A COUPLE claim they haven’t had a shower for more than 50 days after fitters walked out halfway through installing their new bathroom.
Mindaugas Macius, 33, and his fiancée Dinara Tarasova, 38, paid Wickes £11,000 on March 4 to fit a bathroom in their Somerset flat.
But they say the parts were poorly designed which meant workmen couldn’t complete the job during the installation in May.
The pair, who are originally from Lithuania, allege that many of the bathroom parts, such as panels and a shower tray, were damaged and badly manufactured.
Mindaugas told The Sun: “Wickes scammed me and my fiancée. The company left us in an unsuitable home without a shower.
“Installers left our bathroom in a mess. They had done half their job and walked away because of the bad measurements and design.
Have you had a bad experience with Wickes? Contact: Jonathan.Rose@thesun.co.uk
“We currently have to wash at work or in the gym. Dinara even cleans her feet in the kitchen sink.
“I work as a technician at a plastic factory and get very dirty. My friends at work say I stink.
“After the bathroom disaster I’m constantly living in stress. I even take days off from work to try and find a solution.”
The factory worker also claims the sink was far bigger in the showroom and the heated towel rail is incomplete.
UNDER the Consumer Rights Act, anyone who enters a contract for goods and services can expect these to be supplied with reasonable care and skill – and this includes builders, plumbers, decorators and electricians.
It also includes materials, which should be of satisfactory quality, as described and fit for purpose.
If you’ve fallen victim to a cowboy builder, or had a dispute with your contractors, you should firstly collate all evidence you have, including paperwork, photos, videos, messages and bank statements.
Then, try to resolve the issues directly with the firm, before trying an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme such as mediation or ombudsman services.
If this doesn’t work, contact your bank to find out whether you can recover any money spent using Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (if the job cost between £100 and £30,000, your credit card company is jointly liable if something goes wrong).
If this doesn’t work, report them to the police on 101.
While the lines between what is criminal and just bad practice are blurred, a contractor could be done for fraud.
It is also important to contact Trading Standards. Citizens’ Advice has an online form to help you do this.
TS will then decide whether to investigate further based on the information you provide and help negotiate a settlement.
Even if it doesn’t, the details may help if anyone else complains about the same firm.
It is also possible to take builders to a small claims court if you have been left out of pocket. However, you run the risk of racking up significant costs.
While most home insurance policies don’t cover building work, it is worth confirming this with your provider.
And you should also, if possible, find out whether your builder holds liability insurance, which would also help.
He says the company treated his house as a “storage space” for four months.
Dinara added that the fitters left a drain open so their property started smelling like a “public toilet”.
She added: “Our friends didn’t want to come over because our house reeked of sewage.”
Mindaugas said he is using British humour to stay positive and has shared several hilarious videos on TikTok.
A Wickes spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for Mr Macius’ experience as we always aim to deliver a high standard of customer service.
“Our Customer Relations team is in communication with the customer and an installer is being arranged to carry out the remedial works as a priority.
“A member of the team will remain in contact with Mr Macius to ensure the installation is completed with the best possible care.”
