WWYD? Try and get some compensation from shop?

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

I'm interested in getting some opinions and some 'what would you do?' responses to this...

My DH bought a fairly expensive pair of work shoes (about £120) at the weekend from a well known shoe shop. Last night he started to wear them in around the house and after about half an hour I started to notice big scratches, chips and splinters out of our wooden floor. On closer inspection of the shoes, two nails in the sole were still slightly protruding.

My DH and I are actually pretty devestated by the complete mess the shoes have made of our floor as we only had it done about a 18 months ago and it cost us a small fortune. The floorboards are stained so where the scratches and chips are is really obvious.

DH is going to contact the company and try and get them to pay for the damage. Has anyone got experience of this? What are our chances of getting some kind of compensation? We reckon the damage to the floor is around about £500.

[enriquetheringbearinglizard]

ouch for the floor.

I have no idea what the answer is, but I suppose if you don't ask, you don't get.
Personally I imagine your chances are slim, although nails protruding is not good.

As a point of interest our neighbours have a really expensive parquet floor and you're asked to remove outdoor shoes when you go there.

I'm really just place marking to see the outcome and sympathising OP with the pain of the damage. Hope they at least offer you something and also that it's less costly to put the floor right than you think.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Can you contact your insurance company?

They will advise you.

[bodybooboo]

post in legal op. they will know.

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

Take lots of photos of shoes and floor. Would you happen to have any photos of the floor before the damage? And possibly your receipt for when you had it done?

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

Thanks for responses. Yes, will repost in Legal, good idea. And yes, will put in a call to insurance company, thank you.

Enrique, the irony is that we so so rarely do wear shoes (excluding slippers and my stubborn toddler who refuses to take her wellies off!) for this very reason. But DH was just trying to wear them in as they are brand new and he's off to a conference the week after next. He was only going to wear them for an hour and this happens

SillyBilly, we've taken lots of photos of the shoes and floor and will be sending them. We'll definitely have a receipt of having the floor done but not sure about before-damage photos. Will have a look. Thanks.

[TheEarlOfDoncaster1963]

Ugh - how annoying! I hope you can claim something, even if it's just from your insurance, but of course next year your premium will probably go up! Good luck.

[HadABadDay2014]

Can you prove the damage was done by the shoes.

[Financeprincess]

If you've got something expensive, valuable and delicate in your house, why put it on the floor? I don't rate your chances of getting compensation from the shoe shop very highly, I'm afraid.

[pastabest]

how do you not put the floor on the floor Financeprincess?

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

What a stupid comment finance

Where else would you put the floor?

[ohnothewoodchip]

It should be covered by the sale of goods act.

[wowfudge]

The retailer should sort this - if you have any problem with the store, I would contact the head office.

I know feet can be delicate but how the hell else do wear a new pair of shoes in without putting them on the floor Financeprincess? I can only think you've misread the post, it's the floor that got damaged.

[saintlyjimjams]

I'm trying to work out where you would put the floor other than on the floor....

[gamerchick]

no thankyou finance I squirted tears laughing at your post.. royally cheered me up it did

Hope you get it sorted OP.. I would be really gutted :(

[wowfudge]

saintly I think financeprincess has read the OP as the floor damaged an expensive pair of shoes. Even so

[KittensoftPuppydog]

A bathroom cabinet fell apart smashing the sink below. We complained to the cabinet manufacturer and they paid for a new sink. It's worth a shot.

[saintlyjimjams]

But surely shoes would have to go on the floor as well - unless in space

[SouthernComforts]

finance.

[FracturedViewOfLife]

Finance That made me laugh!

Hope you get it fixed somehow OP.

[Floggingmolly]

Maybe Finance is referring to op investing so much in a floor that's too delicate to walk on?

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

Most people dont walk around with nails protruding from their shoes.

[Floggingmolly]

That's true, of course.

[ViviPru]

Haha! Don't put the floor on the floor! Love it.

If you've got something expensive, valuable and delicate in your house, why put it on the floor? Reminds me of our fucking stupid ridiculous impractical astronomically expensive low profile alloy wheels that get dinged if you so much as drive past a kerb. I always liken them to going hiking with silk soles on your boots.

I'd definitely go for it OP. And would be fuming!

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

Thanks all.

Finance, really don't understand your point?? And it seems I'm not the only one. Are you saying we shouldn't have put our floor on the floor or that we shouldn't have used shoes on the floor? Either way I'm baffled.

To clarify, when I say our floor cost us a small fortune, I don't mean that our floor was so expensive that it's too delicate and completely impractical to walk one...we invested a lot because we put it throughout the downstairs of our house. A big area. They are solid oak floorboards...shouldn't be unsuitable to walk on. And there are obviously a few other scratches on it which don't bother us at all, but the nail from the shoes has gone through the varnish and wood stain right to the natural wood underneath.

And also the nails that caused the damage were only very slightly protruding...you honestly wouldn't have even noticed unless you were really looking for it. SO annoying.

Anyway, we have to try and get something for it. Can't do nothing.