Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: purplenanny on July 26, 2015, 07:33:57 AM
-
Hi all
I recently purchased made to measure curtains, taking great care and time to get everything right before ordering.
Long story short. ..they are awful!!
They cost over £400 and I paid by credit card
I think I am entitled to a refund
Any thoughts or similar eexperiences ladies?
I have sent photos to the company
PN x x
-
Awful in what way PN.
Shoddy work, too long too short, too narrow.
Maybe call CAB and ask for some advice. If they are not what you ordered then I think you should be able to get your money back.
So disappointing when that kind of thing happens.
Honeyb
x
-
Do dear how disappointing for you, can I ask what it wrong with them?
-
I think if you pay by credit card you have some form of protection. I would ring your credit card company and ask their advice.
-
That's rotten PN.
In what way awful?
i think you need to discuss this with whoever supplied them.
Have you had a response to the photos you sent to the company.
Agree with HB - CAB should be useful
Like LM says, the credit card company should offer some protection, but i suspect they will want you to speak to the company first.
Good Luck
-
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-2605929/Find-rights-credit-card-refund-Section-75.html
Taz x :)
-
Thanks everyone
I didn't want to bore you with the detail but as you ask ;) (http://;))
Its like two people have made them. One curtain has twisted pinch pleats where the buckram doesn't sit right. I was told there would be 36 pleats on the pair and there are only 20. This makes the space in between fold out too far and hides the pleats (when curtains open)
There are fabric faults on both and the cushion cover
One was ironed, the other dreadful
No response from the company from sending the photos but they are probably closed
I am really feeling quite sick, it is very disappointing and I hate arguing
I will wait a couple of days. They weren't cheap!
CAB is a goid idea, thanks
-
purplenanny - if you scroll down the link you will find instructions as to how to claim under your credit card - I think it's called Section 75. If you follow what they suggest then you should get your refund.
Taz x
-
it is also amazing what happens if you mention trading standards. Our daughter and son in law are having a lot of trouble with a company and it is amazing what has happened since they got advice from TS and informed the company of this.
-
If it's JL Partnership they usually don't quibble. Trading Standards are the other place to ask. I had some curtains made many years ago - we had measured them and the person making had measured the depth we wanted them to hang to - she came back several weeks later with 2 cushions as apparently there had been 'material left over' :-\ - well actually, she hadn't taken notice of the depth we had measured to :'( - I was ill at the time and didn't have the energy to pursue it; all she said was 'take the hems down' …….. it's taken 15 years to stop looking at her mistakes.
Let us know how you get on!
-
snap CLKD, great minds think alike re TS :)
-
Thanks Taz, reassuring reading that link.
It wasn't JL CLKD, just an independent online curtain company. 15 years is a long time to put up with something like that! You deserve a medal.
I will let you know
PN x x
-
I was SO disappointed. The cushions have been useful though ;) one now has butterfly and dragonfly brooches on as the background is cream with flowers printed on.
-
They sound lovely.
Yes it is dissapointing , my bedroom is all redecorated and waiting for curtains. I hate complaining but there is too much wrong. We don't have that much money to throw away.
Not sure what to do about getting new ones now. Window wrong size for ready mades.
I have used a local lady for many years and my curtains are beautiful but she has retired and moved away :( (http://:()
PN x x
-
PN it's a pain when everything is waiting on them.
There does sound to be an awful lot wrong with them.
Speak to the company on Monday, tell them exactly what's wrong and say it's just not acceptable.
Like the others have said, mentioning TS seems a good thing to have up your sleeve.
-
Next have a made to measure service that I have used and they were excellent. So do M&S and I have used them too. Laura Ashley.....but only in the sales :o
They sound terrible PN, and I agree with the others TS is the way to go if they quibble over a refund.
I couldn't put up with something being wrong g for that length of time CLKD . 15 days would be about my limit....I'm not known for my patience ::)
Honeyb
x
-
Yes I will Limpy ,thanks.
