A pregnant mother who sued Ikea over “nightmarish” kitchen equipment claims she is still owed more than £4,000 despite a judge ruling in her favor.
Jessica Holmes, 31, said she was horrified by the “terrible” workmanship of her kitchen, which was installed by a Swedish company two years ago.
She finally filed suit on February 5 and was overjoyed to be told IKEA had to pay £4,192 plus £205 in legal costs within 14 days.
But more than a month later, the teaching assistant still hasn't received a penny and said “enough is enough.”
Jessica, a mother of four from Castleford, West Yorkshire, told The Sun: “It was an absolute nightmare.
“You wouldn't think a big company like IKEA would do something like this. I'm currently on maternity leave.
“I have been calling IKEA throughout my pregnancy trying to resolve this issue.
Have you ever had a bad experience in an IKEA kitchen? Email: Jonathan.Rose@thesun.co.uk
“I was literally on the phone to IKEA while on an IV in the hospital.
“It was financially difficult for me to have to continue to fight in court to get my money back.
“I was looking forward to buying a new kitchen, but the whole experience was terrible.
“I've never experienced such poor communication. They were so rude.”
Jessica insists the kitchen is usable, but all the countertops are blistered, cupboard doors are missing and there is a cutout in the boiler that “looks like a kid did it”.
She said she spoke to IKEA and was told the legal team would get back to her, but she hasn't heard anything further.
Jessica continued: 'The judge was shocked and said he couldn't believe what was going on in the kitchen.
“IKEA didn't even have the decency to go to court. They are now sending bailiffs to collect the debt.”
An IKEA spokesperson said: “IKEA was not informed of the court hearing, but the trial took place in our absence and was ruled against us without our knowledge.
“Having received a copy of the judgment, we are currently in the process of resolving the matter to our satisfaction, ensuring that the customer will receive a full refund.”
What are my rights?
Under consumer rights law, anyone entering into a contract for goods or services can expect that they will be provided with reasonable care and skill. This also includes builders, plumbers, decorators, and electricians.
It also includes materials of satisfactory quality, suitable for the purpose as described.
If you have been a victim of a cowboy builder or have a dispute with a contractor, you must first collate all the evidence you have, including documents, photos, videos, messages, and bank statements.
Then, try to resolve the issue directly with the company before trying alternative dispute resolution (ADR) schemes such as mediation or ombudsman services.
If this doesn't work, contact your bank to see if you can use section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act to recover the money you've spent (if the job costs between £100 and £30,000, there's no problem) If this occurs, the credit card company will be jointly and severally liable)).
If this does not help, please call the police on 101.
Although the line between what is a crime and what is simply malicious behavior is blurry, contractors can be punished for fraud.
It is also important to contact Trading Standards. Citizens' Advice has an online form to help you do this.
TS will decide whether to investigate further based on the information provided and will assist in settlement negotiations.
Even if you don't, the details may be helpful if someone else complains about the same company.
If you run out of money, you can also take the builder to small claims court. However, there is a risk of high costs.
Most home insurance policies do not cover construction work, but it is worth checking with your insurance company about this.
It's also helpful to find out if the builder carries liability insurance, if possible.
