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If flooring is faulty, can I sue the shop who supplied it for the cost of having the new stuff installed and new skirting boards? I'm just about to lodge CCJ and want to know my chances of winning back the cost of the install and skiritng boards (£350). We've done everything they've asked to do, including removing the skirting boards and taking up the floor and now they've (after three months) offered to refund the flooring only. We have no flooring down and no skirting boards. We're £300 out of pocket and have a pile of faulty flooring and no floor/skirting boards.
If i lodged a claim on moneyclaimonline what's the chances of getting an award?
Can I claim the cost of preperation too, I'm sure you used to be able to claim £10 hour?
If you have time, here's the backstory...
October 2020 we wanted new flooring for conservatory. Mrs GM wanted karndean and we went to local flooring place, a local indy who's been around 40 years. To be fair to them, we'd not long been out of lockdown and it was busy. They told us they sold some other stuff that's Rigid Core, waterproof and underfloor heating tolerant, easy to fit and cheaper to install than Karndean, so we bought it, £300 for the product.
Two weeks prior we'd installed electric underfloor heating and a new screed which was left to dry out and aired and the floor gradually warmed up, windows open all day and floor on really low.
A joiner laid the loose lay floor as per instructions on the box and it looked ace. It looked like lino, couldn't see any joins and we were happy with it. Fast forward to Spring, we noticed some warp in a few of the planks. I went back to the shop and expalined to them and said it felt like it was delaminating and floaring, their immediate stance was 'go back to who fitted it' and if it wasn't them then it's a fitting issue. I asked them to get details of the technical rep from the manufacturer and was told there wasn't one as the product was imported from China.
After some pressure the manager (owners son) came out to look at the floor and was still adamant it was a fitting issue. The product is sold as easy fit, for the diy'er and it's fairly straight forward. My joiner has 20 years experience of fitting floors and said it was easy to lay and cut well. They dismissed his experience as he wasn't a 'master floor layer' like he was. He pretty much made it out like only his guys could fit this stuff.
He then gave us explicit 'fault finding process' which was:
Remove the skirting boards and check the floor wasn't being pinched by the skirting boards or crushed against the wall. We did and there was 10mm+ space around the edge.
After that allow the floor to 'settle' for few more week and it didn't change anything. Went back to the shop with photos to show them and confirmed that they then wanted me to lift the floor and they said yes.
Take the floor up and check the screed is level and even. So i marked the areas where we had issues and then removed the floor plank by plank and drew around them as I took it up, numbered each plank and wrote the number on the floor.
When i took the floor up I had a mate come over who lays liquid flooring and he measured the whole floor with a straight edge and he said the floor was absolutley spot on. Went back to the shop again who then suggested a rep from the company look at it, after previously saying there wasn't one.
A chap turned up and transpired he has a carpet shop and he imports the product. When he saw the floor had been lifted he simply said he can't give an opinion as the flooring isn't laid now, he looked at the planks where the backing had delaminated and said he'd have a chat with the shop. He also admitted that they were a big customer of his and was in a tricky situation. He did however, agree the sub floor was spot on and not the issue.
Two weeks of me chasing them for the guys 'report' and they came back and said it was an installation fault we didn't acclimatise the product (after telling him several times it was in there for a week, unpacked, the flooring had been laid too soon and residual moisture in the screed was to blame and asked for proof of RH (relative humidity) readings from when the floor was laid, which the guy who laid the floor couldn't do because he's a joiner not a master floor layer. He also said the issue was 'cupping'and that's caused by moisture in heat.
Naturally i started researching this and it turns out it is a thing, but with hardwood floors, some rigid vinyl floors suffer it but normall due to the sun causing the floor to heat up. This was a light bulb moment because the are affected is in the sun most of the day and I'd specifically mentioned this at the time of purchase as well as the underfloor heating tolerance.
I then asked them for techncial data sheets for the product, I wanted to see what this stuff has been tested for, which standards had been acheieved. A week they produced a home made word document that was created 5 mins before sending it to me, which had very little on it, mentions a castor chair test and wear rating and that is all. No fire rating, no UV rating, no water swelling tests. For reference most other floor manufacturers have about 30 standards on their data sheets.
I spoke to some technical depts of Karndean and Tarkett and they say that the sun causes major issues with flooring and loose lay products are often specifically instructed not to be laid in conservatories for this exact issue.
