Faulty Fishtank Filter has leaked, damage cabinet and flooring.

[DMG123]

Hi

 

I need some advice please.

 

At the end of November I bought a fish tank from an online company. The tank came with a cabinet and I purchased an external filter from the company.

 

All of this was set up at the very end of November last year.

 

Over the weekend, the filter has started to leak. Nothing to do with me as I had not touched it. I only noticed as the tank water line had come down by about 3 inches.

 

The water soaked into a rug which was underneath the cabinet, as this rug sucked in the water, it has been sucked up by the cabinet making it unstable and it has bowed very slightly on the left hand side, which makes it unstable for the 250 litre tank that was sat on top of it.

 

It has also soaked into my wood floor, which is ruined in that area. The flooring is only a few months old.

 

The company are dragging their heals at the minute, I emailed them over the weekend, had 2 replies yesterday asking me to check parts on the filter and also send photos of the cabinet, and nothing today.

 

I have rang them but they said the number they have is only a sales line and any problems need to be sorted out via email.

 

I keep Discus fish in this tank, so I had to go out on Sunday morning and buy a second hand tank to rehome them into, as the main tank had to be emptied due to the unstable cabinet it was sat on.

 

I seem to be getting nowhere with them. Discus fish cost hundreds of pounds, and they are not going to be ok in this spare tank, but I cannot put them into the main tank because its empty on the floor, as I am waiting for this company to do something.

 

Is there anything I can do here? The filter was/is clearly faulty, it has damaged my flooring, and they are dragging their heals when it comes to solving this problem.

 

I have a holiday booked for the weekend, and if this isnt sorted by then I will have to cancel it as if I go, my Discus fish which cost a lot of money would no doubt be dead by the time I got back due to my not checking the water clarity and levels which is what they require, they need pristine conditions etc.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

Thanks.

Darren.

[dx100uk]

how did you pay?

[DMG123]

I used a Visa debit card (Co-operative bank) My main issue is I need to get this sorted out before I go away, otherwise I can't go away.

[dx100uk]

it wont harm to ring them and invoke the chargeback scheme

 

even though section 75 like a credit card does not apply to Debit Cards

some banks will bring pressure to bear.

 

if not get the moneyback under chargeback and go buy some new kit

 

then address the compensation /damage claims upon return.

dx

[DMG123]

I have just had a reply from them. They are going to replace parts of the cabinet that are swollen due to the uptake of water. They are also going to replace the filter head which should sort out the leak, which is what I need. No mention of my damaged wood floor, or the rug that is still soaking.

 

Should they be accepting responsibility for this? It isn't my fault it happened, its their faulty filter, they seem to be honest to want to do as little as possible, its quite disgusting really.

[dx100uk]

you are entitled to something yes

 

if under SOGA claim, that's another matters mind.

 

dx