The Hospital Group wont pay me back

kellyg88

Hi

A few weeks ago I went to a Cosmetic Company called The Hospital Group after reading about them in a magazine. The people at Dolan park just outside Birmingham were very nice if not over the top. With hindsight it was just the sales pitch I did ask to see pictures were operations had not gone as planed but they said they never had them. They were very enthusiastic in getting me to commit, at first I wanted to try another place but after I mentioned this they offered to take £500 off the costs. So silly me fell for it.:o I then went for my consultation and again all went well and every one was very nice. I had to pay £500 up front before I left.
I got home and confided in a close friend about what I had done and this is were I desperately need advice from here.
When I told her I was going with The Hospital Group she informed me that they have a very bad reputation on the cosmetic surgery forums, so much so their company name is banned on one of the main sites. It was all to do with them making mistakes and not fulfilling their aftercare promise to rectify them. Something that the sales person at the hospital group was plugging more then the operation I wanted it self.

I went on these sites, the first one called So Feminine and it was true, the name is banned and girls who have been with them have nothing but bad comments to say about their treatment towards them after things went wrong. I went to another site called LYB and the same bad aftercare after paying for it.

The next day I called The Hospital Group and said I wanted to cancel as I was not happy about the bad things I had heard about them and their aftercare service. This is were the staff at the Hospital Group changed. The girl on the other end of the phone at first offered to take another £500 off the costs, that was now £1000 off the cost price just to keep me. However I still said no it was to risky to put myself through something were I was not 100% confident about. I told her I had read far to much negative stuff on the web sites and mentioned the fact that their name had been banned from one site. She was then very rude and said I would have to talk to one of the managers. In sort I was patronised by this man for reading the comments on the site and told it was just from other company's trying to steel their custom. I was then told I would not get my £500 back if I canalled so it was in my best intresets to go ahead with the operation.
I could not understand then as before I was offered £500 over the other £500 to stay.
Can they do this and how best can I get my £500 back. I did ask them if I could see pictures of the procedure I was going to have that had gone wrong but The Hospital Group only wanted to show me the good ones. Is this not negating in a duty of care in regards to not fully explaining the pros and cons of cosmatic operations by glossing the good stuff but paying lip service to the bad struff.
Again after reading more on the sites other girls are in the same position as me for doing the same.
Here is a link from a site run by an ex Dr about the company name ban http://harleystreetsecrets.com/ws/2009/02/25/forums-again/

Thanks for any help:money:
Kelly

panpipe

Did you sign anything when you paid your deposit, that might have said whether it was non-refundable or not? I guess you'd have a copy of anything if so. Perhaps a letter to their headquarters would help, explaining the pressure you were put under?

One of my friends had surgery with the Hospital Group, and in complete contrast to what you have seen she thought they were great - sending a driver to pick her up and take her home the day after the procedure, and she had a really good aftercare service. Depends on the hospital I guess.

I agree about the sales pressure put on you by these clinics, cosmetic surgery isn't a decision taken lightly and most people will be in a vulnerable emotional state. I had some surgery with Transform two years ago, and while I was in the 'patient care advisor' (read salesperson)'s office, in tears after the consultant said he may not be able to do anything as I was one of the worst cases of 'before' state he had ever seen, she just sat there saying "our prices are going up soon, so if you book now then you will get the cheaper price"!

kellyg88

Thanks, Yes I did use my card. I cant believe just how stupid I was to fall for the sales patter and presure selling. I was sent an email from a lady on the other site who claims the hospital Group in a fair bit of hot water because of the aftercare and lots of court cases are on the cards.