Sales pitch 100% Aftersales 0% (Safestyle UK)

Member Name: baldrickuk

Product:	Safestyle UK
Date:	19/05/03 (1628 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: Damaged goods, Shoddy workmanship, Zero Aftersales service

I should have known better from the sales pitch which was straight out of the "Double Glazing salesmans Manual" although it was a woman.

Right from the start I said i just wanted a quote and that "I will not sign anything tonight" 2 hours later, saleswoman can't believe I won't make a decision on the spot, even tried the old "I'll ring my boss see if I can get a lower price"

Anyway, the product did look okay, reasonably priced ish, and had all the security features and British Standards, so i rang back next day and said yes.

Right up to the time the doors (times 2) were fitted everything was fine, but I was not there during the fitting and my wife works from home and we have a 2 year old so she wasn't really paying attention after all 'they use professional fitters and their aftersales service is excellent' (What a load of rubbish).

So by the time I got home, my wife had properly inspected and found the following;

1. Rear door trim not fitted correctly coming away.
2. Scratch across glass of rear door.
3. Hinges scratched on both doors, which one of the fitters had tried to cover with Silicon.
4. Oh god yes silicon sealant a speciality, overuse I would say.
5. Foreign object inside glass of front door unit.
6. Front door does not open fully due to contact with inner door frame, the surveyor should have noticed this.

We rang on the day, 8th May 2003, then again a few days later, then I rang on the 13th May and said that if we were not contacted in 24 hours, they could have the doors back. No reply.

So I emailed on the 15th May (see below) and have had no reply there either. We are in the process of exercising our consumer credit act rights via the credit company, who I have to say are the only ones who appear to be on the ball.

My email is below;

"To Safestyle UK
Customer Services
Style House


Eldon Place
BRADFORD
West Yorkshire
BD1 3AZ

Dear Sir/Madam

My wife and I have just had 2 doors fitted by yourselves on 8th May 2003.

My last contact with your company via the helpline was over 36 hours ago. I have had no response even though I was assured one.

In fact we have had no reply to any of our phone calls with maybe one exception and that was only to let us know that someone would be coming around to see the doors.

Although in themselves the doors you fitted appear to be of quite good quality, the way they have been fitted and the customer service we have received since is of the lowest standard.

I am currently in the process of claiming back our money from the finance company with their help, as we are far from satisfied. I will obviously have to contact another company for replacement doors as you will be getting yours back, there is damage to all the hinges and the glass in the front door has dirt in between the sheets.

I don't mind little faults which are quickly fixed but basically all your British Standards and assurances of good aftercare were rubbish."


So don't do it, I'm going back to Coldseal and see what they have to offer.


Additional Information added 12th August 2003

Safestyle changed the complete front door eventually, and the hinges on the back door. The front door does not seal at the top!! I called in a Double Glazing professional for his opinion, below is the copy of the email i sent to Watchdog and Trading Standards with his observations.

Dear Sir/Madam

Although I have copied this to Safestyle, I don't expect a reply from them. Back in May this year we had 2 doors replaced by Safestyle UK. The Saleswoman and all the bumph was very good, so I decided to go with them, what a mistake. I have just had an independent Double Glazing specialist come and assess the doors (incidentall
y this is already the 2nd front door they've fitted) and this is what he has found:

Back Door

Damage to glass
Gap beneath door not sealed correctly

Front Door

Damage to door
Door not square
Door dimensions not even
Frame incorrectly fitted and not square
Large gap beneath door allowing Vermin to enter (2 year old in house who could be bitten)
Gap inside house where door has been fitted incorrectly.
Lintel sealed with Silicon preventing natural rain water escape so damp could start in house.
Damage to Brickwork caused by Fitters.

I am at my witsend, so I am about to fax the finance company telling them that I have neither been provided with goods or service to the required level, that I am cancelling the Direct Debit and I am having the doors replaced, by professionals.

The doors will be safely stored for collection by Safestyle or the finance company.

DO NOT USE SAFESTYLE. Ask friends and family even neighbours you don't know yet where they got theirs and were they satisfied. I found out some friends of ours used a company in Southampton 70 miles away.

Summary: