“As with almost every review on here this company is a joke. Avoid like the plague. Conservatory is leaking and in heavy rain it’s very bad. I have sent 4 emails as COVID seems to have disabled their ability to answer the telephone. This was all due to Be fixed until it was sudden 2 man job. Then no sight or sound if anyone. I was told they were concentrating on getting their customer ratings up as they had such a bad reputation. I’m guessing they’ve given up with that as well as answering their phones. Disgusting is an understatement. Even if they replied by email saying they wld be in touch it wouldn’t be quite so bad. I think going to the press is the next stage with this !!”
“Like the others below I have been trying to get doors repaired under guarantee but they are using excuse of COVID to avoid contacting. However, I have raised new sales requests and have had calls back within an hour. Smiths were a company who did loads of advertising everywhere unit you hardly see them so I suspect they must have financial problems. Avoid like the plague.”
“This company have disgraceful after sales service.
I have been trying repeatedly to contact their service department to repair some windows (under warranty). Never a response. They have no service phone number, a service email address that bounces back (dodgy) and only an online form to fill in.....which never get's a reply. Your only other option is to risk phoning their sales/enquiries team who will then keep ringing you to sell you something.
I never did receive a FENSA certificate from them either.
My installation may have been 9 years ago, but their warranty is for 10 years!
I was eventually fobbed off and told they would not fix any of my windows (without even looking at the faults) and just sent me their T & Cs. Their T & Cs state the following:
“..we will replace or repair any defective part at no cost.” - this clearly indicates if there is a part that is defective (ie - not working properly) then you will repair or replace this.
“Locks, hinges, letterboxes etc are covered by this guarantee” - Without inspection how would you know if one of my hinges are not defective?
Your T & Cs are also vague with the stated term of 'etc'. This will be interpreted as any other mechanical component as you have not stated otherwise in your terms.
Your T & Cs also state: “the company will not accept liability for general wear and tear or misuse, defects would normally be deemed to appear within one year of installation.” - in which case you are implying that any defect I am experiencing must 1) be expected of your products to appear within one year; or 2) assumed to be misuse. In which case, you would fully accept a window of yours not to shut properly within the first year of installation.
An absolute cowboy company with a worthless 10 year warranty. Do not use.”
“Avoid avoid avoid, and if tempted, avoid.
Threaten to take away glad and doors as final balance wasnt paid.
However it was due to be paid on completion, and a leaking roof is not a completed job.
Oh, and the guarantee? Worthless.
They only need to come and fix a window handle, but no response, at all.
Emails phone calls, all resulting in nothing.
Court Action has been initiated against them.”
“After 6 years smith conservatory 6 call outs first fitting a non tough glass it was replaced then out another wrong unit replaced again . The the frenchdoor problem 6 times need all new hinges. Door s not fitted properly. Then this as done in nov19 now unit as shattered on its own. Which must be faulty. They won’t cover it. And fenca does not cover conservatory . Dont use”
“Why won’t you stick to your 10 year guarantee? As you can see the photograph below does not mention anything to do with not replacing blown windows. I would like an explanation as to why you are refusing to replace my window I will be taking this further if I don’t get a full explanation”
“Hi gave paid my deposit to have my conservatory fitted today and no one has shown up . I have sent numerous emails before to confirm and has not had a reply. I have taken time off to facilitate this .
Your customer service is appalling”
“This company does not stick to its promised 10 year guarantee. I would seriously urge anyone thinking of using this company to steer clear. The customer service and after sales is appalling. My Conservatory is not yet 10 years old and they refuse to honour my guarantee. Essex Cowboys is the word that comes to mind”
“We purchased a conservatory with a "10 year guarantee", only to discover this guarantee is fairly worthless when anything goes wrong.
Last year the door of the conservatory broke, it would no longer lock. Smiths refused to help, saying moving parts were not covered.
Yesterday one of the windows spontaneously shattered. It was not hit by anything, it just popped. Presumably related to the heat, as the conservatory gets very hot on any sunny day and its been a record breaking hot August. Smith again refused to help, saying the glass is not covered. Further, they are now saying I need to pay them £320 to fix the window. I have received a quote elsewhere that says they can do it for £120, but Smiths said if I use anyone else they will invalidate my 10 guarantee.
The vast majority of the conservatory is glass or moving parts, so basically very little is actually covered.
In addition, their customer service is terrible. Last year it took me a very long time to get a response. This year, whilst I received a response very quickly, it came just short of calling me a liar.”
