When I initially was going to purchase from Manor Teak, I did an internet search to see if there were any complaints and what kind of company they were. Unfortunately, usacomplaints.com didn't have any complaints at that time. Otherwise, I might not have ordered anything from Manor Teak.
My complaint has two parts. One part is about quality and the other is not receiving merchandise.
Part 1 - Because Manor Teak's prices were so much lower than most places, I spoke to Paul and asked about the quality of teak they use. Paul said Manor Teak uses grade B teak. He said the only difference between grade A and grade B is, grade B uses plantation teak while grade A uses non-plantation teak. To me, this sounds like they should be the same. So I made an order. I then did some research about the different grades of teak. Some websites said grade B is close to grade A, but C is definitely lower than grade A. Nowhere did I find what Paul told me. Plus, I read how the manufacturers can change the appearance of grade C teak to grade B teak with some chemical process. I should have done more research on grades before buying.
What furniture I got from Manor Teak made me feel like they converted grade C to grade B. There were huge knots, cracks from being too dry and so much color variance, once oiled, I could easily tell the difference with respect to grade A. Especially once I put it next to my existing grade A teak. The morale of this part of the story is you get what you pay for. If you're looking for quality teak, Manor Teak is not the place to get it from. It is a place to get cheap teak.
Part 2 - My order was a large order, but I didn't need all of it right away. I called Paul and explained this to them. Paul wanted me to send a check to him to cover the portion of the order I wanted shipped right away. That seemed fair, but I should have been cautious when he wanted a check instead of a credit card. At least with a credit card, I would have a few more options than I do now.
I received the portion of my order that I needed within 3 weeks. Problems started after that. I found the table was broke due to the way it was packed on the pallet and one of the chair legs were broken. I talked to Paul about this and we agreed on a reduced price for this broken furniture.
After 2 months of sending Paul e-mails requesting the rest of my order and Paul giving me a new excuse every time, I gave up and just asked for a refund. All I wanted was a refund of the amount I sent him minus the agreed upon reduced price of the furniture I received. After another month of excuses and no replies, I finally gave up and consider my money lost. This ordeal went on for 4 months before I gave up.
I have since done some research on Manor Teak and find that all the bad reviews I have read are probably true. Unfortunately, the bad reviews were not around before I placed my order. The only good thing is... I kept very good records of all my communications with Paul, so if someone were to ask for proof, I have plenty of it.
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