Some serious advice needed

[katy]

Stirrer cue another 43 posts on PP

[Devils Advocate]

Come on Katy , I know Peter likes people to play by the rules so I'd guess sheds are exempt from regs. or Comares is easy going.

My license should be through soon anyway to change a bulb in the bog

[Jool]

Peter Complaints form is small area but get it translated and written on paper before you go, then just copy it over. It MUST state how you want the company to solve the problem to be valid and you will get a much better response in spanish

I once complained about booking medical procedures at a hospital - basically that no one tells you how it works or what to do etc with the encouragement of the staff working there and I received a lovely reply from the hospital. Now all doctors give out info on how to book appts for the future no matter what it is, to all patients and everything works better. So this system is taken seriously and properly responded to.

Make sure you keep two parts, one for you and one for the Consumer´s Office and your request for resolution must be reasonable - in this case removal of faulty equipment and a replacement that is checked by you and Bauhaus staff on arrival at your home to confirm no warping and proper instructions.

[markwilding]

Come on Katy , I know Peter likes people to play by the rules so I'd guess sheds are exempt from regs. or Comares is easy going.

So why doesn't he play by the rules in these situations. He says the Spanish don't complain but how the hell would he know.
Just because they don't do it his way doesn't mean they don't do it
What is more likely is they fill out the complaints form and resolve their problems, while he is contemplating a plan of action that involves picketing the shop.
I'll leave it to everybody else to decide which is the most civil, logical, best way to do things

[julian]

I think Victor should do what he suggested....

"I think it is time I made out some large placards with details of their abysmal service, with photos, and positioned myself outside their front door during shop hours - every day until they do something."

please keep us posted of your progress Victor......

[Mowser]

I think I have complained about goods three times here in Spain. Each time I complained I was courteous (it's not A dot com) and concise. On all three occasions my goods were replaced with superior models.
You should only pick a fight you can win. In short, you should be able to back up your mouth.

Why can't you simply say, "This shed was delivered and it was faulty. Please replace with a new one at your earliest convenience."

(In Spanish of course)

[julian]

it´s interesting that those that have used, or are about to use a complaints book are precisely those members who are a bit....now how can I put this politely......"abrasive" in their attitude about spain and the spanish on this forum..coincidence?? it seems they are at least consistant and cause as much friction in real life as they do with their posts on the forum.

you´ll get much further by being polite and calm when complaining that you will shouting the usual
"in england it wouldn´t be like this" at the poor salesman.

[markwilding]

Peter,
Even if you write out a complaint form,I don't think you're going to achieve any more than they're offering now.
This is one of those ""you've got to put it down to experience" times

[katy]

I think a replacment pack is the most that can be achieved. If they don't take the old one away you can always burn the wood in winter

Julian you are soo very English, a real appeaser standing by and get shat on

[Nimrod]

Spanish men are very macho and hate to lose face.
in the same situation i think I would have humbled myself knowing that i didn't really mean it.

[Jool]

Spanish men are very macho and hate to lose face.

So thats why they leave it all to the women, poor wee things.......

I believe the hoja de reclamaciones system was set up purely because of this national characteristic (?failing) and because so many businesses seek to flout or are simply unaware of basic consumer law....and it does work as it shows the businesses you know your rights and so long as you are reasonable and not aggressive they respond accordingly as they only want to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

Mowser you must be a member of the "abrasive" club now then...!! At least according to the word of the kindest, gentlest, forum member ever to post on here.......

[gerryh]

Perhaps I shouldn't post my experience with BH in Malaga.
I ordered a work top cut to size.
They said the pieces could be cut from one standard size which I paid for.
When I went to collect it they said they made a mistake in their calculations, it would need two standard sizes, but as it was their mistake they wouldn't charge for the second worktop.

Cheers
Gerry

[Devils Advocate]

Bet you were polite as always though Gerry, it works doesn't it?.

We had a saying when I was selling cars for a living....."Screamers get nowt,the humble get sorted"

[peteroldracer]

I have just scanned my synopsis to see where you lot have seen that I have been anything other than polite and reasonable. Up to the 25th July I was sweetness and light personified, even thanking them for their help in sending a PDF of a manual in Spanish.
After that point, when it continued to be difficult or impossible to contact them by phone, and it became obvious that they would continue to obfuscate and lie, I became less amenable.
With family visitors I was reluctant to spend a day driving a 130kms round trip when the person I needed to speak to could have not been there, or was on holiday or whatever, so used the wonders of email to try and get some action.
I have persisted with this store purely because there is little real competition (I use Aki and Leroy Merlin where possible, but they are just that much smaller), and this despite them delivering 30% of a 1000€ patio tile order broken, because they did not hand on a map I had left for the delivery man who used his satnav and came over the mountains of Málaga national park, throwing everything around in the back so boxes came off pallets..a real mess. On that occasion they did not quibble, and sent replacement tiles (albeit with a 10-day delay), although they failed to honour a promise to match batch numbers, sending a mix of shades, and certainly the word "sorry" never passed anyone's lips.
I have done with conciliatory.

[knowal]

This shed is not fit for purpose through no fault of the buyer. The supplier should replace it at no charge. If they do not, they should make a full refund. That would be a just solution.
If the suppliers will do neither of these things:
1. Fill in the complaints book.
2. If still no joy it's time to take them to court, you seem to have documented the sequence of events quite well.

One final thought - if you paid by credit card, the company may be able to help, it is another route to consider.

[Devils Advocate]

Anyway, when it is finally built..............

http://www.readersheds.co.uk/shedme.cfm

[frank]

I have just scanned my synopsis to see where you lot have seen that I have been anything other than polite and reasonable.

If it's not there, they'll make it up!

[Mowser]

A shed-load of money.

[katy]

He should have gone along to the shop cap in hand and in a small voice apologised for complaining
We all know the meek inherit the earth.

There is nothing to suggest in Peters posts that he was impolite, it is possible to be assertive and be pleasant. I do think he is asking the impossible by wanting them to provide installation. I would get a refund, another pack may be warped too. Lot's of wood items in Leroy Merlin is warped too, it's the climate.

Customer service barely exists in spain except in el corte inglés.

[Martin Page]

On the subject of wood warping ..... I know its a little off thread.
But in Peters case ... It is not the shops fault. !

The Spanish do not use wood for the very reason as Peter has now found out . They use cement, Plastic , or Tin. So when in Rome ...and all that. What you do in the UK doesnt transcend to southern Spain. So stop thinking UK and think Spanish !

In this climate, especially in summer ... wood will warp in a matter of hours, Not days ,weeks , or months - literally hours. Thats why, if you see something built in wood, there is a good chance there will be a big satallite dish attached to the wall

And Of course you will have to complain in the native language - you are the foriegner in their country - Remember that !