Powermatic Adjustable Beds [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] target the vulnerable elderly

spuds_2

QOL and Powermatic are now under investigation by the Insolvency Service. Any customers or employees are urged to contact:

Ruth Hasling

Investigations Directorate
The Insolvency Service
PO Box 203
21 Bloomsbury Street
London
WC1B 3QW

Tel: 020 7637 6315
Fax: 020 7291 6810
[EMAIL="Ruth.Hasling@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk"]Ruth.Hasling@insolvency.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

I have spoken at length to Inspector Hasling and can confirm that all information will be treated in confidence.

Important note: the cold-calling rules have changed. You can now cancel within 7 days of the order, even if you invited them to come to your home (ie they rang and talked you into having an appointment). If you have had dealings with this company (now called More Than Mobility) cancel by phone and in writing by recorded delivery, and call West Yorkshire Trading Standards on: 08454 04 05 06 via Consumer Direct

Do not accept delivery of the product.


edit: This is a very long thread, so here is a quick summary:

There is a series of Leeds bed companies, effectively run by the same group of people, who target the elderly and pressure sell them cheap vibrating mattresses for several thousands of pounds. They refuse to cancelk orders and give refunds. They are well known to Trading Standards. In our experience they lie about their product, break the cold-call regulations and distance selling regs. After a while they close the company with debts and reopen under another name. This name is usually a copy of an established company's name. They are based at Metro House, Pepper Road, Hunslet, Leeds.

Slumbermatic (Products) Ltd - directors Damian O'Reilly, Lorraine Bryan. Changed name to QOL on 26/06/04. In August 2004, a company called Slumbermatic (Northern) Ltd was shut by the DTI for defrauding the elderly with adjustable beds. The liquidators of this company are still actively pursuing the directors Sharon Jones and Marc Jones (google Marc Jones Rogue Traders for more info). See: "..vile firms that conned the elderly.." according to the Mirror.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/investi...9520-15094974/
Are these two companies related?

QOL Ltd - director Damian O'Reilly, Amanada Goor, Sec. Lorraine Bryan. Closed with debts of over £15,000.

Powermatic Adjustable beds - closed on Nov 2007 with debts of £34,700 - icluding £22,000 to the Inland revenue.

No assetts according to the liquidator - "probably transferred to the new company". Directors Damian O'Reilly and Amanada Goor,

[TEXT DELETED BY ABUSE TEAM FOLLOWING COMPLAINT]

More Than Mobility - (again, copied name from a genuine company in Reading). Office given as Bridge End, Leeds, but this is their accountants address, Wine and Co.

This thread details other MSE'ers info and experiences and also warns against other similar companies. Those mentioned include: Puresleep of Wales, and [TEXT DELETED BY ABUSE TEAM FOLLOWING COMPLAINT].


Original thread starts here:

I've just done a big post on this on the vent board asking for help. This company persuaded my vulnerable 87 year old sick uncle to buy a vibrating mattress for £1600, making him believe he needed it in order not to be ill again. They will not give a refund. We will pursue this as long as it takes but be warned - they cold call the elderly, make an appointment and will have you signing a cheque for your life savings when you can barely hold a pen.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=374284

yourthebest

The Company Is Also Known As Q.o.l,powermatic Is The Second Company Name .owner Damon O,riley , Mandy Goor Is The Secertary Who Runs The Business She Lies Cheats
Swindle Anybody.
The Company Is In Leeds 57 Pepper Road Hunslet Leeds Ls10 2ru Telphone 0113-2720239
13 Tel Sales Who Ring Customers And Say We Are In Your Area And Looking For Views And Opinion Of Our Wavepad Can We Make A Visit To You, Their No Buying Or Selling We Are Looking To Go On Tv With Our Product Before We Do We Would Like To Have Your Views First.
Thats All It Take To Get The Saleman Into The House,then Its Up To Him To Do The Job .sorry It Sounds So Blunt But Thats How It Works.
These Companys Who Operate Like This Should Be Shut Down
The Salemen Will Go Into Customer Bags Get Anythink To Pay For The Item .i.e Tell Me This How Can You Sell A Bed To A Deaf And Blind Man Well This Company Can.
The Wavepad Costs Between £100 To £200 Resale Between £1000 Too £2000 The Company Who Makes Them Are Relax At Morley Also Golden Knights At Batley.the Bed Are Best Retail Between £400 To £700 Sell Between £2000 To £7000 If You Got The Money.