I reminded them that how can they blame the floor installation when they have NO standards or documentation for the product, no fire test standards, no water repellancy testing, no UV testing etc etc, so they then offered the profit back as compensation, £104, which I rejected. I want the cost of the product and the fitting and new skirting boards.
I then got an email asking me to send them two samples for testing, but if the samples passed the test I'd be liable for £150 charge for testing them. I then asked them who would be testing them, can they provide their credentials and against what benchmark?? It's not like the product has attained any standards, otherwise they'd have the data.
They then offered full refund for product.
I'm now about to submit CCJ for fitting of floor and skirts (£230) and new skirting boards (£120), I believe as they have offered a refund for the flooring that's not in dispute, so the CCJ is for £350.
I'm sick to death of dealing with these idiots who have tried every which way to get out of addressing the issue, their T's & C's on their website and invoice are appalling and they basically pass any liability to the fitter.
Apologies that I haven’t read the full post, but my first thought is CAB.
Have you considered contacting them?
Not something I have personal experience, but I’ve heard positive stories.
Get the refund for the flooring and let the £350 roll - life's too short to go through the hassle of chasing that.
And if you costed your time doing the chasing you'll spend a lot more than £350! 🙂
Have you had the floor moisture checked yet? you said you had a mate who lays liquid floors check it was level, he should have the device, I wouldn't start anything till that is checked.
and they basically pass any liability to the fitter.
You didn't have a fitter though, you had a joiner
Buy cheap buy twice covers this, I'm not rich but Id chalk the £300 loss down to one of those experiences.
If you'd picked up the Karndean and had it fitted by a trained fitter, they'd have taken the floor moisture levels first to check for excessive moisture and if there was, remedy it before fitting the floor and leaving you with a 30 year guarantee.
Get the refund for the flooring and let the £350 roll – life’s too short to go through the hassle of chasing that.
After reading what you have been through I'd tend to agree with that ^^^
Sounds a shit situation though.
I'd just go for it and put every penny you can think of in your claim, including your time.
Hit them with a big claim, you'll either get it or more likely it's a starting point for them to negotiate you down to what you actually want.
The costs of say a £1k claim aren't any different to a £2k claim, theres a couple of 'jumps' (£5k IIRC) but for a smallish one like yours just go for it
I've got to say I'm really impressed my your tenacity and so unimpressed by the other posters' let it slide comments. Just so predictable and downright wrong.
So many companies get away with producing shite as they know most people won't complain, they'll just suck it up and buy again.
If we keep accepting this then shit companies will prosper, good companies will fail and the environment will continue to get shagged. What percentage of the stuff we buy just gets binned and replaced because people CBA?
Here's someone who can BA and I wholeheartedly applaud him.
Wasn't it Campagnolo who nearly went bust a few decade ago because their products were so high quality that people had to replace them less often and so didn't buy as much and the company nearly folded as a result? Or was that an urban myth?
Or was that an urban myth?
Shimano came along and wiped the floor with him....
Back to the OP.
Whilst you might be 'right' suing through the courts won't necessarily get you any money. Even if you win you still have to get your money which can mean going back to court for an enforcement order then hiring bailiffs etc. A lot of hassle for bugger all.
If you’d picked up the Karndean and had it fitted by a trained fitter, they’d have taken the floor moisture levels first to check for excessive moisture and if there was, remedy it before fitting the floor and leaving you with a 30 year guarantee.
That's what we went to the shop for, they talked us out of it and said this stuff was the next best thing and didn't need a specialist to lay it.
I even offered them to re-supply Karndean and fit and and credit what we're asking and they refused. This is an issue of their doing, surely?
You didn’t have a fitter though, you had a joiner
Isn't a time served joiner with a BSC Hons in construction too not capable of laying a product labelled as 'for the DIY'er'?
Here’s someone who can BA and I wholeheartedly applaud him.
Thanks.
Hmmm. What sort of bins do they have?
As above chasing it is a loser except for the sheer vindictive embuggeration factor. I personally couldn't be arsed but if you can I say go for it. They'll at least be put through a tedious administration nightmare. For which you can take great pride.
Whilst you might be ‘right’ suing through the courts won’t necessarily get you any money. Even if you win you still have to get your money which can mean going back to court for an enforcement order then hiring bailiffs etc. A lot of hassle for bugger all.
I am aware of this, but i've credit checked them and they have no CCJ's. This is about principle and brinkmanship.
