Damaged sink delivered

[Vicario]

My elderly neighbour has had a downstairs storage area converted into a shower room with toilet and a small sink. The latter is built into a small vanity unit. She bought the sink, shower etc. from a local shop (bathroom accessories etc.) after agreeing with the plumber what was needed. They delivered the stuff at the weekend and left it in her hall until he started the fitting. Obviously, he did the preparation/tiling etc. first, then fitted the shower and toilet so that the following week he was ready to fit the sink. When he unwrapped it he found a dent in the semicircular bit that comes out of the front of the unit. He was adamant that he hadn't caused it and my neighbour believes him as it was still in her hall with half the plastic covering still intact. The shop said that the lady signed to say all was satisfactory on delivery so, as the dent isn't very big, she agreed to have the sink fitted.
My question. Do the professionals on here inspect everything that is delivered before they sign for it? Or is the onus on the customer to do that? I've tried taking a photo but the reflection is too bright. I might have another go later.

 

[Diver Fred]

The shop said that the lady signed to say all was satisfactory on delivery so, as the dent isn't very big, she agreed to have the sink fitted.
My question. Do the professionals on here inspect everything that is delivered before they sign for it? Or is the onus on the customer to do that? I've tried taking a photo but the reflection is too bright. I might have another go later.

Depends on who is paying for the items. If the client is paying direct for the items then I advise they should inspect before signing or annotate the suppliers delivery note with the comment 'goods received, not inspected'; if they are paying the installer (us/me) then they are advised to sign with comment as above or 'on behalf of (installer)'. We Do not normally inspect before installing unless the item is special order.

 

[opps]

It is a tough call.

Regarding the "customer said that the item is in satisfactory condition" I call BS on that. I suspect that the customer simply signed for receipt of the delivery. If they paid by credit card, let the credit card take up the claim. If debit card you don't have the same consumer protection.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sign for it and put alongside the signature (signed for without examination of contents). You are then only signing to suggest you have had something delivered, which you will exam in full later.

 

[ianmcd]

A daily question, if the installer regardless of what it may be, supplies and installs, everything is down to the installer to resolve everything, if you supply and think you are saving a few bob, then the onus is down to you, in this case the installer never supplied or fitted the sink, so absolutely no liability on them, up to the purchaser to sort out, and the installer is well within their rights to charge extra for their time, it is not their fault the item is faulty

 

[conny]

I'm due to take delivery of an en-suite suite, (if that makes sense), tomorrow. As a plumber will be installing it at a later date. I will be signing as uninspected, will notify when installer inspects at later date.

I sign for things in work like this and never had any problems. We did have one delivery, (for a plumber coincidentally), that was short of a basin waste. Plumber arrived about 2-3 weeks later, discovered the part was missing, phoned supplier and one was sent out next day.

 

[opps]

A daily question, if the installer regardless of what it may be, supplies and installs, everything is down to the installer to resolve everything, if you supply and think you are saving a few bob, then the onus is down to you, in this case the installer never supplied or fitted the sink, so absolutely no liability on them, up to the purchaser to sort out, and the installer is well within their rights to charge extra for their time, it is not their fault the item is faulty

Why do you assume that the home owner was trying to save money?

I do not think that she is culpable, and the OP hasn't suggested that.

The OP says that the installer specified the product and left the friend of the OP to pay for it.

At no point has the OP said that the installer is liable- they went to great lengths to say that they did not not
believe that the plumber was responsible for the damage.

Seriously mate, re-read the original post...

 

[dilalio]

Why do you assume that the home owner was trying to save money?

I do not think that she is culpable, and the OP hasn't suggested that.

The OP says that the installer specified the product and left the friend of the OP to pay for it.

At no point has the OP said that the installer is liable- they went to great lengths to say that they did not not
believe that the plumber was responsible for the damage.

Seriously mate, re-read the original post...

Because it happens a lot and it gets tiresome.

 

[ianmcd]

Why do you assume that the home owner was trying to save money?

I do not think that she is culpable, and the OP hasn't suggested that.

The OP says that the installer specified the product and left the friend of the OP to pay for it.

At no point has the OP said that the installer is liable- they went to great lengths to say that they did not not
believe that the plumber was responsible for the damage.

Seriously mate, re-read the original post...

As already said, as a pro we hear this on a daily basis, if you purchase whatever, then if something is not correct, ALWAYS get the pro to supply and install and then only one port of call if something is wrong, we hear this all the time, why should I be responsible for something I never supplied, your post there is only one resolution the person who bought the sink must sort it out , and as said the installer is well within their rights to charge for their time being wasted

 

[Vicario]

My neighbour never thought that her plumber had damaged the sink and she is very happy with the final result. He circled/underlined the items required in the shop's brochure and she went along to order them. (The dent in the sink is quite small and you only really notice it from a certain angle so she didn't mind having it fitted). My question was really to ask about the responsibility aspect, as I've done this (accepted an item that I haven't inspected) in the past. The above comments are very useful and I'll use the form of words suggested in future. Last year I ordered some ready-made raised beds from a well-known supplier. These consist of four planks of wood with hard plastic corner brackets. As I had ordered four, they came in two very heavy packs. The brackets had been sandwiched between the wood and then (in my opinion) stacked with other stuff. The brackets were almost all broken, despite being packed separately in a small cardboard box. I sent photos to the supplier and made a recommendation that packaging plastic between heavy wood is not a good idea. They sent replacements and thanked me for my suggestion, with a 20% discount on my next order. No way could I have opened the packs while the van driver waited - I could hardly lift them and needed help to get them into the garden!

 

[Vicario]

As I can't send a photo of the sink, here is one of my first set of damaged brackets.

 

[ianmcd]

YOU CAN SEND ANY PICS YOU WANT, again the contract is with your friend who puchased the sink, and the seller, only the purchaser and the buyer have a contract, it has absolutely nothing to do with the installer, you might want to move your post to the legal chat part of the site

 

[dilalio]

Just sign as uninspected.
As suggested.
I make sure to do this also...
Even when I've ordered goods for a job.
When dozens of boxes are delivered for a bathroom consignment, there's no way I can open everything and inspect.
Usually on a building site, so last thing I want to do unpack and repack everything! You can damage stuff just by doing that!
And then you're leaving it all unprotected for others to damage when thy shift it about, so they can do their jobs - and they aren't very careful when something is in their way!

I had a bath delivered recently, and the manufacturer had put a large label on the inside in yellow warning that I must peel back the protective film to inspect all surfaces as they would not accept damages if not done! FFS! What's the bloody point of the protective film if I have to do that! I emailed them saying I did not accept this rule and would not be doing it!

 

[dilalio]

Why do you assume that the home owner was trying to save money?

He didn't assume!
He started the sentence with "If".

 

[Vicario]

Thanks for all the comments. I sent the photo to stress the kind of damaged goods that can and have been delivered. I wonder what would have happened if the company had denied all responsibility. In fact, they were great! I shall certainly use the format suggested when I sign in future and I am now aware that the person who buys the goods is totally responsible for chasing up any damage.