Vs MFI Byfleet 2007

[CK1973]

I apologise for the length of this but I have included the two letters to date that I have sent to MFI Byfleet. I'd be interested in any comments. I am at the point where I am thinking about handing these out in front of the store at weekends until I get satisfaction.

 

27th June 2007:

 

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter details the existing complaints that I have against MFI Byfleet for the kitchen that I purchased in Feb 2007 and is currently being installed. This will detail a number of causes for complaint and I look forward to receiving your comments. For the sake of clarity and where possible I have included these in the order in which these have occurred and the exact dates and times where relevant.

• I paid the deposit in February 2007 and waited for almost 4 months before I could be given a delivery and fitting date.

• I received a text the day before the deposit was due telling me that I would forfeit my delivery unless full payment was made the next working day. I phoned the branch to get the full balance required but only after 3 subsequent calls that day did I manage to find someone actually able to give me the balance required. I had to take an afternoon off to go to the bank to request such a sum at such short notice at great inconvenience to me.

• The following day I received a call to advise me that the sum I had paid to MFI did not include the work surfaces. This meant further calls and visits to my bank to organise at further inconvenience and cost.

• I phoned customer services to enquire as to why I had not received earlier notice and was told that a letter had been sent. The customer service advisor looked up my details during the call and could immediately tell that the address details on this system were incorrect and indeed that the letter had been returned undelivered.

• Approximately 2 weeks before the delivery date of the 7th June and the installation start date of the 11th June I discovered that the plaster in the kitchen would probably have to be replaced. In those two weeks, while I remover the existing kitchen and plaster to facilitate this, I phoned the Byfleet branch every day leaving both messages on voice mail and with colleagues of the designer to urgently call me back to find out if this was something that MFI could undertake. No-one ever returned my call. Eventually the installers confirmed on the day they came to inspect the property (8th June) before commencing any works that this would need to be done and that they would not be able to start until this was completed and properly cured. This meant additional cost to me of £1650 incl. and a delay of two days to the start of the installation.

• On the 30th / 31st May I employed two plumbers to install a new boiler in the property and left them with the plans provided by MFI in order that they would place the boiler accordingly to fit in with the integrated kitchen, where a cupboard was to be provided to mask this in the kitchen. On the day they placed the boiler they phoned MFI Byfleet in order to get exact heights of the cupboards to ensure that the boiler was correctly positioned. Despite their calls and my own no-one returned these calls. As a consequence the boiler is out of synch with the rest of the kitchen now and the installers have had to act as best they can to accommodate this.

• On the 21st of June the fitters had to call to inform me that upon reading the manufacturer’s fitting instructions for the fridge drawers that the plans to have these in line below the hob would invalidate the warrantees and that the fridge or the hob would have to be moved accordingly. According to the instructions and indeed the key holder’s response later that day, a heat source should never be placed above the fridges. This meant that the MFI design plans had to be revised during fitting. Similarly a wine cooler that was supposed to be an integrated item had been delivered as free standing and was told that MFI don’t even stock / sell integrated wine coolers despite this being part of the design / plan. On speaking to the store the fitters were told that the cooler “Would fit under the work surface” despite its obvious incompatibility. In addition to this there were problems with the pop-up power sockets and the worktop bin as they could not be fitted where I had specified during the design process. The dishwasher also had a sizeable dent in the side of it. Due to the urgency of this I called the office on the date in question, the 21st June at around 09:30 to speak to the manager. I was told a message was left with him at that time. Considering the urgency of the problem I was surprised to hear nothing for over an hour so I drove to the store in person to speak to the manager. Upon arrival (with my plumber who was supposed to be assisting me with other works that day but due to the urgency had to postpone and is prepared to witness this) I spoke to the key holder who told me the manager was currently with a customer and would be approximately ten minutes and had been informed of my presence. However, when the manager became free I him go off with a new customer and I was left to speak to one of the other designers who tried to help me with my problem. Incredibly I was told I would have to source my own wine cooler that MFI would then fit for me. The fridge drawers would have to be moved and fitted with new fronts which meant I was no longer having the look / design that I had paid for. I asked the colleague to get the manager to call me as soon as he was free to discuss this matter to include refunds for incorrect goods and how we were going to go forward.

• Despite asking for manager’s intervention at approximately midday on the 21st June I did not receive a call until the 23rd June at approximately 11:00, nearly 48 hours later.

• The wine cooler and work-top bin were collected on the 25th June for which I had to be present requiring another day off work.

• I was told that the dishwasher would originally be replaced on the 12th July to which my response was that this was totally unacceptable. The dishwasher is now to be delivered on the 2nd July by an external courier who cannot provide me with an estimated time of delivery which means I have to take another additional day off work to be able to receive this.