Ironically i read a google review and a guy had got them out to measure a carpet, arranged £300 price and left a key to fit the beige carpet when he was at work. When he came home they had fitted a blue carpet. When he rang the up he told them it was the fitters fault and to take it up with the fitter.
You are missing some steps before the CCJ!
1. Does the T&Cs of sale for that supplier have any formal dispute resolution process? I'm not sure if it will be mandatory, but often there will be something like mediation by the association of floor fitters or something! If it is mandatory and you haven't followed it - he'll have a basis to reject your claim.
2. Having tried to resolve it you need to issue a letter before action. That lays out the basis for your claim, and how much you want. Personally I'd include the refund for the flooring too, otherwise if he pays that it becomes confusing and he can say "but I've already paid what he asked". There are template LBAs online
3. Then you have to take it to court. I have in my head that you might have moved to Scotland? if so you can't use MCOL.
4. Then the court will issue the docs to him and he can pay (no CCJ involved), or defend.
5. If he defends, he'll presumably come armed with the "independent reports". He may or may not do that in a way that makes them admissable as evidence, but you'd probably need a lawyer to challenge it (which is not the intent of the small claims approach) unless the judge rejects it completely.
6. If he's switched on (or the judge is) you'll probably have an issue with any random stuff you print off the internet that backs up your version - its not expert evidence.
7. Even if the judge says the product was defective, I'm not certain you'll get paid for the skirting or installation. That may depend a lot of whether he believes you told them exactly the plan and what they said about fitting etc.
8. The judge will decide, and then if he decides in your favour they will have the option to pay within a month.
9. If they don't pay you get the CCJ registered, and then can ask a bailiff/debt collector or pursue it for you.
If you lose you'll have all the hassle and the court costs.
If you win you'll have all the hassle and might eventually get the money, but might have a long wait for it.
This is the reason that Amtico, and I think Karndean insist on their certified fitters installing it!
Personally? Issue the letter before action hoping that makes them pay up - if not cut your losses and forget about it. an expensive lesson in why not to go cheap
I would go after them as the what generalist says is true.
Also, I guess the only reason they talked you out of Karndean is they had no stock.
I had a new hardwood floor fitted by a specialist flooring company 3 years ago, they did an excellent job, got them to quote for another room this year, same flooring, different style, the cost for materials had doubled.
This is about principle and brinkmanship.
Beware - judges aren't huge fans of the small claims system (or indeed the courts) being used for points scoring.
All sounds a bit crap but personally I'm in the camp of take the money that's been offered and move on. Although you said you specifically mentioned it being for a conservatory have you actually got a record of that? I'd imagine there's a lot of ways they could get out of being fully liable (if they chose to offer a defence). Possibly a chance you could even lose the £300 refund offer (although not sure if you can accept that and then file a claim against the outstanding amount?, if you can I guess you may as well apply for a CCJ for the remainder).
This shop isn’t in West Yorkshire is it? I’m about the buy some flooring and want to give them a miss!!
This is about principle and brinkmanship.
Move on. Life's too short to bother with this sort of thing. It's not a life changing sum of money and I suspect the defendant doesn't give a toss about a CCJ, they're hardly life ending events.
There was some chap on here who'd dedicated his life to slagging off SuperStar bike components as they'd sold him a duff set of wheels and he'd sued them. He'd totally lost the plot, just consumed by rage over an untrue pair of cheap wheels.
I’ve got to say I’m really impressed my your tenacity and so unimpressed by the other posters’ let it slide comments. Just so predictable and downright wrong.
The OP is trying to claim for something that was not sold to him by the shop. The shop are refunding the cost of the flooring they supplied.
The chances of getting consequential losses back are very, very slim.
Some people thrive on a challenge though - so crack on!
It’s not a life changing sum of money
Might not be to you, it would be to me right now as my wife is stuck at home isolating and can’t earn any money on her zero hours contract.
FWIW, I once bought some unfinished engineered oak flooring and, on the recommendation of the shop, I sealed it myself with Osmo UV oil then, once dried, a coat of Osmo PolyX (hardwax) oil. The PolyX wouldn't dry (still tacky after a week) and quite surprisingly they shop admitted fault, resupplied the flooring and even organised a fitter to lay it for us (and he did a better job than the fitter of the first set.
