Important Customer Information                               

Please find below information relating to the terms and conditions which are applicable when you enter into a contract with TC Matthews Carpets. These will apply when an order has been placed even if only a deposit has been made within a store.  You should check the details of your order carefully including these terms and conditions and if you have any queries please raise these immediately with a sales representative.

 

Responsibilities Specifically Accepted By The Customer

1. Risk shall not pass at the same time as property in the goods but shall pass at the time of collection or delivery and the Customer accordingly accepts that it is their responsibility to arrange for appropriate insurance cover and security.
2. As shading is an inherent quality in most wood and carpet products, Customers accept that it is their responsibility to order the correct quantity of goods for their requirements, as the Company cannot guarantee to be able to match shades supplied in previous orders.
3. It is the responsibility of the Customer to ensure that they have examined and are satisfied in all respects with the goods before installation and fixing commences as the Company will not accept any claim for materials once they are fixed.
4. It is the responsibility of the Customer and or his/her agents to satisfy themselves that any products selected are suitable for the intended area of use and that any relevant health and safety issues are considered. It is important to note that in relation to flooring products in general, the risk of slipping is inherent and it is the responsibility of the Customer and or his/her agents to factor in any relevant risks in relation to the specific use and service conditions of their property or areas for which they have responsibility. TC Matthews Carpets cannot be held responsible for the incorrect or inappropriate selection of products.
5. The customer is responsible for all measurements you give us, except where we have completed a home visit and surveyed the relevant parts of the property and supplied or confirmed measurements. Ultimate responsibility for ordering the correct quantities, sizes or dimensions of goods required for any specific job rests with the Customer. The Company, its employees or agents do not accept any responsibility whatsoever for incorrect measurements or any consequences arising from purchase of incorrect quantities, sizes or types of goods.
6. It is the responsibility of the Customer and his or her agents to ensure that care and maintenance of flooring products is carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s prescribed guidelines. It’s also important that regular maintenance procedures are consistent with any relevant risk assessments which reflect the specific on-site conditions.
7. TC Matthews Carpets will not accept any responsibility for any laying or refitting by fitters of customers own carpets

 

Cancellation and refunds

This order is a legally binding contract even if you have only paid a deposit. Cancellation of an order is not normally accepted unless we are in breach of contract, in which case you have the right to cancel. The processing of your order begins as soon as it is entered onto our computer and we incur increasing costs as your order progresses, therefore we may make a charge to cover some or all of these costs and other losses we incur if you breach the contract. 

Delivery and Installation

Please check that the goods you received are the ones you ordered. Check they are for the correct colour, size, and options selected, and that they are examined for apparent faults or damage at the time of delivery and before installation. If on inspection you have any doubts please contact the store as soon as reasonably possible.

All goods must be fully paid for before installation, delivery or collection can be made. If you are arranging for the installation via your own 3^rd party fitting partner, please ensure sufficient time is allowed for both the inspection of the goods to take place as well as any acclimatisation needs as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

In all cases genuine complaints will be dealt with in good faith, but your rights may be adversely affected if you do not contact us as soon as possible. All delivery and fitting dates are estimates and are given in good faith.

 

Carpets

The samples we display in our stores are intended to give a general impression of the colour and pattern of the carpet. As colours can vary considerably over a period of time, samples delivered or on display are for general guidance only and not necessarily identical to current stock. When fitted in a larger area some patterns and seemingly random blends of yarn can have an inherent striped effect, or additional patterns and colours which may not be obvious from the sample. Colours vary from batch to batch and exact matching between separate pieces (especially from multi-width rolls) cannot be guaranteed.

All carpets are cut at 10cm intervals with a minimum order length of 1 metre. All sizes are approximate and within a tolerance of plus or minus 1.25% in accordance with British Standard BS3655. If your room is close to the nominal width of the carpet, please allow for extra in case a join is required.

During transportation and storage, the pile may become flattened slightly and this will show as shaded bands across the pile or as a ‘pole mark’. These will disappear as the carpet settles into its new environment and the pile is flexed through regular use and vacuum cleaning.  If the lines do not disappear within a three-week period, please contact the store.

Carpet is a soft, luxurious product and flattening of the pile will occur. Flattening will change the apparent colour of the carpet shading (“shading”) and may be permanent (“pile reversal”) and may appear to be random but this is not a fault all manufacturers deem this as an acceptable manufacturing occurrence. Areas where foot traffic twist and turns are especially prone to changes in appearance. High traffic areas such as in front of chairs, beside the bed and in doorways are relevant examples of where the deterioration of appearance may occur.

All carpets benefit from the use of good quality underlay. Re-using existing underlay may result in abnormal flattening of the pile.

