Tesco allowed ‘rogue’ firm to sell kitchens from inside some of it stores which then ‘ripped customers off for thousands’
Bosses at the supermarket have issued an apology and confirmed they are investigating
TESCO allowed a 'rogue' firm to sell kitchens from inside some of its stores – allegedly ripping customers off for thousands of pounds after failing to deliver their goods.
Bosses at Britain's biggest supermarket chain are now investigating following complaints from customers of Home Improvement World, who have been operating at some of their stores.
Home Improvement World salesmen set up stands Tesco shoppers inside some of the firm's 2,500 UK stores offering customers up to 40 per cent off designer kitchens.
Tesco chiefs have now been forced to issue an apology after admitting that some of the them have been 'operating without permission'.
They are also investigating claims “that some customers have not received the services they paid this company for”.
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A number of shoppers have complained after meeting Home Improvement World salespeople - who work for parent company Amazing Kitchens - inside Tesco stores.
One customer, Riz Am, paid £900 for a kitchen from the firm after visiting a Tesco store in Harrow, north west London, in May this year – but says it never turned up.
Speaking this week, Mr Am said he had 'tried and tried' to get hold of the salesman who did the deal, but that he couldn't get hold of him - so he complained to Tesco.
He said: "I have been shopping in this Tesco for years and have always trusted it. I never expected something like this to happen when I bought a kitchen from inside their store.
“I want my money back and want Tesco to take some responsibility. This has been very stressful and I have lost a lot of money.
“I couldn’t afford to go on holiday this year because of this trouble.”
A mum from St Albans, Herts, also lost out after paying £1,875 to Home Improvement World after being approached by a salesperson in a Tesco store in Watford, Herts.
Jyoti Chauhan, 52, and her two sons spend the cash in April for a new kitchen - but claim they have never received the goods promised.
Speaking last week, she said: "It’s unbelievable. I trusted Tesco. When you are in a supermarket like that, you automatically assume that companies working in there are legitimate.
“Not only has this highly distressed me - we are massively out of pocket with a house that has no kitchen, and I am disgusted."
When Mrs Chauhan contacted Home Improvement World, she was told the salesman who sold her and her sons the kitchen worked for a firm called Amazing Kitchens, the parent company of Home Improvement World.
Tesco chiefs have now said the firm was 'not authorised' to have salespeople working at its stores at the time and confirmed it was investigating.
A Tesco spokesperson confirmed: “We are investigating claims that Home Improvement World has been operating inside our stores without permission and that some customers have not received the services they paid this company for.
“We’d like to apologise to any customers who have been affected by this and are speaking to anyone who may have any concerns.”
The supermarket confirmed they were looking into claims Home Improvement operated in stores in Watford, Osterely, Pinner, Barkingside and Harrow.
A spokesman for Home Improvement World and Amazing Kitchens said: “Home Improvement World is looking into this.
“Due to flooding in the warehouse peoples kitchens were delayed and subsequently some customers have cancelled their orders.
“We are dealing with this and anybody who is not happy must email in and we will deal with it.
“We will investigate to see if any marketing staff have decided to go into Tesco without the company’s permission.”
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