Thanks HB, I might look at Next but I think they will be a lot more costly somehow :( (http://:()
TS sounds good to mention then. I will see what they say first, give them a chance. I have asked for a full refund when sending the photos
They will have to reimburse me for return postage also. Thankfully I kept the box. That was another thing....curtains folded into a plastic bag and placed loosely into a box. They also forgot to send the metal pin hooks which took over a week to arrive!
I will let you know....got a feeling this is going to turn into a saga!! But I do hope not!
-
Hopefully they will understand that they are not of good quality and therefore 'not fit for purpose' which is the legal definition ;) and lay it on thick about the deep disappointment not only for yourself but for the ladies on here :D. If you don't get a satisfactory response I would be inclined to take and show them to one of the Companies as mentioned to get their opinion.
Such a nuisance. On a wet day like it is putting up curtains would have been the ideal job ::)
-
Ooh...not fit for purpose. ... I like that but they do hang, pull and block the light, so I guess they could dispute that one. They just look dreadful !
Yes very wet weather but my little grandsons are here today and we are snuggled on the sofa watching number jacks (well, they are ;) (http://;)) )
PN x x
-
What ever, reject them outright. Don't let them make the suggestion that they are re-made. Tell them you want your money back ;).
-
Couldn't stand the worry of having them remade!
Hope they don't suggest it
PN x x
-
Ooh...not fit for purpose. ... I like that but they do hang, pull and block the light, so I guess they could dispute that one.
PN - You wrote the following-
"One curtain has twisted pinch pleats where the buckram doesn't sit right. I was told there would be 36 pleats on the pair and there are only 20. This makes the space in between fold out too far and hides the pleats (when curtains open)
There are fabric faults on both and the cushion cover
One was ironed, the other dreadful"
At least one curtain is faulty, end of. Also you didn't get what you were expecting. That doesn't sound like fit for purpose to me.
-
And have you got those points in writing ?
Much easier if you have.
Honeyb
X
-
Well when you put it like that Limpy :o (http://:o)
Yes HB all in emails
PN x x
-
Good, job well and truly done.
You did not get what you paid for.
Go get them girl.
Honeyb
X
-
e-Mails Form a Contract don't forget ;)
-
Most definately let them know they are not as expected. I had a similar problem with a made to measure blind, it was poorly made, the material wasn't quite the same and the mechanism didn't work properly. I was told by the seller that as I had ordered online and a made to measure service I could not return them or get a refund. This isn't true.
The Sale of Goods act still stands with regard to custom orders, so make sure you use the wording that you have here, that proves they are not as described/ordered.
The Sale of Goods Act 1979 says that any goods you buy from a trader must be:
- of satisfactory quality
- fit for purpose
- match any description given.
You are entitled to a repair, a replacement or a refund.
Hopefully you will meet with a reasonable seller and get the remedy you want without problem - sorry they didn't arrive as expected.
-
I would go for a refund ;)
-
I must admit I did not appreciate that emails form a contract...bit thick me.
I am feeling so much more confident now.
Sorry about your blind BrightLight, thanks for your help
Will definitely go for refund
PN x x
-
don't the distance selling regulations apply when you purchase something online as you don't see it before you receive your goods?
-
Babyjane, as far as I understand it, you can return any item for a full refund with no reason when you buy online but if it is a custom order you need to have a reason. In this instance, there are reasons in my opinion.
-
I agree with all that's been said
Sale of Goods Act first and foremost - must be fit for purpose - or more probably also as described (wrong number of pleats, not the quality expected from the description).
Also I agree Distance Selling Regulations I am sure will cover anything at all bought and not seen - made to measure or not. They would have to. (If you order something made to measure in a shop and go and collect them - then you surely have no obligation to buy them - and you have actually seen them?). I ordered an armchair once - and the fixed covers are made for the customer - but when it arrived was far too big for the room so returned for full refund. They collected it for nothing but they naturally did not refund the original delivery charge - as it was my decision not to take it.
Hurdity x
-
Apologies in advance - I am going to rant!!!
