Furious customers are set to be left thousands of pounds out of pocket after major retailer Carpetright said it is no longer accepting customer refunds as it heads towards administration.
More than 1,800 jobs and 272 stores are at risk after the company filed a notice of intention to go into administration at the High Court today.
Now, in a voice note to staff the Carpetright’s CEO revealed the company would no longer be accepting customer refunds, The Times has reported.
Kevin Barrett, 54, warned this would likely cause a ‘lot of disruption and customers getting nervous’.
He added that Carpetright was committed to ensuring as few customers and staff are affected as possible.
Nevertheless furious customers took to social media to express their concerns about the company’s intention to go into administration.
David Wright posted on X: ‘I want a refund on my £1,500 carpet as I don’t trust you now you have gone bust.
‘I need a company who’s still in business.’
Major retailer Carpetright has filed a notice of administration putting all of its 272 stores and up to 3,000 jobs at risk
The firm has lined up PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as administrators as it looks to secure the long-term future of the company.
It comes after it was revealed earlier this week that Carpetright had been put up for sale.
Today the company, which is one of the country’s biggest floor-covering retailers, filed a notice of intention to go into administration at the High Court.
This will give Carpetright ten days of protection as it continues to look for a buyer.
Carpetright’s notice of administration comes amid the slumping of sales in the furniture and retail industry as consumers have been hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
The company was also targeted by a ‘software attack’ in April which increased financial pressures, The Sun reported.
Hackers targeted the company HQ in Purfleet, Essex, sending malware to gain unauthorised access.
Carpetright’s network was taken offline due to the cyber attack but bosses insisted that the virus was isolated before any data was swiped.
Staff and hundreds of customers were affected by the malicious virus with employees unable access their payroll information.
A source said at the time: ‘Some staff networks were taken down including the portals that workers use to book time off and look at payslips.
‘It happened abruptly and was worrying because customers couldn’t get through to helplines.
‘Everything at HQ was taken offline as that was the best way to stop the attack spreading to customer data.’
Carpetright was founded by Lord Harris of Peckham in 1988 and was taken off the stock market in 2019 by its biggest investor, Meditor.
Earlier this year, the company brought in restructuring experts Teneo to consider cost-cutting measures.
Kevin Barrett, CEO of Nestware Holdings, said: ‘We remain focussed on securing external investment to ensure as few customers and colleagues are impacted as possible.
‘They are our main priority and we are taking all appropriate action to make sure they are informed and supported through this process.
‘We have begun promising conversations with interested parties that are moving in the right direction, encouraging us that Carpetright has a viable future.’
Carpetright stores at risk of closure
Channel Islands
Guernsey
Jersey
Scotland
Dunfermline
Glenrothes
Kirkcaldy
Edinburgh
Edinburgh – Hermiston Gait
Livingston
Straiton
Bishopbriggs
Glasgow
Irvine
Paisley
Aberdeen
Aberdeen – Bridge Of Don
Inverness
Perth
Ayr
Dumfries
Elgin
Uddingston
Dumbarton
England
Coventry – Alvis Retail Park
Coventry – Airport Retail Park
Birmingham – Erdington
Oldbury
Solihull
Wednesbury
Wolverhampton
Cwmbran
Newport
Andover
Fareham
Farnborough
Havant
Portsmouth
Southampton – Hedge End
Southampton – Nursling
Waterlooville
Winchester
Bracknell
Newbury
Reading – Reading Gate Retail Park
Slough
Wokingham
Friern Barnet
London – Beckton
London – Walworth
London – Camden
London – Charlton
London – Clapham Common
Colindale – Croydon
London – Ealing Common
East Sheen
Edmonton
London – Hammersmith
London – Holloway
New Malden
London Old Kent Road
London – Staples Corner
London – Streatham
West Drayton – Clearance Store
London – Whetstone
Wimbledon
Barrow-in-Furness Epsom
Farnham
Guildford
Reigate
Sutton
Walton-on-Thames
Woking
Leeds Birstall
Keighley
Guiseley
Leeds – Kirkstall
Wakefield
Kettering
Northampton
Wellingborough
Camborne
Truro
Basildon
Braintree
Chelmsford
Chelmsford Within Furniture Village
Clacton-on-Sea
Colchester
Harlow
Harwich
Rayleigh
Romford – Gallows Corner
Romford – Rom Valley Retail Park
Chadwell Heath
Southend
West Thurrock
Brentford
Enfield – Furniture Village
Feltham
South Ruislip
Staines
Teddington
Barnstaple
Exeter
Newton Abbott
Plymouth
Torquay
Chippenham
Devizes
Salisbury
Swindon – Bridgemead Retail Park
Trowbridge
Ashford
Bromley
Canterbury
Dartford
Gillingham
Gravesend
Maidstone
Orpington – Sevenoaks Way
Sittingbourne
Tonbridge
Tunbridge Wells
West Wickham
Chesterfield
Derby
Barrow-in-Furness
Carlisle
Kendal
Whitehaven
Durham
Hartlepool
Burton-on-Trent
Cannock
Stoke-on-Trent
Tamworth
Liverpool
Wallasey
Altrincham
Chester
Crewe
Warrington
Blackburn
Blackpool
Lancaster
Preston
Dereham
Norwich
Norwich – Sprowston
Thetford
Chichester
Crawley
Crawley within Furniture Village
East Grinstead
Haywards Heath
Horsham
Ashington
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Blyth
Cramlington
Mansfield
Nottingham – Castle Meadow Retail Park
Nottingham – Arnold
Worksop
Bath
Frome
Glastonbury
Taunton
Weston-super-Mare
Yeovil
Hemel Hempstead
Letchworth
Stevenage
Watford
Welwyn Garden City
Ashton-under-Lyne
Bolton
Cheadle
Manchester – Trafford Park
Manchester White City
Stockport
Hull – St Andrews Quay
Hull – Clough Road Retail Park
Evesham
Redditch
Worcester
Oswestry
Shrewsbury
Telford
Leicester
Market Harborough
Bury St Edmunds
Ipswich – Anglia Park
Ipswich – Euro Retail Park
Lowestoft
Sudbury
Cambridge
Huntingdon
Newmarket
Peterborough
Wisbech
Aylesbur
Gerrards Cross
High Wycombe
High Wycombe – Loudwater
Milton Keynes
Isle Of Wight
Abingdon
Banbury
Oxford
Lincoln
Stamford
Sheffield – Drakehouse Retail Park
Sheffield – Atkinsons Dept Store
Sheffield – Meadowhall Retail Park
Bristol
Bristol – Longwell Green
Brighton
Eastbourne
Hastings
Hove
Newhaven
Gateshead
North Shields
Washington
Christchurch
Dorchester
Poole
Weymouth
Cheltenham – Outlet
Nuneaton
Rugby
Northallerton
York
Bedford
Dunstable
Hereford
Bolton within Furniture Village
York – Clifton Moor Retail Park
Wales
Swansea – Llansamlet Enterprise Park
Llanidloes – Hafren Furnishers
Aberystwyth
Carmarthen
Haverfordwest
Bridgend
Cardiff
Culverhouse Cross
Llandudno
Wrexham
Caerphilly
Northern Ireland
Belfast
Newtownabbey
Republic of Ireland
Naas
Kilkenny
Leopardstown
Liffey Valley
Swords
Tallaght
Wexford
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Furious customers are left thousands out of pocket as Carpetright boss says firm is no longer accepting refunds as it heads towards administration – see if your local store is on the at-risk list
