I bought a kitchen mixer set with twin taps from B&Q around
6 months ago.

On opening it for the first time yesterday, just to measure
the exact length of the tap stems I noticed that inside the
mixer body - under where the arm will fit there were still
traces of the mould sand. It was definitely mould sand as you
could scrape it off with a screwdriver to reveal the brass underneath.
Fair enough maybe the insides of all mixer bodies have traces of mould
sand as the insides are a hard place to get at.

However having started poking around I noticed there was a big
sand covered obstruction in the hollow mixer body between the
cold tap and the middle, but no similar obstruction between the
hot tap and the middle. Not knowing much about taps and having bought it
at B&Q I automatically assumed it was a fault. Possibly my first big mistake.

So I went to B&Q this morning hoping to buy a perfect set, intending to use
that receipt to return the old set and get a refund as I couldn't find the B&Q
receipt from 6 months ago.
- Definitely my second big mistake
Although it will probably turn up around next March.

Anyway going back to B&Q this morning I started checking the others
in stock. They're well packed with strapping so it takes a Stanley
knife to open them, which I'd brought along.

The first one I opened had a similar obstruction and I was spotted
by the assistant opening the second one. "Hey what are you doing ?"
I half lost my rag with the poor guy, explaining that B&Q sold such
rubbish it was necessary to open everything first. I then calmed down
and explained the problem to him inviting him to poke his finger inside
the mixer to feel the obstruction for himself. When he was satisfied it
was there, we both opened the second set and the problem was the same. He
then went and got various tools and effectively destroyed the second mixer
set trying and failing to get the taps off to see if you could feel the
obstruction from the other side.

This was now pointless as without a good set to buy, to get a receipt
to get a refund on the faulty ones, I was going to have to try a different
tack. I called for the manager just to get him to confirm there was an
obstruction. He confirmed there was, didn't know anything about taps either,
explained he didn't have the discretion to give refunds without a receipt and
suggested I phoned B&Q head office. He was writing out various addresses -
this was after I'd been there about half and hour and I just got up and said
"sod it, I'm walking away from this, you can have my £50 mate" and walked out.

Having got home, I thought I'd try connecting the set up to the garden hose
using a spare flexible tap connector, and the cold tap seems to work o.k
despite the obstruction. So maybe there's supposed to be an obstruction
there on the cold water side. Dunno.

The problem as I explained to the people in B&Q is that its a lot of hassle
turning the water off to fit a new set of taps especially if you only find out
later there's something wrong with them. Maybe someone there could be expected to
know what the insides of a mixer body are supposed to look like without destroying
the taps in an effort to be helpful, or maybe not.

Anyway, its fingers crossed.


michael adams

....