Satisfaction over floor damage row

Jun 7 2009 by Ian Robson, Sunday Sun

WHAT’S under my foot this week? It’s a complaint about Sybil Pattie’s flooring.

Sybil told me how a wooden floor showed signs of dents and chipping in several places.

She felt aggrieved because it was only two years old and was bought because it was hardwearing.

Sybil, of Ellington, Northumberland, said: “We have been trying to solve this ourselves but we are hitting our heads against brick walls.

“The cost of the flooring was only £150 to cover a small area in the utility room.

“We only bought it because of the boast in the catalogue that it was hardwearing with a 25-year guarantee.”

I spoke to Kevin Howitt, of retailers Howitt Flooring, of Ashington, Northumberland.

He said tests had been carried out by the manufacturers which showed there was no fault with the product.

He said: “There is no defect. The flooring can put up with a lot but it is not indestructible. It may be that things have been dropped on the floor.”

No luck there, then, but I was not ready to give up yet and contacted another company in the supply chain.

This time it was the Headlam Group, of Team Valley, Gateshead, who were the suppliers to Howitt Flooring but not the manufacturers.

Managing director Tony Brewer said: “The manufacturer, we believe, has stated the material is up to standard. What we propose is to contact Mrs Pattie and resolve the matter as a gesture of goodwill. It is more likely to be a replacement floor than a repair and it will be free of charge.”