Moben a Living Nightmare (Moben Kitchens)

Member Name: hungryhorse

Product:	Moben Kitchens
Date:	31/03/04 (5160 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none at all

Disadvantages: everything

We decided to have our kitchen re-done it had practically fallen apart, so we had various kitchen firms in including Moben, as Moben were the most competative we decided to go with them, the Salesmen were very good - otherwise I would have said "no chance" there and then, I wanted my sink moving to under my window - they did say that this couldn't be done - I said if you can't move the sink you can't have the contract. We had an Architect come round to measure up - he was surprised at how bad the planning was and corrected a few major problems and added no end of supplies to the delivery. We were told that to have a Beechwood surround for the Belfast sink would cost around £1,000, however when it was fitted it became 3 peices!

Delivery was fine although all the kitchen was delivered into our garage - including all the electrical items a month before it was due to be fitted - we were concerned about theft and about the damp getting into all the electrical equipment.

The fitters turned up and ripped the old kitchen out - but so many peices had been incorrectly sized or not ordered that's how it stayed for 2 days, the fitters were more interested in joining MFI than doing their job and the head fitter was on his mobile to them most of the time. Don't get me wrong these were very nice men but they'd had their fill of Moben too and wanted to move on as soon as possible, consequently a lot of our kitchen got botched!

The Belfast sink was put on a cupboard interior panel - it moved around and leaked no end, fortuately my brother in law is a plumber and helped us out, the draining board was level with the work surface so water drain straight onto it and into the sideboard itself causing the chipboard to rot, an electric light under the cabinet failed to work, the cupboard under the sink had no back panel, the cupboard by the cooker had no side panel - so everything kept falling down the side of the cooker and
wasn't accessible, 2 cupboards from the wall had been missed - (but then so had so many other things) so our kitchen had a lot less storage space than when we began, one of the fitters had stood on the sideboard to drill into the wall - with his boots on and scratched the surface of our new sideboard, the dishwasher leaked continually and there was a stain on the Beech sink unit. We were told by the original fitters not to worry as the Architect would be around within 2 weeks so we could pick up the snagging with him. We waited and waited and waited no Architect.

I rang the original Salesman and told him he'd missed the two cupboards off the inventory, and what could he do about it - his response was that as such a length of time had gone past I'd need to do a new order and as Moben only accept orders of £3,000 or over basically there was nothing they could do...

I rang the Head Office and rang and rang so on and so forth, we were fobbed off but eventually got an Inspector around who agreed with everything we had said and put the 2 cupboards on order for us as an act of goodwill!!!!!?!!!! - Whose godwill? A few days later 2 items turned up and that was it for months and months and months - infact by this time it was 15 months and please don't think I sat back and did nothing in all this time - I rang and rang and rang and eventually raged at them - I had been given numerous delivery dates - that never happened and always some cock and bull story as to why it hadn't happened and then I was given delivery and fitting dates - the Rep on the phone guaranteeing that it would all happen on a certain day - so after emptying my kitchen and waiting and waiting and waiting at 4 o'clock the delivery finally turned up but still no fitter- I tried to get hold of the Rep in question only she was off till the following Tuesday - I did point out that this was very convenient especially as she had personally guaranteed the delivery and fi
tting - it turned out she had cancelled the fitters herself - knowing full well she had promised and guaranteed they would be there. I had had enough of being messed around I had tried to be nice but they were just taking the rip big time - I questioned the Rep on her ethics upon her return I asked her why had she cancelled the fitters knowing full well she was guaranteeing to me that they would be there? She had nothing to say for herself. I eventually listed all my complaints and contacted the Managing Director who in fairness sent a letter straight back saying that the matter would be investigated, and, in future I had to deal with the Reps' Manager. He was very charming and apologised time and time again - but apologies mean nothing when your kitchen has been in a mess for nearly 18 months by this time. Goods were re-ordered and the fitters turned up as arranged - the wrong doors for the cupboards had been ordered, no new light had turned up and they hadn't got a clue as to what had happended around the Belfast sink - it was a real botched job the panel it was sat on could have given way at any time!!! The fitters left, I rang the Manager who told me I'd need a specialised door for under the Sink, but not to worry as he had ordered it that day. Weeks and weeks went by so I rang again - this time I was told the fitters will adjust a door when they come and complete the kitchen. A week ago they turned up and did a really good job although I am really not happy over a couple of things they said - my dogs were upstairs and barking like crazy - one of the fitters said "if this keeps up I'll get my gun" (I wont tell you how I replied but it was fairly cival under the circumstances) the other fitter said "that light works a treat now the light bulb is in properly", that infuriated me I'm afraid I'm an adult of reasonable intelligence - does he not think we had already covered new bulbs - loose fittings ourself?


The fitters didn't seem to think the door had been ordered infact they told me that Moben didn't want us to have one infact and that we should make do in Mobens opinion! My husband rang Moben it was correct the door hadn't been ordered but to pacify us they'd send a new light fitting which we could fit ourselves! I rang Moben to ask them to explain themselves about the door - why tell me several times it's been ordered if it hadn't.

My experience with Moben has been a living hell - we were left without water for nearly a week - all I got told was - claim compensation.

So, may I suggest that anyone who reads this and wants a kitchen please do not even consider Moben it has been nothing but hardwork and heart ache.

I told Moben that I have every intention of telling anyone that would listen to me about the problems we've had they are by no means a seperate incident - this is everyday workings for Moben I'm afraid. I also told them I'd take Legal action, report them to Watchdog and all the local papers, I told them I'd also taken advice from the Citizens Advice B., do you know what - they didn't care...

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