Kitchen dream turns into a nightmare

Wilfred Gathercole - angry at poor quality

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

Customer’s legal threat to Trading Standards
AN angry customer is threatening legal action against Oldham Trading Standards over a complaint about controversial businessman Vance Miller.

Wilfred Gathercole (68), from Suffolk, is disappointed with a kitchen supplied by Rock Solid Kitchens of Maple Mill, Fitton Hill — and argues Trading Standards haven’t done enough to get Mr Miller to improve his firm.

Mr Gathercole says he was sold a substandard kitchen and his complaints have been ignored.

The firm’s name has now been changed to Kitchen Dreams Direct.

In April, one of the two mills used by Mr Miller’s firm burned down in a massive blaze that’s still under investigation and led to demands from residents for the operation to be closed down.

Mr Gathercole saw advertisements for a sell-off of MFI kitchens in June but had no idea it was Rock Solid Kitchens. He paid £965 for what was promised would be a superior kitchen but after delivery found it had damaged, different and wrongly coloured doors and panels, hinges and screws missing.

He turned to Trading Standards, which said it was holding regular meetings with Mr Miller.

He said: “Citizen’s Advice have told me I can issue proceedings against Trading Standards because they have not done what they are there to do. I’m also considering a judicial review on the workings of the OFT.

“I’m writing to Trading Standards in Oldham telling them I will take action against them unless they get my money back. All I want is the kitchen I paid for.”

Head of Oldham Trading Standards, Tony Allen, said Mr Miller was able to switch the names of his firm adding: “That’s a problem we are dealing with through this case. I have every sympathy with the public. We are taking enforcement action against Vance Miller and are in the hands of the courts.

“Parliament has not granted us powers to simply stop him from trading. We have to go through the courts and get a conviction.”

Mr Miller did not respond to requests to comment.