Carpet dilemma

[CottonSock]

More of a wwyd, but getting stressed by this so want some collective MN wisdom before I make the next phone call.

Recently had fairly big work done to house. New carpets for two stairs and two landings chosen over much deliberation and visits to carpet shop locally. Expensive wool twist carpet fitted approx 6 weeks ago. Cost combined with another room was 2.5k.
Soon was clear that grippers were poking through.
Fitter came back and bashed a couple which I said not good enough. Followed him around whilst he did more bashing and he left. I'd kind of expected the carpet was going to be re-laid.
Rang shop, nothing else they can do. Can't use a short gripper on stairs....
Yesterday my daughter cut her heel, this morning my other daughter could feel more spikes on the stair riser. Dh started bashing, but says it will take hours. I don't feel this is the right solution.
What are my rights and next steps. I've emailed shop, but no reply.
Thank you all.

If the carpet is not thick enough to use grippers then would you consider the over carpet stair rods?

Is the underlay thick enough?

For grippers to be poking through, the underlay and carpet must be quite thin. Carpet is one of those things where you get what you pay for. I dont think you really have much recourse.

That’s quite unusual did you have under lay fitted? Carpet grippers are a uniform size usually and the carpet must be hell of a thin or no underlay for them to be poking through.

Carpet must be really thin.

If you can lift the carpet what is printed on the gripper? Does it have "regular carpet gripper" printed on it?

Carpet gripper does come in different depths, the standard one is classed as medium. I had a different one on one stair but I never noticed until I had the carpet replaced the carpet chap said we were lucky as the spikes were just under the surface. He ripped that up and used the standard one.

If the shop don't get back to you start stating facts about this situation on any social media they have.

For those saying the carpet is too thin or don't you have underlay, you possibly don't understand how stair carpet is laid. The underlay on each step only goes up to the carpet gripper. It is only the carpet itself that is fitted onto the gripper on stairs.

OP, did you see it being fitted? It sounds like they have fitted with gripper with standard 11mm spikes when they should have used something shorter like 3mm or 5mm (and they can, they are lying to you). They are supposed to use gripper appropriate to the type of carpet.

Alternatively , they have totalled messed up and they have (incorrectly) fixed the gripper over the underlay therefore making it, and the spikes, higher than it should be.

Is it a reputable company or are they cowboys?

For those who said I got what I paid for, perhaps you didn't read the bit where I said Expensive wool carpet.

Thanks for those with more constructive feedback. I might get the second opinion of another fitter. I found more spikes earlier, it's just not acceptable to be sold something that's not safe.

@itsabeautifuldayheyhey thank you for believing me. This is my worry about the length of the spikes. The grippers looked tall. Us bashing them down is not working. It will also damage the carpet if they need to be ripped up.

It's a local reputable firm with four branches. I have not taken to social media yet.

Update. We got home yesterday and starting putting stickers on spikes. Soon got to 100, so that wasn't practical.
Researched my rights, small claims court etc. Sent a chasing email to carpet shop, the person I think is owner. He called me on a Sunday and a very productive discussion.
They will refit the carpet by sticking it, he called it a commercial fit. I'm happy with that as grippers clearly won't work. I lifted the carpet last night and they are not long the spikes used. Very odd as the manufacturer guidelines are to use gripper, but it's clearly not going to work.

This is the carpet btw. Ulster Monaco, it's grey in real life. It's beautiful, and I hope I will love it again.
ulstercarpets.com/residential/ranges/monaco_chrome/

Do you have underlay?

@ariela yes we do. Doesn't help with the spikes though as underlay does not cover gripper.

There is something very wrong with the laying of the carpet for that to be happening. Even a reputable company will sometimes employ a tradesman who is not up to the job or, if not an employee, it could be contracted out and again the skill levels may vary. It happens sometimes with kitchen or bathroom fitters too.

I had stairs and landing as well as two bedrooms carpeted seven years ago. It's okay quality but not particularly expensive carpet and it was fitted by contractors, not shop employees but they were good at what they do and I've never had any sight or sign of a protruding gripper. It should not be happening and the shop knows this.

I think I'd try to get a second opinion before that carpet is stuck down; could you contact the manufacturer for advice?

@Knittedfairies good idea, I'll try ringing the manufacturer tomorrow

Any update OP?

@Knittedfairies hi there. Ulster carpets not much help. They said stick it with glue if you want too. No suggestions otherwise. Carpet shop said original fitter doesnt want to touch it (good), so lining up someone experienced in this fit. Would have been this week, but have other work in house i wish was never booked in! Feeling nervous of kids feet until then. They may be able to use blind gripper in places. We also have some water marks on ceiling i need to investigate before it gets glued. My house is falling to bits in lockdown!

With stair carpets the gripper is at the back of the tread and on the bottom of the riser i.e. in the 'corner' where the step meet.

The pins of the gripper are angled and the one on the tread points inwards towards the riser and the one on the riser points downwards towards the tread. The carpet is then 'pinched' in between. (I hope this makes sense)

So I don't understand how even if they poke through the carpet one could injure yourself. Unless they have put the gripper at the sides which would be wrong.

I'm not sure that gluing is the solution...

I used to work for a carpet retailer. The gripper and carpet have not been fitted properly if it's coming through. The spikes are angled and I'm wondering if it's been put down the wrong way round, so not gripping the carpet properly and just poking through. The carpet will be thick enough, they are all made to be fitted with grippers. Don't have it stuck down, it will be a nightmare if you need to change it/take it up.

The gripper looks to be facing in and down. Can anyone tell anything from these pics? Other than my carpet looks thin! Lesson there.
Thanks all.

Looks like the gripper is on correctly. Having a loop like rather than the usual cut pile is probably making a difference. TBH I'd go for the normal cut style rather than a loop anyway, as the loops can get caught and pulled easily.
I think the gripper should be replaced with a shorter one though, that would make a difference.

If you are happy to escalate then you may want to call the company from whom you purchased the carpet and fitting and say it's not of 'satisfactory quality' and they can either refund or send a manager round to assess the whole fitting (not just the stairs in case there are problems elsewhere that are best addressed before time passes) and then rectify or you will pay for an independent assessment from their competitor and take them to court for the entire costs. If they try and argue they sub-contract the fitting then tell them that is irrelevant.

Good luck.

It's a very thin carpet you chose with no pile so the spikes would just come through but they should have advised you on all of that as part of their sales and your decision making.

When I had my carpets fitted the fitters were annoyed that the shop had sold me the thicker underlay as that in itself caused problems with the doors opening so they needed to be shaved. It cost more and tbh a thicker underlay wasnt needed at all.

My OH has this in his new build but assumed it was just the builder using cheap jack carpet and fitters as the floor coverings were included in the purchase price. I had my carpets fitted by a carpet fitter and don't have any spiky bits!

That carpet does not look thin to me @CottonSock 🤷🏻‍♀️