![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/plastic-pvc-window-installing-maintenance-769421260.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA MAJOR home improvement brand is set to cease trading after 31 years, affecting thousands of customers.<\/p>\n
Windows and doors company Safestyle has collapsed into administration.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The company has a manufacturing site in Wombwell, near Barnsley and 42 sales branches and depots across the country.<\/p>\n
Each has now ceased trading as of this afternoon.<\/p>\n
The news will come as a blow to customers with outstanding work to be done, as administrators at Interpath Advisory have now confirmed orders won't be fulfilled.<\/p>\n
Some may even be left with doors and windows not fully installed as half-way finished work will not be completed. <\/p>\n
Customers will instead need to find alternative businesses to do the work.<\/p>\n Those who have put down a deposit for future work could also be left out of pocket.<\/p>\n Administrators have confirmed around 680 of Safestyle's workers have been made redundant.<\/p>\n Around 70 of the manufacturer's 750 employees will be kept on in the short term to help wind down the business.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The company, which first opened back in 1992, suspended its shares from trading in London last Friday after it realised that a rescue deal was unlikely to give shareholders any money back.<\/p>\n Later that day it announced it intended to appoint administrators after failing to find a buyer.<\/p>\n Safestyle had struggled after facing several pressures, including skyrocketing inflation and poor consumer confidence, administrators said.<\/p>\n The unseasonably warm weather in September also dented demand for its products, which include PVC windows and guard doors.<\/p>\n Rick Harrison, managing director at Interpath Advisory, said: \u201cThese are really challenging times for companies across the home improvement market.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter seeing strong sales during the Covid lockdown periods, many companies are seeing trading being impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and soaring costs.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that its immediate priority is to provide support to those impacted by redundancy.<\/p>\n Customer orders that have not been delivered will not now be fulfilled.<\/p>\n Administrators are still looking for a buyer for all or parts of the business which could mean that the work is completed under new ownership – but there's not guarantee of that happening,<\/p>\n It means that even if the company is part-way through an installation it will not complete any orders.<\/p>\n Instead customers will need to find an alternative installer, Interpath said.<\/p>\n Anyone who's booked an installation will not have their order fulfilled, even if they have paid a deposit.<\/p>\n Those who haven't put down any cash won't be charged.<\/p>\n Those who have paid a deposit will not get it back from the company and will have to claim the cash back from their bank or credit card company.<\/p>\n If you've put down a deposit via a credit card you should contact your provider and make a claim for the deposit under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.\u00a0<\/p>\n To make a valid claim the goods or service you bought must have cost over \u00a3100 and not more than \u00a330,000.<\/p>\n For more information on Section 75, see our handy explainer.<\/p>\n There is separate protection for debit and pre-paid cards called Chargeback.<\/p>\n This allows the card provider to reverse a payment you've made, as long as the card provider agrees that your complaint is legitimate.<\/p>\n Chargeback is not a legal requirement like Section 75, so you\u2019re not guaranteed to get your money back.<\/p>\n You can make a claim through your card issuer.<\/p>\n If a customer paid in cash they will not get the money back and will have to register as a creditor of Safestyle.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/2023-shelves-empty-today-wilko-846661483-4.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
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