Household Damaged due to Incorrect Product provided by *********** staff

On the 15th June 2018, due to the Eskom wage dispute resulting in load shedding taking place in Paulshof from 4pm, we rushed out to get food for our family from Sunninghill. At around 17h30, we decided that by the time we get home it will be pitch black and we only had 4 indoor candles that use citronella oil which would not be sufficient to light up our house as my son has a phobia if the dark as he is a special needs child and my daughter who is autistic cannot cope without electricity which results in both my kids becoming anxious and overwhelmed which requires medical intervention when it takes place.

I waited in the car whilsty husband ran into builders warehouse directly to information to inquire who could assist with indoor candles and the respective oil. At first the lady assisting said they did not have indoor candles but had the oil to which my husband responded saying he can get candles at PNP but they did not have the oil. She took him to the section and pointed out the bamboo candles to which my husband responded that we required indoor candles, when reaching the isle above the oil the builders representative pointed out was on special, were the indoor candles we were looking for as they were the ones we were looking for. Taking her advice and rushing to the check out he paid and jumped back in the car.

On arrival home due to traffic being backed up from the power failure we rushed into the house and used a cellphone torch to pour the oil into the holders.

After sitting in a closed cold house with the candles burning my husband got up to go to the toilet and when re-entering the room realised the air was snogging and he was battling to breath and the new candles were letting off black fumes.

We immediately blew these out and opened all doors to air the house out, and when the power came on about 30-40 mins later only to realise that the entire house was covered in soot from these candles including our faces, nostrils, floors, curtains and pretty much everything including our pantry.

On Saturday I returned to the store to speak to the manager and Bert was called and after showing him some pictures and explaining this to him and staying I hold builders warehouse accountable to clean all goods damaged. He said he doesn't have authority and called the Store manager Dobby who was not in and visiting someone in hospital. I explained the situation again and he said leave your details and he would call me later that day. I received a call and was asked whether we would use our own cleaners or if they should send their own to which I responded for security reasons we would use our own overall cleaners. I was told to obtain quotes and send these through which I arranged on Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday the senior manager Bert was sent out and agreed with the damage caused and he would escalate to the highest on levels bring head office. At no point were we told that we would be responsible for your employees lack of interest and incompetence.

Individual quotes were more expensive so we opted for overall professional cleaners.

The quotation for the full cleaning of the house including the curtains,floors, furniture, rugs, couches, mattresses and overall cleaning of each room through the housend to rectify the damage to our property was close to R11000.

Excluding the replacement of our servers power supply as the soot had damaged this too but gave an approximate in the region of R1700.

I stresses this needed to be finalized latest Monday to ensure they come out on Tuesday bearing in mind we have to live in filth until they have completed the job.

Paramedics were called out due to the difficulty we were having breathing. For your reference paramedics called out. Your emergency has been processed with Netcare911 and an ambulance has been dispatched. Your reference number is ********** 491 for reference bearing in mind.

They further stated that the long term effects could not be determined and should we still have difficulty breathing or start vomiting we were told to call them back out. This product is also dangerous to animals which I have 4 dogs who inhaled the same fumes and recently on Facebook a dog died from inhalation if smoke and my dogs are my children.

I have an autistic daughter and a son with a chromosome issues as stated above therefore causing learning disabilities and would result in further assistance to deal with this all as my son stated that this could have burnt our house down and was displaying anxiety and repeating this to everyone who he came into contact with so I was contacted by the school he attends. My daughter is non verbal therefore cannot communicate if she has difficulties breathing.

If we had fallen asleep as per the paramedics this could have ****ed us and the damage caused is substantial due to your staff incompetence. In any given day to get assistance in your store is impossible and as lamens we took your specialists advise and products recommended.

On Monday at 10:47 I sms'ed Bert to receive feedback only to receive a call on Monday at 17h06 to inform me that head office will not cover the damage as we should have read that this was for outdoor use, which clearly not our responsibility to do seen as your "trained staff member" had provided us the products including the indoor candles with outdoor oil. He mentioned he was just the messenger and I stated that the branch manager should be handling the matter. He said he would revert to the manager and then he would call me. Bert called back to request a meeting stating that head office and legal had rejected the claim due to the word outdoor which we had not selected.

I was very clear in stating that if this was their stance then there was no need for a meeting and we would refer the matter.

They insisted and Bert, Dobby and another gentleman came out giving us the same stance that head office and legal stated this was our responsibility to check the label even though your trained specialist provided the products. Not to mention this oil is directly underneath the indoor candles.

We do not believe this was our responsibility or fault and should this matter not be resolved we will refer for legal assistance and any further medical issues and expenses which are unknown that may arise in the future.

Your prompt response is required from the higher powers referred to and the staff should be taken to task for selling incorrect products to lamens.

If they are *********** or untrained with no interest in their job then they should not be working there.

Not to mention I was given a full refund which indicates fault on their side as one of the holders even burnt. If this was not the fault of builders then no refund should have been given as instructed by your senior manager due to the store manager visiting someone in hospital when he should be present.