“Very expensive wardrobe fitted in our bedroom 8 years ago. Long wait time but looked good to start with. However, the glue has failed and the thin plastic veneer has come away on all doors. Hammonds have refused to do anything (only 5 year guarantee) and offered new replacement doors at over £1000. So if you want an expensive wardrobe that fails in less than 10 years then choose Hammonds.”
“If you would like to add grief and pain to your tranquil home then please chose Hammonds. We thought Hammonds was a reputable company so went ahead and placed a full room wardrobe (expensive but we thought its a good company so its worth it and chose them over some British local companies) Shame we didnt chose the local companies who even offered to have it done in 3 weeks, nope we decided to wait 4 months for Hammonds, They came and installed but the finish was awful so we had a revisit booked where one person came to take notes after 4 weeks and 3-4 weeks after which the revisit was booked. This person came unprepared and completed 30% of the job, left the wardrobe unusable and left with a right mess with a promise to come back Monday, Monday came and went, Tuesday I get a text (no explaination) that your revisit is now booked for 3 weeks from now, WOW! So, we are supposed to be with a mess that you created. To top it all they have the cheek to ask would you like to pay for the second wardrobe so the second install can still go ahead in 1.5 week from now. Obviously they are not getting our seond install. That will now go to another company.
Thank you very much, Stay away! Seriously!”
“Having waited approximately 4 months after ordering, Hammonds contacted me to arrange installation of my bedroom furniture on the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd June. Despite me telling them on at least two occasions that this was a Bank Holiday, they assured me it was fine as their fitters work on Bank Holidays.
I received a letter informing me that the fitting was planned for the 2nd and 3rd June. On receipt of the letter, I contacted them to advise again that the 2nd and 3rd June were Bank Holidays due to the Platinum Jubilee and were they sure that fitting could take place on those two days. I was assured and re-assured that it would be fine.
I was contacted and asked to pay the 2nd payment so that installation could take place on the 2nd and 3rd June. I again questioned these two days and said that I wanted to make plans to see my family over that long weekend. I hadn’t seen them for nearly 2 years due to Covid 19 and the fact that I had been receiving cancer treatment. I wanted to spend a few days with with my son, daughter in law and granddaughter who I hadn't seen for a long time. This was a great opportunity for me as I had now completed my treatment. The reply I got was, quote "Our fitters work Bank Holidays, so your installation will be done".
I was assured and reassured AGAIN that installation would take place on the 2nd and 3rd and not to make any plans. As we had waited so long, over 4 months for the furniture, I agreed to the dates and did not make any other plans. I also arranged for a carpet to be fitted on the 7th June, window shutters on the 8th June and a bed to be delivered on the 10th June so that our bedroom would be completed.
At 5.15pm on Wednesday the 1st June, I got a phone call to say that the fitter would not be coming on the 2nd and 3rd, I was not told why but that they would need to re-schedule for the 7th and 8th as because it was a Bank Holiday weekend there were no other fitters available!! This despite the fact that I had mentioned this at least TWICE to them and was re-assured that it would be OK.
Having not made any plans for that weekend, I did not get to see my family who I hadn’t seen for nearly 2 years!
I also had to completely re-arrange the carpet fitting, shutter fitting and delivery of my bed which because I had cancelled have been delayed by several weeks due to slots allocated to other customers.
I contacted Hammonds spoke to several people in their Customer Services Department including, apparently, 2 Senior Managers; I was offered a token compensation amount for the 'trouble' I had been caused, which I did not believe was anywhere near sufficient.
Despite trying to make people understand how upset and angry I was, I was told that the token amount was a 'standard amount' offered when installations are cancelled regardless of the circumstances and that there was nothing more they could do apart from apologise. I was told it could no longer be escalated as I had now spoken to the most Senior Managers. I reluctantly accepted this, as I was given no choice.
I then received an email from a Senior Customer Service Advisor confirming that I would get the token amount deducted from my final payment. Not exactly the most Senior Manager in Hammonds! I was told that if I was unhappy I should follow their complaints procedure, but they refused to provide me details of who to write to or a telephone number, so I wrote to the Sales Director, who passed my letter to their Customer Relations Department who simply dismissed my complaint and said the token standard amount is all they could offer. Very good at apologising but no understanding, empathy or attempt at really listening to me. Very standard and stock comments and emails!
I have now been forced to refer this to The Furniture Ombudsman and await their decision.
I chose Hammonds because it's a family business and its reputation in the marketplace. Up until all this happened, I was very pleased with everything, in fact the installation went well, the installer was great. However, this has left an extremely bad taste about the company.
So, as long as you do not have an issue, use them, but be warned that if things do not go well, they do not really want to listen to you but just give stock and standard answers.
A real shame, as this review could have been so different if only they would have empathised with my situation instead of brushing me off with excuses.”
“Fitted wardrobes were supposed to be installed on April 28th. Received a call the day before to say that the fitters job was overrunning and he couldn’t attend. I was given another date of the 10th May. This time the fitters van broke down. At the time of writing I am still trying to obtain a date for installation. Absolutely appalling service which to date has taken far too long to rectify. 2 days annual leave for nothing and a potential third day when the fit actually takes place. Contents of the room where the wardrobes are to be installed all over the house so having to walk round stuff constantly. I am disgusted at their treatment of customers considering the money they charge and would not recommend their services to anyone.”
“Aranged a salesman, explained that my king-size bed is "fitted" in the room and cannot be moved. They agreed this wouldn't be an issue having done work for "elderly and infirm" persons (salesmanship words!) who are unable to move furniture etc. This was written into my quote. The salesman also suggested that existing electric sockets should be moved to a height above planned drawers. I paid a deposit and organised a surveyor visit. Before the surveyors visit an electrician moved the sockets for me at cost to myself.
