‘Furious’ B&Q buyer in tears as paint ‘ruins automobile’ – however firm hits again

Fuming B&Q clients need the br to take motion after paint pots spilled open and ‘ruined’ their autos.

However, the DIY retailer has hit again in opposition to complaints and argued that care must be taken when travelling in a motor with a pot of paint.

Customer Adam Bolwell has hit information headlines after saying a £42 pot of gray emulsion Valspar paint popped open when he was driving up a hill in his Peugeot 107 and left his footwell “looking like a swimming pool”.

READ MORE: People are simply realising what B&Q title stands for after purchasing at retailer for years

The 25-year-old claimed he had visited B&Q in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, on March 26, to purchase some paint to spruce up his bed room, and used his accomplice’s automobile.

After shopping for the paint, Adam says he positioned it into the footwell of the passenger seat – however minutes into the quick trip dwelling the paint toppled over and the lid popped off, flooding the automobile.

Adam, from Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, mentioned: “I put it within the entrance passenger footwell. I used to be going up the hill about one mile away from mine, I wasn’t driving aggressively. It fell over and it went in all places. It didn’t fall off the seat, it simply tipped over.

“It was like a swimming pool, I lost about four-and-a-half litres. It wasn’t great. I was a bit annoyed to say the least.”

As quickly as he received dwelling, the accountant mentioned he tried to do injury management by scooping the paint out with the mat, after which pressure-wash the within of the automobile.

However, he mentioned his accomplice, studying assist advisor Jasmin, was left in tears and was not in a position to make use of the automobile for any size of time due to “the fumes”.

Adam added: “My partner was in tears and panicking because she uses it for work. She was angry and gutted, she was wondering what she was going to do.”

After reaching out to B&Q, Adam claims he was instructed he would want to contact his native retailer to see if he could possibly be refunded, however because the paint was sealed when it arrived, they refused.

“I was fuming and B&Q weren’t the most helpful,” he mentioned.

“I emailed the complaints crew who mentioned they’d cross it onto the shop and so they haven’t been useful in any respect.

“They said once it’s left their store it’s nothing to do with them.”

After being contacted, B&Q mentioned they had been sorry to listen to about Adam and Jasmin’s expertise, however that the paint cans should be dealt with with care, and a few of their tins include warnings on.

They added that when there’s a “rare” spillage, they attempt to correctly assess the incident to grasp the way it occurred, and if there was something they may have accomplished to forestall it.

Adam claimed: “They mentioned it was sealed appropriately and it’s as much as the native retailer whether or not we get the cash again and so they mentioned it wasn’t their fault.

“They combine it on website, they mentioned it was already sealed however they should have taken it off to combine the color.

“I presume they get the paint in a transparent white and blend the paint so they should take the lid off so as to add the toner and seal it again on. Obviously they haven’t sealed it appropriately.

“My dad is a painter, he said he’s bought thousands of tubs of paint and he’s never had that.”

According to Adam, the automobile is stained, they needed to throw the automobile mats and it “still smells”. He added: “I can’t be in the car for too long because of the fumes.”

Other clients have complained about the identical challenge with paint ruining their vehicles.

One couple claimed in 2026 the paint seeped into the underbody of their £12,000 Mercedes, making it not price repairing.

B&Q says that fewer than one in 100,000 tins led to a spillage grievance, however provided to hold out extra testing.

In October 2022, one other buyer shared a photograph of her automobile lined in white paint, claiming B&Q had refused accountability.

Meanwhile, different B&Q clients have reached out to the chain on social media, claiming to have the identical challenge, and never being refunded.

One wrote: “So as we speak I purchased a tin of Valspar paint from B&Q that I had blended. I put the tin on the ground behind passenger seat pondering that is probably the most safe place.

“The tin has toppled over and lined the automobile. Thanks B&Q for the dearth of consideration to element in securing the lid.

“B&Q won’t accept any responsibility, claiming once it’s left their store then it’s my problem. Great customer service.”

Meanwhile, Adam mentioned: “There’s a Facebook thread of different individuals who have had the identical downside.

“Most of the time when you buy paint you can’t get the lid off. A refund would be good. I won’t be buying paint from there again. They haven’t been helpful at all.”

A B&Q spokesperson mentioned: “We are sorry to listen to about Mr Bolwell’s accomplice’s expertise and have reached out to ask for extra info.

“Paint must be transported with care, and lots of of our paint tins embrace a message reminding clients to retailer them in a safe, upright place.

“On the very rare occasion that a customer experiences a problem with transporting paint, we seek to properly assess the incident to understand how it happened and whether there was anything more B&Q could have done to prevent it.”

Valspar declined to remark.

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