Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Deep Cleaning Solutions on October 28, 2010, 10:55:19 pm
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I was doing a lounge today and moved a setee,when i put it back i noticed 3 lines with black bits in them,and thought to myself that i can't remember them being there before,but was not sure.I thought they were just marks from the plastic castors so i tried to clean them with citrus gel with some improvement,but could not get all the black bits out because it was the type of carpet that the tufts would come out easy.I have received a text tonight which says................Hi i just noticed when you have pushed the setee back you have knocked the wheel off the settee and there are 3 slices on the carpet because of it and it is fraying everytime we touch it.It looks a right mess.
I did mention to her that i could not get out some castor marks out when i finished the job.I said i would ring her in the morning,where do i go from here.
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Easy - call your insurance company ::)
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yep, thats what you pay all that money for. insurance jobby.
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I not sure if i have treatment risk.I rang my insurer(simply business) a few months back when i first heard about treatment risk on this forum.The guy on the phone did not know what treatment risk was,so i asked him if i am insured for anything i am working on,he said of course you are that's what insurance was for,so i left it at that.
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Dave it looks like the customer knows whats happened and there is no 'get out of jail card' on this one.
Other than your insurance company, your only other options i see are replacing the carpet yourself or getting a local carpet repairer to do a repair that could maybe be fairly invisible if done properly.
Check your insurance first before you speak to the customer, many of them will only pay out in respect of the age of the carpet and not 'better' the customer - ie, if its 10 years old they will work out the price for a similar carpet to buy new and then take off for 10 years depreciation, so dont naturally assume your insurance company will simply replace it with a new one as if you tell your customer that and it doesnt turn out that way you are again in a position that will very much upset them more!
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Just a thought as I can't see it but the three rips, could they not be off a knee knocker (when fitted) and have been highlighted when extracted ?
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OOOPPPS.....Just found this on my online insurance account.
CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANING EXCLUSION
The COMPANY will not be liable for any liability for physical loss of or
physical damage to material property being worked upon in connection with the
TRADE or BUSINESS
No i think it was me paul.They were deep lines not rips,but it sounds like they have made them worse from the text.
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Thats a nightmare Dave but I suppose the right thing to do is say your sorry and work out a solution that all parties are happy with. :-\
Wish you luck and remember we learn from our mistakes and we all make them.
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Before you even go down the insurance route, go and see her and try to work it out. She may be happy for you to refund the price of the clean in which case chalk it down to experience and move on. If she starts talking about insurance then obviously you'll have to ring them.
How the wheel come off? Must have been weak/loose anyway unless it was moved a little agressively.
I have a disclaimer on the bottom of my survey/quotation form that says any furniture damaged whilst moving unless causd by negligence is the repsonsibility of the customer.
Not sure how it stands up legally and never had the need to draw a customer's attention to it as yet but may be something to think about for the future.
Paul
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OOOPPPS.....Just found this on my online insurance account.
CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANING EXCLUSION
The COMPANY will not be liable for any liability for physical loss of or
physical damage to material property being worked upon in connection with the
TRADE or BUSINESS
No i think it was me paul.They were deep lines not rips,but it sounds like they have made them worse from the text.
Ah :-\
You posted before I finished.
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Cough up, move on. You won't do that again.
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No paul,i ment the other paul :)
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OOOPPPS.....Just found this on my online insurance account.
CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANING EXCLUSION
The COMPANY will not be liable for any liability for physical loss of or
physical damage to material property being worked upon in connection with the
TRADE or BUSINESS
No i think it was me paul.They were deep lines not rips,but it sounds like they have made them worse from the text.
I had exactly this exclusion on my original insurance. Fortunately, I noticed it when I got the paperwork through and told them to shove it and went elsewhere.
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Sounds like everyone's worst nightmare.
Fingers crossed the customer is not a screamer and you can reach a resonable solution.
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Lesson learnt, never ever push heavy furniture across a wet carpet. As well as the problem highlighted here it can also stretch the carpet causing ripples which won't subside. Always lift and swing back into position.
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"never ever push heavy furniture across a wet carpet"
The carpet was dry when i noticed it,i had not started yet,i was using the vac to clean behind the setee.
