Im seeking advice from a job we have done with the most difficult customer of my whole career. We're a family business of 50+ years and take pride in our work and after today have been left debating whether its all worth it. I will explain the best i can:
We was called to a job to remove 3 old storage heaters and replace them with the new energy efficient fan assisted type. easy job.
We turned up on the day, the client left us a key so no one was in. we carried out the job and left. (This was a couple weeks ago, no payment as been taken yet)
About 3-4 days after we carried out the job the customer phones up and is complaining she is not happy with one of the storage heaters location, she says she has been reading the manual and it states there should be a 250mm gap from the top of the storage heater to the curtains above (the heater is below a window)
Now we admit perhaps that was an oversight on our behalf, at the time the curtains where tied back and it was overlooked. However all we was doing was replacing the old heaters and therefore trying to position them to cover up the old marks on the walls (we informed her that in normal circumstances we wouldn't normally fit heaters under a window but this was a swap over job) i would also note that the new heater is only about 1inch taller than then old heater, therefore if the new one is considered to not comply to manufactures instructions nor did the old one.
Now the customer is saying shes had her 'friend around that knows her stuff' and she also saying its wrong, not only that they are claiming they had a fire safety officer around who apparently wanted our contact details to report us but they claim they where nice enough to refuse to give them to him...
The customer is saying shes had sleepless nights since they where installed (even though the heaters are turned off completely due to being summer)
So this brings us to today, we called round to see if we can come to an agreement, and after the longest debate of my life we are no closer to a solution, the following is what was discussed:
1) We said that we would come back and completely FREE of charge move the heater to a new location, she has at least 2 locations that could work, HOWEVER one wall has a mirror on it that the customer says cannot be moved and the other position would be to move it next to the window its currently under that she says if we did that she would have to move her unit beside her sofa and have no where for it to go... So in short shes saying we CANNOT move it.
2) We said we would remove the heater and get a replacement one the same as she had before, Free of charge and in essence cancel that part of the job and have to just take the hit on it. YET now she is saying we cant do that because it still wouldn't comply even though it NEVER did in the first place.
So we cant Move it and we cant Remove it...
3) We stated that in all the years we have been trading that every other customer we informed about the curtains and told them that we HIGHLY suggest they get replacement shorter curtains has just picked this option. NOT THIS CUSTOMER, she says thats not an option because the gap between the top of the heater and the window is not 250mm therefore she cannot shorten her curtains.
So now what, we are at a lost end, she wont make room for the heater else where and let us move it and she wont let us install the old one and she wont shorten her curtains yet shes demanding we fix the problem.
In comes the 'friend expert' her friend is now suggesting the only option is to have the curtains removed and special blinds fitted in this lounge, and the WE have to pay for them, she goes on to say they are expensive and could expect to pay £300 per window, the lounge has 6 windows (2 don't even have curtains) and shes also suggesting that we should pay for all 6 so they match. This is just INSANE!
I wholeheartedly feel that im being made to look like a terrible trades man and cannot see how in anyway, shape or form i can be expected to fork out for 6 blinds! At this point she will be getting brand new heating in her whole home and furnished out of my pocket!
I know this was a long post and i thank anyone thats made it this far, im really at a lost end and dont know what to do, we are honest and fair people, and work by the principal of never installing something i wouldn't want in my own home. and i would never carry out something that i consider dangerous or I WILL be loosing sleep at night.
Im not sure if i should give the NICEIC a call or what. what would you guys do in my situation? is the customer right? is there anything else i can do to make the heater comply, like some sort of cover?
To the best of my knowledge you cannot buy short storage heaters, unless anyone knows of some?
(i would also like to note that the reason it has been 2 weeks before we have revisited is because the customer phoned up to complain on the NIGHT of my flight, i was going on holiday for 11 days, therefore that is why i wasn't able to return sooner)
Below is an image of the storage heater.
View attachment 52140