Some 10 years later I still remain impressed at their response - no questioning of what I had done or denying they recommended that mix of sealants, they just accepted responsibility and sorted it without fuss. I wish there were more businesses like that.
The OP is trying to claim for something that was not sold to him by the shop. The shop are refunding the cost of the flooring they supplied.
More than that, they gave him incorrect advice on what to use. The product might be ok but if they have him wrong advice they may be liable for the costs that advice caused.
I sued Paisley freight for being a bunch of useless halfwits.
As per the OP, it was their intransigence which really got to me and pissed me off more than anything.
Sent invoice for costs sent reminder letter, sent second reminder, sent letter before action, filed claim online.
They finally got in touch the day before the hearing, backed down and paid up.
I expect that is what would happen if the OP did it.
How thick was the screed you laid?
It takes 24hours per every mm of depth for it to dry out properly, it very much sounds like the floor was laid way to early, trapping the moisture below.
This would have huge repercussions on natural or engineered wood, and it can't be good for the rigid lino stuff.
What brand is it?
When we do kitchen or bathroom projects we often fit Quickstep Livyn vinyl floors, sound the same as what you have laid and have never had any problems with it
More than that, they gave him incorrect advice on what to use. The product might be ok but if they have him wrong advice they may be liable for the costs that advice caused.
If he can demonstrate this in court, they may be liable. Do you have the advice in writing?
Without the RH reading taken at appropriate times, given you had just been setting screed, and the damage could be described as moisture related, how are you going to demonstrate that the subfloor was sufficiently dry at fitting? Given that you've used a separate fitter, this seems to me to be the minimum level of evidence you need before you can move on to suggest defective materials.
They've refunded the cost of the ruined flooring, is there anything to stop them counter-claiming for this plus other costs if you back them into a corner? Presumably this was a 'gesture of goodwill' rather than any admission of liability.
Have the skirts been destroyed? Why are they not available?
Thanks all, i was listening to LBC last night as I was walking my dog and they had a legal hour at 0pm, so rang in and spoke to a barrister.
Explained the case and he said they are liable for the installation and skirting boards.
Are you retired Op? Get out and ride your bike more.
How thick was the screed that was laid?
TBH you only have yourself to blame. You tried to do it on the cheap and your gamble didn't pay off.
Why didn't you use the shop's recommended fitters?
It's like Deja Vu all over again. How can we get the business owner on here?
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/legal-advice-please-cancelling-a-new-car-dispute/
OP did it start to warp when the temperature outside started to rise and conservatory warmed up due to more sunlight?
Have you any pics you can post? I work for a flooring manufacturer so can give you an opinion
Ah, the Ling's Cars OP; thought I recognised the user name.
My suggestion - attempt to negotiate a higher offer; if, as is likely, you are unsuccessful accept their previous offer - if still open.
The moral - buy cheap, buy twice.
Next time ask for a supplier-approved installer and be clear at the outset about liability.
Karndean and another product I cannot recall are specified by supermarkets for cafe floors - because they are proven products and installers are supplier-approved.
Karndean and another product I cannot recall
Amtico?
Thanks all, i was listening to LBC last night as I was walking my dog and they had a legal hour at 0pm, so rang in and spoke to a barrister.
Explained the case and he said they are liable for the installation and skirting boards.
Nice!
The reason why so many people get screwed over by bad service and bad products is down to the attitude of some of the posters on this thread “life’s too short, forget it, move on”. Why should he if he’s out of pocket through no fault of his own?
If he succeeds not only will he be put back to a position where he is not at a loss but hopefully future customers will get better advice.
OP did it start to warp when the temperature outside started to rise and conservatory warmed up due to more sunlight?
Exactly what happened. When I asked them for technical data sheet they couldn't show any of the standards that every other flooring manufacturers have on theirs.
I spoke to Karndeans technical people who told me themark which products they have are not suitable for conservatories. But I had to go through this whole ordeal to find that out.
Ah, the Ling’s Cars OP; thought I recognised the user name
I expected this to be mentioned much, much sooner than this 🤣
The moral – buy cheap, buy twice.
Next time ask for a supplier-approved installer and be clear at the outset about liability.
To be fair it's £45 a pack, we originally found asked for Karndean and was told stock was thin on the ground as we'd just come out of lockdown. We mentioned it was for a conservatory, they asked was the floor level and said it was for the DIY'er. Of they'd offered installation we'd have taken it because we had a nightmare finding an installer.
