Here's an insight into getting a Wren kitchen...
Where to start?
Prior to our kitchen installation (March 17th) we were told that we had to have our old kitchen ripped out ready for the delivery of the new one. We booked time off work to make sure this was done to then be told on the arrival of the kitchen fitter that he was scheduled in to do it for us. On ripping the old kitchen out a lot of plaster came off the walls along with the units, we rang Wren to try and postpone the installation date so that we could get a plasterer in first. I was told that to do this there would be a fee of £150. I decided against changing the date to save extra expense as the plasterer told us he could work around the kitchen once installed. It turned out that the fee of £150 applied to a change in delivery date, not installation date therefore the job could have been easier but I had been misinformed.
The kitchen fitter and electrician arrived on the 17th of March as scheduled but informed me that they couldn't complete the installation until the room had been plastered and the floor tiled therefore half of my kitchen was installed, most of it faulty or damaged by the kitchen fitter himself and in need of replacing anyway, for a good few months. No cooker, no washing machine and no working sink or dishwasher.
On top of this, there has been a problem with the electrician that we understood to be subcontracted by Wren. When designing the kitchen it was implied that any costs from the electrician would be minor and that he could get us items such as light bulbs at a cheaper cost yet upon arrival he gave us an invoice for £1,100. An amount that we have had looked at by numerous electricians that have said they would of quoted us less than half that cost. He has also invoiced us for work already paid for in our contract with Wren.
Another problem, quite a big one, is that the kitchen fitter cut our gas pipe for the cooker and left it uncapped. On the first day of the fitting he pointed out to me that the pipe leading to the cooker was far too long and that I needed to get a gas man in to cut it and cap it as he was not registered gas safe and therefore unable to do it himself. I said I would sort this and arranged for a gas man to come in the next morning, however, when I had left for work that day he went ahead and cut the pipe himself leaving it uncapped and dangerous as well as his actions being illegal. The gas man who came the next morning was fuming that it had been left that way as any passing gas could of been harmful to us. We also had an invoice of £60 to pay for this work, an amount which we shouldn't of had to pay as Wren should of sent somebody who is registered to do the work themselves in the first place.
I had to take time off work due to the kitchen fitter arriving 3 hours late on March 18th, this on top of the days I took off work to rip the kitchen out. Apparently he had a flat tyre but I had spoke to the account manager that morning who said that the fitter had been in touch with him and had said he was already at my house, obviously he was not. I also had to take another 2 days off work, June 9th and 10th (note that this is 4 months down the line), as I was told the kitchen fitter was returning to complete the kitchen on these dates. He never showed up and we were not informed that Wren had already organised for an alternative kitchen fitter to complete the work outstanding at a later date. Even upon sending an email to the account manager the morning of the 9th I was reassured that the work was due to be completed that day.
It is now 6 months later and my kitchen is still not complete. Upon voicing our concerns regarding the electrician to Wren, they now take no responsibility for him and claim he is not subcontracted by them. If this is the case then we do not understand why he would turn up at our door in the first place as we certainly did not get in touch with him. On top of this the work he has done is of a poor standard and has had to be rectified, it is still unfinished and his whole attitude is unacceptable. He is now threatening action in the form of debt collection or court action if we do not pay the most recent invoice of £970 (he has reduced the amount by £40 as a good will gesture).
The fact that installation is still ongoing 6 months after the start date for what was meant to take a week is appalling as well as myself and my partner having to cope without a cooker, washing machine and sink/dishwasher for over 4 months. This has all added extra expense to myself and my partner. Wren may argue that the process was slowed down due to the need for plastering and the tiling of the floor, however this could have been avoided had they not misinformed me in the first place and communicated with other members of the team.
I would never recommend Wren to anyone, upon visiting their Facebook site and reading the above posts I can see that this kind of customer service is common, I just wish I had known beforehand. Customer service has been appalling, there has been a lack of knowledge about the product and company policies and a complete disregard for the stress and inconvenience they have caused.
It now looks like we might be heading towards taking legal action as well as the electrician taking action against us, has anyone experienced it as far as this?