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Kitchen Design Centre offers vital protection in volatile market

The collapse of high street names such as Moben, Dolphin, Sharps and now Habitat is yet another stark reminder that the high street remains a volatile place.

Customers should take all necessary precautions when making a major home purchase, warns Kitchen Design Centre.

Kitchen Design Centre has been trading for 25 years, in Manchester, Blackburn and Colne, and is a member of the only national trade association for specialist kitchen bathroom and bedroom retailers, the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association, (KBSA).

As a KBSA member, Kitchen Design Centre offers the security of a national trade association that upholds standards of design, supply, installation and customer service. It also offers a reassuring ConsumerCare Plus insurance scheme, which covers the deposit, advance payments, work in progress and a six-year warranty for extra peace of mind.

“It is always unfortunate to hear of company failures that leave consumers out of pocket and facing turmoil as they try and recover what they have paid for,” says Mark Gilligan, of Kitchen Design Centre.

“However the slowdown in the recovery of the economy means it is likely that we will see more retailers fail.

“It is a clear warning to everyone that they should always buy from an organisation that has a recognised trade association membership and provides financial protection in the event of a company failure.”

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

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.

Kitchen Design Centre offers the following guidelines on investing in a home makeover:

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