Rock Solid, Rock Bottom ... all very rocky
Our correspondent warns ...
We recently bought a kitchen from a company called Rock Solid Kitchens, also trading by the names of Kitchens Direct and Maple
Ltd.
A sales person came to our house and sold us a kitchen with all the trimmings at a 'rock bottom' price. We were promised (verbally) that we
would be get a whole kitchen made of real wood at discounted prices on delivery. A deposit of £200.00 was paid on the spot to seal the deal and
were promised delivery within 2 weeks.
All went well until we received the delivery. To our horror, we found just too many defects and faults!
- Half the kitchen was a different colour and was not even made of oak as we had been promised.
- The quality of the product was so poor and was nothing like the product we were shown in the pictures of the showroom.
We were completely miss-sold.
We have been in contact with the company numerous times but their customer service is very, very poor. On many occasions, they cut us off when
we phoned.
Each time we call, we have to repeat ourselves and are told different things each time. Up until now, we have not received any positive
information and we are currently without a kitchen, and obviously suffering the consequences.
We would really appreciate it if you could name and shame this company as they have taken our money and also wasted our valuable time.
This has been a KITCHEN NIGHTMARE.
KM, Luton
Editorial comment:
We had a look at the Rock Solid Kitchens website which, of course, was full of the usual spiel complete with glowing
testimonials from 'satisfied' customers. Strangely, we couldn't find their address on any of the pages - just an 0800 telephone number.
An online directory search revealed that the company seems to be based in Oldham, Lancashire and the contact name is always
Vance Miller. There are no other details like a proper address, factory premises or organisational framework so the company could be run from
a traveller's site as far as we know.
However, we did finds some comments on various blogs:
From Blagger:
ROCK SOLID KITCHENS is the biggest nightmare of my life . At this present time it looks like I have spent £1,000 on a load of rubbish.
I'm at the end of my tether with this company.
Hear are a few reasons why I would not deal with them again
- They give you delivery dates and don't turn up
- What they do deliver is very bad quality goods
- On the so called contract they guarantee parts to be missing (more like 1\3 missing)
- You open undamaged boxes to find damaged goods (mmmm good QC at factory, eh?)
- Premium rate customer service phone line (wed 30th Jan I was on phone for 1 hour trying to advise on missing parts)
- Parts break very easy
All in all, I still don't have enough kitchen to start fitting it.
DC
From Ask-Questions:
#1
Unfortunately, Mr Miller's reputation precedes him and does him no favours. Which is why, I imagine, Rock Solid Kitchens (based in Oldham and
whose phone they answer, 'Kitchens') claim they're nothing to do with him.
The best advice to anyone buying a kitchen is to do your homework and check out the company you're buying from, thoroughly. In these great days
of low internet prices, there will always be people and companies trying to take advantage. Be sure you're not someone who falls victim to one.
Caveat Emptor.
#2
As I've said before, I don't like direct selling of kitchens and I don't think you'll get the best kitchen design from a service which takes an
hour including the measuring of the room and the ordering of the kitchen - but that's a different argument. If Vance Miller's kitchens are so
great, why don't more independent kitchen showrooms sell them? He's always sending out leaflets. But don't take our word for it - see what Oldham
Trading Standards has to say.
And finally, we found a link to YouTube where Vince lets everyone know just what he's like. It also explains why we can find no trace of a
British factory as he buys all his kitchens in China:
YouTube - vance miller -
brits get rich in china
We're getting a lot of email about this company from their very unhappy customers but not one from anybody who is satisfied with RSK. The moral
of this is ... read our visitors' comments below and DO NOT buy from Rock Solid Kitchens.
Vigilante
Visitors' Comments
I too have been ripped off in the same way as all the others with the most appalling customer services. There is a TRADING STANDARDS ALERT FROM
WARRINGTON TS out from 24.9.08 - on p2 of Google search. please contact them and Vince Miller no longer owns it - now Alan Ford!
