A new kitchen is a big spend, and a bad fit shows every day. Cabinets out of line, gaps along the worktop, a scorch or chip on the surface, doors and drawers that catch — and the fitter has been paid and vanished.
A kitchen fitter has to do the job to a competent standard, and not damage your kitchen in the process. When they fall short, the cost of putting it right is recoverable.
Your Right: Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a kitchen fitter must work with reasonable care and skill, and any units, worktops or appliances they supply must be of satisfactory quality. Bad fitting or damage breaches that standard — and you can claim the cost of correcting it.
When You Have a Claim
- Units or cabinets fitted crooked, loose or out of line
- A worktop that's scorched, chipped, badly joined or wrongly cut
- Doors and drawers that don't align or close
- Damage to walls, floors or existing fittings during the work
- Faulty units or appliances supplied as part of the job
Recover what the bad fit will cost you
JustClaim turns your situation into a properly drafted court claim and files it online. No solicitor, no jargon.
Start Your Claim NowHow to Claim: Step by Step
Complain in writing. List the defects and damage and give the fitter a fair chance to put them right by a clear deadline.
Get evidence. Photos of the defects and damage, plus a quote from another fitter to correct the work — recoverable if you win.
Send a letter before action. Set out your claim and a deadline to pay before issuing proceedings.
File your claim. If they refuse, file an N1 at the county court for the cost of putting it right, any damage, interest and the court fee.
What You Can Claim
- The cost of correcting the installation
- The cost of repairing or replacing a damaged worktop or units
- Related losses caused by the bad fit
- The cost of an independent report
- Interest and the court fee
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue a kitchen fitter for a bad installation?
Yes. A kitchen fitter must work with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If the kitchen is fitted badly — misaligned units, gaps, a damaged worktop, doors that won't close — you can require them to put it right and, if they refuse, recover the cost in the small claims court.
The fitter damaged my worktop or units — what can I claim?
You can claim the cost of repairing or replacing what was damaged (for example a scorched or chipped worktop), plus the cost of correcting the installation and any related losses. Photos and a quote to put it right are your key evidence and are recoverable if you win.
What if the units or appliances themselves are faulty?
Units, worktops and appliances supplied as part of the job must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If they're damaged or faulty, the fitter (or supplier, depending on who you contracted with) is responsible for the goods and the labour to put them right.
Do I have to let them come back?
For defective fitting, the Consumer Rights Act usually gives the trader a chance to redo the work. Complain in writing with a deadline. If they refuse, fail again, or you reasonably don't want them back, you can recover the cost of another fitter putting it right.
How much does it cost to take a kitchen fitter to court?
Court fees start at £35 for claims up to £300 and rise with the amount claimed (for example £80 up to £1,500). The fee is added to your claim and recovered from the fitter if you win. No solicitor is needed for a small claim.