be using up more holidays to either in for people or just taking longer. I'm sure everyone will be booking for getting things in fir Christmas and all the while my kitchens an embarrassment and we'll be at the back of the queue for getting help!

[MyPatronusIsABadger]

Thought I would do a little update and warning.

DH is back now and has phoned Wickes who said that they can not speak with me as it will complicate things...

They also said they can only use the original installer and he's not free until after Christmas.

Thank you for your advice here, I was starting to think I was asking for the moon. You made me feel much more sane but alas no help from Wickes at all....

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

Have you tried tweeting a picture of the poor quality kitchen to them? It might spur them into action a bit.

[mummytime]

Did you pay any on your credit card? Do you have any legal insurance? Do you have a subscription to Which?
I would suggest you need to play hard ball, because they are not taking you seriously at present. You need to see who you have your contract with.

[wowfudge]

Try Trading Standards for advice.