Lapland New Forest Scam. How to get money back...

EdnaCloud

GomerPyle wrote: »

This whole situation just baffles and bemuses me. The Mears clan appear to have found a perfect environment in which to flourish.

Well there is a 'distant relative' in a senior position on the Council...........

GomerPyle

'Distant' is an undefined word.

I would define the relationship as 'close'. Equally undefined but more accurate.

I suppose stating the relationship would have made that patently clear. When you leave council staff to speak on your behalf you are in a better position to distance yourself from their statements.

I've got another lead of a place to take this up. They aren't located anywhere near Brighton, so it may may be more promising.

codger

Just a quickie.

The Lapland New Forest event was nowhere near Brighton. It was staged, if that's the word, at Matchams Leisure Park in Hurn Road near Ringwood. That's about 80 miles away if my memory's correct.

The Council responsible for oversight is Dorset County and it's Dorset County's Trading Standards department which is. . . still . . . looking into the matter.

Quite what aspect it is investigating -- when it's not expressing unwarranted and unsought opinions on the liquidation process -- isn't clear, seeing as how there can be not the slightest doubt that Lapland New Forest is in blatant breach of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 and sections 5-7 Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Recorded Delivery letters being sent back unopened from the company's registered address indicate that the company is not operating from that address: also illegal.

Anyone asked to send a cheque to a different address has also been misled to the point of a breach of consumer law.

Apart from Dorset County Council, the only Local Authority of which I'm aware to have been involved in this unholy mess is little East Dorset District Council, which sent officers to the "theme park" to stop the sale of alcohol the moment it was alerted to the fact that Mears & Co had never bothered to apply for a licence.

At the start of all this I said this was going to be as much a test of the authorities' collective will as anything else.

Dorset County Council and its Trading Standards Department are now very much the heads on the block along with Mears.

The sooner Mr Ivan Hancock, Dorset County Council Divisional Trading Standards Manager, shuts up about what Grant Thornton may or may not do, and actually announces just what Dorset Trading Standards will do, the better.

The way things are going, Mr Mears won't be the only one perceived as unemployable.

The window of opportunity for making a refund claim via chargeback is still open and should be vigorously pursued, regardless of the doom-laden nay-saying of public servants who are actually paid a substantial salary to know better.

EdnaCloud

codger wrote: »

Just a quickie.

The Lapland New Forest event was nowhere near Brighton.

To elucidate for anyone new to the thread, (or who has lost the thread!), the connection with Brighton is that the Registered Office of Lapland New Forest is there, and it is allegedly the place of residence of the sole director of afore said company, a Mr Victor Mears, also that of an apparent relation of Mr V Mears, a Mr Henry Mears, who was involved in the event in capacity of, I think I recall, Event Management, and has appeared by telephone on the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2.

The Council responsible for oversight is Dorset County and it's Dorset County's Trading Standards department which is. . . still . . . looking into the matter.

Quite what aspect it is investigating -- when it's not expressing unwarranted and unsought opinions on the liquidation process -- isn't clear

Quite, thier current involvement is a mystery to me as they have not yet taken any action and the liquidator, when and if appointed, has a duty to report criminal acts anyway.

seeing as how there can be not the slightest doubt that Lapland New Forest is in blatant breach of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 and sections 5-7 Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Recorded Delivery letters being sent back unopened from the company's registered address indicate that the company is not operating from that address: also illegal.

Hopefully, if a liquidator is appointed, which seems virtually inevitable now, these facts will come out in his report.

Anyone asked to send a cheque to a different address has also been misled to the point of a breach of consumer law.

Notwithstanding any ongoing process regarding the company, if these acts can be evidenced it may be possible to pursue the individuals responsible under common law. The limited liability that the status of a Ltd Company affords is not absolute and there are circumstances where directors lose the limitation of liability.Also it is possible other employees acting negligently or criminally may be acted against regardless of company status.

I am not an expert in this area and I do not wish to suggest that any actions I have suggested will definitely be available, or indeed if taken, they have any chance of being successful, but I do wish to stress that this is not over. I suggest anyone still reading this thread who may be involved in a similar discussion elsewhere points claimants to the last few pages of posts here.

Apart from Dorset County Council, the only Local Authority of which I'm aware to have been involved in this unholy mess is little East Dorset District Council, which sent officers to the "theme park" to stop the sale of alcohol the moment it was alerted to the fact that Mears & Co had never bothered to apply for a licence.

To be fair I understand that a licence HAD been applied for, but was not in force at the time of sale. but that is a minor point that has no relation to claims.

The sooner Mr Ivan Hancock, Dorset County Council Divisional Trading Standards Manager, shuts up about what Grant Thornton may or may not do, and actually announces just what Dorset Trading Standards will do, the better.

HEAR, HEAR.

The window of opportunity for making a refund claim via chargeback is still open and should be vigorously pursued, regardless of the doom-laden nay-saying of public servants who are actually paid a substantial salary to know better.

Well said. If you lost out **do not give up**

rgds
Edna

GomerPyle

I think Mr Hancock expected us to believe that the matter was in the hands of the 'Gods' when he said that it had been referred to a barrister.

The fact is that a barrister is hired help, and if he can't come to a conclusion until a month has passed, then you're probably using the same one as Victor Mears. They supposedly have the keenest minds in the country, and if they can't reach a conclusion well within a month, then the taxpayers are being stiffed this time.

I think Brighton exists in some time warp of the 1960's with comic book villains from Dixon of Dock Green and authorities who trace their reports out using a finger. If anyone from the real world ever takes time to look at all these comic capers, I'm sure they'll despatch a few useless articles into the bin.

EdnaCloud

Pondering:- Can one complain to trading standards about the standard of trading of trading standards? Who polices the TS for Standards? The Council I suppose - but who would carry out any investigation in the unlikely event that an investigation into dereliction of duty were to be undertaken?

Which reminds me of that old chestnut, why is there only one Competition Commission?

tinalou2

Hi Gomerpyle

Do you still want copys of lapland nf tickets ?

whitewing

Hi Edna,

Got a feeling codger mentioned it in a recent post...I'll have a look in a bit..

ATTENTION PLEASE! Added mid-Jan 2009: Just as a reminder, the latest Lapland New Forest Refund Guide is here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=17633351#post17633351 ]

whitewing

tinalou,

I'm pretty sure he will. Can you please keep hold of them until he contacts you.

______________________________________________________________

ATTENTION PLEASE! Added mid-Jan 2009: Just as a reminder, the latest Lapland New Forest Refund Guide is here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=17633351#post17633351

whitewing

EdnaCloud wrote: »

Pondering:- Can one complain to trading standards about the standard of trading of trading standards? Who polices the TS for Standards? The Council I suppose - but who would carry out any investigation in the unlikely event that an investigation into dereliction of duty were to be undertaken?

Which reminds me of that old chestnut, why is there only one Competition Commission?

Edna, codgers' post 1086:

Dorset TS is simply a division of the County Council. It has national Performance Standards to adhere to. Questions over its performance can be asked of the County Council leader.

______________________________________________________________

ATTENTION PLEASE! Added mid-Jan 2009: Just as a reminder, the latest Lapland New Forest Refund Guide is here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=17633351#post17633351