Living Design Kitchens

Originally contacted by phone to say we had qualified for a £1000 discount if we had a kitchen fitted and was prepared to be a show home. After enduring the salesman for 5 hours we did decide to go for the deal albeit a little expensive for the size of the kitchen. I knew we could cancel within 7 days because the agreement was signed in the home and because we took a finance option we had futher cancelation options. The quality was very good and what sold it was the fact that if problems were encountered after work had begun they would do any work necessary. However we were lied to about the payment protection(PPP) being told it was mandatory when infact it wasnt. This meant we would have had to pay an extra £500. We had the money in the bank but thought why not get an extra 6 months interest.

That was the least of our problems anyway. We were told to cancel the credit agreement and they would arrange for another one without the PPP. The fitter arrived and started work without any agreement in place. When he left two days later we had 36 separate faults with the kitchen, no electric in the consevatory and no cooking facilities for 5 days. They tried to charge us for an electrician for some work which as it turned out was not required. As I teach consumer law I knew my rights (but didnt tell them that) and told them I was a bit upset. We had 2 men come out and try to put the blame on us. With comments like "well if I had seen that wall first I would have told YOU to make it good and wouldnt have allowed the fit to take place".

He also suggested we had imagined the lies from the salesman and that the cooker we ordered was the one delivered. Well maybe the part number was the same but the picture shown to us certanly didnt match the cooker delivered. The hood that came with it also had a massive dent in it. The puzzling thing to me was that between the salesman and the actual fitter a supposed "Surveyor" had called. Surely he must have noticed any potential problems. Aparently not. The Surveyor is not a Sureveyor as we all know and understand it he is just a supervising kitchen designer making sure all the units fit. Well he didnt do that very well because one of them on the day of the fit didnt. After being told we had no choice but to pay and dropping into the conversation that they had a very good legal team, I decided to tell them the course that I teach.

I told them that under consumer law I am within my rights to reject the goods supplied as they were not as described and substandard and firstly would not have to pay and secondly they would have to make re-dress for the kitchen they had removed. This seemed to shut them up and they quickly said that they could not make any adjustment to the price.In the end they completely re-fitted the upper part of the kitchen, fitted the old units in the conservatory, an upgraded cooker and hob, upgraded display units.

However they had lied on numerous occassions and the customer service was terrible. There were no before and after photos as mentioned in the show hime promotion. And they had to completly replaster 1 wall and make good. It probably cost them loads of money but the stink I could have created would have been worse. Just shop around and dont be pressuirised into anything you might regret later.