Make Sure Your Money Is Safe Before You Buy a New Kitchen, Bathroom or Bedroom.

KBSA - The UK Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom Specialists Association If you are about to enter into a contact to buy anything of significant value, then make sure you have some guarantee for you money, before you hand over any cash.

You can protect yourself from losing a deposit or your major home improvement purchase if a retailer goes bust by asking a number of vital questions, so says the national trade association for the kitchen bathroom and bedroom industry, the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association, (KBSA).

The Association has issued the top ten questions and buying guidance as the outlook on the high street shows little sign of recovery and the number of business failures continues to soar, they include:

1. Is my money safe with you?

2. Are you a member of a trade association?

3. Will you manage the whole project for me?

4. What deposit do you take and is it protected?

5. What are the stage payments after the deposit, and are they also protected?

6. Do I have a retention until I sign off the project on completion, and if so, how much?

7. What happens if you go bust?

8. Are you TrustMark registered?

9. If the credit crunch gets worse, and I am affected adversely. Can I get my deposit back?

10. Can I see recent evidence of your association membership, insurance protection and TrustMark status?

KBSA retailer Norwood, who has showrooms in Leeds and Brighouse, has urged local buyers to heed the KBSA’s advice and seek out retailers who can offer the reassurance of Association membership and financial protection.

“It is a sad fact that we are going to see more high street retailers go under in the coming months. Consumers who are caught up in the failure of a business usually have to endure a lot of heartache in order to recover their money and complete the installation of their kitchen, bathroom or bedroom,” says Norwood Managing Director, Ronnie Potts

“The current economic climate should make all buyers stop and think twice about the importance of dealing with a reputable retailer who can offer peace of mind and deposit protection.”

Norwood offers ConsumerCare Plus, a comprehensive insurance underwritten by HCC International Insurance Co Plc, a specialist UK authorised insurance company.

In the unlikely event that Norwood ceases to trade, deposits up to 25% of the total contract value paid, advance payments up to 75% of the contract value, non-completion of the contract and a 6 year warranty are all covered.

As a member of the KBSA, Norwood follows an Approved Code of Practice and is subject to strict monitoring to ensure continued professional service.

All KBSA members are dedicated to upholding the association’s high standards of design, supply, installation and customer service throughout the interiors industry. All members are carefully vetted prior to admission and they must have been trading for at least two years in order to be considered for membership.

Norwood also offers the following guidelines on investing in a home makeover:

1. Visit a company that has a showroom so you can inspect the quality of the product and the standard of installation.

2. Choose a retail member with a track record of good installations and ask to speak to some past customer and even visit them in their homes if possible.

3. Be careful about paying in full for your kitchen in advance. You should not pay a deposit of more than 25% and it is likely that you will be required to make an interim payment, ask for a written payment schedule which includes the timings of any interim payment and final retention.

4. Make sure you have a written quotation that covers every aspect of the job, including fitting, flooring and any structural alterations you may have discussed.

5. Don’t sign anything unless you are prepared to honour your side of the contract. Some terms and conditions have expensive cancellation clauses. If in doubt contact the KBSA.

ENDS

ENQ: Ronnie Potts, Norwood Interiors
TEL: 0113 3885200
Email: Ron.Potts@norwood-interiors.co.uk

EDITOR’S NOTES

The KBSA is a national trade association founded 30 years ago to promote excellence within the interiors industry and champion consumer protection. More than 300 retailers throughout the UK support the KBSA.

KBSA members are dedicated to upholding the association’s high standards of design, supply, installation and customer service throughout the interiors industry. All members are carefully vetted prior to admission and they must have been trading for at least two years in order to be considered for membership. All members offer a ConsumerCare deposit guarantee scheme or a more comprehensive, ConsumerCare Plus insurance backed workmanship warranty and deposit protection scheme.

In addition, all members are subject to regular monitoring of their businesses to ensure levels of quality are continually maintained.

Those KBSA retailers that provide ConsumerCare Plus are also able to offer the added protection of TrustMark status.

TrustMark is a Government backed scheme that helps consumers find reliable and trustworthy professional tradesmen to carry our repairs and improvements to their homes from a national database of members that have all satisfied the same strict criteria for membership.

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