Direct Stoves sold me disappointment and frustration under the guise of broken stoves and terrible customer support.
In January 2023, I embarked on what I believed would be a prudent investment with Direct Stoves, purchasing two stoves valued at over £5,000, with the expectation of shielding my home from the escalating costs of heating and adding the final pieces to a long house renovation. This anticipation was met with disappointment, as a series of unfulfilled promises and mismanagement unfolded.
Despite assurances of availability, the stoves were not delivered until June 2023, a stark deviation from the expected timeline, 6 months later in fact. Compounding this delay, an undisclosed requirement emerged: the necessity for fitters to undergo specific training—a detail glaringly omitted from the product information, necessitating an unforeseen delay. I was hoping to use the stoves that winter but now I was resigned to wait the summer over and use them come next winter.
Installing and fitting the stoves is costly as redoing the flues and hearths to regulations, amounted to over £6,000. In preparation for winter, I further invested in 750kg of pellets, a testament to my commitment and trust in the efficacy of these stoves.
Tragically, this trust was misplaced. Within a month of use, both stoves failed, a dire situation made worse by the fact that they were integral to my strategy for mitigating heating costs amidst rising bills. To complement the stoves, I had installed smaller radiators in both rooms, based on the expectation that the stoves would serve as the primary heat source. This malfunction forced me to rely solely on these radiators, incurring significantly higher expenses than anticipated and defeating the purpose of my initial investment.
In November, I sought resolution through Direct Stoves' consumer support, only to be met with a disheartening silence that has persisted into February. No solutions have been proposed, no technicians dispatched, no recognition of the inconvenience and financial strain their product failures have imposed.
This experience has been more than just a financial loss; it has been a stark reminder of the importance of transparency, reliability, and customer service—qualities that Direct Stoves has demonstrably failed to uphold. The absence of accountability and the disregard for customer satisfaction are deeply concerning, highlighting a gap between what is promised and what is delivered.
I share my ordeal as a caution to others who may consider Direct Stoves in their quest for heating solutions. The promise of efficiency and cost-saving has been overshadowed by a reality of malfunction, miscommunication, and missed opportunities for rectification. Let my experience serve as a warning: the investment in Direct Stoves may result in unexpected costs, complications, and a return to more expensive heating alternatives, leaving you colder and poorer than you might have anticipated.
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