Academy Home Improvements - www.academyhome.co.uk

I had double gazing windows installed 2.5 years ago and already moisture has seeped between the glass panels. I visited the high street shop and they told me to contact the main office as they cannot help. I contacted the main office and they ignored me. After threatening them with legal action, they agreed to replace window if I paid 75 pounds fitting. I agreed and I was told someone will contact me to take payment and book appointment for replacing the window. They never contacted me. Now they are ignoring me and we are back to square one! Shameful behaviour from a company that does not deserve any customers. You have been warned .. stay away for your own sanity!

Hard to find a balance in posted reviews of Academy. Wonder why? Are the poor ones being 'managed'. Non existent aftercare, selective pedantry in either sticking to their 'rules', depending on whether you are buying (will deal with anyone) or seeking to use their warranty (will only speak to specific people). Failed to follow installation requirements creating further work to adjust subsequent laying of floors. Refused to even review 2 x door failures despite MD recognising the work as from Academy, relying on absence of worthless paper documents as a reason to deny any claim. Significant access and fitting problems with window installation for fitters despite glib salesman promising the installation was straightforward. We will not use them again. Ever.

Very helpful sales team, fitters arrived on exactly the day specified, and the fitters were great, nice, friendly and really helpful. A great job all round.

From the moment I enquired about new windows to the measuring and then followed by the fitting I found all the staff I dealt with to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The fitting was carried out by two men who made sure everything was clean and tidy when finished and they were extremely polite.

We used your services because we had great service in the past. No complaints about the Installation team, they were great, however surely the product should be checked before leaving the warehouse and your depot. The window was fitted and no keys were left, so couldn't use the lock. The patio door had the ventilation holes in the wrong place and needed to be reordered and refitted. That should have been picked up at the warehouse inspection and the Installers should have checked their product and noticed the keys before leaving to come to us. All rectified now, but could have been perfect the first time and saved having to take two days holiday off work instead of one.

We had 3 new frames & windows installed as existing ones were not efficient and were badly scratched. Fitters arrived early at 7.50 having been preadvised it would be between 8 & 9 am.

Both fitters were very courteous, conscientious and carefully protected carpets & furniture.

Work was efficiently completed to the required standard. They hoovered carpeted areas once dust sheets were collected.

I found the staff at the shop in Ruislip must helpful in advising me what was needed the Surveyor was very helpful with his advice The kitchen fitter was first class.

Where do I start, fabulous service from beginning to end. From the quote to replace our soffits, facias and guttering, to completion of work we cannot fault this company. The finished result is even better than anticipated.

I owned a property with my mother-in-law who lived in it.

She decided to buy a conservatory, liked the salesman, signed the paperwork, and had it installed onto a new foundation.

Within months, the door dropped to the point where it simply would not open. An engineer came out and fixed it.

Unfortunately my mother-in-law died, so the property is now owned just by me. We eventually let it out to tenants through an estate agent.

However, the door continued to drop repeatedly, and although Academy engineers came out, they only ever readjusted the door to get it working again.

Finally, it was noticed that the actual foundation base had dropped, cracking the floor tiles, and so causing the issue with the door jamming.

When we spoke to Academy, they refused to do anything about it because we had no particular "pink sheet" in my mother-in-laws paperwork, despite them not needing it any other time in the past.

They also stated that there was a 10-year "Guarantee" on the build, not a "warrantee", and the guarantee is not automatically transferable to any one else, despite the conservatory being on our jointly-owned property: only my mother-in-law had signed the paperwork, and they had not asked for my signature.

They also refused to transfer the guarantee to me, even for a fee, as the property "was now tenanted".

Much of the conversation was held with the managing director, who claimed that they do not themselves keep copies of any paperwork (which seems unlikely!), refused to meet me at the property to look at the workmanship which had obviously not been sufficient, and ended up being abusive, calling me "annoying" and hanging up on me.

We have since had independent engineers out who have stated that the conservatory is not up to standard and the conservatory will either need to be removed or underpinned.

So beware: make sure you keep all documents, even make copies; make sure that every occupant of the house signs the paperwork, in case anything happens to anyone and the work becomes inherited; preferably get the work signed off by an independent engineer. Better still, don't choose Academy!

Unfortuately Academy arrived with the wrong make of door. They had made a change but forgot to discuss it with me.

Then despite agreeing a way forward with the Managing Director to install the door I wanted allbeit I compormised on the threshold. Via the Managing Directors PA I was told the Managing Director had cancelled the contract and returning my deposit. To this date they have not explained how and why they can cancell the contract.

Mistakes happen but its how they get corrected demostrates the real quality of a company.