Discussion
We bought one 2 years ago and it was pretty good, then we moved house and so need a new one.
Ordered another the same from B & Q and it was delivered on an open back truck in the rain and when I got home to my horror I noticed they now have cheap crappy chipboard roof and floor, needless to say since standing in the rain all day after a good soaking on their lorry before we even got it ...the panels are about as straight as an archers bow. It wasn't their cheapest shed either at £300.
Am I doing the right thing by sending it back for refund, or is this only to be expected from a DIY store?
Ordered another the same from B & Q and it was delivered on an open back truck in the rain and when I got home to my horror I noticed they now have cheap crappy chipboard roof and floor, needless to say since standing in the rain all day after a good soaking on their lorry before we even got it ...the panels are about as straight as an archers bow. It wasn't their cheapest shed either at £300.
Am I doing the right thing by sending it back for refund, or is this only to be expected from a DIY store?
I got my last shed from here:
<a href="http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds">www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds</a>
actually I have the workshop on the homepage in 12'x10' ..quality is ok for the price
(its standard tongue and groove pine)
>> Edited by M@H on Thursday 14th April 16:13
<a href="http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds">www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds</a>
actually I have the workshop on the homepage in 12'x10' ..quality is ok for the price
(its standard tongue and groove pine) >> Edited by M@H on Thursday 14th April 16:13
M@H said:
I got my last shed from here:
<a href="http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds">www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds</a>
actually I have the workshop on the homepage.. quality is ok for the price
>> Edited by M@H on Thursday 14th April 16:12
WTF
That's the same shed, same supplier (Walton) who supply B&Q with direct home delivery ....but it's £100 more through B&Q!
Just ordered the replacement from Eagle Sheds in Kent, price £490 but includes delivery and they even erect it and it has a 12 month warranty and is entirely made of shiplap T & G, pressure teated floor and treated panels, proper gals windows too ...quality stuff!
KentishS2 said:
I got my last shed from here:
<a href="http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds"><a href="http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds">www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Garden-Sheds</a></a>
actually I have the workshop on the homepage.. quality is ok for the price
>> Edited by M@H on Thursday 14th April 16:12
WTF
That's the same shed, same supplier (Walton) who supply B&Q with direct home delivery ....but it's £100 more through B&Q!
And you are suprised... ?? B&Q don't do it for charity..
Bloody B&Q!
We rejected the shed on the grounds of very poor quality (chipboard roof and floor) and the fact that the driver (from Walton Garden Buildings) delivered it on an open backed truck in the rain and left it standing against a wall in the rain and after a day it was the shape of a letter "C".
Now B&Q won't give a refund until the shed is back with them but they won't get their supplier to collect it.
"Whenever" - is probably fine with them as they still have our money.
Can I start charging them interest until our money is returned?
We rejected the shed on the grounds of very poor quality (chipboard roof and floor) and the fact that the driver (from Walton Garden Buildings) delivered it on an open backed truck in the rain and left it standing against a wall in the rain and after a day it was the shape of a letter "C".
Now B&Q won't give a refund until the shed is back with them but they won't get their supplier to collect it.
"Whenever" - is probably fine with them as they still have our money.
Can I start charging them interest until our money is returned?
If you paid by credit or debit card get them involved.
If cash, go into a store and wait until your complaint is heard. Work your way around to asking for the Area Manager's name and contact details as you're unhappy with the way this is bing dealt with.
One of the criteria that Head Office use to monitor/assess store perfomance is the number of complaints they receive. I work with someone who used to work for B&Q and a mate is a store manager.
The store will pretty much do all they can to avoid a complaint going to HO.
If cash, go into a store and wait until your complaint is heard. Work your way around to asking for the Area Manager's name and contact details as you're unhappy with the way this is bing dealt with.
One of the criteria that Head Office use to monitor/assess store perfomance is the number of complaints they receive. I work with someone who used to work for B&Q and a mate is a store manager.
The store will pretty much do all they can to avoid a complaint going to HO.
Kentish said:
Bloody B&Q!
We rejected the shed on the grounds of very poor quality (chipboard roof and floor) and the fact that the driver (from Walton Garden Buildings) delivered it on an open backed truck in the rain and left it standing against a wall in the rain and after a day it was the shape of a letter "C".
Now B&Q won't give a refund until the shed is back with them but they won't get their supplier to collect it.
"Whenever" - is probably fine with them as they still have our money.
Can I start charging them interest until our money is returned?
Oh dear... I don't want to worry you but I've only just recently settled a refund problem with B&Q... nearly a year after the item went wrong and about 9 months after they took it back from me. The only thing I found that worked?... contacting their MD. I heard nothing from him of course - but "coincidentally" my case came to the top of the finance departments pile... funny that.
