Consumer Advice Required - 'net Purchase

Bit of a long one this, please bare with me.

Back in sept. I bought a new monitor from an online retailer. Once it was plugged in I found the quality to be atrocious so I phoned them up, explained the situation and was told that faulty or not I could expect a refund. I sent it back and got an email shortly after confirming they'd received it and that they'd get back to me in a day or two. In the mean time I ordered another monitor elsewhere.

They never called, so after 5 days or so I tried phoning and emailing but couldn't get a response. Then after a week I get an email from them saying 'item dispatched' - they were trying to send the monitor back to me. Since I didn't need it and didn't want the aggravation and expense of paying to get it shipped back I simply refused it. After more emails and more phone calls without response I give up and contact my CC company, explain the situation and they say they can claim the money back for me. Job done I think.

Now over a month since they confirmed they'd received the monitor back from me, I get another email saying 'item dispatched'. Yep, trying to palm off their shoddy monitor on me again. Again I refuse it, but at this stage I've got my money back so I'm not even bothering trying to contact them.

Then on Saturday (22nd of Dec), three months after I sent the monitor back, I get a letter from my CC company (NOT the retailer) saying the monitor had been tested and checked out to be fine, so the retailer had disputed my claim and that the charge (£350) would be reapplied within seven days Merry Xmas!

So yesterday in desperation, knowing the CC company wouldn't be answering the phones, I called the retailer and amazingly got through. After arguing the above they basically said they weren't interested and that the charge stood, and that they were going to send the monitor out again and if I refused it that was my decision. Absolutely furious at this point, they finally gave me the option of paying a 'restocking fee'. At 15%, this came to £50 odd, which isn't pocket change, but as I was at the point of having an aneurysm I said ok, I'll pay it if that's all I have to pay and I won't have to deal with anything else. Done and dusted I thought.

But today I checked my CC, and found that the full £350 had been take out on Friday the 21st, before I'd even got the letter let alone the 7 days it was supposed to take

So, I'm at a loss as what to do. No doubt the £50 pounds fee is going to be taken out of my account later this week too. Perhaps being more patient may have helped, but I don't have the time or money to sit at work on my mobile to an 0870 number, and at any rate it's done now anyway. I have to deal with this, but I don't know how and I've no idea what my rights are. Help!

name and shame! this is std practice with such companies - used to work in one and I know

I have no useful advice. But I do hope you get it resolved in your favour.

[the_lone_wolf]

write a letter to the company you bought the monitor from, and carbon copy it to your credit card company, send them both recorded delivery. in the letter outline the entire situation, explain that you have now ordered elsewhere and want a refund, that you were told this was fine, explain that money was taken from your account without notice, which could have caused you more financial problems, give them a reasonable time to refund you, which is something like 3 weeks, give them a date to repay you by and say that if they haven't done so by that date you'll begin legal proceedings against them to recoup the money you're owed, be polite but firm.

whether you think proceeding with legal action is worth it is your choice, you can file in the small claims court for ~£80 or so, and iirc you can claim your costs (day off work etc) from the other side should you win

[tigersaw]

Under the distance selling regulations, you were entitled to return the monitor within 7 days of receiving it - for any reason whatsoever and receive a full refund.http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/c...V0051-1111.txt assuming you made it clear you were returning it for a refund and not a replacement / repair, then it should have all ended there.I'm not happy with the behaviour of your credit card company, personally I would be cancelling my card with them, and I would be seeking (free) advise from the CAB. Perhaps you should be naming and shaming them too.Taking the matter to small claims is easy and worthwhile. I took a travel agent to small claims once, mainly because their attitude was 'see if we care, I doub't you can be bothered to take it further' - it was straightforward, you are guided through the whole process, and I won without any difficulty.

flamin' squirrel in "it seems i DONT know it all" confession shocker.

more at 10

ps only jokin' love you merry crinklemas

Originally Posted by keithd

flamin' squirrel in "it seems i DONT know it all" confession shocker.

more at 10

ps only jokin' love you merry crinklemas

LMAO tis funny that.

Originally Posted by keithd

flamin' squirrel in "it seems i DONT know it all" confession shocker.

more at 10

ps only jokin' love you merry crinklemas

Gotta love the .org

Come on name and shame so none of us get nabbed by these fraudsters. they are out of order and from what I have read have broken the law. You can see your consumer rights on the governments website here http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/c...11.txtassuming

Name them and shame them!

Give your local Trading Standards folks a call re this. They are usually very helpful and can give you appropriate and good advice.

Hope you get it sorted.

Trace