My opinion not a professional fitter but have had experience in flooring. Sheet vinyl target etc when glued down and welded trap ant moisture beneath due to obvious reasons, plank vinyl karndean etc is glued down but not sealed on the joints therefore moisture can evaporate through the joints, so technically moisture can escape, very slowly admittedly.
Personally if you we willing to pay the price for karndean then this is a principle issue more than a money issue, so being a principal kind of guy I’d say issue them with a letter stating your intentions, threaten to involved the local paper. But ultimately I kind of agree with some other opinions and put it down to lesson learned..
Explained the case and he said they are liable for the installation and skirting boards.
That legal advice is worth what you paid for it.
You have two issues. 1) You have to prove the flooring was faulty. 2) you have to prove the incidental losses are because of the faulty flooring
You have two issues. 1) You have to prove the flooring was faulty. 2) you have to prove the incidental losses are because of the faulty flooring
Agreed, however, the owner and the importer have both been out. If the owner didn't think there was an issue with the flooring i.e. it was fine then he wouldn't have sent the importer out after that to looks at it after he has.
Also, my issue is they have absolutely no technical evidence to prove the flooring has been tested to any standard whatsoever.
Looks at any flooring manufacturers website and most floors have undergone around 30 tests for wear, lightfastness, Chair leg test, fire resistance, swelling, moisture tolerance, UV etc etc to name a few.
They knocked up a word document and sent it then said that's all they had.
How can they blame the installation making the flooring warp when the floor hasn't attained any standards whatsoever??
Irrelevant
You have to prove that the flooring was faulty. Thats how it works. What evidence do you have the flooring was faulty?
Seriously - you will need to prove that there was a manufacturing fault with the flooring and its nothing to do with the installation.
then they have offerd you the money for the flooring.
Proving the skirtings are the flooring sellers fault not the installers is virtually impossible
Where is your expert report on the flooring?
How can they blame the installation making the flooring warp when the floor hasn’t attained any standards whatsoever??
Shouldn't you have established that first?
They have offered to refund the cost of flooring at £300.
You also refer to them offering to refund their profit of £104.
CCJs are used in claims where money is owed.
I think you would be hard pressed to prove they owe you money.
The burden of proof sits with you as the claimant; as you're looking to make this a legal matter don't be surprised if your claim is thrown out as you cannot prove that money is owed - it's just your opinion.
The retailer may decide that they're tired of you pushing the issue and say...OK, we withdraw any and all previous offers to resolve this; see you in court if that's what you want to do.
Think carefully; courts don't have much time for what they consider to be time wasting - and it's their view that counts - not yours.
What was the depth of the newly laid screed?
As much as it grinds, it sounds like they will blame your fitter, and thats hard to prove otherwise.
I'd take the refund, condense your first post into bullet points and post them a lovely review on google, and name them on this thread (STW is well ranked on google!)
As others have suggested, its not worth the anguish/time and how you will feel when inevitably they get one over on you. I reckon the only real chance you've got is they offer a gesture of goodwill to avoid the hassle of the CCJ but it doesn't sound like they will.
PS Tile it!
How thick was the screed you laid?
It takes 24hours per every mm of depth for it to dry out properly, it very much sounds like the floor was laid way to early, trapping the moisture below
What Jim said. Floor was laid too early.
The fact that you had someone else lay the floor muddies the waters considerably.
The shop has sold you a product - you have then had that fitted by a third party and for some reason it has gone wrong - they have offered a refund on the product which seems like a reasonably generous offer.
Who knows what the failure was caused by (does sound like moisture though) but it doesn't matter.
If the shop had arranged the fitting also then they would have more blame to shoulder.
If they produce statements from other purchasers of the same product saying that there's not been a problem then they're in a stronger position and could easily state that the failure was caused by something out of their control.
I'd take the refund and move on.
Edit: laying a "waterproof" membrane over a 2 week old screed is not going to promote drying out of said screed.
quick update!
Fooring shop has now coffed up for the floor, but still refusing extra costs, so i'll be filing a claim any day now.
Seriously – you will need to prove that there was a manufacturing fault with the flooring and its nothing to do with the installation.
They haven't got any proof that the floor has been tested in any way at all for suitability in pretty much most areas, i'll start there...
I'd think a refund on the floor would be a good fair outcome.
I'm not with you on this.....
