Who is at fault? Magnet at fault or Me - thoughts please!!

[finlaand]

Hi all

A Hot water stopcock has caused damage in the kitchen - the question here is fault, and what I should do next, bar getting a plumber to fix the stopcock damage itself.

I noticed today at the bottom of the corner kitchen unit (fitted in 2002, with 15 parts guarantee), a bit of rotten wood.

After removing the door, internal pull out unit, and the backboard, I have discovered there is a hot water stopcock which I never knew about - it must-have been hidden since 2002. (The cold stopcock had a round cut-out in the backboard elsewhere in the kitchen so you could see/work with it).

The stopcock has a slow drop at the bottom - and a lot of it is now a whitsh blue, and the same for the two pipes the drip was falling on to. Also the kitchen body unit below is rotten, pass the damage at this point below that as we have not removed the bottom board yet.

QU: Is it normal/wrong to fit a kitchen and cover over a stopcock? I moved in in 2007, and never knew it was there (and even if I did would of had to destroy a chunk of the kitchen to turn it).

Magnet say they are going to give more thoughts on this on Wednesday - which sounds like to me they are going to say as no-one pointed out the installation fault in 2years, not the fault.

Help! advices please.
- I have taken photos if it helps anyone. The backboard rested on the tap bit of the stopcock which I am guessing was how it got turned and a slow drip started.

 

[Bahco]

I wish you well trying to claim against a kitchen supplied and fitted 9 yrs ago

You may have a claim on your home insurance but I would get them involved and see what they say.

Personally I would get it done and cover the cost myself as it is a massive longshot

 

[finlaand]

Do you think then I should be NICE to Magnet, until they give me a quote, then mention I think they are at fault?

I have talked to my insurance today, and as there is a £400 excess for water damage, it seemed better to talk to Magnet first to save me that money. If you think its pointless trying will not do that, and just get the quotes for home insurance to pay to fix it.

?

I am HOPING that once I remove the bottom board there is no further damage to the floor of course (UPDATE - checked and all good). Will find out once stopcock replaced tomorrow.

 

[muggles]

Can you actually prove that it was leaking at the time the kitchen was installed? If you can't, you've got no chance claiming off Magnet

 

[finlaand]

Are you sure?

If it was leaking when they fitted the kitchen, surely the would of had to have said - onone in right mind would then hide a known leaking stopcock.

If it was not leaking when they fitted, they are at fault, as negligent to hide a stopcock.

?

 

[Agile]

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