Wren kitchens | Mumsnet

tigerpants800 · 2021-11-02T19:13:38+00:00

We are having an unbelievably bad experience with Wren kitchens. Is it bad luck, has anyone used them and had a good service? Or have we chosen badly.

Callmejudith · 02/11/2021 19:25

We’ve just had an install done with wren and have been super impressed. Worktop is still to come. What’s gone wrong?

yorkshireteaparty · 02/11/2021 19:27

Oh no sorry to hear that. We had a good experience with Wren. There were some issues like one of the cabinet doors had a chip in it and one was the wrong size but they send replacements really quickly. I've been very happy with wren and my finished kitchen

eatthepineapple · 02/11/2021 19:30

Following as we just had a quote from them so interested to hear experiences... sorry to hear it's not going well OP. What's gone wrong?

knittingaddict · 02/11/2021 19:35

My daughter had a bad experience. I thought that they had a bad reputation for years now.

crispsarny · 02/11/2021 19:37

We have a Wren kitchen, never again, absolute nightmare, we have handleless gloss, quality control was awful, every door that turned up was damaged, took over 6 months before kitchen was finally complete. The fitters were also awful, kicking off with the other tradesmen we had here.

knittingaddict · 02/11/2021 19:37

It's very weird. I've heard nothing but negatives about them for years and my daughter's experience confirmed that, yet their reviews on Trustpilot and others are largely glowing. No idea what is going on there.

Happyorchidlady · 02/11/2021 19:39

Absolute nightmare. Had almost every door replaced since the fitting started in January. Terrible quality.

Original poster

tigerpants800 · 02/11/2021 19:41

First issue was they made initial design plans to incorrect measurements (I provided architectural plans). So first fix (it's a new extension) went in and precious cupboard space has been wasted by electrics.
The designer never got back. Was off, then sick, then annual leave- all okay but who was dealing with us? Apparently no one.
They didn't make further requested changes. Passed from one designer to another - no one did what we asked. Continuous Phone-calls and emails not answered. Manager never called back.
Plans not finished, meanwhile installation team pressuring for final payment. Unbelievably stressful to sort out, call after call after call.

Installation date moved by 2 months. Taking weeks to reimburse accidentally taking extra £1700 from card.

And to top it off, the installers haven't turned up. No call, no text. No answer to my calls. Just an unexplained no show. Oh- and again, showroom manager said he'd call back and hasn't.

There is no official head office it seems- and the staff all react as if things going wrong is the norm for them. I'd stay clear if you're considering going with them.

OP posts:

knittingaddict · 02/11/2021 19:41

Actually reading the reviews they either get a 5 star review or a 1 star with hardly anything inbetween. I think that when they are bad they are terrible and it's the luck of the draw.

ExcessivelyDisorganised · 02/11/2021 19:42

We've been happy with ours, fitted this summer by our own tradespeople. One incorrect item replaced the next day, no damaged items, the design process was very good.

Original poster

tigerpants800 · 02/11/2021 19:44

Well, I hope we get a happy ending

OP posts:

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 02/11/2021 19:45

My Wren kitchen is 4 years old and still looks brand new. They come with a 20 year guarantee.

Happyorchidlady · 02/11/2021 19:48

I suggest checking out the ‘Wren kitchen disasters’ Facebook page. They have all the details for head office and CEOs on it for getting things resolved.

Daughterpanic · 02/11/2021 20:25

Isn't Wren the old mfi?

Callmejudith · 02/11/2021 20:37

I think it’s very dependent on who is looking after you. We made endless changes to our design and they were very patient. Final sign off appointment took a couple of hours and both sides went over everything with a fine toothed comb.

I did hear from our worktop template guy that it’s quite hit and miss with installers and I definitely think we got lucky there

userxx · 02/11/2021 20:41

@Daughterpanic

Isn't Wren the old mfi?

Don't think so.

Original poster

tigerpants800 · 02/11/2021 21:29

@Happyorchidlady

I suggest checking out the ‘Wren kitchen disasters’ Facebook page. They have all the details for head office and CEOs on it for getting things resolved.

Not on FB- also not sure I want to see it!

OP posts:

Original poster

tigerpants800 · 02/11/2021 21:30

@Callmejudith

I think it’s very dependent on who is looking after you. We made endless changes to our design and they were very patient. Final sign off appointment took a couple of hours and both sides went over everything with a fine toothed comb.

I did hear from our worktop template guy that it’s quite hit and miss with installers and I definitely think we got lucky there

Yes, I think that might be the case. But surely a business can't go on like that?

OP posts:

Callmejudith · 03/11/2021 09:04

@tigerpants800 did they not send out someone to do a final measure before you signed off on the order? We had ours designed to the architect spec but then they came out and did a proper measure once the walls were up and we had to make a few changes.

JustFrustrated · 03/11/2021 09:08

They do have a head office.

It's Barton upon Humber, the nest, Falkland way

01652 248480

Do you not have an Installation Coordinator? They're who you should deal with now, the showroom are done as far as they're concerned.

You should have an installation coordinator, and then the fitters have a FIM who is their manager.

But, historically Wren are awful, both to work for and buy from.

Original poster

tigerpants800 · 03/11/2021 09:40

[quote Callmejudith]@tigerpants800 did they not send out someone to do a final measure before you signed off on the order? We had ours designed to the architect spec but then they came out and did a proper measure once the walls were up and we had to make a few changes.[/quote]
Good question. I asked for plans for first fix and she sent them. An installer came to check. In retrospect she shouldn't have released the plans as their surveyor hadn't come. I think she'd forgotten to book a surveyor. Perhaps mixed up surveyor with installer?

We changed a few things (were told that was fine time wise)- then they sent a surveyor. By this point electrical first fix was in (thinking we had plenty space) but turned out the measurements had been read wrong from architects plans.

I think I got a newbie and it cocked everything up- was all done in wrong order. She should have been better supervised/guided.

OP posts:

Original poster

tigerpants800 · 03/11/2021 09:41

@JustFrustrated

They do have a head office.

It's Barton upon Humber, the nest, Falkland way

01652 248480

Do you not have an Installation Coordinator? They're who you should deal with now, the showroom are done as far as they're concerned.

You should have an installation coordinator, and then the fitters have a FIM who is their manager.

But, historically Wren are awful, both to work for and buy from.

Thankyou - very useful

OP posts:

BlueMongoose · 03/11/2021 20:46

If the electricians read the plans wrong, they they need to be told to come right back and redo first fix. If Wren got them wrong, they they need to pay the electricians to come back and redo first fix.

SpookyPumpkinPants · 03/11/2021 20:48

@knittingaddict

My daughter had a bad experience. I thought that they had a bad reputation for years now.

They have.

Generally there were always active threads about just how shit they are. There's been a bit of a lull, I assume due to Covid.

Toddlerteaplease · 03/11/2021 21:24

Had my kitchen fitted last month. Very impressed with the service from Wren. I had an independent fitter. The only issue I had was they said I would provide the legs for the breakfast bar. My fitter got some from Wicks.