Learn by my mistakes. (Safestyle UK)

Member Name: Ctommo

Product:	Safestyle UK
Date:	18/04/06 (2670 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They know when someone has too much proof against them and settle before court.

Disadvantages: Everything else about them.

We had 5 windows, a set of french doors and a back door fitted by Safestyle UK in 2003. We had chosen to go with Safestyle as a friend of ours recommended them as they had just had windows fitted by them and had no problems. The salesman also reassured us that Safestyle only use their own fitters and do not subcontract. We decided to go with them and the fitting date was given for May.

This was the biggest mistake we had ever made. The next few weeks turned out to be the worst of our lives. When the fitters knocked on the door to tell us that they were supposedly finished, we went out to have a look, we where in shock. After 5 days of fitting we where left with white windows that had dark brown mastic smeered over an inch of the frames, all uneven and wavey. We had a 2 inch gap above our french doors that my husband watched our next door neighbour fix his conservatory roof through with a camcorder. They had fitted a flat bar lintel above the french doors that was the same width as the french doors, it just sat on top of the frame it was not supporting anything, I know nothing about fitting windows but even I questioned the fitters on three occassions regarding the lintel, and each time they assured me that it was correct. There was draft getting under the upstairs windows where they hadn't pointed up properly around the frames on the outside. Our back door didn't fit properly and they had filled the 1.5 inch gap with mastic on the inside and out, there was also a deep scratch through the kitchen window and they had measured up wrong as on the inside they had buried most of the window frames behind the plaster work so there was only 1 inch of frame showing in parts, and this was just a few of our problems out of 20+.

We refused to pay and within 5 minutes my husband had the national manager (who would only give his name as Phil) on the phone threatening to come and rip the windows back out if we did not pay up, he spoke more like a gangster than a national manager of a nationwide company like safestyle UK, we couldn't believe what was happening to us. We didn't know what to do so we rang the police who told us to ring Safestyle and tell them that if this national manager Phil was to ring our house again that we would get an injuction out against him, they also informed us that Safestyle could not rip out the windows and doors and if they came near our house to attempt it that we where to ring our local police station straight away as they would leave a log of our call on the computer, they said they would attend immediately and arrest them.

We rang Safestyle and told them that Phil was not to ring our house again and told them what the police had said. They apologised on behalf of Phil and made the excuse up that he was going through a nervous break down. We then had a 6 week battle on our hands. We even found a local window company who came out to look at what Safestyle had done to our property, he couldn't believe it and even provided a report of all the faults and bad workmanship for free because he was that shocked that Safestyle were getting away with doing this to people.

Five days after the windows were fitted we were in bed at 6.30 on the saturday morning, we heard a great big bang we ran down stairs and the bulk head from above the french doors had collapsed into our living room and landed on top of our 18 month old sons high chair. it was over 7 foot long and 8 inches thick had he been in it at the time we don't think he would be here now. We got all this proof on video camera and sent a copy to Safestyle's Company Director by recorded delivery twice, he never even replied in person instead he got someone else to come out and look at the windows, the manager of Warrington office came out and couldn't believe his eyes we even put the video on for him to watch and kept the bulk head that had fell into our living room and asked him to feel the weight of it. He gave me his word that he would have his best team of men out to rectify the problems, we were also contacted by another Manager who offered us £1,400.00 not to take them to court. We said we would not make a decision until all the faults were carried out to our satisfaction.

They done the work and we agreed to accept the £1,400 off the price of £4,300. I am warning people for their own good, don't take a chance with this company. They do subcontract out and it is hit and miss what kind of fitters you get. We still have a copy of the video and still cannot believe that it happened to us. We have still had the odd problem even now nearly 3 years later, the last problem was that the top opener above the french doors was sealed shut and would not open, it took them 6 weeks to come out and fix it last July. 1 Star is even too good for them in the ratings.

Summary: A company that is not intersted in their reputation only in raking in the money!