Defective Screwfix Product Caused a leak........any advice

I purchased a sprung Bath Waste plug-hole from Screwfix, product number 47707 on the 5th August 2016. This was fitted last week by a plumber. Yesterday morning, my son announced that the living room ceiling was leaking. Sure enough, water was dripping out of a couple of holes in the Artex and there were brown leak marks all across the ceiling. I immediately turned off the water and called the plumber. He turned up and set about dismantling the plug to discover that the Screw Nut (part number 6 in the instructions) had shattered into 5 pieces. On closer inspection, the screw nut appears to be extremely brittle.

So, now we've had to pay for an emergency plumber, new parts, we will have to pay to have the ceiling repaired and redecorated. Is there any recourse open to us because Screwfix sold us a dodgy part?

 

The nut itself is 'brittle', looks like it's perished, to shatter into 5 pieces looks a little unlikely from over tightening, yes we've got house insurance, but from my perspective it should be the people that sold the defective product, not my insurance company that picks up the tab.

 

It was a Screwfix part, supplied with the plug.

 

Will do Peter, thank you.

 

My first port of call was the Screwfix that I purchased it from. The chap who served me stated that the part should not have shattered like it did.....hence the citing of it being a defective Screwfix product.

I have been in touch with their Customer services department who have fobbed me off. Screwfix apparently NEVER pay compensation for any product they supply which is defective, again, not my words.

It strikes me as a bit worrying that Screwfix can sell any old tat with apparent impunity, expecting the resultant mess and hassle to be covered by somebody elses insurance.

I've informed them that I will pay for the repairs and redecorating myself, then present them with the receipts. If they then do not pay I'll go through Moneyclaim and leave it down to the court.

 

He left all the old bits for me to dispose of, and unless he substituted the new part for an old one which he had lurking in his tool-box, which wouldn't seen worth it on many different levels, I am as sure as I can be that the part he used was actually the one out of the box.

 

This is the reply I received from Screwfix..........

Thank you for your email regarding the response received.
I appreciate your comments, that you feel that item is faulty, in this instance all Screwfix would be obliged to offer is a refund or replacement in full and final settlement. However from the image supplied it appears that the item was overtightened upon fitting. Therefore we would suggest that you contact your Plumber as it appears to be a fitting error and not a fault with the product.
We are of course happy to assist where we can, however as explained Screwfix are not liable for any costs incurred and does not offer compensation. As explained the swiftest resolution is for you to contact your household insurers and your plumber to contact his public liability insurers to resolve. We would advise that you retain the item pending any investigations.
Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Should you need further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards

Their employee is indeed truly gifted if she can deduce that the fault lies with the plumber, not the product just by examining a photograph......Genius.

 

This is the photograph I sent her.....her deduction from this; "over tightening"

 

It's covered in plumbers mate, I can assure you it's the one that came with the set. I've just read the reviews for it, wish I'd read them before I'd purchased it. There are obvious and repeated problems with this piece of kit which are highlighted time and time again in the reviews and yet Screwfix obviously couldn't give a monkeys as they keep on selling it and denying any responsibility when the thing goes wrong.