 

• The work-surface contractors originally turned up to the property on the 15th June to template the work surfaces but the fitters told them that there was no way this could be done then as the kitchen fit had not progressed enough to be able to do this properly. To date (27th June) and despite numerous requests I still do not know when this is due to be done.

• To date (27th June) this work has now exceeded the expected install of 10 working days and 5 calendar days. I have no means of cooking anything in the house and no means of doing any washing up or washing of clothes.

• To date (27th June) I have absolutely no visibility of when I can expect this kitchen to be finished given all the existing problems.

• One door needs to be replaced due to chipping in delivery / installation.

• Due to the redesign the following items are not where they should have been due to incorrect design:
  • Power sockets
    
  • Fridge Drawers
    
  • Wine Cooler – which I still have to source at inconvenience and additional cost to myself
    
  • Work surface bin.

• To date and including my necessary presence on site on 2nd July I have had to take five days holiday at short notice. I have made innumerable phone calls and even had to go to the store to get any kind of response.

I have logged this complaint with Trading Standards who have provided this case with the reference number enclosed.

The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (as amended) states that the work being carried out should be done so with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time and for a reasonable cost. It also states that materials used must be of satisfactory quality i.e. free from defects. Whilst I have tried on several occasions to get you to rectify various matters, all attempts have failed.

I consider that I have been left with no alternative but to seek legal redress through the courts. Unless this matter is satisfactorily resolved within the next 14 days by refund, I will institute legal proceedings without further notice.

If it is necessary to pursue this course of action, please note I will also make a claim for interest and incidental costs.

I await your response.

the second letter sent on the 3rd July:

 

To Whom It May Concern

This is a follow up e-mail to a letter sent out on the 27th June 2007 to D. Patel, MFI Byfleet; The Furniture Ombudsman; Gary Favell and Kenneth McGill at MFI Head Office; BBC Watchdog and the contents of which have been logged with Trading Standards / Consumer Direct with the reference LR 282746. This letter has been attached.

Further to the contents of this letter I would now like to inform the recipients of yet further problems that I have experienced and continue to experience. I have given dates and times and contacts where relevant.

Monday 25th June 2007:

I was left a voicemail message by installations to confirm that replacement dishwasher would be delivered by external courier on Monday 2nd July for which they could give no E.T.A. and I would have to be on site for the whole working day in order to receive and sign for the replacement unit. I had discussed this with D Patel on Saturday 23rd June and was told that there was no alternative.

Monday 2nd July 2007:

I phoned the store at 11:30 to request a confirmation of delivery and to ask when the templates would be completed for the kitchen work surfaces, despite this request being made (again) on the 23rd June with D Patel. I left a voicemail.

I phoned the store again at 12:30 and left a message via a colleague to ask D Patel to call me back.

I received a call at around 13:30 from D Patel who told me that he would chase installations for the templates to be completed. From this conversation I have no confidence that this had previously been requested despite the conversation on the 23rd June. D Patel informed me that he would be in contact with installations to chase these matters.

At 16:30 I received a call from installations who told me that the templates could be completed on the 3rd July. I said that there was no way that I could possibly take more time off work to facilitate this. The contact there (Tina / Gina?) contacted the fitters (who have keys to my property) who confirmed that they could meet the templates contractors on site with half an hour’s notice. I then asked about the delivery of the replacement dishwasher voicing my concern about the time of day. I was told that the item was out for delivery and would be completed by the end of the day. I also requested that exact dimensions for the integrated wine cooler that I have to source including specifications to ensure that whatever I order will indeed fit into the kitchen. To date I am still waiting for these.

In the meantime at around 17:30 a delivery from MFI did arrive for what I take to be a couple of doors. I’d be interested to know what would have happened to these had I not been waiting for the delivery of the dishwasher as the fitters are no longer on site…

At around 18:00 I phoned the store to chase the delivery only to be told that D Patel had left for the day. I requested the key-holder call me back as a matter of some urgency.

At 19:30 Costa from MFI Byfleet contacted me where I voiced my complaints about non-delivery. I was told there was no way of checking the records from the store and that I would have to wait to speak to D Patel the following morning, and that a comprehensive note would be left for him with an urgent requirement for him to contact me when he arrived.

At 20:30 the courier company called me to inform me of the delivery time of my dishwasher on the 3rd July! I told them that the item had been requested for the 2nd July. I told them that I could not take time of work to receive this item on the 3rd July and that I would call them the following morning in order to facilitate the next delivery.