No reply to my photos/email, so I asked for a response at 430 - got one at 6pm. She wanted to know who had given me the information I had requested before ordering. Said she was the only one who can make the decision about how many pleats.
Also said she was surprised about the faults in the fabric which should have been noticed prior to dispatch - er, yes, so why tell me this?
She said the curtains can take weeks to settle as the fabric may have travelled miles. So, how come one is ok and the other not?
Loads of waffle and wants me to choose a day for the courier to collect so they can put things right (!) and get them back to me quickly.
I kept it brief, repeated that I require a full refund, there are too many errors to correct and arrange the courier for Wednesday and I will have them ready.
Not heard back. Guess she's gone home.
PN x x
Will update when I hear
-
Oh please check with Trading Standards before you send them back. If you don't have them then where is your evidence. You really need to talk to someone as this person is going to do a few running repairs and send the same curtains back to you.
Rubbish about fabric settling over that amount of time. A few days at the most.
Don't part with them until you are sure it's the best thing to do.
Honeyb
X
-
PN - they are talking nonsense.
I agree with HB - check with Trading Standards before you send them back,
failing that, the CAB should have sensible things to say.
-
I can't imagine they will refund without having them returned first?
I do have photos
This situation is causing me anxiety now :( (http://:()
Thanks for your help ladies
PN x x
-
Hi PN - I would make sure the company confirms in writing that they will refund your money in full before you part with them.
-
Can you get an "expert" to review them and provide their assessment of them should you need it for later. Maybe you could ask someone in a local fabric store and offer to pay them for the service / report?
We did that when a jeweller made a total mess of a ring.....
-
Had a reply
She is refusing refund, saying I am only entitled to have it put right. She wants them back to investigate them
Oh dear, this is awful
PN x x
-
Tell her you want to talk to Trading Standards as you do not believe they are fit for purpose and to confirm your rights before returning them to her, and arrange the courier for at least a weeks time so you have time to get them reviewed.
One thing I would say however is that sometimes genuine mistakes can happen. If the curtains would be exactly what you wanted if they were perfect, and you can't get them anywhere else, then is it worth giving her a second chance but ensuring that you have the back-up and right to reject them if they are still faulty? It's worth talking to TS or the CAB to find out if allowing her to "repair" them would invalidate any rights to a refund at a later date.
The reason I say this is because my parents once bought a sofa which was delivered damaged so they complained and the company sent out a repair man who didn't fix the problem so the company took the sofa away to be repaired and the sofa was returned in perfect condition. My parents were happy to try the repair route because they really liked the sofa.
-
Refuse repair. The woman is waffling nonsense. These curtains are not fit for purpose. End of.
Contact Trading Standards as they may have had complaints from other clients so will be building a dossier in order to make a 'case'. I did this a few years ago and 8 people had complained - a visit from TS sorted the problem ;)
Compose a letter, short and to the point stating your disappointment in the product, that you are not satisfied and you would like a full refund within 7 days. "Time is of the Essence" .
You said you had e-mails from the Company initially?
-
Yes CLKD, I have loads of emails relating to all the questions I asked prior to ordering.
she has just emailed to say she will no longer communicate with me as I have involved Trading Standards. She will only now deal with them direct.
She reckons I agreed to her terms and conditions by placing the order and she is entitled to repair them??
This is making me feel really sick!
PN x x
-
…… and me. Contact TS in the morning. They may want copies of the e-mails from the Company. Make sure that you keep your own copies too.
Did you pay by credit card?
-
Yes I did pay by credit card.
Thanks for your support CLKD, its a bit late at night, sorry
PN x x
-
So sorry you haven't had an 'easy' response from the seller. It's hard not to get stressed but you are not in the wrong and if you were ill informed about the pleats, that is their problem not yours. It doesn't sound like you have received what you ordered and I would say you are entitled to request a refund. Hopefully Trading Standards can reassure you.
I mentioned my situation with a blind and I actually got the same response - I did get a refund in the end, of course they want to attempt not to make a 'loss' on bespoke items that are returned, but they have made a mistake, so stick to your guns and don't accept them if you don't want them x
-
It's really good that you paid for these by credit card. I think you really need to use Section 75. This is the info from the link I put up a few days ago.