JC, Ripley
Editorial comment: Apparently Vance Miller was convicted at Manchester County Court in June 2008 (not for the first time) and was
convicted for contempt of court having failed to end his practise of fleecing customers. He was fined £90,000 and given six months jail, suspended
for two years - this after being jailed for the same thing in 2003.
Although it is suspected that Vance Miller still runs RSK (even though he is banned from being a company director) Alan Ford, who claims to
run the company, is currently on bail awaiting trial for conspiracy to defraud. Warrington Trading Standards would like to hear from anyone with a
complaint on 08454 040506 - click here for official notice.
Rock Solid Kitchens are robbers! I ordered a kitchen from them, paid over 3/4 off the money and now, after four month, I still haven't received
my full kitchen and I cannot get in touch with any one from RSK.
ET, Hillingdon
Oh my God! What a terrible company! I ordered a Rock Solid kitchen for my brother's new house at what we thought was a good price. The salesman
was all chat and full of it. That was in June. The kitchen came in August. We were so stupid! We checked it and all seemed well ... until our
fitter came. So much stuff was missing I rang them immediately. They were so rude to me that I faxed, telephoned and emailed them - all to no
avail. They laughed at me, hung up on me and, because I was ringing from southern Ireland, the phone bill nearly cost more than the kitchen.
Five months later I was still fighting with them and it was so stressful. I found out that B&Q had the same kitchen so I purchased the missing
items from them and that enabled the kitchen to be finished.
Please, please do not waste your time ringing them or faxing them because I did for nearly six months and got nowhere. At one stage they even
told me we weren't even customers; that they'd never heard of us! Try B&Q instead. I know you will have to shell out more money but for us it was
worth every penny never to have to speak to those terrible, rude, ignorant animals.
Jane, S. Ireland
I ordered my kitchen from Rock Solid back in March. I paid £200 to a salesman who in hindsight was a flash Harry. He even had the BMW M3 to
boot. His promises? Not worth a penny.
Here we are in November - the delivery never came and contacting customer relations has been worse than trying to track down Osama Bin Laden. I
have now had to write off my £200.
Rock Solid Kitchens!!? Avoid at all costs. You have been warned !!!
Mick Lafferty, Edinburgh
I have to totally agree with all the comments. I too bought a kitchen from these cowboys and have had a nightmare. I have had no kitchen for 4
weeks now yet I have three children - the youngest being 14 months old - and they are having to go to my parents' house for their meals - and they
live 3 miles away. I would appreciate it if you could help me get my money back or get them to send me a new kitchen.
Like the other people, I too paid a £200 deposit and then the outstanding balance of £1500 upon delivery. The kitchen was delivered late at
night and I had to help unload as the delivery driver was on his own. The kitchen they sent is not the same measurements as what I ordered. I also
found their customer services team very unhelpful.
M Hussein, West Bromwich
STAY WELL AWAY FROM THESE COWBOYS !!!!!!!!!!!!
4x corner doors missing, hinges missing, paid for units to be assembled - they weren't. Paid £240 for electric hob as we don't have gas (you
guessed it - gas was delivered). Units misshapen and estimator must have had his eyes closed when he measured as they are the wrong size. The
fitter's been here 5 days trying to make this kitchen fit and we've got to pay him extra. The telephone staff are obnoxious and very rude and they
hung up on me. Also told me to stop phoning as it was costing me money. How else am I supposed to communicate with them as they don't respond to
their fax and emails.
FOR GOD'S SAKE STAY WELL AWAY FROM THEM OR YOU WILL REGRET IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul, Crawley
I have been robbed by Rock Solid Kitchens.
Edward Thomas, London
I'm very concerned about this company however there does seem to be an address which is:
RSK, The Kitchen Park, Groby Street, Olham OL8 AE.
A search reveals that this post code is associated with Urmson Street, Oldham which is adjacent to Groby St. A phone call to the "fitters" only
elicits a message to say that this number doesn't take incoming calls.
I can hear the spurs jangling from here.
