Willowbrook Recliner Chairs

Paul_Varjak

trisontana wrote: »

I see that they are still saying "Adjustable beds endorsed by a Harley Street Orthopaedic surgeon" on their website. I thought they had agreed to remove this claim?

I had not spotted they are still making those claims. But you are right! They have not made any agreement (as far as I know) to remove any claims.

Paul_Varjak

Following on from Willowbrook's claim that their products are infamous, here is the proof that Willowbrook's infamy extends to their care package too!

The infamous Willowbrook wrap around care package includes the following-

Free Assessment
Upto 3 Years Warranty
No Obligation Test Drive
3 Years Breakdown Cover
3 Years Insurance


IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME YOU CAN READ IT HERE:

http://www.willowbrook.co.uk/mobility-solutions.php

trisontana

I wonder if there is a web-designer somewhere out there who fell out with Willowbrook and so substituted "infamous" for "famous" ?

Paul_Varjak

trisontana wrote: »

I wonder if there is a web-designer somewhere out there who fell out with Willowbrook and so substituted "infamous" for "famous" ?

I think 'infamous' will become an even more apt description when these matters come to court.

trisontana

Willowbrook must be reading this thread because "infamous" has now been deleted from the above pages. They now just read:-

The Willowbrook wrap around care package includes the following-....

and

One of our trained advisors will be pleased to demonstrate the massage system in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Here you can experience the massage system for yourself.

Paul_Varjak

trisontana wrote: »

Willowbrook must be reading this thread because "infamous" has now been deleted from the above pages. They now just read:-

The Willowbrook wrap around care package includes the following-....

and

One of our trained advisors will be pleased to demonstrate the massage system in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Here you can experience the massage system for yourself.

Or, maybe, they just read the e-mail you sent them?

Paul_Varjak

I have come across Willowbrook advertising in three publications now (without even looking for their adverts). I have informed those publications of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling and the impending Trading Standards court case against Willowbrook.

I hope that has some effect!

Paul_Varjak

A major advertiser for Willowbrook (a large circulation magzine) may soon cease taking Willowbrook adverts. My complaint to that magazine coincided with number of similar complaints.

Having spoken to a senior manager with the magazine today he confirmed that he would be speaking with his advertising agency and communicating with the MD of Willowbrook. He said this may lead to cessation of future Willowbrook advertsing.

The magazine has already ceased taking adverts from Craftmatic (a similar but unrelated bed company, who was featured on Watchdog last week) and I am hopeful they will cease the Willowbrook adverts too!

Maybe the Watchdog programme about Craftmatic, prompted complaints to that magazine from Willowbrook customers as well? If so, Watchdog has done its job in highlighting companies like Willowbrook and Craftmatic who engage in the 'hard sell' to elderly and vulnerable people.

Paul_Varjak

Dear Mr. xxxxxxxxx

I spoke to Mr. Miloseski-Reid (Principal Trading Standards Officer, Richmond upon Thames) today and he told me that you had expressed concern to him about my involvement with Willowbrook. He said you appeared to be under an impression that I am, in some way, associated with Trading Standards.

I am just a member of the public who responded to a Willowbrook advert in the Motability Lifestyle magazine for electric rise-recline chairs. I am, in no way, associated with Trading Standards or the Advertising Standards Authority. I merely made complaints (as a member of the public) to those two bodies after learning that you do not endorse Willowbrook chairs.

I believe I did explain to you on the phone why I was looking for a rise/recline chair; I am disabled by polio in both legs and wear a caliper on my right leg. But, I accept I did not reiterate these points in my letters to you.

I contacted Willowbrook early this year and I was concerned they refused to give a price of their chairs over the phone and the only way to get a price was to have an ‘adviser’ call at my home. I agreed to an ‘adviser’ visiting my home despite some serious reservations.

When the ‘adviser’ visited my home I received only a verbal quote (he refused to give a written quotation) and he expected me to say YES there and then! I understand that these ‘advisers’ actually earn by way of sales commission, so the term ‘adviser’ is, I believe, misleading. It is certainly misleading for Willowbrook to claim they have no sales staff!

When I said I would think about it, this ‘adviser’ told me that no-one had ever said that before. He then asked me to pay for his petrol! According to Paul Miloseski-Reid other people have been asked to pay the adviser’s petrol costs when no sale has been made.

The price he asked for an electric rise/recline chair was £3903. The full price was £6003 but I had ‘won’ a 35% discount in a Willowbrook competition. Trading Standards are also looking into this 35% prize ‘discount’ as many others have complained too. A few days later I received a written communication offering a further discount as the adviser’s visit to my home coincided with a “directors’ promotion”.

I understand from Mr. Miloseski-Reid there are other issues about dishonoured price-match guarantees and false claims that the chairs are made-to-measure. [Sentence removed here]

Today, I have learned that [removed magazine name] is considering withdrawing all future advertising for Willowbrook. I had contacted [removed magazine name] because of false claims by Willowbrook in the [removed magazine name]. A senior manager told me that even before receiving my complaint he was seriously considering the withdrawal of Willowbrook adverts as many other complaints had also been received.

One thing Willowbrook have now done is to remove any suggestion on their website of endorsement of their recliner chairs by any member of the medical profession (including you). Willowbrook do still carry your endorsement of their beds and I do have doubts this endorsement still exists. No doubt, the beds that Willowbrook make now are not the same as you endorsed more than 10 years ago.

I also understand that for the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to recognise any medical endorsement claim based on medical research then that research may well have to be open to peer review. I am not aware of that being the case.

Given that the ASA has already shown that Willowbrook have published untruthful and misleading claims in adverts about medical endorsement I am also concerned that Willowbrook may have also mislead you when providing you with data for your research.

For these reasons, I am considering making a further complaint to the ASA should Willowbrook continue to use paid-for-advertising that suggests any endorsement of its beds by you or the medical profession. Unfortunately, any similar claims made on the Willowbrook website do not fall within the remit of the ASA.

I can tell you that I have seen a copy of an endorsement letter you allegedly wrote to Willowbrook. That letter was undated and contained three errors in your typewritten surname (your name is printed as xxxxxxxxx in that endorsement letter – immediately below your signature). It is clear to me that your letter of endorsement was completely re-written for such an error to have been made. This must place serious doubt on the rest of the content. That copy letter was used by the ‘adviser’ during his visit to my home as part of his sales pitch.




Yours sincerely



xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

Paul_Varjak

Today, I received an e-mail from a magazine in which Willowbrook currently advertises. This magazine is not the one mentioned in an earlier post but is a large circulation magazine for Wilowbrook's target customers. The agreement to stop future adverts is, of course, subject to a successful court case brought by Trading Standards.

The author of the e-mail states the following:


Re:Willowbrook

Further to our telephone conversation I can confirm I have spoken with xxxxxx at xxxxxx and we have agreed that no further advertisements will be allowed in xxxxxx subject to the Court ruling.

Many thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Kind regards

xxxxxx