COBBLERS!! He's ruined my (expensive) boots!

Firemunchkin

So, I have a local dry-cleaners/shoe repairers who I took my pair of boots to recently.

I bought the boots in a sale a year or two ago after hunting for years to find a pair which fitted and looked good on my over-large calves. They are Pied A Terre and non-sale price was £180, the price I paid (including a gift voucher) was around £83.

They are grey leather, not black, have a slight heel and a cowboy style toe (i.e. slightly pointed, but not much).

I have never worn these boots very often and I always keep them with shape-keepers (sorry, can't remember what they're called)!

About 3 months ago, the soles had begun to split from the main part of the boots so I took them to my local cobblers.

He replaced the soles and gave them a polish with black polish (yes, the leather is GREY, thanks Mr Cobbler, for changing the colour of my boots). I also noticed that there was a new crease in the boots which I didn't recognise. I was charged the princely sum of almost £30.

The first time I wore them, the new crease was digging into my big toe. I thought it might stretch out so I wore the boots a couple more times. I do not believe that the crease is one which would be caused naturally by my walking, being that it goes across my big toe.

Then the sole of the left boot split from the main boot. I took the boot back. A week later I picked it up - he didn't charge me. The problem reoccured. I took it back and he told me that he had simply glued it back together the first time I took it back. He said he would do it again. I picked it up another week later and the same problem happened again. This time when I took it back I asked if he had actually replaced the sole or not - he said he had simply reglued it.

I also noticed by this stage that the state of the left boot (which had been in more than the right boot) was considerably worse than the right boot. It looked much more aged.

So, he agreed to resole the boot this time - still no extra charge. I picked up the boot another week later.

The state of the boot is such that the pair look ridiculous together. One boot looks a year old and grey (because I have LOOKED AFTER THEM) and the other looks 10 years old and black.

Incidentally, the right sole is now splitting from the main boot.

(Another point to note is that I am working full time and also studying for a law degree, so I have very little spare time to myself or my partner, let alone to have time to keep going back and forth to the shoe repairers. I did tell him this on my very first visit, so I feel aggrieved that he did not make an effort to rectify the situation as quickly as possible with a total replacement of the sole of the boot the first time I took them back.)

I noticed how he keeps the shoes he has repaired for people - in a pile behind the counter when they are repaired and in a large black bin when they are waiting for repairs.

I recently went into a Timpsons to get my boss's shoes repaired and I asked his opinion on what had happened to me, explaining everything to him. He was horrified and said that by rights the man should give me the price I paid for the boots back, saying that he has had to do the same before. I have to say, this is how I felt before I even asked his advice, and this is what I would like to achieve.

What I would like to know from the Forum is - how on earth do I go about doing this? I have never been in this position before and I have no idea of my consumer rights or the cobbler's obligations regarding due care. I don't want to go into the shop and end up in a confrontation, I would like to go in armed with knowledge.

I have checked and the shop itself appears to be a stand alone business, I cannot see that it is a chain which would have made things easier.

Please help - as I am now without my only pair of boots for the winter.

dmg24

You are studying for a law degree - surely you can do a bit of research and get a good idea of where you stand (excuse the pun!)?

Googlewhacker

He has the right to repair and his time and attempts I do not think have been that bad to be honest. However as he has tried several times then i would do as below.

Write a letter detailing your complaints and pictures if possible and allow time to reply and request a refund of the cost of the boots and the repair (I presume you still have the reciept if you looked after them so well).

If this doesn't bring you your money back then you will need to goto small claims court and take your luck.