Poor Quality Print: Legal advice/ Help required!

[Jez_Lumos]

Hi all,

I'm a freelance illustrator/graphic/web designer and would be grateful if anyone could give me some advice with a problem.

I recently did some work for a vocational dance college, basically t-shirt designs which I also had printed. at the last minute they asked me for some more and to produce a programme for their summer showcase., again this would be to design and have them printed. As the company I used to print the shirts is also a print shop I asked them if they could do this to and they agreed.

I've picked up the shirts and the first batch of programmes, the shirts are fine but the quality of the programmes is shocking. Basically the programme is 2 A3 sheets folded to make an 8 sided A4 programme. outer cover in colour and the inner 6 pages in B&W.

this is the first time I've had quality issues with any printer, I haven't paid for these yet does anyone know where I stand legally? the quality is shockingly poor not up to any kind of professional standard.

I have since had to use another printer to do the programmes properly.

[Corrosive]

If you are not happy with the quality of something then don't pay. As long as you let them know you think the quality is below what you expected in a timely fashion (not that it should matter but it helps to put your point across if you flag the issues up straight away) and take the time to explain exactly what is wrong I believe you are well within your rights. Tell them you are not going to settle the bill for the programmes and let them have the stock back.

[Minuteman Press]

What did they say when you identified the problem?

[Jez_Lumos]

When I'd been through the whole of the first batch and identified that it was substandard throughout I called and told them to stop the print as they where not wanted. Initially the response was "right ok" and little else I was later contacted my who I presume to be the owner/manger demanding to know what was to be done about payment. I told him I would call and deal with the matter on Monday, this was Saturday afternon.

[Minuteman Press]

So you received the item - checked it and told them to correct it?

[Jez_Lumos]

No time was of the essence, they're needed for 12 tomorrow (monday 18th) having seen the standard of the initial batch and knowing that they needed to be done I went to another printer.

[Minuteman Press]

Quote the Sale of Goods Act (if you have to). T&Cs will be relevant - but do not rewrite legislation.

Show evidence of the sub-standard work and return it. Explain that you will not be paying for it.

What sum is involved?

[gprovan]

I would think that generally you should try to resolve the issue with the printer. Usually the printer will be keen to keep the custom and so will reprint the job, therefore saving you the extra cost and stress involved in going somewhere else. And then you have an angry first printer demanding payment.

If you bought a car from a dealer and it didn't work properly, you wouldn't go somewhere else and buy another car. You'd get the dealer to fix it.

I realise that the job is now already done. However, I reckon this would normally be the first port of call.

Just my 5p worth.

G

[Dave L]

The key for me would be how the finished job differs from the agreed specification (you did agree a specification, didn't you?)

[gprovan]

The key for me would be how the finished job differs from the agreed specification (you did agree a specification, didn't you?)

Yes, that's also a good point. Some examples could be that a printer may print a job digitally rather than litho, or on an uncoated rather than coated stock, and the quality and specification could be completely different.