Alan Hadley, Sale, Cheshire
I too have had problems with Rock Solid Kitchens. I haven't opened the boxes yet but I do have items missing. I am being messed about by
customer services regarding the missing items and have spent 4 days emailing and phoning. I'm still no further ahead. JT, IoM
Please people go to B & Q for the rest of your kitchen. We had to.
I purchased a kitchen from Rock Solid Kitchens in June. My God! Half of it came and I rang so many times but they hung up on me all the time. I
sent 14 emails - I got no reply. I faxed every day for a week - still no reply. I even paid a courier from Manchester to go to their warehouse and
collect the rest of the kitchen for me. After many arguments they promised me the missing bits would be there for the courier. When he got there
they told him to go away!!!!!! Their kitchens are the same as the ones in B & Q. I went there and they helped me finish my kitchen.
Jane Chandler, S. Ireland
I bought a kitchen from this conman a few weeks ago and it's a right load of rubbish!! The doors are so-called cherry with ask carcases and the
kitchen is total rubbish! Whatever you do, do not buy from RSK as the problems will start as soon as it is delivered.
I have been in touch with trading standards and Watchdog so I expect to hear from them soon. Companies like this need shutting down as they are
taking good people's money. Like the KITCHENS, the contract is not worth the paper its written on and CUSTOMER SERVICES SUCKS!! BIG TIME! They
operate on a Premium rate number and always keeping you on hold. They are bunch of retards who couldn't organise a tea party.
So, whatever you do, do not buy kitchens (if you can call them kitchens) from VANCE MILLER.
P, Peterlee
Update
I have a update of what's happened since I reported to Trading Standards and Watchdog. Trading Standards are dealing with the problems now and
it looks like it's going to the Small Claims Court. But I will have to shell out another £1400 and may not win so I haven't decided what to do. I
could end up losing more money that I don't have to be honest.
It amazes me how Vance Miller is getting away with with all these customer complaints. The government should step in, confiscate his assets and
stop him trading altogether. A leopard doesn't change his spots and, just like a leopard, Miller wont change his. Trading Standards say they have
been down before to his mill place but he's never there. He's hiding as usual.
But I will let you know what happens if I get a refund though I doubt I will. But I could be wrong, we will have to wait and see. Wish me luck
:)
Latest
Trading Standards have rung me and they say instead of Small Claims Court it would have to go to County Court if I agreed to do that. They also
say Vance Miller isn't the guy - it's Alan Ford. And this woman from customer services rang Trading Standards and told the guy who's dealing with
my claim that I wouldn't get my money back but may get the money back from the cowboy who fitted the kitchen. Was also told if I did take them to
court I would have to leave the half a kitchen I have in without an oven and hob and some cupboards without doors.
But I just can't wait to get this out and get my new kitchen from a reliable company. I have been like this for months but they are not bothered.
I feel really sorry for other people who have been like this. It's just not on.
My kitchen was perfect, on time, totally complete. My kitchen was also dirt cheap, £700 cheaper than Homebase. You people need to stop moaning.
You get what you pay for. Cheap price - cheap kitchen.
Fred Harvey, Wrexham
Hi, We just had a kitchen fitted by "Rock Bottom Kitchens" - what a joke! The kitchen is a disaster zone. A three-year-old could do a better
job with lego! I've contacted them by e-mail but heard nothing and my husband has been hung up on the phone. Now we're considering going to
Trading Standards. AS, London
Rock Solid Kitchens delivered my kitchen on May 1st. It's now June 25th and still my kitchen is not completed. Now they inform me that that
they don't do the correct size doors for my kitchen and are going to send me larger doors so I can cut them down and paint them white!!!
I said this was unacceptable and that I will have a refund for the doors so I can buy them elsewhere. They said NO!!!! I'm now going down the
Trading Standards route but I do have a warning for other potential customers - PLEASE DON'T BUY THESE KITCHENS.
AW, Telford
We recently purchased a kitchen from RSK - they supplied the wrong taps for the kitchen, didn't supply any screws etc so our builder had to
head down to B&Q to get these. The drawers RSK supplied do not fit, the sink is damaged and the quality is poor.
