Lifestyle Conservatories in Worthing - Do not use!

[and-us]

We too are awaiting the construction of a conservatory ordered in June 2008. The previous posts are oh so similar. No replys, fobbed off, appauling customer service, wrong / missing parts, cancelled dates. We too have pursued the legal route, and they are certainly in breach of contract. We have made 100's of phone calls to Lifestyle, (most of which are ignored). Nobody would ever make a decision or take responsibility for us. Everthing is sub-contarcted at every stage. so there's never anyone to turn to...... except watchdog, trading standards, chamber of commerce, check-a-trade, solicitors, fellow discruntled customers (to which there seem a few)?
I wonder how 'Peter' would feel if he were a customer of his own!!!!!!!?
Thououghly P!$$£d off i'm guessing!

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[hakedof]

I can't believe it, our conservatory too was supposed to be finished on August the 8th also. The Builders Name starts with M and has 4 letters for your info. I have just paid someone to finish the floor at an xtra £150 out of my pocket + the amount we had left to pay the original builder, but at least I get rid of the stress and hassle although it is not the point. You agree a job they should do it from start to finish in a reasonable time. It was supposed to take 8 weeks weather permitting and here we are in November and still not complete!!!!
I have also decided to find a plumber for the radiator myself as I know it would get done. Then ours will be complete at last. How did you go about sorting legal advice as I want to take action as well but not sure where to start?
Oh and by the way, if this is the builder you will be waiting forever. Apparently he is back on the scene and was supposed to phone us to arrange fitting of the floor last week, not heard a thing. As with all the others you always chase them but get no response!
For those who have finally got those completed (If there is anybody!), have you received the guarentee paperwork for the conservatory that comes from lifesyle? My frame has been fitted now for 3 weeks and not seen any such paperwork from them.

[MARTIN3030]

Originally Posted by hakedof

Just to advise that there are 2 lifestyle Conservatory companies in Worthing. The company that I am talking about has this address: Lifestyle Conservatories Ltd. Columbia house, Columbia Drive, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 3HD.
Is this the company that is registered with the Worthing Chamber of Commerce and what can they do to help sort the problem out?

COCs are generally there to not only assist business but to help them promote good ethical practices.
Of course it is true that they wont become directly involved,however you could point out to them that since Chambers are funded in part by money from Government and European agencies,they have a responsibility to consider their own ethics if one of their members can be seen to be operating against acceptable practice.

I know my own Chamber takes a stern view of this and members are expected to uphold good standards.

I was a member of my own and so know this first hand.

As Michael says it will take nothing to ask.

[autumnleaf]

Surprise, surprise...our conservatory arrived at 9.00 this morning after threatening to 'take further action' 3 days ago and contacting trading standards. It did not come from the supposed suppliers either, although the materials used are the right ones. The delivery people were very pleasant and said that they had delivered to many irate Lifestyle customers. I am just waiting to see if the units are all there and the correct sizes now. It is a great relief that we seem have got what we have paid for, though I am not under any illusions that the nightmare is over.

[I_can't_believe_it]

Well hakedof, from the cryptic clues it looks like our builder is definitely the same. I can give you more details about what we are doing on the legal front though it probably would be best not to do on such a public forum for a few reasons (including staying cryptic....).

We have officially heard nothing from Lifestyle since the last post even though we were officially told we would be contacted............. Reckon we may have finished conservatories by Christmas?

[Birdiebird]

Guess what, Lifestyle Conservatories went into receivership yesterday. No doubt the greedy Director (we all know who he is) is sunning himself on our hard earned cash.

[and-us]

Just heard the same news....... Relieved in one way, happy that Peter finally got his comeuppance, now the fun starts all over again with insurance claims!!!!! May have a toast to lifestyle tonight!!! Good riddance to such a shoddy company!!! Hope Peter has a happy christmas in the dole queue!!!!

[I_can't_believe_it]

Now that explains a lot. How did you find out? and what next?

[hakedof]

Well, I knew the company was in trouble! This would explain why I left 7 messages in just over a week and not got one reply! A company that treats it's customers like this deserves it!!!!!!!!
The only thing that I still have not got is the 10 year Guarentee. Anyone any ideas about how we get this now the company has gone?
I feel that I am lucky to have got mine completed, just not got the Guarantee. I feel sorry for all the people that have not got their conservatory finished and paid the money!

