Advice please - Valspar emulsion left house smelling of cat urine

Discussion in 'Painters' Talk' started by LJG, Apr 17, 2017.

  1. Furious Paul

    Furious Paul New Member

  2. CarolInCorsham

    CarolInCorsham New Member

    I contacted Valspar about the smell. Initially they said we were unfortunate in that there was a one in 100,000 chance of this, due to either bacteria(!) or a substrate problem(!) or not sealing the plaster surface in accordance with the small print on the tub(!). They then offered us paint vouchers, thanks but no thanks. They then offered to reimburse the cost of the BIN sealer and give us paint vouchers.
    They are aware they are at fault.
    Keep up the pressure everyone. If you haven't yet contacted BBC watchdog and trading standards office with your story then please do so.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  3. Leanne heath

    Leanne heath New Member

    Thought I'd join too. I'm getting the same problem. Foul smell from walls from using valspar emulsion. Only the walls in that room smell the en suite in same room painted at the smell time with another brand has no smell. Awful paint.
     
  4. Joanne Joy

    Joanne Joy New Member

    I contacted B&Q...was advised to contact Valspar. I was fobbed off by valspar (directing me back to B&Q Head Office) The person I spoke with at Valspar said this was a 'globally known problem'. I explained that I was not given any warning as to this 'globally known problem' on buying the paint. I also said that it must be a faulty batch of paints as Valspar has been used in the past (over a year ago) with no problems. They did not want to acknowledge this. After phoning B&Q headquarters they said they were aware of the problem and said i need to go back to the store to obtain the lost reciept, including batch numbers; and email this info to the B&Q store. I asked how I can remedy the problem and was told to use a sealant called 'Zinsser (barcode: 5037898610160) and I was also told that there has been recent problems with another brand of paint beginning with the letter C! I was assured it is not dangerous....but it smells pretty dangerous i have just shut the door of the room...we now have no lounge until the problem is fixed. This is all v time consuming and costly so I also sent a complaint to BBC watchdog.
     
  5. vsn

    vsn New Member

    Just contacted Citizen's Advice. When you contact them, always ask them to also contact Trading Standards as whatever produces the smell might be a health hazard.

    Apart from the possible health aspect, the paint is not fit for purpose because it has actually caused damage -- the room is uninhabitable. I will be writing (recorded delivery) to B&Q and asking for
    1. Full refund for the Valspar paint
    2. Cost of Zinsser Bin sealant
    3. Cost of sealing and applying new paint by a decorator
    I will have to supply written quotes etc.
    I will cover the cost of whatever new paints I use (but not the cost of Zinsser Bin).
    I will disregard the inconvenience of e.g. moving all the furniture again or having my son sleep elsewhere.

    (It seems that it's recent batches that are the problem. Some V700 I purchased in February has been OK, but the V500 purchased in May has the problem.)
     
  6. Joanne Joy

    Joanne Joy New Member

    Thankyou vsn; We had one batch of V500 and also a V700 (on the feature wall). Will follow your advice, many thanks
     
  7. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    You can get anti bacteria additive for emulsions. It's ment to be added to kitchen paints but may be helpful to those with problems?
     
  8. vsn

    vsn New Member

    I have a better idea: How about Valspar make some proper paint without the need to add anything, like reputable manufacturers do?
    Never had a problem with Dulux or Farrow & Ball. The first time I use Valspar, the whole house smells like a public toilet!
     
  9. john c morley

    john c morley New Member

    B@Q, and Valspar are not going to pay for your de orating. They may pay for some products so you can put the problem right. If we all contact citizens advice they will send it to trading standards. If trading standards find they are at fault we will get the problem put right and we will get compensation for our troubles. If we don't all do this they will deal with us individually and fob us off.
    Some people are at B&Q now buying the same Valspar paint, some people bought it yesterday and are putting it on today because they don't know about the problem.

    Please all ring citizens advice with your complaint and ask for it to be dealt with by trading standards.

    0345-404-0506
     
  10. cc01

    cc01 New Member

    I have just phoned citizens advice 0345 404 0506
    Please please all ring this number. Get this problem logged and draw attention to it as much as possible.
    They are going to contact Trading standards. Obviously the more complaints the better as something will have to be done. Valspar have acknowledged my complaint and agreed to cover the cost of a sealant product and vouchers for new paint!!
    No thank you. I am definitely not using this again!!! I would like to be compensated properly for the cost of paying a decorator to come and carry out this work. The thought of all the disruption once again is overwhelming. So much time and energy wasted.
    Interestingly citizens advice have said that it is B&Q that i need to pursue as i bought the product from them. It is up to them to pursue Valspar on my behalf. This all feels like it is going to be a long slog unless we all stick together to get something done about this...
     
  11. vsn

    vsn New Member

    I fully intend to send them the bill and claim for consequential loss, i.e. the cost of hiring a decorator.
    I have no experience with products like Zinsser Bin and they cannot expect me or my wife to apply it.
    The Consumer Rights Act (2015) entitles us to compensation for consequential loss.
    Don't get fobbed off. You need to pursue B&Q or wherever you purchased the product from.
    The product is not fit for purpose, i.e. not fit for painting a bedroom that you have to sleep in and will afterwards smell like a public toilet.
     
    cc01 likes this.
  12. vsn

    vsn New Member

  13. cc01

    cc01 New Member

    I have contacted B&Q customer services who have logged the complaint and will pursue it. I will be given a case manager within a few days. I will update when I know any more. Good luck everyone. I know it's a huge headache but please pursue this.
     
  14. Touche

    Touche Member

    I pride myself on decorating my own house to a good standard and don't want to employ a decorator, but I do want compensating for my own time and trouble that I will have to put in to repaint. As someone else says, it involves not just the painting, but the moving of furniture, taking books off shelving units so it can be painted behind them etc. I will get a quote from a painter and decorator, but will want to do the painting myself.
     
    cc01 likes this.
  15. Furious Paul

    Furious Paul New Member

    I've just added my review to trustpilot - please all do so too
     
  16. Touche

    Touche Member

    Totally agree. Also, for anyone who thinks that this problem may improve with time, I painted two rooms last SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, not recently as many people have. The smell has only begun since the warm weather and is there strongly each warm day. I think that if it has started after such a long period, it is not going to disappear anytime soon.
     
    cc01 likes this.
  17. cc01

    cc01 New Member

    We painted the lounge in December last year and stairs and landing in April this year. I could smell the cat pee smell constantly and it was really bugging me as I had to keep apologising for it whenever people visited, but it became truly unbearable in the hot weather recently. I had called several carpet cleaning companies for quotes a i thought that it must be my carpets but my husband with his detective nose, finally found the source! I mean who thinks to go around sniffing their walls?!!
     
  18. cc01

    cc01 New Member

    Me too. All done. I am so cross about this..
     
  19. vsn

    vsn New Member

    Just got a call back from Trading Standards.
    Unfortunately they will only intervene in cases where there is a criminal case, and they regard this as a civil case, unless it can be shown that the paint contains something hazardous (which I think is unlikely). To this end, article 33 of the REACH regulation can be used.
    Other than that, it's a civil case between us and B&Q (or whoever the retailer was).
     
  20. cc01

    cc01 New Member

    Yes I agree. We did all the work ourselves first time around but frankly I can't muster up any enthusiasm for doing it again and it also involves taking time off of work or missing out on family days together at the weekends. Not to mention the disruption to daily life. Also as someone else mentioned previously, I am not a specialist in this field and have no idea about applying this specialist sealer. Let's hope they compensate us all appropriately!!!
     
    Simon2412 likes this.

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