Customers who have made a purchase from kitchen company De Koning Keukens in Assen are at a loss. They have paid thousands of euros in advance, but deliveries are not being made and the company can no longer be contacted, they say at RTV Drenthe.
Our editors spoke to several customers who purchased kitchens from the Asser kitchen company for varying amounts, ranging from 7,500 euros to more than 38,000 euros. Sources say that the kitchen company is several months behind in rent.
For example, Dennis van Kekem ordered a custom kitchen for his new-build home nine months ago. “Everything was perfect. The place looked good and the people who worked there were very professional.”
His kitchen would be installed at the beginning of November. He last had direct contact with the company at the end of October to coordinate a few things about the placement. The purchase amount had to be transferred one week before delivery, Van Kekem explains. This concerns an amount of more than 38,000 euros. “Everything has now been paid for,” he says.
But just before the kitchen was due to be installed, Van Kekem received the message that there were problems with the delivery. “They were supposed to contact me on November 5, but that contact never came.”
Attempts to contact the company have been unsuccessful. When Van Kekem goes to take stock, he sees a note at the entrance to the store: temporarily closed due to circumstances. “At first I thought, this is a logistical error. Then I thought: I’m being screwed.”
On Wednesday, customers received a second email: “Due to circumstances, the store is temporarily closed. We remain active behind the scenes and awaiting further information. We understand that confusion may arise due to messages spread from outside. We would like to emphasize that this information does not come from us,” it reads.
Van Kekem has reported fraud to the police, he indicates.
Remco Huismans would receive his kitchen from the kitchen company on Wednesday. “We were supposed to be in touch about the placement. I called them many times, but I couldn’t get through to them anymore.” He also received emails from the company about the temporary closure. “Then I drove to the business, and there I saw the note: temporarily closed.” There he also met other customers who came to seek redress.
Huismans has now paid 15,000 euros for a kitchen costing 35,000 euros. “But they just don’t come and install these.” He also plans to file charges against the company.
Other customers also report that they have been unable to contact the company for several weeks. For example, Tony Mulder has now transferred more than 15,000 euros for a kitchen that must be installed at the end of November. But he also received the email on Wednesday that the store is temporarily closed and will no longer have contact with the kitchen company.
“I was still in contact until two weeks ago. Then they asked me what the dimensions of the combination microwave were. I responded, but I didn’t get an answer anymore. Then I had to ask something about the installation diagram, but they no longer answered. I thought that was strange. Two days later they didn’t answer again. And then I got suspicious.” He also drives to the store, which turns out to be closed upon arrival.
Mulder doesn’t trust it either and calls in legal assistance. “They indicate that they cannot do much yet, because the delivery date is only week 48.”
Hans (last name known to the editors) also struggles with this uncertainty. He also received the email that the store is temporarily closed. Although his kitchen is not due to be delivered until January, he has already made a down payment of 7,500 euros. “That kitchen will no longer be available,” he expects.
“We are now going to first find out what the legal situation is. There is officially no bankruptcy yet. That is what makes it so difficult. It is important that there is clarity.”
Ultimately we come into contact with the owner of the kitchen company in Assen. He says: “We have submitted a petition for bankruptcy, a lawyer is supervising the process. Until a curator has been appointed and consultation has taken place with the curator, we do not want to respond further substantively.” For future questions, the owner refers to the curator as soon as he arrives.
It is not yet known when the bankruptcy application will come to court.