We've tried to contact the company by email, fax and telephone and they're just not interested. I was told by one of the operators that she wasn't
a mind reader and that I needed to write a full list about what was missing otherwise I would incur additional delivery charges!
A complete joke. Only after I Googled this company did I realise that the owner - a Mr Vance Miller - is well known to Trading Standards for his
crap kitchens. I am going to contact Watchdog and Trading Standards as I think it's appalling that such a man can continue to operate rogue
businesses.
AHG, Thurrock
I bought a kitchen from this company. The delivery was wrong, then late, then when my kitchen was delivered there were parts missing and
damaged. The planner had measured wrong and the parts that were correct won't fit anyway. Trying to get in touch with anyone is a complete
nightmare. This company should not be allowed to operate!
GW, Port Talbot
Same issue. Delivered on 1st August very late in the evening. Missing shelving, incorrect glass doors. When unpacking to install integrated
cooker - discovered gas cooker was delivered but electric was ordered.
No replies to emails or recorded delivery letters. Spent all my savings on the kitchen and still incomplete. Trading standards advise sending
recorded delivery letters but no reply from those either. Can this company be prosecuted for breach of contract especially as they have so many
unhappy clients? I just want to be able to cook my dinner and put my stock in the cupboards!
DN, Hertfordshire
My kitchen is due to arrive on Tuesday 26th August 2008. I have just found this web page and I now feel sick with worry. I have already
experienced some problems and it hasn't even got here yet. I had a heart operation only a few months ago and was told to avoid stress as much as
possible, but already I feel ill. I could kick myself for not doing my home work first. Why is it that people like this scumbag are allowed to rob
people and nothing happens to them? I know it'ss good having Trading Standards but what can they really do? Everything takes so long and you have
to keep ringing them which makes your phone bill even higher. As usual, the law is shit and honest people like us suffer.
SC, Bude
If you are lucky enough to find this web page before your kitchen is delivered and paid for, please, please, please do not buy from this
company. We have basically paid £1,500 for a whole lot of junk! The units we orders were all different shades of beech, wrong sizes, fittings
missing, they do not (and cannot) supply the door for the integrated dishwasher but they obviously don't tell you that! The "stainless steel" sink
started to rust less than one week after being fitted, the metal is so soft you can push your thumb onto the tap and it dents. Oh and the waste
pipes that are supplied with the sink have no threads on them and therefore leak so be prepared to have to buy the pipes yourself, that's if your
lucky enough to find replacements that fit seeing how the sinks are not a standard size!
The list is endless and we have had to buy most of of the kitchen again from B&Q. If you think that you can complain, think again! You cannot
speak to anyone at Customer Services, you have to email or fax them with your "issues" and they will call you back. But if they call and you can't
answer the phone and miss the call you're back at square one and have to email them again as they will not try to call you back again.
After several emails we managed to speak to them once and after going through the list of everything that was wrong and having to listen to the
women in customer services laugh at the fact the sink was rusting we were put on hold for 40 minutes then conveniently disconnected.
I only wish we had looked into this before we bought the kitchen. Vance Miller appears to be one the UK's biggest con men and it doesn't even look
like it's worth complaining to Trading Standards. He's already been done by them, and by BBC's Watchdog and Rogue Traders. This guy somehow still
manages to trade and get away with ripping people off.
MD, Leicester
I have had the misfortune to buy from RSK as well. I paid £2,685 cash and all I got delivered was loads of rubbish. Now I am not sure how to
get my money back. They have stopped picking up the phone and all dealings have to be done with email or fax. But I get no reply to my many emails
and faxes.
My first delivery was on 11 July -- since then nothing. I have two small children and the day the delivery came my husband had got rid of the old
kitchen, only to find out that all the cabinets and doors were wrong, wrong fittings, no granite worktop, so no kitchen to cook in the house. The
kids are now eating unhealthy take-away everyday and it's costing me a fortune.
The customer service is very rude and can never find your paperwork. They make fake promises and cannot honour their contract.
