Scenario Number 6
Helen buys six rolls of wallpaper to decorate her bedroom. When the decorating is complete she realises that one roll was different from the rest and the difference looks very obvious on the walls.
What can she do to rectify the situation?
Answer
Helen's rights will depend on whether she picked out these rolls of wallpaper herself and if she checked that the batch numbers were all the same. The assistant who served her should also have checked that the batch numbers were the same. If the batch numbers were all the same and the difference was not obvious until the paper was on the wall, then Helen would have a claim for compensation for the wallpaper and also for any extra costs - stripping the walls - extra paste etc. If the difference in the paper was very obvious and she should have noticed it earlier, then this could affect the amount of compensation she could claim. If the batch numbers were not the same and Helen did not check these before she started to decorate her room, then it could be argued that the fact that the paper did not match was her responsibility.
With purchases like wallpaper and tiles and wool where there can be shade variations in different batches, it is essential that you check the batch numbers before you buy, and certainly before you start to use them.