"Using Section 75 shouldn't necessarily be the first thing you do when you've been let down by a retailer, initially you should contact the company you made the purchase from and try and get a refund that way.
Although the credit card company is jointly liable, you are more likely to sort out the issue quicker by going to the retailer first.
You are also far more likely to get all the help possible from your credit card company if you have been to the person who supplied the faulty goods or failed to deliver a service first.
In the event they refuse or if you don't get a reply, then you should write to your credit card provider, including the following information:
What you bought, where, when and how you bought it, and how much you paid. Include copies of receipts.
Details of how the goods and services you received constituted a breach of contract as they were either faulty, not as described, or were not received at all.
Details of attempts you've made to contact the company and the responses you've had.
An explanation of what you want from the credit card company - namely to refund the money you paid for the goods you've received.
If you are rejected for a Section 75 refund and are adamant you think this was an unfair decision by your credit provider, then you can make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service"
Good luck!
Taz x
-
Thanks BrightLight and Taz
I will ring Trading Standards in the morning. She is point blank refusing a refund
if I have no joy there I will follow the credit card route, thanks for the info Taz
I do not want the worry of accepting a repair as i cant see how she can correct things..just want the problem gone
PN x x
-
There's more info about Section 75 here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases I didn't realise that if you use a credit card to pay via Paypal you don't have Section 75 protection. Thanks for starting this thread purplenanny because I wouldn't have known that!!
Taz x
-
Contacted TS. Apparently I must accept a repair/correction under the Supply of Goods Act 1982. She is acting correctly
Section 75 may apply, but the credit card company will contact the trader and may decide the route forward is a repair
So, that's it - I have no choice and she is correct.
It is not how I read it online on the government website, but TS said I may have been reading The Sale of Goods Act, which does not cover bespoke items - this comes under a service.
Speechless
PN x x
-
oh what a bother purplenanny. I am so sorry but the trader does need the chance to right the wrong in my opinion. I hate it when things don't work out, very stressful xx
-
It's very confusing, I read it the same way as you PN. If the goods are not as described and faulty then you have rights. Maybe the rights are restricted to refund or repair. ? In any event I hope you end up with the curtains you want.
-
Did TS say what happens if the repair / correction doesn't fix the problem? Are you then entitled to a refund? Did you ask what evidence they would need to support a refund in the future?
-
Did TS tell you what happens if they have the curtains back but don't do a good repair or don't bother to return the curtains at all? I thought that one is allowed to refuse a repair under 'not fit for purpose' :-\ I know people who have had problems with washing machines or cars, by accepting a repair the problem dragged out ……….. :'(
Go back to TS and ask how long is an acceptable period for the problem to be rectified and what action should be taken if the Company hangs onto the items ……….
-
I now have a case number with TS and can go back if the repair is not satisfactory. I will tgen have to get an independent report before I can get a refund
This is because it is classed as a service , not goods.
I have emailed the company to confirm that the parcel is ready for collection.
No response as yet.
Guess they are now going to keep me waiting. They are not happy
Anxiety going through the roof. May need to take a sleeping tablet tonight
Please be wary of your online purchases ladies. Section 75 is also not what it seems!
PN x x
-
Such a bl**dy shame PN when all you wanted was a nice pair of curtains, and I'm sure you would have been really looking forward to them, as I would.
I hope it all works out for the best.
Honeyb
X
-
Oh heck PN, it ain't easy but they must want to get it sorted too so shouldn't delay too much.
Whatever, when the package is collected make sure you you get a receipt for it.
Failing that, photos of the collector and their van.
Don't fret, you are doing all you can.
-
Yes I was HB. Thank you
Thanks Limpy, good idea. I didn't think about a receipt. Hubby will sort as I have to go out so photos not possible, although good thinking. I do feel nervous letting them go.
Lady is not responding to my request for address to put on box and couriers name. Not going well!