Please, is there anyone who can help me at least get a refund? They should be stopped and put out of business. I want to go to the small claims
Court but cannot afford the charges as I understand I have to pay about £1,000 Court fees.
AL, London
I bought a kitchen from these deceitful people and they have given me nothing short of the worst service that I have ever received in my life.
The idiots delivered almost a completely wrong order. Luckily for me I found a good kitchen fitter who managed to build a decent kitchen for me
after altering some of the units. One of the granite worktops was damaged and still has not been replaced 9 months later and I have spent lots of
money in phone calls.
By the way, they seem to have a policy of keeping you on the phone so that they make even more money out of you. So just do not call them and make
sure you check your order when you get it. They do not care about you or your problems. Still at least the muppets delivered extra units.
DO NOT EVER DEAL WITH THESE FRAUDSTERS.
II, Swansea
What a total nightmare. I also used this company and totally regret using them. I'm left with half a kitchen, no drawers and no doors. I've
already emailed Watchdog and hopefully will get a response....hope so.
Somebody needs to get to the bottom of this. Why is a company like this allowed to trade?
Michelle, London
I was just as unfortunate to buy a kitchen from these dishonest people. I paid £2,685 cash and the delivery was made at 10pm. We were so tired
of waiting that we paid and went to bed. Two days later, the fitters came to discover that they could not fit the kitchen because all the parts
were wrong. Wrong size of doors, wrong cabinets, no fittings, 2 missing larders, no wall plates. Not a single door is right! All the bits have
been missing since July 2008 and I am still awaiting delivery. I even had to buy a small camping cooker to cook for children.
I did complain to Trading Standards and I am still waiting. I will try to go to the Small Claims Court because I cannot afford to buy another
kitchen unless Rock Solid refund the money.
I made many phone calls and was left hanging on for 20-30 minutes. The customer service is very rude and unprofessional. They have now cut off the
fax line to claim the missing parts and are not answering any calls at all.
Is there anyone there to stop this guy from trading and get all his websites banned. This should be the first step and then send him to jail
afterwards for conning people. He is obtaining money by deception from genuine customers who believed in him. I can only implore people not to buy
from Rock Solid Kitchens.
Aysha, London
DON'T DO IT!!. I have experienced much the same as all others. Either no (or late) delivery. My fitters have tried to do their best for me
considering half of the original order was missing. My biggest complaint is about Customer Services!! How they can be allowed to call their
department by that name when they are rude and childish (i.e. laughing in the background when you are speaking to them). I would also go as far to
say that they also LIE regarding delivery dates, sorting problems out, etc, to try and pacify you. Then they have the audacity to criticize you
when you get angry and frustrated. I even question whether they can actually read any of the e-mails that are sent. Some certainly can not spell.
I was sent a handwritten letter with the opening line 'I am WRIGHTING to you--'!
I was also told in the letter that delivery could take 5121 WORKING DAYS (that works out as 14 YEARS!!) as per their Terms and Conditions!
which actually states up to 20 days. This was in response to my letter which was addressed to the MD. My belief that these departments are there
to provide a service to the customer is obviously wrong. Perhaps they need to go on a public relations course. Then the company may not have such
a damning reputation. On the other hand perhaps they have been told to respond in this manner.
This has turned into absolute nightmare and I certainly will spread the word about my experience in the hope that others do not fall into this
trap. I also have been in contact with Consumer Direct, Watchdog and Trading Standards
AS, Essex
This company is one of the worst I have ever seen and the same thing has happened to me. In August, I had a wedding in my house except there
was no kitchen. I had to buy food for the guests from outside every day, three times a day. This company took £1700 cash from me on 19th July 2008
and, till today, they have not delivered my full kitchen. I have been calling the company but the staff is very rude. They don't listen to
anything you say and they just put the phone down on you.
PT, Hayes
Please tell us about your experiences
We value your feedback
If you want to publicise any unjust practises that have affected you,
please use our contact form.
If you want to add comments about any of our published articles, use the
form below the article. This also gives you the opportunity to vote - a
new feature on our website. |
[Home] ● [Top of page]
|
