Experience of Trent Valley Fascias

[scottyboy235]

Hello,

Thought I would share my experience when I had my finlock gutters cut-off and replaced with plastic guttering by Trent Valley Fascias in summer 2013.

Initially everything went well, all work done satisfactorily except for a few minor faults which needed remedying. Trent Valley Fascias logged the faults and promised to come back sometime in the near future and rectify them.
Communications with them after this point was lousy, like they weren't interested anymore and we were bottom of the pile. Eventually they turned up unannounced several weeks later and fixed all the faults.

Come winter 2013 I noticed not one but two leaks in the guttering, both where they join onto the existing Finlock gutters. One leak is at the front and the other at the rear of the property.

I duly notified them early in 2014 and they promised to come and fix the faults. Eight phone calls later and its August and still they still haven't appeared. Every time I phone there is always a promise but nothing happens. Now I doubt they'll do anything to fix their balls-up of a job.

I thought I was going with a respectable, professional company who prided themselves on doing a quality job but this proves otherwise. Would I recommend TVF to anyone else - given this experience not likely.

Anyone else got a similar story to tell?

 

[ree]

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

Can you post pics of the transition where the plastic joins the concrete gutters?

 

[terrypin]

There's no mention of you putting your complaints in writing which should have been done when you initially complained.

Threaten them with court and Trading Standards.

Write to them now stating your intentions.

 

[scottyboy235]

Yeah, initially I emailed them details of the leak (+ a photo) then followed it up with phone calls just to make sure they had received the emails OK.
Sure enough they had everything.

Given my previous experience I thought they would eventually send someone out to fix things.

Now I know every job has it's quirks and given a fair chance most companies will honour their obligation to put things right - but it looks like TVF are reluctant to do anything. A take the money and run type company?

Guess I'll have to go down the official legal route and see what happens. It's not something I want to do but there is no other alternative

For those interested the photo of the leak is posted in my album called :Trent Valley Fascias Leaky Gutter . See if you can spot what is wrong

 

[Mw Roofline]

When we visit houses to quote for finlock concrete to PVCu roofline conversions and there is a finlock either side and no immediate downpipe we don't do the job unless the neighbour has it done too.

Even if you do the best seal in the world, if the neighbours water is coming your way and it's going from a ten inch wide, six inch high gutter into a tiny square or round gutter it will most certainly leak.

I've gone to a row of terraced houses where the end one has been converted and they've got the downpipe and the 3 other houses to the right are all relying on that downpipe. It was like a mini waterfall

 

[Mw Roofline]

Trent Valley Fascias Leaky Gutter

• scottyboy235
• 27 Jul 2014
• 1

I hope the left gutter isn't relying on just your outlet alone. If it is look how high their water level has to be as opposed to it's normal flowing height.

If it over spills during heavy rain then perhaps cut a hole in the bottom of the gutter, slide a rubber drain outlet through the hole (upside down witches hat) and place a hopper underneath it and a few offsets into a brach on your downpipe.

 

[scottyboy235]

TVF are now aware that I intend to take then to court and notify trading standards if the problem is not sorted out within a fortnight.

I sent the information in written form and followed it up with a phone call. Much to my surprise no one at the office seemed to be aware of this particular problem. Anyway they promised to pass the message onto the director and get back to me.

Nothing happened as usual, so I found out who the director was and managed to speak to him directly. He gave it 'I am not aware of any problem, can you tell me more about it' routine.

It actually feels like its total disorganisation at their end - they can't locate the relevant paperwork, don't know which fitters did the job and ended up asking me when the work was done and to describe the workmen who did the job!

Anyway the conversation finished and he promised to phone back which he duly did late on the same day. 1st time that's happened - a tiny bit of a confidence boost.

The upshot is that someone will be out within a fortnight. Wonder if it'll turn out to be true?

For reference there is only ONE house to the left as shown in the photo and there is a minimal height difference (no more than a cm) between the finlock and UPVC guttering

[14/08/14] Fitters from TVF turned up today, completely out of the blue with no warning whatsoever. Just a sheer fluke someone was in to show them the problem. They've put their hands up and said yes, its a problem with the installation, we need to sort it out. Date for the fix has to be decided.

I am not knocking the effort these guys put in but I still can't believe no one at TVF thought about phoning ahead to let me know about the inspection It's bloody frustrating

 

[Anjohannes]

HI,

was wondering how your battle with TVF is progressing, we have had the same problem as you? No response when we call. Our experience is documented on Money supermarket site. i have had a really excellent surveyor in and he has confirmed what we feared....a botched job?
Would be interesting to hear whether you went down the legal route...think that this is our next course of action.

Also hilarious, or it would be if it were not so painful, that TVF has the audacity to name and shame a competitor re: the watchdog report and seem to set themselves up as paragons of virtue!

 

[scottyboy235]

@ Anjohannes

Sorry to say it's been an uphill, futile struggle. The original fitters came out and redid the joints. All sots of excuses cam out like it's the neighbours gutters that are leaking and they are not responsible for them. It never cured the problem - still had problems front and back of the house

I got a 2nd opinion from a local roofing contractor and he doubted the technique/materials used to seal the joints. TVF have used a roofing mastic which has a limited lifetime and needs replacing after a number of years.

The joints were all re-done using EPDM - this is the solution used on commercial/industrial roofing installations. Since its been done there has been no sign of any problems.

It looks like TVF have used an unsuitable technique for joining the two types of gutter. Trying to prove faulty workmanship as opposed to an unsuitable technique is extremely difficult to do.

 

[Mw Roofline]

HI,

was wondering how your battle with TVF is progressing, we have had the same problem as you? No response when we call. Our experience is documented on Money supermarket site. i have had a really excellent surveyor in and he has confirmed what we feared....a botched job?
Would be interesting to hear whether you went down the legal route...think that this is our next course of action.

Also hilarious, or it would be if it were not so painful, that TVF has the audacity to name and shame a competitor re: the watchdog report and seem to set themselves up as paragons of virtue!

Yes, the watchdog report was damming to that company (I know them well) but since then the said company is now doing very well. Anyway good luck with your problems.

 

[Anjohannes]

Thank you for the response.I hope that your problems are now finally resolved? We shall see what response we get if any? Have employed a 'Top Gun' and our report is very comprehensive and technical.We wanted a small problem resolved, not expanded and more created, as well as the large hole in the bank account!

We shall see and will post as we progress!

 

[Chris Connett]

TVF was working on my neighbour’s roof but did not get my permission to disturb the roof tiles on my side of the boundary; when they refitted our tiles they were damaged and were not returned to their original position i.e. the re-fitted tiles no longer align with the other tiles on my roof. The miss-alignment gap on my side of the boundary has been filled with mortar that is already cracking. I’ve been in contact with TVF since the beginning of 2016 and despite the TVF owner thinking what they have done is OK, they promised to come out and resolve the problem. I am still waiting and its now middle of May. Very disappointed and would not recommend TVF.