“We had all windows and doors replaced last year and were persuaded that we would have a year to pay it all without interest charges, but if we didn't pay within the year it would automatically turn into a 10 year loan. We signed the order on that basis only to find that when we pay it off after 10 months we are charged by the finance company. Smiths set up a different loan costing us nearly £500 in interest. It seems they will tell you anything to get you to sign, but then do something completely different. I would avoid this company completely.”
“Awful place to work! Full of incompetent staff, weird work ethics & zero customer service. What a shambles. Only an idiot would purchase from this company. Read their responses to their google reviews. Says it all. Pathetic!”
“I had the company view my property for work. They were too expensive so I declined. I am now constantly harassed by them via phone calls that I’ve had to block their number. They now call on withheld. Yesterday I had 40 plus calls. Today it’s getting close to that.
The sales man is too pressuring. A more vulnerable person would’ve given in.
I will never do business with this company even if they offered the work for free”
“Awful.
We had our windows replaced in 2012 by this company. Around 30 to 40 window units have since had the seals blown which leads to condensation on the inside of the unit. Not ideal by any standards but at least covered by a ten year warranty. Until today, when they advised me that they have a 5 year warranty for this particular complaint and I would no longer be covered. I was told I had to pay for the new units myself to continue. I disputed this and told them that the contract that I signed was different and did in fact state 10 years as cover. I have a copy to hand. The service manager told me he would in no way honour it. If this type of issue only had a 5 year cover why is it that I have had replacements for 8 years at no cost?
The Manager (Paul) was extremely rude and failed to even acknowledge the contact that I have in place under which the warranty is valid for another 2 years. Please do not have any dealings with this company. They are have not honoured their contract.”
“Tried to convince me to buy a new door. After calling multiple times I eventually gave in and agreed to a quotation when they had a “sale event”. Representative didn’t show up! The company blamed a few rogue employees. I was then called repeatedly and after complaining, asking to be taken off lists and telling them I’ve done the work already, I’ve continued to have over 30 calls over the last two years. I even had an apology from a “director” who said I would never hear from them again but that was last year and the harassment continues. Latest caller today said I should have been asked to email the marketing team because they don’t have the power to take me off any lists. Tried the email address but it just bounced back. I’m going to take this harassment further. Definitely the worst company I’ve ever had to deal with, who I never wanted to have anything to do with in the first place!”
“Very disappointing. Our conservatory was completed in October and we found it was leaking at two places from under the boxgutter . We have been chasing them for the past three weeks and nothing has been sorted till date. A few times we called, was spoken to very arrogantly and rudely by a person called Paul who would end up either shouting at my partner or hanging up . He has a very appalling client management skills and very rude. I just want someone to sort out this mess so we can just finish dealing with this company. Would not recommend Smith’s ltd, Basildon, to anyone. I really hope the said person is given further client management and communication training. No one takes responsibility for the problem and we have had to deal with very bad communication from the beginning as we had to chase them at each part of the built as no one tells you what is happening! We have yet to receive the completion documents and fensa certificate. Very worried where this is headed and about the future help if needed!!!”
“Avoid ! Avoid!!!
Very disappointing. Our conservatory was completed in October and we found it was leaking at two places from under the boxgutter . We have been chasing them for the past three weeks and nothing has been sorted till date. A few times we called, was spoken to very arrogantly and rudely by a person called Paul who would end up either shouting at my partner or hanging up . He has a very appalling client management skills and very rude. I just want someone to sort out this mess so we can just finish dealing with this company. Would not recommend Smith’s ltd, Basildon, to anyone. I really hope the said person is given further client management and communication training. No one takes responsibility for the problem and we have had to deal with very bad communication from the beginning as we had to chase them at each part of the built as no one tells you what is happening! We have yet to receive the completion documents and fensa certificate. Very worried where this is headed and about the future help if needed!!!”
“I have not used this company but that doesn't mean that have stopped calling! We agreed to a quote over 4 years ago which we decided we did not want to go ahead with. Since that time I have received up to 15 calls a day - not every day but at least several times a month. I have made it clear to each person I have spoken to that we are not interested and would like our details to be taken from their calling list. Every time they agree and within a month are calling again. I have blocked them several times but they then call on private numbers which I have answered in error a few times. Again made crystal clear that we are not interested. They have pushed to the point that even if the service was free we would not use them. I dont normally like to give companies bad reviews and sometimes in can just be a case of misunderstanding or bad communication. But on this occasion I really cannot see how they, after 4 years, will not stop calling even though they have been asked to delete my details time and time again. I understand in business leads need to be followed up but this level of calling is completely unprofessional and unnecessary creating a very bad reputation for this company.”