Anyway, it required 2 lots of cc-ing the MD but I've got me money back none the less.
ETA: This thread is where I asked for advice...
>> Edited by chim_knee on Monday 25th April 12:30
Thanks chaps.
B&Q are kinda helpful to a point but end up not wanting to get involved and pass on their suppliers number for me to phone them direct.
It's not good enough really as my contract is with B&Q not their supplier and B&Q are telling me I can't have a refund until the shed is returned, which is whenever their supplier can be bothered to collect it. We've already been waiting 2 weeks and they haven't even scheduled it for collection.
I'm considering waiting until the end of the week and then banging off a letter to the solicitor to take B&Q to court to retrieve my money and legal expenses.
B&Q are kinda helpful to a point but end up not wanting to get involved and pass on their suppliers number for me to phone them direct.
It's not good enough really as my contract is with B&Q not their supplier and B&Q are telling me I can't have a refund until the shed is returned, which is whenever their supplier can be bothered to collect it. We've already been waiting 2 weeks and they haven't even scheduled it for collection.
I'm considering waiting until the end of the week and then banging off a letter to the solicitor to take B&Q to court to retrieve my money and legal expenses.
Kentish said:
Thanks chaps.
B&Q are kinda helpful to a point but end up not wanting to get involved and pass on their suppliers number for me to phone them direct.
It's not good enough really as my contract is with B&Q not their supplier and B&Q are telling me I can't have a refund until the shed is returned, which is whenever their supplier can be bothered to collect it. We've already been waiting 2 weeks and they haven't even scheduled it for collection.
I'm considering waiting until the end of the week and then banging off a letter to the solicitor to take B&Q to court to retrieve my money and legal expenses.
I think I would be tempted to just borrow/hire a van for a few hours and take the shed back and get your refund, in the long run it will probably be much less of a headache for you.
Got any other oddjobs that a van would be useful for? It won't be so painful if you get some other stuff done while you are at it
added:
Or maybe take it back in the boot of your car...in conveniently sized pieces
>> Edited by hedders on Monday 25th April 16:48
>> Edited by hedders on Monday 25th April 17:16
I sent this to B&Q and cc'd Trading Standards and BBC Watchdog. I'm getting fed up with them now, B&Q just wanted to get rid of me when I called and Waltons just can't be bothered to commit to anything other than they'll pick it up oneday. Yes, that's fine pick it up whenever you've managed to pull your finger out of whichever orifice but I want my hard earned folding back!
So far we have paid £850 for a 8'x6' pent shed (includes the cost of a decent shed) and I want our £300 back from B&Q!
Dear Sir or Madam,
We purchased a 8'x6' pent shed from you a couple of years ago and were pleased with it and therefore since moving house toward the end of last year and whilst generally landscaping the entire garden, we decided to order the same shed again.
When the shed arrived it was delivered on an open backed lorry in the rain and was left by the delivery driver leaning against our house wall in the rain. By the time we returned home from work the floor and roof panels were badly warped. Had these panels been made of decent materials and not chipboard they would have survived for more than a few hours in the rain.
The shed we had previously purchased from you had floor and roof panels made from proper treated timber, since the price was the same we (perhaps foolishly) assumed the shed was of the same quality and construction but we were sadly very disillusioned from the first time we set eyes on it. Incidentally, your website and catalogue still show the same shed that we previously purchased with the tongue and groove style proper treated timber roof and floor (trade descriptions act?).
We informed you on the 14th of April 2005 that we were rejecting the shed due to poor quality of materials and there was no argument with this from B&Q and we were informed that we can have a full refund after it has been returned and that the supplier (Walton Garden Buildings) would contact us within 72 hours to arrange collection. We didn't hear anything and have since made several more calls to B&Q and subsequently to Waltons. I'd like to point out here that we have been directed back to Waltons more than once by B&Q and since our payment was made to B&Q, this constitutes a contract with B&Q and not with Walton Garden Buildings and therefore it is your responsibility to conclude the collection and the refund. We have also informed you that the shed is now in the way for other ground works to commence and is at risk of getting damaged.
Waltons have today (11 days after first contact) said that they have not scheduled it for collection yet and couldn't confirm when they will be but that they would contact us approximately 24-48 hours before hand.
I have posted a full account of our problems (including names of supplier) on a couple of internet forums for the opinions of others and it seems we are not being unrealistic in our expectations of a reasonable period of time to have the shed collected and our credit card account refunded. We actually ordered and paid for the shed some 21 days ago!
The delivery postcode was xxx xxx (at xxx xxxx in xxxx), I can provided full delivery details if required but since this e-mail has been sent to a wider distribution I have omitted full details until you respond to me.
