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Original poster

Thieving B*stards... help me work out how to deal with this PLEEAASE...

35 replies

SparkyFartDust · 13/04/2009 20:46

I am having my kitchen (from B&Q) done. The guys who are undertaking the work, can only be described as cowboys.

The whole thing has been a farce.

I could catalogue the failures and general shitness but won't bore you.

However, what has really pissed me off is that they have nicked our surplus solid wood worktop...about £500 pounds worth that we bought to make shelves/ storage with.

They simply put in on their van and took it with them.

I have tried contacting them since this happened and the boss says it was put on van in error but that they can't find it now.

The builders are meant to be coming here in the morning to repair some of their work.

WHAT DO I DO??? What do I say???

OP posts:

CarGirl · 13/04/2009 20:47

Have you paid for all the work already?

Lizzylou · 13/04/2009 20:47

Tell them that they either find the wood or you deduct the money from the bill or call in the police as it is theft.

RubyBlueberry · 13/04/2009 20:47

Don't make them tea. Don't be nice.
Get the boss in the kitchen and demand the worktop reappears before end of week or you will bill them for it?

MuffinBaker · 13/04/2009 20:47

let them in
then lock the door
and phone their boss saying you will let them go when the wood is returned

LuluisgoingtobeanAunty · 13/04/2009 20:48

if they can;t find it now, they need to find you a new piece or a £500 refund. have you spoken to head office of B&Q? i woudl involve the police too

LadyOfWaffle · 13/04/2009 20:49

Are they B & Q fitters?

fruitshootsnweaveseasterbasket · 13/04/2009 20:49

Have you paid them anything yet?

take off the amount that the worktop was worth when you pay.

Original poster

SparkyFartDust · 13/04/2009 20:50

paid up front and not on credit card.

You are right, can't be nice, this I will find hard as am usually a complete kitten.

OP posts:

LuluisgoingtobeanAunty · 13/04/2009 20:50

if you have an admission they picked it up, then surely that helps.. it is not your fault they have now lost it/flogged it

Original poster

SparkyFartDust · 13/04/2009 20:51

Yep, the fact they said they had had it will help I think.

They are workmen sub contracted from B&Q.

OP posts:

LastOrders · 13/04/2009 20:54

Thieving sods. Its your property at the end of the day and them taking it without consent is theft. I'd be livid

for you!

HolyGuacamole · 13/04/2009 21:02

I'd ask them once to give you it back then make a complaint to B&Q and call the police, tell both B&Q and the fitters this is the action you will be taking.

In cases like that I don't know how B&Q would act in terms of reimbursing you, but they would certainly not be putting future work in the direction of those cowboys. (I previously had a carpet fitter sub contracted by a carpet shop make an arse of laying a carpet in my house, the carpet shop completely renewed the entire carpet and took the fitter off their books, the carpet shop manager was FURIOUS with the fitter as it damaged his shops reputation and the new carpet cost his shop a fortune).

I'd guess that threatening them with the Police will move either the workmen or B&Q into remedying the problem. Either way, I'd be making very strong complaints!

Take no crap from these people! They weren't so phased when they were making off with £500 of your kitchen worktop and doing a hash job on your kitchen!! Cheeky gits!!! Also, have someone with you when they come around (witness).

Good luck!!

Boys2mam · 13/04/2009 21:02

I'd be on the phone with B & Q first thing in the morn....

if you have the receipts for what you bought against the work done they can tally this with the amount of worktop used and it should add up -

tbh the builders won't give a f**k - you need to take it up with the company. They lost it, they should reimburse you. If they don't take you seriously (using your most firm kitten voice!!) then contact B&Q. Escalate it as far as you need to. You'll get something back.

lalalonglegs · 13/04/2009 21:04

What is the exact relationship between B&Q and the fitters? A lot of the kitchen fitters are kept at arm's length by the kitchen companies to stop any repercussions when customers are (all too often) let down by them.

I wouldn't bother speaking to the builders, just deal with the boss. Ask for a meeting with him at the end of the day, ie after they have made good the work, and I would be very, very clear about what you want: the timber or £500. As far as you - and the law - are concerned, his workforce have committed theft and the police will be involved if it is not returned/you are not compensated. I would make sure that I had someone with me at the meeting who can corroborate that he admits the timber was taken - having someone with you will probably help you tough it out as well.