Tuesday 3rd July

At 09:00 I phoned the courier company to find out when I could get the item redelivered and at the same time I asked when it had been ordered from MFI. They confirmed that it had been ordered from them on the 29th June for the 3rd July. I have my suspicions that because the item was ordered so late in the week that the order could not have been completed by the courier company anyway, despite installations confirming yesterday that the item was out for delivery that day. This is now being delivered to me on the 6th July at further cost to me. In addition the courier company told me that they could offer me a more accurate delivery window and indeed were able to phone me with half an hour’s notice before delivery. This is completely at odds to the information provided me by Mr Patel and the installations team.

At 09:57 the template contractor phoned me to tell me he could not get hold of the fitter and that unless he could get hold of him in the next 10-15 minutes he would abandon the job. He had a mobile number for the fitter that was not being answered. I phoned MFI Byfleet at 10:00 and after 1 dozen calls eventually managed to get hold of a trainee who told me that there was no-one there who could take charge of the situation. Despite being told by Costa that D Patel was in the Byfleet office this morning that Mr Patel was actually out all day at a conference. He suggested that I phoned the customer services centre as there was going to be no-one in-store who could help me! I phoned the template contractor and asked him to keep me in informed as to his progress. He said that he could still not get hold of the fitter and that he was going to try the hub.

At 10:50 I phoned the template contractor who informed me that the hub had managed to get to get hold of the fitter and that he was meeting him on site. He did voice his concerns that the information received from MFI only included a half bowl for the sink which didn’t seem to match up with my requirements for a sink with waste disposal unit.

I phoned him while on site and he voiced his concerns that the dimensions provided by MFI for the units to allow for the sink as these did not seem to match the units… He also informed me that without splash backs there would be a gap around the whole of the work surface but I was told by the designer that this would not be the case. I am now looking at having to find more money for that. Similarly I have to change the design on the fly again while at work which means that yet again the design was incorrect… The template contractor also commented that he didn’t know how long the bowl would take to order for fitting.

At 12:37 I rang the Byfleet office and left a message with a colleague from Staines for Costa to call me back. At 12:48 I spoke to Costa and told him I would fax through all the details so far in Mr Patel’s absence.

As it now stands the earliest time the dishwasher could be fitted is now Monday, although I have no idea whether the fitters are going to be able to fit this in.

Similarly with the templates being completed so late in the process coupled with comments from the contractor about availability of the sink ordered that by time of completion I will have been without a sink for at least a month. This is totally unacceptable.

I have spent another four hours today trying to get all of this sorted out. This is starting to take over all my time. As part of your service you include ‘Project Management’ in your pricing yet I have had to take charge of this at every single stage. This is also totally unacceptable.

I look forward to hearing your response(s)

[PPMAN159]

What a sorry state of affairs.

 

Have you thought of contacting Watchdog?

[CK1973]

What a sorry state of affairs.

 

Have you thought of contacting Watchdog?

 

 

I've currently included the following in all correspondance:

 

BBC Watchdog

The Furniture Ombudsman (MFI is a member)

Trading Standards

Gary Favell and Kenneth McGill who are the two named directors of MFI

MFI Byfleet store manager

MFI customer services

 

 

The amount of time this is taking up is just incredible...

[Flyer Girl]

I have also recently contacted Watchdog regarding problems I have had with MFI and getting them to deliver and install a bedroom. Despite ordering back in April, and having a date of 21st June for delivery the last parts (well actually about 30% of the order!) only arrived yesterday after I staged a sit-in at the High Wycombe (Loudwater) store! The installation was scheduled for June 22nd and 23rd but they couldn't really do anything until the rest of it arrived. I cannot tell you the number of times MFI told me that a delivery was "definitely coming" and didn't arrive. And the number of times I was told the fitters were coming, but they didn't. It is now the 4th July and we are hoping that installation will be complete by tonight.

It has been a total nightmare, entirely caused by MFI. Their communication has been dreadful, they never return calls. Yesterday we were promised that the fitters would arrive and had been authorised to collect any missing parts from the local suppliers (Howdens Joinery). However, they failed to mention that the fitters must go to the store, with an estimate from Howdens, collect cash from MFI, then go back to Howdens, get the stuff and then do the installation. On their first trip to the store MFI claimed they didn't have the £400 cash needed and the fitters would have to come back once the store had taken some cash.