We recommend the use of vacuum cleaners with rotating brushes on cut pile carpets and suction only for loop pile carpets.  Deeper pile saxony carpets will require additional vacuuming.

All manufacturers recommend that stairs carpets are moved annually and failure to do so may invalidate their guarantees.

For, further information please consult our floor care guide.

Vinyls

All vinyl flooring is cut at 10cm intervals with a minimum order length of 1 metre. All sizes are approximate and within a tolerance of plus or minus 1.25% in accordance with British Standard BS3655. If your room is close to the nominal width of the vinyl please allow extra material.  If you require the installation of your vinyl flooring below non-integrated appliances, please ensure these are removed from the room prior to the fitters arrival.

For further information please consult our floor care guide.

Laminate Flooring, Luxury Vinyl Tile, Engineered Wood

Our in-store samples show only a small part of the overall design as this will have been taken from a larger piece. There may be a significant variation in the colour and design of your floor due to the random nature which occurs with wood and other natural materials, from which the design has been taken.  We believe this enhances the natural look and overall appearance of our floors.

The supplier’s fitting and maintenance instructions should be carefully followed to prevent swelling of the joints or other expansion problems.  Laminate and engineered wood flooring will be affected by moisture; wet mopping will likely damage the flooring beyond repair. Wood is a living material, one that breathes and adapts to its environment. Each board is unique and may have some variations in colour, structure and knots. Wood exposed to normal sunlight is subject to colour change.

For further information please consult our floor care guide.

 

Product Guarantees

We are responsible for ensuring that the goods we supply are of satisfactory quality, conform to the sample and are fit for the purpose for which they are sold. Certain products have additional guarantees provided by us or the manufacturer. Where they are provided by the manufacturer, we accept no responsibility for these additional warranties or guarantees. The length of our wear guarantee varies from floor to floor as each one is different.

All manufacturers’ wear guarantees do not relate to the appearance of the product but are specifically in relation to being ‘threadbare’.  With reference to vinyl, laminate and LVT, over time the appearance of your flooring may deteriorate depending on your usage, demands and after care, but this will vary from home to home.  Surface stains, scratches, abrasions, and marks are not covered by the wear guarantee. Whilst regular cleaning will help to keep your floor looking good, normal wear and tear is to be expected.  Any damage which has occurred due to negligence, malice, removal, fire, water damage and similar events will void the warranty. Similarly, damage or marks which have appeared following the use of an unsuitable chemical product or improper cleaning method, are not covered by the warranty.  For further information please consult our floor care guide.

 

Fitting

Fitters undertake to carry out their work with reasonable skill and care, but on rare occasions home décor may be marked or scuffed during the fitting process. New paintwork and wallpaper are especially vulnerable and should be allowed to dry fully. A minimum of 72 hours is recommended and when high gloss paint has been used, please allow 7 days. Neither we nor any fitting partner undertakes to carry out any redecoration, except where damage has been caused by that person’s negligence.  It is the responsibility of the customer to make the fitters aware of any known hazards or issues which may affect their ability to complete the installation.

Doors, kitchen kickboards and plinths may need to be trimmed to allow sufficient clearance. This is not considered to be part of the fitting work unless this was specifically agreed in advance. Fitters may need to remove doors to facilitate fitting and where necessary, leave them ready for you or your appointed carpenter to carry out the trimming and rehanging at a later date.  Some doors, such as fire doors, may not be suitable for modification or need to be carried out by a door easing specialist.

 

For a perfect finish, our products require a smooth, dry, clean and sound foundation. Our home consultant or estimator will not be able to ascertain if your subfloor requires extra preparatory work if your existing flooring is in situ at the time of the inspection.  If we are arranging the installation of your flooring, our home consultant, estimator or the fitting partner may advise that some remedial work is needed such as smoothing compound or ply boarding before your new floor can be fitted.  These additional costs are to be met by the customer.  This may delay the original installation of your flooring whilst this work is undertaken.  Uneven floorboards and surfaces, if left uncorrected by the customer, can affect the appearance of your new flooring.

In the majority of cases, our fitting partners will be able to assist to resolve the issue, but a fee may apply. It may, on the rare occasion, be necessary to involve the services of a specialist contractor.  A quote which estimates the cost of subfloor preparation is provided within the installation service, however the subfloor may not be visible at the quotation stage. If, upon inspection by the fitting partner, more work is required and this is needed to ensure the flooring can be laid to the manufacturer’s specification and this is declined by the customer, the fitting partner will leave the flooring in the customer’s home.  If the fitting service cannot be completed due to the works needed to correct subfloor issues, the customer is free to obtain quotations from other fitting contractors to install the flooring at their own risk. The contract with TC Matthews Carpets is deemed to have been concluded upon acceptance of the flooring and will be considered ‘supply only’.