MUM -KITCHEN-CONSUMER FORUM I was wondering if someone could help me? My mums bed ridden after a car accident and she recently needed a kitchen badly adapted a little for her needs in a wheel chair. But worried that she’s been messed about by people who have took advantage of her before she asked for help from the council and the care and repair team hoping they would help and also find some one reliable to do the contract. The Care and repair team came out approx 14th october 2014, shortly half hour latter the kitchen man turned up. But after talking to the company who promised her she would get what she needed and could do the job before xmas so she could enjoy xmas with a new kitchen. She was constantly messed about. She was sent a 3D image approx a week after the visit, but there were things on the document that wasent right, so she contacted them and told them. They promised her that they would alter the requests she had mentioned. She latter received a 2nd letter and 3D image with details the letter included details of what she would be having done but not broke down correctly, at the time my mum didn’t let this bother her thinking it was the norm but realised latter it has caused problems with them not explaining properly. My mum is unable to remember the exact time but round this time she mentioned in a phone call to the kitchen team that there were 2x sinks on the original plan and one had to be removed and also spoke to them regarding lights under the counter because she had forgot to mention that she would like them also in a disabled section/ under the plate rack that she was having built. After mentioning this to them they were happy to add this and said not to worry they would put these in for free. Around this time also I had spoke to a man from the kitchen team on a day he was there and tried to go over all her needs incase she had forgotten including anything, mentioning the lights under all the counters that she requested also. They promise her that the job would take no longer than 10 days and would be done well in time for xmas. She paid a deposit of £831.69 on the 31st october 2014. And they started work on the 1st December 2014. A man started work demolishing the old kitchen (some rubbish was not all taken away as promised still). Then one man started building the cupboards for the kitchen on his own. It was a little upsetting that they did not listen to my mum properly regarding some of the design of the kitchen and she found a section where she wanted to store her brushes ect was designed wrong and she is finding it difficult to do what she wanted. (yet she’s not bothered that much about this and has let it pass by). When the cupboard man was nearly finished his side of things an electrician came out none of us actually got to meet him nor talk to him and we were told that he came in to the house and said he needed to check the bedrooms because when he was doing the electrics in the kitchen all up stairs plugs etc needed to be checked for safety etc. ?? Yet when an electrician came latter on to do this he did not need to go up stairs at all??) We were told he took one look at the rooms (yet my daughter was living in one of these rooms and he did not come in to the room at all) and said to the other work man he would not do the job and walked out. My mums house has been in a mess for a while with boxes etc piled in the rooms waiting to be sorted but she is not able to get up the stairs and only has my self to help and I have a disability too so can only do so much to help. (but all the light fittings and plugs were assessable. We have still not had a proper explanation regarding this event, nor an apology. Only told that they would not use this man again. Due to this man walking out and not doing his job, the kitchen was put on hold and we were told they could not get any one else to do the job until after new year. My mum had been having to survive before and during and after xmas with 3 small push along kitchen table squares with a kettle, and microwave to only cook with. The only way that another electric man was found was through the care and repair team in the new year. So the job only got finished 14th January 2015. Other issues were also happening, E.G. A hole was supposed to be blocked up, done badly and uneven. -Artex needed tidying up ( this was only touch up jobs were they damaged the original wall, not new stuff.) -Painting done badly over artex some one had to come back again due to us telling them, yet for the price we paid we feel it was still done badly. -Radiator was moved and the knob and items falling off it after the job was completed. -There is still a small hole in the wall. -Handle fell off the cupboard after it was completed. Towards completion of the electrics we realised that lights we asked for under the cupboards were not put in, after asking why we were told we never asked for light under there. Yet they had put light in an area built for the wheel chair under a plate rack were my mum would use the most. (when we had requested lights under all of it, and we had actually forgot to tell them in the beginning that we would like the lights under the plate rack and at a latter date told them could we please have them.) The man from the company via phone said yes of course and that he would throw these in for free. Yet in January my mum has now received a separate bill for the lights she has been told that this is extra to be paid. (Nothing was free as promised) The actual bill for the kitchen was £8,316.89 plus £105.97 for the extra lights. My mum has been put out an awful lot coping with no kitchen for far too long than promised and through xmas and new year which as well as being very upsetting was very difficult being in a wheel chair and in constant pain. This company have not listened to her a lot before or after all this and even demanded payment before the job was completed making her feel guilty and saying such things as the man who had done the cupboards needed paying and wants paying so he has his money for xmas. I Believe they have done a half hearted job with somethings and left my mum with stress upset and lack of facilities over a period of time that was far too much for anyone never mind a disabled person, they did not offer to knock any thing off for any inconvenience and instead demanded more money for the lights etc were some she was told would be free. She was also told she would have to pay for her own tiles and they would put them up. I bought them for her and they only put them up. (we paid) Approx a year ago she had been at her worst ill health wise after loosing her husband to liver disease she had her own disability issues and pain and she then got high blood pressure, suspected heart attack, stroke, diabetes and suspected blood clot there are trying to figure out at the moment. But she had gotten better in this last year and was controlling things. Due to all this recent stress she’s been knocked right back to last year again and nurses are having to come more often and they are talking about putting the blood measure machine back into the house along with other things because her health has deteriorated so badly again due to all the upset and stress. I feel my mum has been treated badly and should at least be offered to knock something off for the inconvenience and stress. Please can you help. I am also worried how long this kitchen will last and what quality it is after the handle falling off, and that the price they gave her was far too much for what they actually did. If any one can offer any advice I would be very grateful. Many thanks