Installer withdrew approval after I ordered: what now?
Ask the installer to explain the withdrawal in writing against the exact goods and documents previously approved. Establish what changed, obtain an independent assessment if needed, and review responsibility under each contract before agreeing replacement or cancellation costs. Request factory records through Cambridge China Bridge.
Get a specific written reason for the withdrawal
Reply to the withdrawal with the original written approval attached. Ask which model, drawing revision, instructions and site information the installer assessed, whether approval had conditions, and what new information changed its conclusion. Request the precise technical objection, supporting measurements or documents, and what would resolve it.
Distinguish a product defect, missing evidence or unsuitable site conditions from an installer declining unfamiliar goods or changing its commercial policy. If it cites a regulation or standard, ask for the exact provision and an explanation of its application to this product and installation. Do not press ahead with disputed fitting while a safety concern remains unresolved.
Compare the approved goods with the ordered goods
Build a dated comparison of the specification approved by the installer, the purchase order accepted by the seller and the goods being manufactured or delivered. Include dimensions, materials, connections, ratings, accessories and instruction revisions. Identify who requested each change, who approved it and whether the installer saw it before ordering.
Also compare the original site assumptions with current conditions. A changed opening, supporting structure or supply connection may explain the withdrawal even where the goods match the order. Ask the factory to identify substitutions explicitly. Keep proposed remedies separate from the original specification so that a suggestion does not become an undocumented order amendment.
Commission an assessment that answers the disagreement
If the technical explanations conflict, propose a suitably qualified independent assessor with relevant product and installation experience. Give the assessor the same document pack supplied to the seller and installer. Agree access, inspection methods, report recipients and payment arrangements before work starts. Our independent expert guide covers preparing for a disputed-goods assessment.
Ask the report to distinguish observed facts from assumptions: do the goods match the approved specification, is the stated objection supported, and can a defined modification make installation suitable? Request an explanation of missing evidence and the limits of any conclusion. Obtain the seller's and installer's written responses before authorising alterations that could obscure the original condition.
Review responsibility under each contract
For the supply contract, ask whether the seller supplied the agreed specification and accepted responsibility for the intended installation use. For the installation contract, ask what the written approval committed the installer to do and which reservations applied. Give a commercial solicitor the approval, reliance correspondence and complete contracts. Use our supply terms guide to organise the documents.
Government guidance says business customers have implied rights unless the contract legally provides otherwise in a way a court would consider reasonable. Ask the solicitor to assess the relevant rights, exclusions and evidence before demanding a remedy. Present a seller's specification departure and an installer's reversal on unchanged goods as distinct issues for review. If fitting has already caused damage, see our faulty installation guide.
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Agree the next step and record the disputed costs
Notify the seller and installer promptly. Ask what production, dispatch or site work can be paused by agreement, and record storage needs and resulting charges. Compare documented options: supply the agreed goods, obtain missing technical evidence, approve a defined modification, engage another suitable installer or negotiate cancellation. Ask a solicitor before withholding payment or treating either contract as ended.
Keep invoices and a dated cost log for assessment, storage, return transport, modifications and replacement installation. Ask each party which costs it accepts and why; do not budget on automatic reimbursement. Record the revised scope, price, testing and installation acceptance in writing before restarting. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can help retrieve factory revisions, production photographs and inspection records.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make my installer honour written approval?
Ask a solicitor to review what the approval promised, its conditions and your reliance on it. First establish the technical reason for withdrawal; do not use the earlier approval to override an unresolved safety concern.
Does installer refusal mean the seller must refund me?
Start by comparing the goods with the supply contract and any agreed installation purpose. Ask the seller to respond to the technical objection. Get advice on the contract before demanding a refund.
What if the factory changed the approved specification?
Obtain the revision history and identify the change and any authorisation. Send the discrepancy to the seller and installer, and request a written correction proposal before agreeing further alterations.
Who pays for an independent inspection?
Agree who commissions and initially pays for the assessment before booking it. Keep that arrangement separate from any later request to recover the expense, and record whether anyone accepts responsibility.