please don't buy windows from safestyle (Safestyle UK)

Member Name: Tabster

Product:	Safestyle UK
Date:	13/08/03 (1910 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Lots and lots

Safestyle UK attended my home on Thursday 7th August 2003 at 0735 hours in order to replace my existing doors and windows with their own product, which I had earlier in the year ordered.

The work began with haste and all seemed to be going well until I heard my home security alarm activate, I immediately went to the alarm control panel and saw that the safestyle fitter had a crowbar and was ripping the door frame out with great eagerness. At this point I realised that the alarm door contact was situated in the door and it’s frame. By now alarm contact had been destroyed and four bare wires were dangling from the once functional security system.

The safestyle fitters carried on their work until I asked one of the fitters about the alarm and if it would work who stated to myself “ WE’LL PUT TWO CONTACTS UP ON IT THEY JUST STICK ON” having been put at ease by this comment the work continued until it’s completion. I then gave the windows a cursory check and found that the wall in the En~suite had three 2 inch long gouges in the wall I immediately took this matter up with one of the fitters then applied white silicone to this area which by the way is blue, the silicone looks a little shabby to say the least. I again took up the matter of the alarm with the fitter who stated that he had in the past been sued and that’s why they don’t touch alarms or replace alarms. So the alarm was left and a customer satisfaction notice was given to myself to sign, which I felt obliged to sign. The safestyle fitter then asked t use my home telephone and he contacted his customer services centre and handed the phone to myself, the call lasted no longer than a minute and in that time Safestyle had disappeared from my premises leaving my alarm disabled.

Now that the fitters had gone and in eager anticipation I began to inspect my newly purchased windows but to my horror and disbelief I found problems on the very first day,

I saw that the sill in bedroom 3 was not sitting straight when viewed from the rear garden, to the left the sill protrudes approximately two inches yet on the right it protrudes 4 inches. This caused me some concern so I contacted the customer services department and raised this issue and that of the alarm. I was greeted by a customer services representative who could not answer my questions and stated she would get a manager to contact myself within 48 hours not satisfied with this response I insisted that at the very least the issue concerning the alarm was a priority as it affected my home security, the phone went silent for a minute and then an extremely rude customer service representative rattled off the following, “THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU IN THIS DEPARTMENT” “YOU SIGNED YOU’RE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTE” ARE YOU HOLDING ME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ALARM? YOU SHOULD HAVE MOVED ALL THE WIRES”

Later that evening I went to close one of the opening windows in bedroom 1 and found the handle difficult to turn, I stopped what I was doing and tried the window next to it and found this to be in working order, I again tried the difficult window and eventually managed to close the window after cutting the thumb on my right hand after it slipped off the handle and caught the key hole. I inspected the window and found that the locking mechanism was not working correctly as the locking system at the bottom of the window was not working at all due to the lateness of the hour and the fact that I could still partially lock the window I waited to contact Safestyle the following morning.
Friday 8th August 2003 before raising the problem of the window with safestyle I checked the working parts on all the windows and found the locking mechanism in the En~suite window was jammed in the open position and as a result I was unable to close the window at all and to aggravate the matter further a drain pipe runs next to the w
indow
and the alarm system was not working.
I immediately contacted safestyle and what seems to be a regular occurrence and practice I was told that the matter would be passed on and they would be in contact within 48 hours I insisted that this was unacceptable and eventually I was given the number to the installation depot whom I am told have a responsibility to deal with all aspects of the warranty for the first month.

Again using my home telephone I contacted the installation depot were my problems fell on deaf ears I was informed that they had no one available to attend my home address, I pointed out the whole situation and a male who stated he was the installations manager took over the call, I again with disbelief retold the situation, the so called installation manager stated that I was to get a hammer and hit the bottom part of the locking mechanism until I was able to close the window, I informed the installations manager that I had read the terms and conditions of my contract and this would not be covered in the agreement, he then stated that as the installations manager I’m telling you that you can and that if the window breaks I will replace the whole window and if it doesn’t work nail it closed if you have to.
I then went to the En~suite window and did as the installations manager instructed and with a sigh of relief I was able to close the window, I then recontacted the installations depot and asked for the installations manager who came to the phone, I informed him of the outcome and he stated he would have a team of fitters at my house on Saturday 9th August 2003 between 1 and 2 pm. My wife at the time was unaware of the problem and inadvertently opened the En~suite window and I was unable to close the window again but this time I had to concede defeat.
Saturday 9th August 2003 my wife on her day off work waited at home for the installation fitters to arrive whilst I went to work needless to say they never arr
ived after
she waited in all day.
Due to work commitments I have been unable to do anything about this matter till Tuesday 12th August 2003 and as a result I have a window that can grant any would be burglar immediate access via the drainpipe and to improve his chances my alarm system is not working. I again contacted the installations manager but this time I was told there was nobody of that name at this depot with disbelief I informed the male of the issues concerned and he offered the date of August 19th for the problems to be fixed, I shunned this insult and informed him that I would be taking the matter up with trading standards and the county court so his reply was “DON’T FORGET TO TELL THEM I’VE OFFERED YOU A DATE”

Having fully researched the matter I find that Safestyle are liable under the Supply Of Goods Act 1982 as they have a legal duty to take reasonable care when installing their products and repairs must be undertaken. So ripping alarm systems out and leaving four bare wires obviously falls under this statute as does causing damage to the En~suite wall and not repairing it satisfactorily and not fitting bedroom 3 to the satisfaction of the customer.
Safestyle seem to have adopted the attitude ha ha we’ve got your money you can go and whistle for any after sales care, I hope nobody is sucked into buying windows from this team of cowboys, I am quite sure that any company can beat them. I look forward to seeing safestyle in court!!!!!

Finally some four months later i have had all of the above problems rectified (but not by safestyle). After months of preasure first national bank employed a company to rectify my faulty windows and beleive it or not they haven't got a good word to say about safestyle... accept long may they stay in business as a great deal of work is put their way due to the poor installation and after sales of safestyle.

If you have to buy windows from cowboys then
make sure you finance the contract as this puts you in a stronger legal position and you can always pursue the bank in a civil court as they supply the goods to the customer.

Safestyle are due to remedy their mistakes next week, i don't think they'll mind if i'm not in do you?

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