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Customers complain B&Q paint is wrecking their cars

Published: 31 October 2016 - Jenny Wonnacott

B&Q customers who've made use of the retailer's Valspar in-store paint mixing service have complained that the tins are coming open on the journey home and causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to their cars.

The O
The O'Connors' Mercedes-Benz was written off when their can of Valspar paint spilled through their car's undercarriage and caused irreparable damage. Photo credit: Joanne O'Connor for The Guardian

As reported by The Guardian, a couple from Fife recently had a five litre can of paint mixed in their local B&Q, only for the tin to pop open in the boot of their new BMW and cause, they claim, £9,000 worth of damage to the car's interior. Said the car's owner Kelly O'Reilly: "You have no idea how much damage five litres of paint can do to a car until it happens to you – it went over everything – our shoes, clothes – everything.

“After three hours of cleaning we were not making any difference – the paint had seeped into the seats. But when we looked at the tin we couldn’t believe how flimsy it was. A 49p milk carton has more protection against spillages than these. They are patently not up to the job of carrying paint.”

Furthermore, the O'Connors from Basildon's Mercedes-Benz was written off by its insurer after a can of the very same paint opened and spilled on the way home. The paint didn't just stain this time, however, it seeped through the car's underbody and shorted the electrics, causing the car to break down. It was then towed to a garage where mechanics declared it too damaged to fix.

According to Guardian Money, there are several more unhappy B&Q customers who have faced similar problems with tins of Valspar paint, which the retailer sells exclusively in the UK.

B&Q has allegedly told customers who complain that it is not responsible for the cans of paint - which carry no warning - once they leave the stores. It has paid out to some victims as "a gesture of goodwill" but has fought other claims through its lawyer Hill Dickinson. Some customers have been forced to claim the damages on their car insurance and face the resulting premiums.

Many of the victims have apparently been in contact with each other to form a group now considering mass legal action to recover all their losses.

B&Q said: "All the products we sell at B&Q are rigorously tested before we put them on sale. In the past year more than three million cans of Valspar store-mixed paint have been bought in our stores, with fewer than one in 100,000 tins leading to a paint spillage complaint.

“On the rare occasion that a customer experiences a problem, we take this seriously, assess the complaint to understand what happened and whether anything could have been done differently. All paint containers used by Valspar meet industry standards and their supplier is accredited by ISO 9001:2015. Despite this, we are carrying out additional testing so that we can remain completely satisfied that the cans are fit for purpose.”

Source: The Guardian

Comments

14 August 2019 18:52:58
Rosie

Susan did you get an update, we have just experienced this, husbands car is completly ruined. BNQ have washed their hands of us. 40 pounds on paint, all over the skirting and other bits we just bought.

15 July 2019 19:14:05
Kay Tran

This is still happening. It has happened to me today. So annoyed to find BnQ and Valspar have know about the issue for years and still no clear warnings

14 July 2019 11:06:55
Neringa Kievisaite
Same happened yesterday. It was on the floor behind the seat. Came home, opened the car, the lid completely off and paint all over. Gonna claim, this is ridiculous. B&Q should have already complaint to valspar so they can do something to ensure Tins won't open, but clearly nothing has been done. Only found out were not the ones offer this happened :(
02 January 2019 15:41:04
Susan

Is there any further update to this story please. I've just experienced the same problem 

01 November 2016 11:41:21
Gel

Surely stupid to drive home with a can of paint/ varnish with it loose in the back of car / on the floor or in the boot.

Presumably factory finsihed paint cans have a more secure seal otherwise there'd be far more reports.


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