PN x x
-
Your situation has brought my issue with a window blind to come flooding back - you have my sympathy - it's a hassle and I hope there is a good reason the lady isn't answering you and that things start moving in a positive direction.
I just re-read all my emails to the company that supplied me the blind and although it was a hassle, it was worth it to return the blind that we didn't want. Hopefully you will be happy with the replacement curtains. Sending calm vibes x
-
Oh how I need those calming vibes BrightLight!
I have just spent over an hour taking the damn things down and removing the metal pins (which gave me a blister putting them in!!)
They have been very carefully folded and placed in the original wrapping, with photos of every stage
Oh and how about this...... while folding them, I caught my hand on something sharp... and found a pin still in the curtain!! I rest my case about shoddy work and no final check!!
And breathe............
-
(head in hands) yes breathe............. xx
-
The glass of wine helped ;) (http://;))
-
These curtains were made from scratch so at which point do they become 'service' and not 'goods' :-\ ……..
The goods are the curtains, the service was making them, delivering them ……….
-
I totally agree with that, but TS don't see it that way!!
No rights for me. Now I get repaired goods for a new price!!
Unfair :( (http://:()
PN x x
-
Did you get no joy from Section 75 pn?
Taz x
-
Hi Taz
No sadly not. TS said that the credit card company would contact the trader in the first instance to mutually agree a repair. If the repair was not satisfactory then they will refund
I do think it is all very misleading. As CLKD says, it is goods, not just a service
The anxiety and time on my part does not seem to be acknowledged at all
I would have hoped the trader would have seen sense. I have no idea how she will add more pleats or repair actual fabric faults!
We will have to wait and see
PN x x
-
Has she said how long it will take. Doesn't sound as if they can be redone to your spec. Maybe she will have to start again or hopefully realize there is nothing to be done and cut her losses and give you a refund.
Fingers crossed for a good outcome.
Honeyb
x
-
She said she would do them as quickly as possible, whatever that is
I can't see it as being worth her while as she will have to add more fabric. I strongly believe she sourced them out originally. Lets hope she sees sense as I just want it done with.
Thanks HB
PN x x
-
"Time is of the essence" - decide when you want them back i.e. 14/28 days and send her an e-mail stating such as well as a copy in the package.
-
Would you believe I still don't have my curtains !
I agreed to a remake, with a few changes from my original request as they were not possible, according to the supplier, even though her customer service said they were.
many emails went between us agreeing everything and the go ahead (with little confidence)
12 days later no curtains, so sent an email on Monday asking for a delivery date. Reply same day saying pins were in the post today and curtains normally follow 2 days later. Email Tuesday saying workshop had emailed me last week (no, they didn't) as they can't make part of the heading to how we had agreed.
I am so stressed over this. I paid and ordered 9 weeks ago. I am still unable to sleep in that room.
TS said before that I had to be seen to be being reasonable and give her fair time to correct matters. I think I have done this, on more than one occasion.
I have now wriiten her a letter giving 7 days for a full refund. I have also reinstated my claim with the credit card for either a chargeback or section 75. If they disagree this time I think I will fall apart. I really do not need this hanging over me any more, it is so unfair. They will confirm by Friday apparently
I cannot believe how long this has gone on.
I feel bad as compared to what some people are suffering health wise, this must seem pathetic. But thanks for listening ladies
PN x x
-
You've given her plenty of time.
Things like this are so stressing. I know getting wound up doesn't help but I can't stop myself.
I would be stressed to in your shoes but at least you can move things forward.
-
Thanks for your compassion Limpy.
I don't hold out much hope but I will try to remain positive. They were a very expensive mistake :( (http://:()
PN x x
-
You're not pathetic at all, PN. You are stressed and that is completely understandable. Never apologise for the way YOU feel - you are every bit as justified as anyone else to 'vent'.
I sincerely hope you get this sorted to your satisfaction soon - it must be a huge weight hanging over you, and one you are reminded of every day when you cannot use the room for which the curtains were intended.
-
Thank you for your kind words scampi. You have understood my situation perfectly
PN x x