The saga of the dripping tap - - -

Some time ago i noticed that the 3 year old kitchen tap was dripping when it was switched off .  I isolated the water supply each side to determine if it was the hot or cold side that was defective.  It was the cold (right hand side).

On taking the tap apart i realised that it wasn't the old fashioned rubber washer that was defective it was the ceramic controller in what's known as "the cassette".  All this means is that rather than take 2 minutes to replace the rubber washer, i have embarked on a journey of discovery on which i experience the lunatic complexities of the modern tap and am tested by the crass stupidity of customer services.

 So set the scene, in the pic above the bit i need to replace is the brass bit with the blue washer (for cold, the hot side has a red one)

I take the piece i need to Wickes which is where i bought the whole kitchen from.  Armed with tap part numbers etc only to be told they don't stock the part but maybe i could try "Travis Perkins" around the corner.   I find this odd until later i look on the internet and understand that there are literally 100s of these things that will all look the same but differ in the smallest detil which means they only fit 1 tap.

I present myself at Travis Perkins and meet a guy called Matthew Bassett who seems to be the only person who actually knows what he's talking about in this whole sorry saga.

Matthew tells me for 1, the reason Wickes sent me to him at Travis Perkins is that TP actually own Wickes and for 2, getting the right cassette is like looking for a needle in a haystack.  I leave him the part number and description of the tap.  He tells me he will e mail me the details and I leave with the knowledge that to get the right bit just requires me to go to the source.

True to his word i get an e mail the following day with the details, even the telephone number and price!  I need to contact a company called Jacuzzi UK which had taken over Astacast who make the tap.

Job sorted? not a bit! however i'm a little busy so i make a note in the diary to get on with it a week later.

At the appointed time i phone Jacuzzi UK and go through the normal diatribe of what i want making sure i say the "cold side" its important you see as the tap turns on fully in a 1/4 turn towards you.  As ususal when we get to the depatch address the post code search brings up the wrong address, dont ask me why but it always does.  So we go through me spelling out the address in full etc.  Payment details completed i sit back firm in he knowledge that the part will arrive post haste and i might add post free!

2 days later an invoice with my card payment slip arrives, 5 days later i e mail Jacuzzi saying the invoice is fine but it wont stop the leak, when can i have my bit?

They e mail back saying the part was despatched the day after my order and can i check the address on the invoice is correct?  It isnt but the invoice got to me why not then the part? anyway they promise to despatch another to the amended address.

4 days later i receive the part! hallelujah!1 ah but wait this doesn't look right

I knew actually before i opened the jiffy bag as the thing was far too big.  I e mail Jacuzzi with a picture of the stripped down tap above explaining that they sent the wrong part.  I jokingly say that this is one of those orders that is just not going to go right!!  I get an e mail back "telling me" that i have an old model and that they will send me the right part that day.  This explanation gets up my nose a bit as i went to the ends of the earth in explaining what i wanted in the first place.

The part arrives and viola!  its the right one but wait no its the one for the hot side as it has a red washer on the end and i check that it turns "on", the other way so to speak.  I e mail Jacuzzi telling them they have sent the wrong bit.

They send me the following "Will post you a cold brass valve in tonight's first class post, i am sorry for the inconveience been caused".  Spellchecker and grammar need to be applied!


Anyway here i sit 3 months after starting to look for the part still with a dripping tap and 2 spare parts that wont fit.


Lessons learned
1.  Dont buy (Astracast) expensive taps they WILL leak in the end just like the cheap one on offer. Or what's wrong with the old fashioned rubber washer taps!
2.  Always look on the bright/funnier side of customer service cock ups.
3. Should have gone to Screwfix a copy tap is 1/3 the price.

Hold the presses!! whats this in the post this morning its the right bit! and it fits!! break out the bubbly and wash the champers glasses under the the non dripping cold tap!!!!!    tralah tralah !!!!!