The Great British Mobility Group

trumpton

It's about time the law was changed so that sellers of mobility products cannot cold call at all, and cannot visit without providing a price list to prospective customers. Once they are in an elderly persons home they grind them down with hours of pressure selling. This is an area that needs much more stringent regulation and where Trading Sandards just do not have the teeth to make any impact on the disreputable companies in this sector.

John_Workman

My mum, in her eighties, has been sold a chair in June 2010 at £1200 by this company. She has arthritis and was sold on the idea of one of their chairs. It turned out to be unsuitable and has never been used. She thought that all she had to do was cancel [verbally] and she would get a refund less any costs. After making several phone calls to them, they have told her verbally today that they cannot refund her the money as the chair was made 'specially' for her. A letter to this effect is supposedly on its way.
How should we proceed?
John Workman

Paul_Varjak

It is highly doubtful the chair was made especially for your mum. I suggest you call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506. They will forward your complaint to your local Trading Standards department.

greeneyedgirl36

GBMG info to share - they need regulation and the vulnerable persons act is falling short .....

Vanda_Lawrence

Vanda_Lawrence wrote: »

Hi Jim,

My parents ordered 2 chairs and paid their deposit of half the cost on 4th May. Delivery was quoted as 4-6 weeks. 10 days ago they rang to find out when to expect delivery only to be told that there had been a problem with the supply of leather, hence delay on delivery. I have tried to contact the company this morning but so far have only been able to leave a message and am waiting for them to ring back. From what I see on your link, this is not likely to happen. Anyway, I'll keep trying and get back to you with more info.

Vanda

It took a while, and advice from Trading Standards but my parents got their chairs and thankfully at present all is OK.

Angelsapphire

My parents were ripped off to the tune of £3054. The company got my parents to also give them several post dated cheques which we've since managed to stop. The company didn't even realise they had broken the law in requesting post dated cheques.
This company are a law unto themselves and they have picked the wrong person in me to deal with.
Their Sales Director Tim Hedgecock is absolutely useless and hes backtracked on many occasion.
He told me that the company had refunded money before only not to get the chairs back.........oh come on, who in their right mind once they'd got their money back would want to keep the goods?!
I will have my day with this company, we've been through Trading Standards, shame they can only do so much

trisontana

You will be pleased to know that the OFT "intends to launch a market study into mobility aids, examining matters such as whether consumers are well informed and treated fairly, and whether the industry is competitive." Full article here

bluebottle71

My mum contacted GBMG to get advice on a rise and recline chair. The guy came today - I have to admit he was very pleasant and never once pressured my mum into a decision. He let her to try a demonstration chair, talked through what options were suitable for her (massage, heat, T-Back) - then came the price. Over £4000 for a 'made-to-measure' chair. Once I had stopped laughing and picked myself off the floor he offered her a 'standard' t-back chair in one colour, for £1495. He then said he would need an immediate deposit of £495. At that point my wife rang me. She had a quick look on the internet and found an identical chair for £439 (including delivery, set up and demonstration). She could even have the colour she wanted. I explained this to the sale rep who said it probably wouldn't be of the same quality. Well call me old fashioned, but for an extra £1000 it would have to be pretty flippin' amazing and last my entire lifetime! Needless to say he didn't get a sale from us today.
Don't be fooled by these companies. They are out to make money and disability is one of the areas where they can make huge profits.
Search about online and you can get an idea of what you can expect to pay. We have ordered an identical chair for the same price as the deposit for a one from GBMG.