Turning the wheels of Trading Standards, to grind slowly ...

[reddragdiva]

... but thoroughly.

XX Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Hendon NW4 xxx

Thu 11th October, 2002

The Black Rose
27 Stanley Sidings
Chalk Farm Road
Camden Town NW1 8AH

Dear Sir/Madam,

REF: PVC BONDAGE TROUSERS

On Friday 27th September at 5:00pm, I bought a pair of PVC bondage trousers from your shop in Camden for £50.00. Five hours after purchase, two straps snagged while walking down stairs and the trouser seam on the calf of the left leg ripped. (The straps themselves were intact; their attachment to the trouser leg was inadequate.)

I brought the trousers back for return as defective on Sunday 29th September at 2pm. The manager on duty, who gave his name as Marco, acknowledged the goods as defective and offered to replace the trousers with an identical example or to give me a credit note. As I did not wish them replaced with equally shoddily-made trousers, nor with a credit note, I demanded the return of my money, as required by the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended). Marco claimed that the green 'no refunds' sign on the desk covered the return of defective merchandise (despite such being in likely contravention of the Act). When I insisted that I wanted my money back, he refused and said that I would need to speak directly to the boss, whose name he gave as Steve.

Being unable to come into the store during working hours during the week, I phoned last Thursday 3rd October at 2:30pm, asking for Steve. The person on the phone (who would not give his name) said Steve was unavailable. I explained that I was calling about a consumer complaint, and had been told that I should speak to Steve to resolve the complaint. I left my name and phone number and was assured that I would be called back.

It is now one week later, and I have not been contacted. As such, I am writing this letter (being sent by fax and email), requesting the return of my money within fourteen days. Please contact me to arrange return of my money, and return of the defective goods.

My phone number is 07xxx xxx xxx; my email address is fun@velvet.net or fun@thingy.apana.org.au; my postal address is XX Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Hendon NW4 xxx. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours,

David Gerard.

This will likely be ignored, but there's a whole interesting series of things to do detailed on the Trading Standards website. At present I'm thinking in terms of a thoroughly convincing complaint, showing all reasonable steps had been taken, should it reach the small claims stage. But I'd be perfectly pleased with my money back.

Update: They have replied (by email). We'll see.