Thread: Rock and Co

Ok bit of a long post, Decided on kitchen improvements changing wooden worktops for quartz saw this
BLACK STARLIGHT QUARTZ 30mm with mirror fleck
Quartz surfaces special offer 3 lengths of 3.0 m
£99 per/ M Fully fitted £1399+ VAT..

contacted Granite R us filled in the details, sent some photos, and a price was agreed, the day before fitters due 17april, get a phone message saying the fitters would neither remove the old worktops or touch plumbing or electrics. So removed the old worktops disconnected the taps and hob, ready for the fitters...
yet on the website...this is shown
We are able to attend to plumbing, cabinetwork, electrics etc, should this be necessary, thus avoiding extra charges for other tradesmen having to be present at installation of worktops

the day came fitters turned up then decided they could not fit the work tops as there was no place to cut and dress them to the specs agreed.
Thank you for choosing GraniteRus for your worktops.
We have received a deposit of £400.00 (with thanks) for the following order:
To supply and fit Black Star Galaxy in sizes:
2600 x 630
2500 x 650
2 x upstands
1 x Belfast sink cut out
1 x Tap hole cut out
Drainer grooves
1 x Hob cut out
Delivery included
Based on a one day fitting service
Total: £1,782.00 inc vat
Fitting date: Thursday 16th April
Balance payable on completion: £1,382.00 inc vat.
also was some confusion as to the upstands, the client meant pieces between the fridge and washing machine supporting the worktops....

the fitters said they would have to template the kitchen and cut at the workshops for which a additional charge of £300.00 would be needed


following a couple of phone calls and emails a new price was agreed, and a new fitting date given (two actually the first being bank holiday Monday in may)
today the fitters(different from the last ones) turned up, with three pieces of undressed granite, but were not aware of there being a template but agreed they could proceed with the work as a place was available to cut and dress the granite.

they spent the day, fitting the worktops, made a slight change to the newly agreed upstands from three to two, after cutting the three deciding not enough space to fit three down to two... confirming the need for drainer grooves, remeasuring the hob cut out twice.

on completion of the job, i had been left with a counter check issued by Abbey for the new amount(the one that included template) which I had thought about withholding as terms stated money to be paid on completion, and i was not the person paying was just here to let them in and answer any questions ect, I wrote with reservations on the back of the cheque, as they said they were not leaving till they got payment there being three of them and only me.

I then wired up the hob, fouynd found the cut out was to small to accept it, I also then noticed only one upstand was in place and no grooves cut for the drainer.

I immediately left a message on the firms answerphone as it was after 5.00 pm when the fitters left, and posted a note through the building society's door asking them not to pay the check either to cancel it or withhold payment as its for services rendered that have not been rendered then sent an email to granite r us, informing them of the uncompleted contract, reminding them should they try to cash the cheque it would be considered fraud.

Am I right in thinking this, what should my next move be, have I not done something i should

Up date...visited Building society, first thing yesterday, to confirm they had received the note (included copy of counter cheque) and requests as per [post above] Also the persons who own the account the amount on the countercheck was debited from had phoned them, and was informed that it could not be stopped.

Following phoning up Granite r us (who seem fairly amicable) who by then had read the email I had sent to them and listened to my phone message, and a reduction to the bill was reached... exert below from email I requested confirming he would not be presenting countercheck for payment
"We will be more than happy to resolve the problem of fitting the hob and also perform the drainer grooves at a convinient date .
We will need to accept full payment of £1482.00 by credit/debit card before these works can be carried out as im sure you can appreciate we have installed the granite worktops in your home and have paid out labour etc."

I again visited the building society this morning to confirm the countercheck had been canceled, as I was, informed that the only way it could be stopped was if the payee declared they were not interested in the cheque, I had visited the building society, with a copy of the email, along with The person who the account the monies were debited from had sent a fax, last night and phoned the branch this morning and had not been called back, and was then given the brush off reason being i was not on the account the money was due to be debited from (well it had already been debited to a countercheck) but presume was still earning interest for the B/S . also the peyer should contact her local branch, despite the countercheck being issued at the branch I was visiting.

Has any one any knowledge on, law regarding counterchecks along with liabilities, As it seems to me the B/S has failed in its duty of customer care at the very least. Should a letter now be sent to the head office of the B/S, if so is there a template anywere with the acts of parliment I should be useing as a club.