4 hours later the fitters were able to continue with the installation. The Deputy Manager would not call me back to tell me what was happening, so I went to the store. She proceeded to tell me that it was the fitters fault, that they were to buy the products personally and then get reimbursed by MFI later. She also said that MFI had the cash, but only later admitted they hadn't had it when the fitters first came in. She was extremely rude. Another member of staff had earlier told me she would call me that this lady would call me back in 5 minutes. 35 minutes later when I arrived at the store she said she would see me in 10 minutes and to go away and wait. I told her I would wait 5 minutes then cause more of a fuss. Sure enough I only waited 5 minutes. She then proceeded to tell me that she only works for MFI, its not her problem really, and that I must have a problem with her personally. She also told me she was very very busy. I did mention that I am also busy as I have a full-time job and haven't been able to do it for a few days due to MFI's incompetence!

 

I told her I was happy to wait in the store until it was sorted out, as I had the afternoon free being that no installation was taking place at home. I think she took the hint.

 

Eventually she sorted it out. The fitters aren't happy either because they've been messed about lots too.

 

We were offered 10% back on the value of our order, £320.

 

If anyone knows what we should be getting I would appreciate it.

 

I have had to take around 6 days extra off work due to MFI's imcompetence. It has taken 2 weeks to sort out an installation that was meant to take 1-2 days.

 

I will never, ever, buy anything from MFI again!

[CK1973]

Interestingly the letters I wrote certainly seem to have had an effect. The manager of the store phoned me this morning and now I have just received a call from the Chief Executive Director's office.

 

I suggest you speak to the furniture Ombudsman and Trading Standards as I am pretty sure this is what has put the wind up them in this case.

[Flyer Girl]

Thanks, I will do that. Could you forward me contact details of those you wrote to (eg. Chief Exec etc.) as the service we had has been appalling. When I spoke to the Store Manager of our local store he said he had to get authorisation from his Area Manager for any refund or compensation. When I asked if I could speak to him direct I was told "No". No discussion, no phone number, just NO!!!!

[CK1973]

Thanks, I will do that. Could you forward me contact details of those you wrote to (eg. Chief Exec etc.) as the service we had has been appalling. When I spoke to the Store Manager of our local store he said he had to get authorisation from his Area Manager for any refund or compensation. When I asked if I could speak to him direct I was told "No". No discussion, no phone number, just NO!!!!

 

(London Area) Trading Standards-0845 404 0506

 

Furniture Ombudsman - 08701 620690

Maxwell Road

Stevenage

SG1 2EW

 

MFI customer services (who've been the only saving grace for them)

0870 6075054 (have your order / invoice number handy)

 

Gary Favell / Kenneth McGill (two named directors of MFI)

333 The Hyde

Edgeware Road

London

NW9 6TD

 

Any questions please ask. out of interest the manager for the Byfleet store said it was in his remit to offer compensation. The story seems to change depending on who you speak to.

[birchave0]

(London Area) Trading Standards-0845 404 0506

 

Furniture Ombudsman - 08701 620690

Maxwell Road

Stevenage

SG1 2EW

 

MFI customer services (who've been the only saving grace for them)

0870 6075054 (have your order / invoice number handy)

 

Gary Favell / Kenneth McGill (two named directors of MFI)

333 The Hyde

Edgeware Road

London

NW9 6TD

 

Any questions please ask. out of interest the manager for the Byfleet store said it was in his remit to offer compensation. The story seems to change depending on who you speak to.

 

Busy fighting with MFI myself, kitchen should have been finished last July, still not!

Try ringing Merchant Equity Partners they now own MFI

number is 020 76477300

 

Also the "Executive Directors Office" is in Sunderland not London so do not be deceived by your call/letter!!!

Their telephone number is 0191 4616483 and you won't find that number ANYWHERE!!!!! I held 4 MFI sales staff hostage to get the number!

Happy battling

birchave:D

[tooth_fairy]

Also fighting with MFI myself, so subscribing to this thread.

[boaz]

I am former mfi call centre worker, Flyer Girl the 10% you have been offered is the standard rate which mfi offers it customers as a goodwill gesture, it never referred to as compensation by mfi as they believe this will leave them open to litigation.

 

I left this job as I was sick of answering 70 to 80 calls a day from 'screamers' ( mfi call centre slang for unhappy customers) and the levels of abuse I used to receive from customers, who on hindsight where justified in their anger by mfi's incompetence.

CK1973, I am not surprised at the shabby way you have been treated and problems you have had. Yours it not an uncommon problems for customers buying from them. The only thing I can add to what you have been advised already is aside from the 10% goodwill gesture, mfi will not discuss the goodwill gesture or its terms until your order has been completed and in your case fully fitted.

 

If I can be anymore help let me know, I will try my best to answer yours or any other members questions about mfi, but I was not a supervisor or manager just a 'headset slave' and it is a couple of years since I left.