Terms and Conditions of Purchase
Important Customer Information
Please find below information relating to the terms and conditions which are applicable when you enter into a contract with Tapi Carpets & Floors. 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. Please note that any revisions to your order may incur further costs. Your rights: it is our responsibility to supply you with goods and services which meet your consumer rights. If you have any concerns that we have not met our legal obligations, please contact us via the “contact” page on our website. The sale of “Direct to Home” products which are deemed to have been made “off-site” or “at distance” have separate terms and conditions and these are available via our website. For information in relation to delivery or collection of “Direct to Home” products, when purchased on-premises, please refer to the separate section below. If you are unclear about your rights or require advice, you can contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Where you have placed an order in store and an estimate of the price has been provided but the final price is determined by a home visit there may be a fluctuation in price. If the price, following the home visit, is lower than the estimate, your contract will reflect the lower price. If the price is higher by 15% or more you will be able to cancel the order and receive a refund of any monies you have paid, provided you have not already instructed us to proceed with the order.
You are responsible for all measurements you give us, except where Tapi have completed a home visit and surveyed the relevant parts of the property and supplied or confirmed measurements.
Interest Free Credit
Subject to status and affordability and a credit check. Terms and conditions apply. Tapi Carpets & Floors Ltd Firm Ref No. 706358. Registered Office: 1a Spur Road, Orpington, Kent, BR6 0PH. Registered No: 09247255 trading as Tapi Carpets is a credit broker for the purpose of introducing credit provided by the lender Novuna Personal Finance, a trading style of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Promotional Offers
From time to time we may sell our products subject to a promotional offer. Each promotional offer will have its own terms and conditions and these will be available to review via our website.
A price promise is offered on fully fitted carpet order only and is not valid on any “Direct to Home”, laminate, luxury vinyl tile, vinyl, or engineered wood products.
Cancellation and refunds
In store purchases
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.
In the home & online purchases (Cancellation Rights for Online and Home Purchases Only – this does not apply to in-store orders)
Consumers who buy online or at home where no in-store visit takes place, have a 14-day cooling off/cancellation period. Tapi reserves the right to release the customer’s order to the manufacturer upon expiry of the 14-day period, if no cancellation request is received.
If the customer wishes the work to start before the 14-day cancellation period has finished, just let us know and we will start the order. It is important to note that if the customer requests the work to start within the 14 days, they do not waiver their right to cancel but if cancellation is received within this time, Tapi reserves the right to request payment for any costs Tapi has incurred prior to this point, up until the point cancellation is received.
If the installation is completed within the 14 days, you will no longer have the right to cancel, and full payment would be required either by the finance agreement or another payment method.
Interest free cancellation
Where payment is made via an interest free agreement, our interest free credit service provider will allow a cancellation of the credit agreement only within the first 14 days. An alternative payment method will need to be used to pay for the outstanding order if the credit agreement is cancelled within the first 14 days.
If a refund becomes necessary, it will be made to the person named on the sales confirmation or invoice, but credit/debit card refunds can only be made to the same account of the original card used at the time of purchase.
What’s included in the Tapi Delivery and Care Package?
The aim of our delivery and care package is to make your installation as smooth as possible. Within this package, we include the delivery of your order, the removal and replacement of a reasonable amount of emptied furniture and the removal and disposal of off-cuts as well as a vacuum. We will also provide a maximum of 8 weeks of storage for your new purchase from order date. Not included within this package is the uplift or disposal of your old flooring although these services can be purchased separately. Whilst we will move a reasonable amount of emptied furniture, we are unable to move items such as grand pianos or the like for obvious reasons as well as white goods. We will need to be made aware, at the time of purchase, if any items require more than one person to be moved safely. The customer utilises the assistance of the fitting partner for the movement of furniture at their own risk and the fitting partner is not liable for any accidental damage which may occur during the movement of your furniture.
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 3rd 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. Exact arrival and completion times cannot be guaranteed due to the nature of the work.
