Hilarys Blinds poor customer service

[wobbles]

My Pensioner mother purchased roof blinds for her conservatory from Hilarys in April 2008 she paid £500 deposit at the time of order and was told the blinds would be fitted in May 2008.

 

The blinds where eventually fitted in July 2008 (2months late) and she paid the remaining balance of £500 total payment £1000.

 

In September 2008 the blinds fell from the conservaty roof and she had to put some ladders under them to stop them completely falling and damaging her roof, someone from Hilarys eventually came out after numerous phone calls in November 2008 and took the blinds away to be repaired, this was the last time my mother saw the blinds, the fitter kept making excuses, he was on holiday, he broke his arm, he broke his leg etc.

 

My mother rang head office who promised to investigate, then herad nothing for 2 months so she rang them again, they got a fitter to phone her, he told her the original fitter had had lots of complaints about him and he had been sacked. Then the new fitter never turned up.

 

I sent them a email 3 weeks ago telling them they had 14 days to rectify the problems or refund her in full her £1000 or she would issue county court proceedings to recover her money as the blinds where obviously not fit for purpose or up to standard and for the last 8 months she had had no blinds.

 

They totally ignored the email, tonight they left a message saying they hope the problems had been solved now that the fitter had been out ( not seen a fitter in months)

 

Any Idea as to how we would word the court papers?

 

Thanks in advance

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

This is not the only thread regarding Hilary's (hilarious) Blinds, they really are a joke, you can always contact your local trading standards and ask them to get involved.

Edited August 11, 2009 by old_andrew2007

[42man]

So have you sent them a letter headed - LETTER BEFORE ACTION ?

[42man]

I know the Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help with the wording or possibly as has been recommended above Trading Standards....

[42man]

Just spotted this which might help - Greenwich Trading Standards - Consumer Advice - Thinking of suing in a county court

[gillypam]

Hi wobbles.l work for a company who make all sorts of different blinds l make the vertical blinds.and at our company which is famliy run it is ut most for customer satisfaction.our boss,s go out fitting all over the uk.any complaints they will sort it out quick as possible.

[wobbles]

Hi Update,

 

Yes the letter was headed letter before action, applied to the courts and deemed served on 16th August, Mum Recieved phone call from Hilarys on 20th August saying they will refund her the full cost of the blinds but will have to come and collect the remaining blinds, mum told them that was fine but they could not collect them until she had recieved cleared funds in her account. No cheque arrived as yet but according to Court documents they have until 1st september to respond.

[gillypam]

Hi wobbles.l ask one of my bosses at work about hillarys blinds and yes it is well noon that they have very poor customer service.

[Mrs_Ryan]

I worked for Hillary's Blinds for a year at head office in Notts.

 

Yes the customer service wasnt great but I dont think its terribly professional for a rival company to openly slate them on a public forum.

[Conniff]

Inappropriate as the company has not named or tried to advertise.

Edited August 27, 2009 by Conniff
Looked back at the posting and the company is not identifiable.

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

Hi Mrs Ryan,

 

For future reference is there someone at Hillary's who you would recommend contacting if there was a concern rather than having to speak to different operatives each time.

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[wobbles]

Hi

 

My Mum received two cheques yesterday one for the refund of £1000 and the other for the £65 court fee, her bank said they will be cleared on Tuesday, so will fill in the court forms on wednesday to say they have paid.

 

Wobbles

[Annoying Twit]

Sounds like a result. Congratulations!

[Bert Shaft]

We (unfortunately) have just bought some sun blinds from Hillary's for a newly fitted bay window.

 

We were always under the impression that Hillary's was a company of repute who took pride in their work but the people (agents???) who Hillary's used to put up the blinds botched the job. They are nothing but a bunch of rank amateurs.

(The sun blinds brackets are attached to uPVC and I would normally have sorted this out myself but I am afraid of damaging the uPVC by leaving unsightly holes in it if I removed the brackets to put the blinds where I want them and where they should have originally been put).

 

On calling Hillary's to arrange for an adviser to come and look at the job with a view to fixing it, I was put on the phone after 20 minutes to an aggressive smarmy supercilious toe rag (who was afraid to give me his name) only to be told that the agents had claimed the job was 100% perfect.

 

They have offered to come and look at the job but the point is that anyone who so vigorously defends sloppy workmanship before even seeing it should not be trusted and I certainly don't want those same fitters coming back to botch the job up even more than they already have done.

 

My recommendation is that people give Hillary's sun blinds a WIDE berth especially in you want sun blinds for a bay window.

 

They quite simply cannot be trusted to do a good professional job as they hire freelance agents to do their (SLOPPY) work for them.

 

PS/... the quality of their sun blinds is nowhere near as good as they used to be either.

[Conniff]

We (unfortunately) have just bought some sun blinds from Hillary's for a newly fitted bay window.

 

We were always under the impression that Hillary's was a company of repute who took pride in their work but the people (agents???) who Hillary's used to put up the blinds botched the job. They are nothing but a bunch of rank amateurs.

(The sun blinds brackets are attached to uPVC and I would normally have sorted this out myself but I am afraid of damaging the uPVC by leaving unsightly holes in it if I removed the brackets to put the blinds where I want them and where they should have originally been put).

 

On calling Hillary's to arrange for an adviser to come and look at the job with a view to fixing it, I was put on the phone after 20 minutes to an aggressive smarmy supercilious toe rag (who was afraid to give me his name) only to be told that the agents had claimed the job was 100% perfect.

 

They have offered to come and look at the job but the point is that anyone who so vigorously defends sloppy workmanship before even seeing it should not be trusted and I certainly don't want those same fitters coming back to botch the job up even more than they already have done.

 

My recommendation is that people give Hillary's sun blinds a WIDE berth especially in you want sun blinds for a bay window.

 

They quite simply cannot be trusted to do a good professional job as they hire freelance agents to do their (SLOPPY) work for them.

 

PS/... the quality of their sun blinds is nowhere near as good as they used to be either.

 

 

Your answer to that is that the agent is not the customer, you are, and unless they fit them to your satisfaction, you will get someone in who will and bill them for it, through the courts if necessary.

Edited September 10, 2009 by Conniff

[Bert Shaft]

Thanks for the tip, its very helpful.

[Custad]

Have you tried Thomas Sanderson ?