The Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialist Association (KBSA) welcomed the BBC’s latest Rogue Trader programme that exposed the continued failings in customer service from the kitchen industry’s most famous rogue trader Vance Miller.
The programme, which was aired on 10 February, reported that Vance Miller continued to trade under a different name, Rock Solid and that they had continued to receive many complaints from viewers about the quality of the kitchens and the service received.
“We are well aware of Vance Miller and his kitchen companies,” said KBSA CEO Graham Ball. “Those involved in the kitchen industry know the type of business he runs but unfortunately consumers are still buying from him and many of these have a very unsatisfactory experience.
“Consumers need to follow the principles laid out by the KBSA before investing in a new kitchen in order to ensure that they are dealing with a reputable retailer and that their money is protected in the event of something going wrong.
“KBSA retailers are vetted before they are accepted for membership and their standards of workmanship are regularly monitored. Consumers should ask to see evidence of trade association membership as well as have access to some past installations and customers of that retailer.
“As the programme showed in several other features, it is possible for rogue traders to slip through the net of association membership or to lie about what associations they belong to. A more detailed investigation into the companies past work and their customers is always worthwhile.”
The programme featured an aerial installation company that was using a logo of a trade body even though they had been expelled from that body. They also featured a roofing company that was TrustMark accredited through membership of The Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The company was still listed as a TrustMark registered firm even when it had been expelled from the FMB after many complaints from customers and an investigation by Trading Standards.
“It is unfortunate but sometimes it is very hard to stop an unscrupulous company from deceiving consumers," says Graham. “We are regularly discussing this situation with TrustMark ourselves to ensure that they keep improving their vetting procedures and removing any loopholes to make it more difficult for this to happen.”
Consumers can obtain a comprehensive guide to buying a kitchen from the KBSA website, www.kbsa.org.uk
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