Introduction to Fitter
Where Tapi has been asked to make the arrangements for your flooring to be fitted, we agree to act as your agent for this service and a fitting arrangement service per m2 is chargeable. This includes: introduction to a flooring fitting specialist and arranging the installation of your purchase under a separate contractual agreement between you and them. It also includes monitoring fitting standards, arranging a pre-cut service to aid an efficient and speedy ‘at home installation’, and on the rare occasion of a complaint being raised regarding the fitting, Tapi will manage the complaint between yourself and the fitting partner.
We retain full responsibility for the products Tapi supplies and will act as intermediary between you and the deliverer/ installer should any liability arise from delivery and installation where Tapi made the introduction to the fitter.
Fitting
Fitting is chargeable and payable to the fitting partner separate from your Tapi contract and must be paid directly to the fitter on the day of installation.
Where carpets are to be fitted in the hall and stairs an additional fee is made to reflect the additional fitting work involved in these areas. These charges may be payable to the company or the contractor and are shown on your sales confirmation or invoice. The fees quoted are for the goods shown on the order only.
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 fitting partner aware of any known hazards or issues which may affect their ability to complete the installation.
Additional paid services
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.
Sub Floor Preparation
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 Tapi is deemed to have been concluded upon acceptance of the flooring and will be considered ‘supply only’.
Carpets
The samples we display in our stores are intended to give a general impression of the colour and pattern of the carpet. 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. 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. 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 and Direct to Home products
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. For further information please consult our floor care guide.
Whilst many of the products we sell are available to purchase in square metres, our luxury vinyl, laminate flooring and engineered wood products are purchased by the box. When estimating appropriate floor coverage for your installation, we will apply a percentage between 5-15% (rounded to the nearest box) to your order to allow for colour matching between boxes and wastage during fitting. In the case of a herringbone installation, this tolerance may be increased further based on the manufacturer’s recommendation. If a subsequent order is placed, we cannot promise this will be supplied from the same batch as that previously supplied.
Any unopened boxes which are returned will be refunded at 50% of the original box purchase price within the first 30 days of purchase all goods need to be sealed and in the good condition and can only be returned if outside the tolerances stated.
It is the policy of Tapi Carpets & Floors Ltd to change the name of all products to ensure each has a unique name within our product ranges. Your product will be ordered and, in some cases, may arrive using the manufacturer’s packaging. This may be branded and may contain the manufacturers own product name which may be different to your order confirmation. This method of amending product names is a standard industry practice.
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.
“Direct to Home” Delivery and Collection
A selection of our products are available for “Direct to Home” delivery which is fulfilled via a 3rd party logistics partner. Should you purchase any of these products the following terms, in addition to the above, will apply.
Standard delivery times quoted can only be used as a guide and provided at the time of order. Your order confirmation is subject to sufficient stock being available by the supplier at the time your order is placed by us. Delivery times may increase around holidays and peak shipping periods. The 3rd party carrier will deliver your goods over the threshold of your property.
If our 3rd party carrier contacts you to arrange delivery, please make them aware if there are any special requirements to support the carrier completing the prescribed method above. If you have alternative delivery requirements, please contact us prior to dispatch of your order. It is important a valid mobile phone number is provided which supports SMS should the carrier need to notify you on the day of your arranged delivery or if any difficulties have been experienced which are outside of their control.
Our carrier will make every effort to deliver on the date requested by the customer, however, Tapi cannot be held liable for late delivery if this is caused by circumstances outside of our control.
Where a delivery fails due to non-attendance of the customer or the receiver being absent, notification will be sent and you will be contacted to attempt re-delivery. All goods will need to be signed for.
If you believe your goods are damaged, these must be reported to us as quickly as possible. If these are noted at the time of delivery, this should be pointed out to the delivery driver and they should be asked to make a note of this and take pictorial evidence to confirm this. If you will not be present at the time of the delivery, please ensure the person accepting the goods on your behalf is aware of this requirement. This does not affect your statutory rights and in the event of the goods being faulty, these will be replaced. If report of the fault is received within 14 days of receipt to the customer and the fault is accepted, a refund or replacement will be offered.
If you wish to change a delivery date or arrange for collection of the goods following our agreement to accept their return, please contact the 3rd party logistics company or the store you placed your order with.
