Hygena Kitchens

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Advertised outside your Hygena at Curry’s Dundee branch “your dream kitchen designed and installed by us – with no fuss”. Also on your website a promise of kitchen fitting and delivery promptly and with no fuss.

I would like to bring to your attention the catalogue of disasters which befell my partner and me when we dared to believe your promises.

After paying a deposit of £200 in April 2004 and being advised ...
...the store approximately 3 weeks before we intended to commence work on the kitchen everything would go like clockwork. This we did and also handed over a cheque for £4800. The kitchen was due to be delivered on the 16/07/04 and work was to commence on the 19/07/04. Unfortunately we were to be on a caravanning holiday on the 16/07/04. We liaised with Adam and agreed that my partner would return home on the due delivery date to take delivery of our ... more

10th August 2004

To whom it may concern,

Advertised outside your Hygena at Curry’s Dundee branch “your dream kitchen designed and installed by us – with no fuss”. Also on your website a promise of kitchen fitting and delivery promptly and with no fuss.

I would like to bring to your attention the catalogue of disasters which befell my partner and me when we dared to believe your promises.

After paying a deposit of £200 in April 2004 and being advised by your salesman (Adam) that as long as we contacted the store approximately 3 weeks before we intended to commence work on the kitchen everything would go like clockwork. This we did and also handed over a cheque for £4800. The kitchen was due to be delivered on the 16/07/04 and work was to commence on the 19/07/04. Unfortunately we were to be on a caravanning holiday on the 16/07/04. We liaised with Adam and agreed that my partner would return home on the due delivery date to take delivery of our kitchen then return to our holiday happy in the belief that work would commence as previously agreed with Adam and the fitters. We already had slight alarm bells ringing about your delivery service as approximately 1 week after paying the £200 deposit in April we had a surprise delivery of an oven which we declined to accept as we were not nearly ready to start on our kitchen or store an oven anywhere.

The morning of the 19th July arrived as did the fitters. We were aghast when they informed us that the wrong kitchen had been delivered and that someone else had our kitchen and we had theirs. An entire morning was wasted until our kitchen was at last delivered. We thought our problems were over but in fact they were just beginning. The kitchen that was delivered had so many parts missing that only the carcasses could be put in on the afternoon of the 19th July. There were no taps delivered either therefore the plumber could not do his job and therefore would have to return as would the electrician and there were lights missing and part of the extractor fan. The parts that were missing were re-ordered to come as soon as possible to allow everyone to continue with the fitting of the kitchen. We tried to remain calm and patient having been told the kitchen would take a maximum of 3 days to fit. On the strength of this we had arranged for a plasterer and tile layer to come on Friday the 23rd July as our walls and floors were completely bare. Unfortunately this had to be postponed an has only been done today.

Tuesday arrived and still the right parts had not arrived but some wrong parts had come. Everyone was once again delayed.

Wednesday arrived and still the right parts had not arrived. This was the last full day the fitters could work as they had another job to do. This meant that every time something arrived we had to contact the fitter to see if he could now ‘slot us in’ to try to complete our kitchen.

Our frustrations came to a head and we contacted Adam. Unfortunately he was on holiday. We then tried to contact his senior Danny Fleming who is the installations manager via Curry’s to be told the only way to speak to him was by mobile phone. Again unfortunately we were told that he only answered his mobile phone if the number displayed on his mobile phone was that of Curry’s. We were becoming increasingly concerned that no one seemed available. So to contact him we had to physically go into Curry’s and ask a member of staff to call his mobile. This was on every occasion switched off and a message had to be left for him to phone us. This he has done twice. The first time he was quite pleasant and apologetic and during the course of the conversation after I had listed all my grievances he voluntarily said we would receive cash compensation. This was not first and foremost in my mind. My priority was to get my kitchen complete as quickly as possible. Both my partner and I work as full time nurses and work shifts therefore making it difficult to be at home when deliveries started arriving and also to find a suitable time for the workmen to return to complete the job they started. The dust from the walls and floor had by now covered the entire house and nothing could be put away in the kitchen as there were still cupboards missing etc. There seemed no end in sight. But things again were about to get worse.

We now started receiving the wrong size handles and wrong door types. So many wrong items were delivered that the laminate flooring in our hallway buckled and had to be lifted and re-laid. Quite an arduous and timely task to do amidst the clutter which had now accumulated. We became quite familiar with the various delivery drivers from different companies who jokingly asked us if we were having our kitchen fitted in bits. At this stage I managed to track Adam down after his various holidays/days off. I expected at the very least a sympathetic ear but was astonished when he showed very little interest. Telling me I would just have to ‘muddle through’ and that it would be worth it in the end. At this stage the end seemed a million miles away. I got the distinct impression that Adam wished I would disappear in a puff of smoke. He seemed more concerned that he had to return from holiday to a problem.

Because of this attitude I asked Adam to contact Mr Fleming as I wished to speak to him as a matter of urgency. Once again he could only be contacted by Adam. He eventually phoned me several hours later at my place of work and his attitude was one of complete belligerence and lack of concern. I asked him what was to be done about the fiasco that was unfolding regarding my kitchen being completed 3 weeks later than anticipated. He then said as mentioned previously he would give us £150 compensation and not to bother going to the Trading Standards as he was not legally obliged to offer me anything and that was his final offer. He more or less implied that there would be no need to contact him again until the kitchen was complete. My problem was would it ever be complete. Since this conversation with Mr Fleming we have had even more wrong deliveries. Some left with neighbours, some returned as undelivered goods as we were at work. I then phoned the manager of Curry’s hoping that someone could sort out this terrible mess. I also contacted the executive department of Hygena’s head office and spoke to an employee there who when I told her my dilemma said and quote “you are only trying to get more money out of me”. When I told her I did not have a functioning kitchen at one point as I had no taps she told me to wash my dishes in the bathroom as she herself had had to do that. I was appalled by her vicious remarks. I then contacted Trading Standards as I was making myself ill with worry and stress. They informed me that you are actually breaching the Sale of Goods Scotland Act 1982 and that you have not paid due care and attention to your delivery and installation promise.

I am writing this letter on the 10/08/04 and still have not got a complete kitchen. I am still waiting on doors, handles, lights and part of an extractor fan and the fitters finding time to come and complete this job. To say I am unhappy is a huge understatement. The lack of care and understanding I have received from your company beggar’s belief. I am sending a copy of this letter to Curry’s Head Office and yourselves and as advised by Trading Standards a copy to them and a request for you to answer my concerns within 7 days. I also have dated photographic evidence of the chaos I have had to live in for the last month. I fully intend to take this matter further if I still receive no satisfaction or explanation for this mess.

Yours sincerely
 

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