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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask how far you would go/have gone...

31 replies

SW6mama · 04/06/2019 22:22

to resolve your complaint to a business? I’m a reasonable and calm person by nature, but have been driven so nearly insane with frustration by a Company that makes Shaker Kitchens on Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, that I’m seriously considering going to their showroom (very near my house) and staging a physical protest until they listen to and provide a solution for the myriad of issues I have found them unwilling to resolve, despite sending hundreds of emails and squillions of calls over the 6 months since they fitted the kitchen in December 18.

The ridiculous thing is, I’m not too concerned that they have f*cked up the kitchen. It’s wood, they can put it right. But I’m now beyond furious that they care so little about their clients satisfaction that after dropping £20k on what should have been my dream kitchen (they require 100% up-front payment before fitting) they are not remotely interested in even hearing my complaint let alone resolving it. After 6 months of dealing with 6 different people trying to get them to finish the kitchen and put right the issues (and getting nowhere) I finally resorted to a public review on TrustPilot and got an immediate if utterly bonkers response from the owner which basically accuses me of making the whole thing up, and insulting his daughter the ‘head of customer care’ (and the rudest person on earth btw) and he also confirms that he has no intention of resolving my apparently made-up complaints!!!

I’m not prepared to be fobbed off any more, my kitchen is not what is on the plans and 6 mths on is still not even finished.

So my question is, do I go nuclear in the Showroom? Stage a sit in. Make an enormous scene (I’m not a scene maker so this would be painful)

I’m imagining myself accosting people coming in and warning them not to use SKC. I go cold at the idea but I’m quite stubborn and I won’t stop until they listen to me and sort this out!!

Is this even legal? Would I potentially get dragged away by police for causing a disturbance... but possibly wringing a solution out of the b*stards.

Have you ever done anything extreme as a protest? Basically shall I do it or is there a better idea ???!! (Please don’t tell me to go to a lawyer)

OP posts:
TheInebriati · 04/06/2019 22:24

If you won't go to a lawyer go to Trading Standards.

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:26

Small claims court?

I've been known to write/email them every day until they sort it. And they do in the end. Is there a kitchen ombudsman? Write to your local MP?

I've worked in complaints for over 20yrs and would not let it lie.

I've got friends and family thousands of pounds in compensation and free holidays - only what they deserved. If you want me to yak it up on your behalf and cause a stink then PM me, it's a hobby/passion of mine.

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:26

Not yak Wink take

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:27

I'm thinking of starting a blog about complaining and offering people help with it.

forkfun · 04/06/2019 22:28

I think you might want to look into taking them to the small claims court. You can do this without a lawyer. I looked into this with the help of the citizens advice bureau once, wrote a letter threatening legal action using all the right terminology and after over a year my complaint (with an orange airline) was finally resolved.

Original poster
SW6mama · 04/06/2019 22:28

Neverender That is a brilliant idea! Especially for Brits who have such a deeply embedded cultural issue with kicking up a stink!!!

OP posts:
alwaysthinkingofsleep · 04/06/2019 22:29

Wow OP @Neverender has made an offer you can't refuse!!!

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:30

If you PM me all of the details I'll draft a sensible but threatening sounding letter for you to send.

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:32

It's weird as it's something we will all have to do at some point but there's no help out there really, especially for those without internet. I tried to publish a book but got no offers...

SW6mama · 04/06/2019 22:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:35

Personally I'd do a multi-pronged approach. Twitter, Facebook, write to MP, write to ombudsman. They'll sort it.

Neverender · 04/06/2019 22:41

Omg his reply! Fuck that! Isn't ask Radio 4 to take it up on You and Yours. Name and shame. That's horrific!

Original poster
SW6mama · 04/06/2019 22:43

I know! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn’t inspecting that!!!

OP posts:
liviadrusilla · 04/06/2019 22:53

I was looking at kitchen companies and saw their reviews earlier this week, I was shocked by their unprofessional reply to the negative review in April - I can’t believe they’ve done the same to you!

stayathomer · 04/06/2019 22:58

I'm really sorry but I don't think you should name them. For all you know yours was a once off issue ( really sorry it happened t o you) and now thousands of people are seeing their name. I just don't t hink it's right

Propertywoes · 04/06/2019 22:58

They sound like a cowboy outfit to me!

HundredMilesAnHour · 04/06/2019 23:00

For all you know yours was a once off issue

Looking at the TrustPilot reviews, it definitely wasn't a one-off. Plenty of others having bad experiences with them too. Makes you wonder if the positive reviews are actually genuine as the reviews are either glowing or appalling which seems unusually extreme.

Ohyesiam · 04/06/2019 23:03

Sorry op but I have to ask, did you wish her a. Painful birth ?

42isthemeaning · 04/06/2019 23:16

OP your full name is present on the review - are you sure you want to be identified? Perhaps report this to MNHQ and have the thread removed?

bridgetreilly · 04/06/2019 23:20

I'm really sorry but I don't think you should name them. For all you know yours was a once off issue ( really sorry it happened t o you) and now thousands of people are seeing their name. I just don't t hink it's right

And for all you know, it wasn't, and a ton of other people could end up spending thousands and thousands of pounds of their hard-earned money and getting the same bad service. I don't think that's right either.

Look, the OP recognises that people make mistakes. Every company makes mistakes. The difference is how you deal with them and if you don't work hard to put things right for your customer you deserve to be named and shamed so that no one else has to put up with that in the future.

Purpleheadgirl · 04/06/2019 23:31

If you paid even £100 of the entire cost on a credit card it means they are as liable for the whole amount as the company and you can take it up with them. Usually they repay you then I imagine if they want to they chase the business for repayment to you. Under "section 75" of a crdit card related act if I remember, but gave a look on money saving expert website. You could get the refund and then pay someone reputable to fix it? Worked for us, although a service not a goods item, when only got half refund from a business for no reason and card company paid the rest

ZippyBungleandGeorge · 04/06/2019 23:44

DH loves going to trading standards, it's like a hobby. I must say they are very helpful and he often gets a positive result with their advice.

CSIblonde · 05/06/2019 00:32

Download small claims court forms, fill in then put a 'draft copy' : thru their door saying you will file claim in 2days unless you hear from them. Worked for me with landlord from hell. That should concentrate their minds. The sit in will achieve nothing, you'll be written off as a hysterical mad woman.

RebeccaWrongDaily · 05/06/2019 00:37

did you really wish his daughter a painful birth?

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