Elderly parents ripped off and I don't know how to help!

[marmite14]

Posting on AIBU for traffic as absolutely at my wits end with Safestyle windows and my parents who are in their late 70's are so stressed with their current situation. I'm really looking for advice or WWYD.

My parents had 12 windows installed which are terrible quality, there is an issue with every window from broken handles, pealing plastics, chips and scuffs.

The windows were installed four months ago, but there are gaps around some of them, there are huge chunks of plaster missing inside and out and blue foam filling exposed round all of the windows.

After the most stressful FOUR months of trying to contact Safestyle (not one of my parent's phone calls were answered despite being on hold for over an hour each time), Safestyle have agreed that the windows are not acceptable.

They have offered my parents their money back so can go elsewhere.
This would be fine if the price of windows hadn't gone up so much since they bought them in February. Other window companies are now quoting thousands more, which my parents cannot afford, and they obviously cannot get their old windows back as they have been destroyed.

I cannot believe how badly they have been treated. They have no choice but to accept these faulty windows, which they have paid thousands for and are not representative of the sales sample they were shown. I have contacted trading standards, but does anyone have any advice?

On Safestyle's website it says they are registered with FENSA and should have issued a FENSA certification. I would contact FENSA and see what they advise.

www.fensa.org.uk/

'You can only get a FENSA certificate with a FENSA Approved Installer.
It’s proof your installation:
Complies with Building Regulations
Is registered with the local council
Is backed by guarantee insurance'

Rip off Britain help exactly this Contact rip off Britian

I believe that companies like Safestyle have a business model which costs in, and relies on, a percentage of customers not realising they've been sold a crock, a percentage who realise it's a shoddy but don't want the inevitable aggro involved in pursuing a complaint and a further percentage who will accept the offer of a refund.

It probably costs them more to rectify a piss-poor job than arranging to uplift a pile of removed windows.

Plus the purchaser who arranges for the removal of the windows is expected to take reasonable care not to cause undue damage to the windows, which is a ball-ache in itself. The customer makes themself liable. I guess you you could ask the original supplier to provide packaging materials at their expense and cover the cost for preparing the windows for return.

I would insist they return and make good in the first place (which I believe is the appropriate course of action) and advise them you will have the completed works checked by an independent surveyor. And will take further action if necessary.

@marmite14 we had something similar with a faulty composite door. We took the Company X to the small claims court to get our money back. Company X counter-sued and we ended up in front of a judge. Company X would only give us our money back if we returned the faulty door. So we weren't left without a front door, the Judge directed that on a day of our choosing, Company X would attend at a specified time to remove the door and we would have a replacement door fitted by Company Y. As it was a court order it had to be followed so there were no issues with us getting our money back and it was up to the fitters of Company X to remove the door without causing any damage to it.

Please contact Citizens Advice

Yeah this! @marmite14 Your parents deserve a better/good/decent set of windows. I am not even sure how it would work, ripping the old ones out and leaving the house glassless! Disgusting treatment! Hope it works out for your parents, but yeah, as has been said, Safestyle need to put this right.

I would take the money back. If Safestyle are not going to take the current windows until the new ones are fitted, they will have to wait until your parents can find someone to do it at a price they can afford.

Yes. But what was the original cost? It could have been peanuts for all we know.

However much it was, it was what they could afford to pay. They can't afford an additional £5K.

Seek legal advice using your own or your parents house insurance

do not take any money back until a legal eagle has had sight of the contract - the cheapest way to do this is by forwarding it to a consumer champion at a national newspaper

for example Tony etherington at the daily Mail, the times and the guardian also have similar people

im sure they’d love to fight this case for your parents!

Sorry meant to add. I wouldn’t trust Safestyle to put things right. They should but I wouldn’t trust them.

Get the money back and go to a local place. They will 100% be able to beat Safestyle prices - Safestyle are not only shit but they are massively overpriced as well. Is the other company Everest or similar?

This was years ago now, but SS quoted us about £15k for all windows and French doors - eventually we got them done for about £4k by a local company.

If new windows are going to cost more, then they are entitled to their money and make a claim from old window company for the balance.

They wouldn't be in this position if the windows were good for use and fitted properly. Why should your parents be even more out of pocket.
I would speak to the window company, explain that newer windows will cost more and you are looking to them to fund the difference. If they come back with a "not happening" tell them you will be taking legal advise and they should advise their insurers of the upcoming dispute x

You know what they say buy cheap buy twice. We used to get phone calls constantly from safestyle. I didn't think they were still around.

Go to citizens advice bureau and enlist their help. They simply cannot refund the money and take the windows back. Don't suppose they happen to have legal cover on their house insurance, that would be helpful here.

There must be a way of using the other quotes to put in a compensation claim for the difference?

I second going the FENSA route. www.fensa.org.uk/Complaints

You need proper legal advice here OP.

my basic understanding is that they should put you back into the position you were before, but clearly they will have disposed of the old windows.

Follow advice already given here, see if they have legal cover on their insurance or speak to the CAB.
If you can give a rough area others might be able to give recommendations for new quotes?

If they paid by CC as them to contact their bank and raise a section 75 claim. They will cover the cost. Let them know your parents are vulnerable too.

This

Either the company make good to your pasrents satisfaction or they remove and refund them the cost PLUS the cost of replacement. Even if that is more. They are in aposition where legally they will have to provide a product that works or replace the site to the original consition. They cant just walk away. Id send a solicitors letter first and be really focussed on getting resolution that way.

Generally once building materials have been fitted to the customer's property they belong to the customer.

https://www.mycreditcontrollers.co.uk/Articles/customer-owes-me-money-can-I-recover-goods.html

(One of a number of articles on the subject)

I would accept the refund, but get a solicitor to write a letter saying that insert legal legal reasons they will accept the refund for shoddy work but retain ownership of the windows and maintain the right to pass on the cost of repair to Safestyle.

Then if they refused to pay for repair, take them to the small claims court.

A family member used to work for them- the things he's said about their methods would make your hair curl!

The other thing is, as much as I usually hate local newspaper sad face articles, huge company leaving pensioners in the cold over winter would make front page headlines.
I imagine that would sort it pretty quickly.

Check if your parents have legal expenses insurance as an extra on their household insurance policy

It would cover the cost of legal advice e and perhaps court action

Report to Glass & Glazing federation. Not sure if Safestyle is a member of the group but it’s worth a shot

We had windows fitted by Safestyle in 2019, & we received Fensa paperwork.