As above if they'd supplied and fitted yeah I'd be with you.
They haven’t got any proof that the floor has been tested in any way at all for suitability in pretty much most areas, i’ll start there…
completely Irrelevant
You have to prove that the flooring was faulty. that your ( not the shops) fitter fitted it properly
Why not go and get some proper legal advice before you waste any more time and energy on tilting at windmills. all you are going to do is waste more money and let this eat away at you
Ccj is 75 quid...
So your letting 225 quid wind you up....
Still just cant see a happy outcome here....
Still just cant see a happy outcome here….
I can, just not for the OP.
I can, just not for the OP.
True, if he keeps updating the thread it should be quite entertaining. Again, not for the OP.
Why not go and get some proper legal advice before you waste any more time and energy on tilting at windmills. all you are going to do is waste more money and let this eat away at you
On the other hand we all need a hobby. Endless hours can be whiled away filing court cases and sitting around waiting for hearings to start.
Endless hours can be whiled away filing court cases and sitting around waiting for hearings to start.
Geordice vs Geordice
I had a similar problem with some Engineered wood boards when left on semi dried screed floor, I’d removed them from pack and left them on floor overnight. They bent like bananas. Engineered or laminate boards will bend if left out or are fitted to screed floors that haven’t dried “completely”
Was a liquid epoxy damp proof membrane applied to the screed floor before fitting?
editted - missed the joke!
I’m willing to bet that the “screed” put down before installation was just a self-levelling compound. In which case some “bottle” mixes (ie those that come with be their own milk) can be ready for coverings within hours and mostly within a day or so.
A conservatory is the most challenging of environments for any flooring. Temperatures and RHs vary wildly between day and night and from season to season. They’ll usually have a load of bloody plants in there as well which doesn’t help either. I’d always advise clients to put either stone or ceramics in. And where I’ve had to run a floor into a conservatory despite advising to the contrary, I just tell the client that any coming back to sort problems out for free stops at the conservatory door. 😀
To the OP, given the sums involved, I’d take the refund and run. Generally, with any installation, something can be identified as not falling within the parameters of the fitting instructions.
If the sums were an order of magnitude higher, by all means I’d say go for it, but for a few hundred quid, I think you’re wasting your time.
martinhutch - I saw what you did there 👏👏
As for the OP's update - an exercise in futility; cost of flooring has been refunded.
Cut your losses and walk away now; several responses - inc mine from a few days ago - have attempted to explain to you that the burden of proof will fall on you; ask yourself...can I prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the retailer is at fault?
All you have is your opinion; you have convinced yourself the retailer is at fault - that counts for nothing in the eyes of the law.
Balance of probablities actually for civil action but there is no chance of even meeting that lower standard of proof
What was the depth of screed that was laid?
It's a simple and quick question to answer!
The reason why so many people get screwed over by bad service and bad products is down to the attitude of some of the posters on this thread “life’s too short, forget it, move on”. Why should he if he’s out of pocket through no fault of his own?
I reckon these would be the same people who if their new bike arrived damaged, and the sender wasnt interested in replacing or refunding the full amount, they'd be on the phone to the high court looking for an appointment first thing in the morning. AFTER a very long thread about how it was the senders responsibility.
£350 is a lot of money, far too much to just cast to the wind.
the issue is that the flooring was not laid properly.
Its like you buy a bike, don't let the shop do the assembly / pre sale inspection, get your pal to build it up, he damages it then you try to sue the shop.
We are simply advising him that he has no case against the supplier here and he is pissing in the wind attempting to make one.
If he had used the shops own fitter then he might have a case.
But the OP does have history as a bit of a chancer evidenced by the Ling thread so in a fit of contrived outrage, he's trying it on to get as much back as he can.
Fair enough but don't dress it up as upholding 'consumer rights'. Sorry.
If he had used the shops own fitter then he might have a case.
If he'd used the shops fitter there would be a nice floor laid and no issues...
But the OP does have history as a bit of a chancer evidenced by the Ling thread so in a fit of contrived outrage, he’s trying it on to get as much back as he can.
I'm sure the strategy is that, given the small amounts involved, the shop will fold because it doesn't want the hassle. Be interesting if, on receiving his claim, they withdrew their goodwill offer/refund and counter-sued to get back the costs of the flooring, though.
I really do not think its that at all. I think he is just misunderstanding how the law works on this.