I hope that we can resolve this in a more favourable period of time.
Yours sincerely,
So far we have paid £850 for a 8'x6' pent shed (includes the cost of a decent shed) and I want our £300 back from B&Q!
Dear Sir or Madam,
We purchased a 8'x6' pent shed from you a couple of years ago and were pleased with it and therefore since moving house toward the end of last year and whilst generally landscaping the entire garden, we decided to order the same shed again.
When the shed arrived it was delivered on an open backed lorry in the rain and was left by the delivery driver leaning against our house wall in the rain. By the time we returned home from work the floor and roof panels were badly warped. Had these panels been made of decent materials and not chipboard they would have survived for more than a few hours in the rain.
The shed we had previously purchased from you had floor and roof panels made from proper treated timber, since the price was the same we (perhaps foolishly) assumed the shed was of the same quality and construction but we were sadly very disillusioned from the first time we set eyes on it. Incidentally, your website and catalogue still show the same shed that we previously purchased with the tongue and groove style proper treated timber roof and floor (trade descriptions act?).
We informed you on the 14th of April 2005 that we were rejecting the shed due to poor quality of materials and there was no argument with this from B&Q and we were informed that we can have a full refund after it has been returned and that the supplier (Walton Garden Buildings) would contact us within 72 hours to arrange collection. We didn't hear anything and have since made several more calls to B&Q and subsequently to Waltons. I'd like to point out here that we have been directed back to Waltons more than once by B&Q and since our payment was made to B&Q, this constitutes a contract with B&Q and not with Walton Garden Buildings and therefore it is your responsibility to conclude the collection and the refund. We have also informed you that the shed is now in the way for other ground works to commence and is at risk of getting damaged.
Waltons have today (11 days after first contact) said that they have not scheduled it for collection yet and couldn't confirm when they will be but that they would contact us approximately 24-48 hours before hand.
I have posted a full account of our problems (including names of supplier) on a couple of internet forums for the opinions of others and it seems we are not being unrealistic in our expectations of a reasonable period of time to have the shed collected and our credit card account refunded. We actually ordered and paid for the shed some 21 days ago!
The delivery postcode was xxx xxx (at xxx xxxx in xxxx), I can provided full delivery details if required but since this e-mail has been sent to a wider distribution I have omitted full details until you respond to me.
I hope that we can resolve this in a more favourable period of time.
Yours sincerely,
For what its worth i had exactly the same thing...waited ages for them to deliver, they dropped off in the back garden on the lawn....when i got home i had a look, cheap and nasty panels, chipboard floor and all bowed and discoloured. Asked a neighbour and they told me the delivery guy turned up on open back van!!!.
I complained to B&Q, they even had the cheek to ask if i wanted a replacement, to which i told them they had their chance and blew it.They then explained that the shed would be weather proof and it should be OK !!!I gave them some short words and they agreed to refund and they then contacted the company to come and take it back.
Best bit was the guy who came to collect it, "oh we get this all the time, the sheds are flatpacked and stored outside til required, then shipped sometimes on open back trucks". "When they go back to the yard someone will look at them and then sign it off to be dumped"....apparently the local waste tip has got some very nice sheds for the workmen to keep out of the rain !!!
Get back onto B&Q and tell them you want a refund as it is not up to standard, you got it from them its their problem !!!
I complained to B&Q, they even had the cheek to ask if i wanted a replacement, to which i told them they had their chance and blew it.They then explained that the shed would be weather proof and it should be OK !!!I gave them some short words and they agreed to refund and they then contacted the company to come and take it back.
Best bit was the guy who came to collect it, "oh we get this all the time, the sheds are flatpacked and stored outside til required, then shipped sometimes on open back trucks". "When they go back to the yard someone will look at them and then sign it off to be dumped"....apparently the local waste tip has got some very nice sheds for the workmen to keep out of the rain !!!
Get back onto B&Q and tell them you want a refund as it is not up to standard, you got it from them its their problem !!!
Parking your car across the automatic doors on a busy Bank Holiday Monday (there's one this monday as it happens) should get the store managers attention. You dont actually have to do it, just threaten to. Also mention that you will be inviting the local TV news along too to film the inevitable chaos and that you will also be inviting the Police along to keep the peace that is bound to be disrupted. It will all add to the carnival atmosphere for the local media.
If warned in advance, and a warning of your intention is also cc'd to the area manager and H.O. they are hardly going to risk all that hassle, and should sort things out pretty sharpish.
If warned in advance, and a warning of your intention is also cc'd to the area manager and H.O. they are hardly going to risk all that hassle, and should sort things out pretty sharpish.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff