Imported Kitchens
Consumers are also reminded to be very careful if considering the purchase of an imported kitchen which can present the following problems:
- Materials used to manufacture the kitchen will not necessarily meet the Australian Standards. The whiteboard used to make the carcasses may contain additives which can be toxic, while other components such as drawer runners, hinges, doors and bench tops may be of inferior quality to products used in the local industry.
- Imported kitchens are often sold as custom kitchens; this is frequently NOT the case as man overseas manufacturers build modular units which then have to be adapted to the area they are to be installed in. Installations of this sort generally require specialist skills
- In a recent case before the Building Disputes Tribunal (BDT) the BDT ruled that Australian Standards and local industry standards were not applicable because the kitchen in question was manufactured overseas and the consumer was aware of that fact at the time of purchase. In situations such as this, Consumers are potentially vulnerable to having to cope with the trauma of a Court battle and lose a great deal of money.
