What are my rights in relation to cancelling a carpet order?

[MyCatPrefersPeaches]

Can anyone give me a steer on what our rights are here? We ordered some flooring almost 3 weeks ago and the company simply will not communicate with us.

We selected the flooring in store and they then measured up. We emailed acceptance of the quote after they measured and asked for a rough timescale for installation. No reply. They don’t generally answer emails, don’t read WhatsApps (despite there being a link from their Facebook page) and don’t answer the phone. They eventually emailed after DH left a voicemail, to apologise for the delay, and said they would ring me. I’ve now had three emails apologising and saying they’ll ring me but they don’t.

As they won’t communicate with us, we have no idea what is going on - we just want a timescale for fitting now we know they’ve received the money. I can’t physically get to the store until the weekend and it’s a concession within a larger store so no guarantee of speaking to them. Would we be within our rights to cancel and go elsewhere?

We don’t have a written contract - we had a written quote and emailed acceptance of this but there is no small print about cancellation and cooling off. I’m concerned about whether we’re actually going to get the flooring - and we originally wanted to return to them for more of the same once another area of the house is decorated but I’ve lost confidence now. But I’m assuming it wouldn’t count as distance selling so the standard 14 day cooling off period wouldn’t apply. We paid by credit card.

Has anyone unpicked a similar situation?

Have you paid?

The Consumer Rights Act says that goods must be delivered without delay and within 30 days from purchase unless you and the seller agree otherwise. Write to or email them giving a reasonable deadline for delivery. State that if the order is not delivered by that date you will cancel and seek a full refund.

We’ve paid a 50% deposit with the balance due on completion. On a credit card.

Thank you - that’s a good suggestion. I am minded to email and say if we can’t agree a delivery date by the end of this week or be given a timescale for when they are likely to be able to fit the flooring, we will be cancelling and seeking a full refund. We are in total chaos following a loft conversion and need to be able to sort the house out and get stuff back from storage - a delay would be fine, it’s the refusal to communicate or explain what’s going on that is getting to me.

Edited as it posted twice for some reason. Really, I just want to go elsewhere as I have no confidence now, but I’m not sure whether or how we would get any money back if we did and whether we could do a chargeback through the credit card company as I don’t think we could reasonably say they’ve failed to supply the goods yet.

I believe most (all?) CCs won't start a chargeback until 30 days have passed. They will also require proof that you have tried to resolve the matter with the company first.

I would contact the company in writing and quote the Consumer Rights Act to them. Reiterate that you have at no point (and will not) agree to an extension (assuming you haven't already). Request your refund in full. If they don't respond, or their response is unsatisfactory, start the charge back with your card company and include copies of your email as proof.