The surveyor visit lasted 10 minutes after he declared that the bed must be moved out. He also stated that the sockets would not work due to the fitting process. Eh? Made to measure and custom made I was told. Utter tripe. Carcass fitting and frontage explained. In glorious detail, we do it like this, and it is custom fitted. But we can't work around those sockets.
This resulted in the surveyor going back to the company for clarification and over a week later letting me know it was unworkable and my deposit would be refunded. Perfect. Hours of my life with a salesman wasted. Money on an electrician wasted. My experience with Hammonds, shocking. No detail up front was helpful at all. Sales patter to take a deposit with no ability or willingness to follow through on these words. Shameful. Will definitely avoid at all costs in the future!”
“Be careful they have a design fault issue with the gloss wardrobe doors. The product they use has a delamination issue which they have admitted has been a problem. You would think that if they know about this they would rectify the matter however they are not responding to my emails. Google the issue and you will find lots of complaints about Hammonds. Very poor customer service.”
“Shockingly bad service. Our heavy cupboard door fall off with hinges within 1st month and our baby narrowly escaped. Extremely bad customer services as there was no response from the company for your complaint until we engaged a lawyer. It has been 5 months and we are still living with a risk of falling other doors. Hammods did not co-operate at all.”
“Any company is good when all the required parts are available bit when there are problems, missinf parts, wrong parts etc that is when you can judge a good company or not. Hammonds are shockingly bad..My order was placed on the 23rd July and was due to start onbthe 7th dec but started on the 13th dec 3 cancellations later and I am still waiting for completion Fitters were/are great”
“Appalling - astronomical rip off
Custom designed and manufactured apparently
It isn’t
Cheap two dollar chip board junk sold for thousands
Bully boy tactics to pressure you to accept and pay after it all doesn’t go their way”
“So our study was to be fitted today and at 5am we received a text from the fitter saying he was self isolating as had just returned from overseas. We have sold our study furniture over the weekend in readiness, taken annual leave and for Hammonds not to have contacted us last week when they were away the fitter was overseas and the entry rules to Uk had changed is just not acceptable. Appalling customer service.”
“Great initial service. The design guy was great. The order was placed and a delivery date was provided. Date had to be rescheduled as they were unable to get the materials. They finally turned up and lots of bits were missing. I phoned to complain and was basically told that it would be sorted out within three weeks. I had to have a day off of work, so I was cross that I was going to have to have another day off. They came a second time and still there was a part missing. Third time lucky, finally got my fitted wardrobes. The customer service was so poor and a couldn’t care less attitude. I was offered a small refund. I woul not recommend this company.”
“Extremely disappointed don't buy!!!!!! Internet says 10 year guarantee, however if you buy with new build company it's only 7! Nobody tell you this, we have 3 bedrooms fully fitted and doors are delaminating not happy, having spent large sum of money they should be perfect for many years...Don't buy, they should last a life time...Not happy !!!!!!!!”
“I had sliding wardrobes fitted approx 4 years ago and they are literally falling apart. The gloss material on the bedside cabinets I also purchased is literally peeling off. The closers on the wardrobes don’t work, I have been told by another company that the rail system needs replacing. I am trying to get hold of Hammonds now as all this should be covered under manufacture warranty so I am told by a different company but no one has called me back despite emailing teice. Also one of their email addresses on the website is no longer valid?
The quality of these products and the price they charge is outrageous….. it’s a different story when they are trying to get a sale…. This would be a zero star rating for me!”
“Awful product and even worse customer service. Over priced and not fit for purpose. Whole kitchen units needed re painting due to substandard material . Even now , 3 months later that paint is now chipping away . Incorrect iron work provided , and director relations that call you a lier ... not a great company I my experance”
“To all who have issues - I ordered an installation, dressing room, at the end of January. Installation was due at the end of April … still not finished to date and will not be finished now. Too many issues to note all of them. Numerous visits with damaged and wrong parts. It has taken months and months but I finally got a full refund. I gave Hammonds every opportunity to fix the problems. To those who are getting passed around various faceless personnel on the telephone - go to the top and bombard. This is how I got the company to finally notice the issues I was experiencing. There is readily available free information on Companies House website which you can then use to work out contact details. I am sure a customer support agent will jump in to this thread and say there are thousands of happy customers as happens on all the complaint posts. However this does not help the customers who do face issue after issue with products that are of poor quality and definitely not in my experience matching to the standards expressed on the website. The following is an extract from an email I received yesterday. “Whilst it is with regret we have to advise we will not be able to improve on the furniture that is in situ, this was the very reason Hammonds agreed to refund you in full of £xxx and void the 10 Year Guarantee. Therefore, I must advise we will not look to complete any further works on your Furniture as it would be deemed a futile exercise given Hammonds have already admitted we are unable to meet showroom standard and agreed to a full refund.””
“Supply only of kitchen units, paint chipped on 100% provided . Whole re spray was required . None matching hinges sent for whole , basic lack of care. 14 weeks iver original supply date , taking 4 weeks to supply basic bits like cournice.”
“Do wish we knew how awful this company are before embarking on purchasing from Hammonds. The
promises made but never kept regarding work, dates, replacing faulty and missing parts. Customer services do not have the skills nor knowledge to talk to customers and blame each of the other advisors for mistakes.
After 6 months, like so many other customers we are left with unfinished, uncompleted work with cupboards chipped waiting to be replaced, gaps in units…… legal action will now be involved.”
“Absolute joke of company! Taken 6 months to come and fit even though promised 2. Just got home and had a look and the fitted wardrobes look awful and cheap nothing like drawings.
So so disappointed”
