FURIOUS homeowners claim they have been left in the lurch by a kitchen fitting company which has taken their cash but left their kitchens unfinished.

John Croucher, 49, says he paid Newdoors K&B Ltd more than £9,000 in April to fit a new kitchen in his home in Hamilton Road, Bexleyheath.

Another £1,000 is due when the work is finished.

He says he missing shelving, some doors and door handles and had no work surfaces for two months.

But his real anger is about the £2,500 worth of top quality appliances, which Mr Croucher says he paid for, but which the company, owned by Clive Smith, has not delivered.

Mr Croucher said: “When I went to the shop to find out why they had not been delivered, he told me a workman had stolen them from his lock-up.

“Now he says he does not have the money to replace them.”

Debbie Whitten, 51, of Poplar Place. Thamesmead, paid the company £12,000 for her kitchen.

She says her old kitchen was ripped out nine weeks ago but it took seven weeks before the company started work.

In the meantime, she says she has been existing on microwave meals because she had no oven.

Last week, some of her appliances arrived, although the oven was a cheaper version of the one she had ordered.She is still missing a dishwasher, fridge freezer and cooker hood.

Miss Whitten is also without her sink, which means she has no water supply in the kitchen.

She said: “I have spoken to him several times and he says he will sort it out.

“I feel very stupid now, to have paid him up front.”

Mr Smith told News Shopper he has sold his shop in Mayplace Road East, Barnehurst, and is no longer trading.

He declined to comment on whether Mr Croucher’s appliances had been stolen but said he was witholding them because Mr Croucher had been “slow to pay” and was refusing to pay the final £1,000.

He said Miss Whitten’s kitchen was being fitted, that she had got the appliances she ordered but there been problems with getting some items.

He said these were the only two kitchens awaiting completion.

A spokeswoman for Bexley Council’s trading standards team said: “Bexley is aware of this company.

“It would be inappropriate to comment in detail about any proceedings the council may be considering at this stage.”

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