Lifestyle Conservatories in Worthing - Do not use!

[radomskya]

I need to remvoe this - sorry!

Edited October 24, 2008 by radomskya
For my family's health

[D&M-GIANTKILLERS]

I wouldn't wait around if i was you. It sounds like they may even have disbanded. Some cowboys collect as much cash as possible and build up some debt before they go underground and no one can find them. Report them to the OFT or Consumer type group and also write to the TV programs on rogue builders, watchdog etc. Sadly, many people never get anything back once they pay cowboys or get shoddy unsafe work back which could be worse. Report them and try to get a full refund mate.

Good luck.

[unhappy chris]

ive been where you are ,we ordered our conservatory last june from lifestyle ,we were told 6-8 weeks ,finally arrived in november !!! fitters who are all sub contractors should be with us 7-14 days after delivery ,we finally had work completed in aprill this year ****ed off is an understatment ,i am still waiting for the written ten year guareentee ,its impossible to get hold of anyone to talk to the only time they contact you is for there deposit or final payment cheque my advice go legal route ,a(Edit) good luck

Edited August 17, 2008 by maroondevo52
Removed unsuitable advice

[fiestychix]

Well... Just for the record...We, our sister and mother-in-law all had wonderful service and fantastic finished project...

 

If and when we decide to move, we will instruct Lifestyle Conservatories to construct our conservatory.

 

Good luck Lifestyle.

[freakyleaky]

Fiestychick, I am glad to hear you had a good expeirience with this company but surely you don't condone the way they have treated Radomskya?

[fiestychix]

Freakyleaky

 

It may not be fair the way that Radomskya claims to have been treated. I will point out that unless the contracts have been changed by Lifestyle, there is a clause on the contract stating clearly issues regarding brick costs though. Our property is cotswold stone and the bricks were costly. The builder advised us of the cost implications which we fully understood and we paid the extra.

 

As a small construction business, maybe I am being biast, but why don't we ever read the nice comments and experiences that many others have had?

 

Maybe Lifestyle Conservatories are having a few problems, we all do but support them not put them out of business. Times are hard, support your local small businessess, please.

[fiestychix]

To UnhappyChris

 

I appreciate that you also had a bad experience with Lifestyle, but, If you read your contract, page 1 states that the workmanship and product is 'Guarenteed for 10 years'!!!

 

Ok, it may be in small print, but it's there.

[freakyleaky]

The is no "may" about it. It is not fair at all.

 

If they are experiencing hard times and cannot complete on time they should at least have the decency to communicate this to clients who are waiting and wondering if they will ever get the work complete or their money back.

 

Communication is half the battle for small businesses and if they refuse to do so apart from giving false information then is it any wonder they get themselves a bad name?

 

 

Nobody wants to put them out of business. What is needed is up front honesty regarding timescales etc.

[fiestychix]

Freakyleaky

 

Hear, hear. But, Radomskya, (according to his now suspended other website) has actually got his work completed. I was lucky enough to have a great service from the company, calls returned from the office and the contractors.

 

It's a shame that the people who have had a great service from the company don't put their comments on.

 

As for the ones above, I do feel for you, any construction work is stressfull enough, but as a small company, please support us.

 

Thank you.

[Popikins]

W had a conservatory built by Lifestyle 2 years ago and were pleased with the service we received at the time. But...... we are still waiting for the niggles to be sorted. Main problem is a leaky roof. Many phone calls have been ignored (did you know they have an answering service which is not part of Lifestyle - all they do is 'supposedly' pass on your message!) and have put our problems into writing although we don't expect to get a reply. Having read the other comments, here and on other sites, I fear that Lifestyle may be caught up in the current recession and not be around much longer.

[Fire.cracker]

deleting

Edited October 26, 2008 by Fire.cracker
deleting

[hakedof]

For all those who had a good experience of this company, you were lucky!!!!

I ordered in June 08 and we are now end of NOV and still no where near completed! I never get returned calls, you can never speak to anyone and reception only takes messages. We have had so many problems from shoddy work to excessive timescales. What was asked and agreed at time of ordering, was not listed on the job sheet. They are unable to communicate with their contractors and I feel like I am managing them all and sorting problems. Windows arrived broken and 3 weeks to get them replaced etc. I could not list them all on this page.

I personally will never use this company again and will never recommend. Oh and by the way, I have heard that they are in trouble and even their website has now been removed!!!!!! you have been warned and I am just hoping that my issues get resolved before they go....

[autumnleaf]

I found this site too late. I ordered from lifestyle in August, had base work done in Setember and have since had 3 dates for the delivery of the conservatory units...and am still waiting!!! Like 'Hakedof' it is very difficult to actually speak to anyone. Will I ever get my conservatory? Who knows?

[hakedof]

Autumnleaf, not being funny but I would not even bother with them and get a refund fast. I am still having alot of hassle and never get any returned calls. I have also heard alot of stories about conservatories arriving the wrong sizes after months of waiting.

None of the trades people that do work for lifestyle want to do any work for them anymore because they are not getting paid from lifestyle. The builder that we had went off with some of our money which was for the floor on completion. I have just paid the extra amount needed to complete the job for someone else to do it. And now, I have also had to find another plummer to fit the radiator as the company we were given do not want to use lifestyle customers or have anything to do with lifestyle!

This company is a complete nightmare and very un-professional. I would strongly recommend anyone not to use them. This is my own opinion but you decide.........

[MARTIN3030]

I would suggest contacting Worthing Chamber of commerce and speaking to someone there-Lifestyle are listed as members.

The Chamber of commerce operates to promote local business and encourage good practice and assist business with networking expansion and growth.

It would do no harm to contact them.

Presumably it would be reasonable to assume that they would not wish to be associated with any company that is unable to properly deliver its services,or operates in a manner which has been alleged within these forums.

 

 

 

Home - Worthing Chamber of Commerce and Industry, West Sussex | Business support | Business development | Business marketing

 

 

Would be very interesting to hear what they have to say.

[autumnleaf]

Thanks hakedof and martin for your comments. I just feel I want my money back now and I'll get someone else to finish it. I had already seen that they are registered with Worthing chamber of Commerce...it is a good idea to contact them.

[MARTIN3030]

Keep us updated on how you get on.

[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?

[Michael Browne]

Is this the company that is registered with the Worthing Chamber of Commerce

 

Members - Directory of members. Member information, products and services, contact details. Worthing Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

 

and what can they do to help sort the problem out?

I suspect very little. They are unlikely to become directly involved in a dispute between a member and a customer. But you never know until you ask.

[I_can't_believe_it]

We too have had a horrendous time with Lifestyle and reading hakedof's post have had very similar problems - especially the 'dissappearing' builder who also has some of our money but still needs to do our floor plus extras (MUST be the same guy?). Our conservatory was supposed to be ready for beginning of August 08 and it is still incomplete...

We too have battled to get (our masses of) phone calls answered, almost never get calls back. We have sort legal advice and the company is in breach of contract... not the way you want to go really but then what choice is there...

 

Re: positive comments about the company, I am glad it has worked out for some people and that kind of gives me hope (?!?!?) something may be resolved soon. I just can't believe a company woudl operate like this.

[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!

[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.

Edited November 11, 2008 by hakedof
Please-no named individuals.

[MARTIN3030]

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?

Edited November 17, 2008 by MARTIN3030
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