God, builders, grrrr.

Boys2mam · 13/04/2009 21:04

That should say the builders who turn up in the morning (if they turn up) won't give a f**k

HolyGuacamole · 13/04/2009 21:06

Boystomam, GREAT point about the receipt and using it to prove you would have had 'x' amount of worktop left over specifically for your shelves!

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 13/04/2009 21:07

As b&Q have subcontracted the work out then they are responsible for them. Ring b&q and insist that b&q repalce the worktop or you will be contacting police and local press.

Boys2mam · 13/04/2009 21:10

I thank you Holy

Just keep ALL paperwork!!!

Original poster

SparkyFartDust · 13/04/2009 21:12

Thank you, thank you all. This advice is making me feel incredibly empowered!

They have been complete amateurs:

chipped the cupboards by slipping on them! (not yet repaired or changed)

the electrics they have installed have all fused.

bashed a massive hole in wall and not yet made good

nicked work top.

My plan of action is:

tackle work top with workmen as soon as they are here. Call B&Q HQ on the spot and threaten to both workmen & B&Q HQ to call police next. Will not hang up on B&Q until they come up with solution as to how I will be reimbursed.

have written bullet points as to work that need to be put right and go through it with workmen (and then B&Q HQ on phone).

ask for B&Q to arrange independant surveyor to come and check work on completion as am not confident in workmens abilities to leave work as should be.

-not make tea and generaly hang about the place with arms folded until they have gone

go and quiver in my bedroom when gone.

OP posts:

LastOrders · 13/04/2009 21:27

And bring wine'o'clock forward to builders departure (important)

Original poster

SparkyFartDust · 13/04/2009 21:51

LastOrders...good point well made!

OP posts:

Flibbertyjibbet · 13/04/2009 22:07

Dp used to fit kitchens for B&Q. He does not work for them anymore as he is not a cowboy and gets plenty of work as an independant with fab reputation.

I just asked him. he said (well first of all he said oh you are not on mumsnet again are you? ).

Anyway according to dp - in the fitters contract with b&q it will say that they must remove all waste materials from site. Something like the worktop, if the extra for shelving is mentioned in the design spec, might be in the fitters instructions as 'special instructions' in which case you should get onto b&q and say 'oi they have nicked the extra that was on the plans for shelves'.

OR if it wasn't in the plans for shelves and you just ordered extra, then they are just being sneaky, stretching the boundary of 'removing waste' iyswim.

Dp says in this instance, show the receipts etc giving the length of worktop ordered and paid for, and compare that with the length of worktop shown in the kitchen plan. Tell them that a £500 piece of worktop is very obviously NOT waste from the fitting process, that they have admitted taking it, and that you need to be compensated.

Unfortunately as you've paid up front, you don't really have any leverage there.

You MAY have leverage though on them doing the electrics. The last couple of years only qualified electricians can do electrical work for payment. The work either needs to be done by a qualified electrician who will give you a certificate, or the work can be done by a 'competent person' and then certified (I think the regulation is Part P certifiction) by a qualified electrician.

If they are complete cowboys it might be likely that they are not qualified electricians. So when they come, ask for the certification for the electrics, if they don't supply one or give you excuses, then use that as your leverage to b&q, that they are supplying non-qualified persons to do electrical work in a paying customers house.

Hth.

Flibbertyjibbet · 13/04/2009 22:10

And NEVER EVER EVER pay up front for building/fitting work. DP never takes any payment up front, he is always paid in full by happy customers at the end of a job. Thats how the decent builders work.

On those watchdog programmes they always tell you to NOT pay in advance! This is why!

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 13/04/2009 22:13

I think b&q will only let you pay in advance. I had a friend who had problems with a bathrrom b&q installed and I remember thinking I'd never use them for any installation work.

Flibbertyjibbet · 13/04/2009 22:17

Oh my mistake, dp says the b&q customers pay up front for it all but he never got paid from b&q till the customer was happy.

So OP get on the phone to b&q in the morning and be very UNhappy then hopefully the cowboys won't be paid!

DP gets most of his work from people who will never use b&q fitters again... he only took their subcontract work when he first started out on his own after redundancy.

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