A lesson has been learnt.The anoying thing is,for first time ever i was thinking of cheating and cleaning around the setee as the carpet was not that bad any way,but could not bring myself to cut corners.
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these are expensive but you get what you pay for. first thing i do is put these under furniture. without a shadow of doubt, the best furniture movers on the market, don't push to hard when carpet is wet as furniture will end up in next door. ;D
http://www.sliderz.co.uk/long_instructions.html
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Pheww...some good news.
I spoke to the customer and she was really nice,from the tone of her texts last night i was a bit worried.She said she paid £150.00 including fitting for the carpet,much less than i thought it would be.I asked her what outcome she would be happy with and the customer said she had seen a rug in asda for 30 odd quid,.....so i offered her £50.00 and she acepted.I did not sleep much last night,so this is a massive relief.
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Fantastic result Dave, so you must not have lost on the job, just your time and the customer knows you are good as word :)
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;)
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a fortunate result for you there dave as derek said get some carpet sliders and i would take the opportunity to review your insurance and perhaps take up treatment risk. i use a broker called mcgregor lloyd and i am sure a few others do on here.
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Yep
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Good customer :)
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A christmas card for that cuzzy
and you can pair up with me when christmas monopoly gets braught out [[ uve got the 'GET OUT OF JAIL FREE 'card :) ]]
Alls well that ends well but a lesson learnt regarding insurence aye.
We insure with AXA and have cover for property worked on.
Regards Marc
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Great result!
Some great advice above regarding furniture sliders too.
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Happy outcome Dave. As others have said get some proper insurance, but also be aware that even with that you will be liable for the first £500, with most policies.
Apart from slicing the carpet when moving heavy furniture with dodgy castors etc, on synthetics the carpet can actually partially melt, causing burn lines, which are permanent.
Dave.
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Are you sure the lines wheren't there before you started Dave?
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Fair, but to be brutally honest, lucky result as both happy - but before you rest too easy - legs can do - and always will when you least expect it - slide off even the best "sliderZ" so get your insurance sorted - next time it may be a proper carpet...
Stu
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good for you Dave i say
you were obviously concerned about it, you dealt with it and didnt try to hide and seek and i respect your balls for posting it on here - i think that many reading this will be checking their policies and also be gently lifting the sofa into position next week!!
ignore the guys who make out they havent had some lucky escape themselves at some point......
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I actually did the exact same thing once but the custy let me off because she'd managed to do the same herself as the castor had broken because... in her words... "my fat ex husband probably broke it when he'd sat down..."
I still looked at it as a learning curve as you have and use furniture sliders every time, now.....
Good result mate and I think you handled it like a true professional... :)
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these are expensive but you get what you pay for. without a shadow of doubt, the best furniture movers on the market, don't push to hard when carpet is wet as furniture will end up in next door. ;D
http://www.sliderz.co.uk/long_instructions.html
Great link, thanks very much
Grant
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On a job yesterday the customer warned me not to slide the furniture. When I tilted the chair over I could see the plastic foot had broken off and the fixing screw was sticking out about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the plinth. There was a mark on the carpet already an inch or two long which her husband had done. Took the screws out.
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The insurance you have might still cover you. You have liability insurance, if you prove to be liable it may still cover you.
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Thats what "treatment risk" insurance is for - usually extra to public liability.
I only found that out when I wanted to join NCCA - they stipulate you must have treatment risk to be able to join.
So even the guy who is a NCCA member with a rug doctor has probably more insurance then a lot of carpet cleaners with better machines and more experience.
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The insurance you have might still cover you. You have liability insurance, if you prove to be liable it may still cover you.
Public liability insurance on its own only covers you for your liability if you damage 3rd party property. That is property other than that on which you are working.
Dave.
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Thats actually an interesting point. Treatment risk I would presume covers you for the actual item you are working on which goes pear shaped due to the process you are using. Liability covers you if you injure someone or damage property. So strictly speaking whilst moving furniture you are not actually "treating" the item you are cleaning. Like if you knocked an expensive vase over I think your liability insurance would cover you. Likewise in this case the carpet wasn't actually damaged due to the cleaning "process".