Ratby Rotters
I don’t know what kind of wood the Ratby company used when making my French doors, but the frames are completely and catastrophically rotten after less than ten years. I contacted Benlowe under the terms of their ten year guarantee, but they were obdurate in their insistence that it would not apply in my case. All I had asked for was a discount on the cost of replacement doors, but they were adamant I should pay the full retail price. They claimed the small print in the warranty meant a complaint within ten years was not valid because the rot must have been reported as soon as it started. I would have done this but for the fact the damage was not visible on the surface – it came from inside as the soft, spongy wood wicked up moisture internally. My regular painting of the surface, which was virtually intact, only seems to have sealed in the decay. Benlowe make a woefully substandard product, and they seem to despise their customers as fools.