[autumnleaf]

About the guarantee, hakeof...did you have a 'customer return form' from IPWFI? This has a return slip to be filled in on completion of the contract. I assume then that the quarantee will come straight from them.
Ditto...how did you find out, birdiebird about them going into receivership?
I think maybe I have had a bit of a lucky escape-the conservatory arrived on Thursday and the installers came yesterday and today to erect it. Only problem is that one of the front panels is 5cm too narrow. Sounds like I need to sort this out myself with the manufacturers.
It's one of those tales you hear of and think it will never happen to you. I really feel for all those other customers out there who are still waiting and don't know what is going on.

[ripcord]

My conservatory was to arrive this morning but all l got was an insolvency
letter.I have been given promise after promise since May.My building work was completed 5 weeks ago and had 4 cancelled delivery dates.We had given up a holiday for two years and 9 thousand pounds of our life savings for this.This "Peter" has a lot to answer for I am sure I have been told criminally deceptive lies especially over the last month.Does anyone have any information about him; he has not returned our calls for two weeks.
And I notice the insolvency letter was dated 4th November.So any information please!

[and-us]

An insolvency letter..... that's about the most efficient piece of admin i've heard about them in ages! Maybe they weren't that bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
I think the IPWFI insurance will kick in, but no doubt there's smaller than small print to lessen the blow to them. As for the guarantee, it's provided by them, not lifestyle, so you shouldn't have a problem. I have the phone number of a lifestyle installer if anyone needs it? (sub contractor- very helpful).

[and-us]

Does anyone know the name of the builders company???

[MARTIN3030]

Originally Posted by and-us

Does anyone know the name of the builders company???

I can understand the feelings and fully sympathise but the naming of individuals or others has to be left out of postings, without clear proof within the public domain that
They are responsible or a party to any wrongdoing,bad practice,or unlawful action.
At this stage this is a matter for those who will be tasked with investigating.
Those affected will have been given paperwork.

[hakedof]

Autumnleaf, I have had no 'customer return form' from IPWFI. I have had no paperwork from lifestyle at all other than a letter saying that the payment was complete. I did call the company direct and they had no details about us. From what I understood from the so called installation manager, once completed, lifestyle faxed the details to them and then we would receive the guarentee but this never hapened. I do not even know what this form looks like.

[intransit]

i just had a conservatory built from a great company.
i gave them a deposit on a credit card. a builder did the footings and walls with no money up front then i paid him for a great job. then the company came back and erected the conservatory and i was happy with the job, they agreed at the start i could hold back £ 500.00 for one month in case i found faults. i have now payed them the £ 500.00. thats how to deal with company's if they want your trade.

[and-us]

in-transit.... thanks for your comments, but incase you hadn't noticed, the theme seemed to be about people who have had a bad experience with 'Lifestyle conservatories' worthing. Maybe you missed the thread entitled 'really great conservatories and i have one' Thanks for rubbing our noses in it! enjoy your conservatory!!!!

[freakyleaky]

and-us, I don't believe Intransit was rubbing anyones noses in anything. He was just giving people a few pointers on how to deal with companies who bid for your work. And good advice it is too.
Never pay for work that has not been completed.

[intransit]

thankyou freakyleaky
at lease you understood my post.
i could of said it a another way but i didn't want to be rude.
there are ways to protect yourself when dealing with company's never for get they want your business. terms and conditions should be in your favor not theirs. the way i have dealt with company's i have never had my fingers burnt. like i said if the company wants your business and they are above board and they are confident in their work and standards they will bow to your terms ie paying in stages ect ect. if not give them a miss they got something to hide.

[ripcord]

intransit -you were not rude but you were gloating and crowing .And-us was right .We have to deal with the problem of lifestyle and getting that sorted .You are not helping our problem with lifestyle and its greedy director who told me lies for four months.He allegedly was collecting cheques at the same time as he was liquidating the company. You should be able to pay a deposit up front and the law should protect you if the company is trading legally .And if it is not the law should deal with that too.