This Company Uses Saga Magazine In Which They Offer A Prize Of A New Bed,you Enter Thats All They Need And There At Your Door ,if You Buy And Try To Cancel You Cannot Because By Inviting Them To Your Home You Have Given Your 7 Day Cancel Out Of The Window.

Malteser_2

Unfortunately my 67 year old mother has come into contact with this company (Powermatic adjustable beds limited). They sold her a bed for £2880, which from what I see is completely overpriced. There are similar beds on the web for up to £2000 less.

This company initially contacted my mam over the telephone, and unfortunately she agreed for a salesman to come out and visit her in her home. They sold her the bed, got her to sign the contract and then swiftly took the money out of my Mam's account within two days using her debit card number. I found about this two days after the salesman visited. I returned the contract/order form with the cancellation details filled in within the seven day cooling off period that was detailed on the back of the contract/order form. I sent this registered post, so I know they received this within the seven days. Somebody signed for it and I also spoke to the company on the morning they received the form.

They advised at this point that they would refund my mam's money in seven days. By the eighth day the money had not been refunded. I therefore phoned to ask why. Their initial response was that the cancellation form had not been received as it was not in my mam's file. I replied they did have it and I had evidence to that effect. I was then told that they would need to find it and ring back. I later had to ring back again that day to find out what was then happening on my Mam's case. I was told that the cancellation rights were not warranted as the call to my mam was solicited, not unsolicited as we had detailed on the cancellation: they claimed that my mam had returned to them a coupon, from Saga magazine, on which she had requested to be entered into a prize draw and have a demonstrator come to her house. I therefore asked for a copy of the coupon to be sent to me.

They returned a copy of the coupon (with the offer of £1000 knocked off the price -so how overpriced are these beds when they can drop £1000 off the price of the bed just like that). The coupon was not in my Mam's handwriting: I told Powermatic of this, and they now claim that somebody must have filled it in on my Mam's behalf. I have asked my mam about the coupon and she has no knowledge of this coupon, and has not asked anybody to fill it in for her. I also know of no acquaintances of my mam who would fill such a coupon in without speaking to my mam first.

To add insult to injury the contract/order form has incorrect details about my mam. They claim to have had this bed specially made for my mam based on the information the salesman took. The order form has her descibed as being male and 5' 10'' tall. She is neither male nor 5' 10''. So if this bed has been made specially they have made it to incorrect specifications.

Even with this information provided to the company they are refusing to refund my mam's money. I am therefore left with no option but to pursue this refund by taking legal action. Has anybody else taken legal action to deal with a matter similar to that described above – if so any advice would be appreciated. I am determined to get this money back after reading other feedback about this company on this website.

welshbird07

I bought my mother one of these powermatic beds and it is marvellous! It cost £3200 and i would have paid double that for the benefits that she has gained from it, she is 74 years old and is now acting like shes 44! Her blood pressure has gone down to nearly normal now and the circulation in her legs is improving. I originally thought that it was expensive but my mother was in so much pain, i would have done anything to help her and ease her suffering. I think the bed is worth every penny i dont know if this is the same company that we are talking about but everybody i dealt with in the company was polite, courteous and provided a great service to my mother, even down to delivery by taking away her old bed. Maybe you should speak to your uncle and try and resolve it as i don't think that the comnpany targets elderly people its just the people who would benefit from them.

mrcow

welshbird07 wrote: »

Maybe you should speak to your uncle and try and resolve it as i don't think that the comnpany targets elderly people its just the people who would benefit from them.

If the uncle has been pressure sold a bed, then the best option is to persue it legally.

Some of the ways these bed companies operate are disgusting. One such company was on Rogue Traders last year.

They prey on the elderly and infirm spewing their lies of how much it will improve health and life expectancy. Anyone who condones such practices should be ashamed of themselves. If the beds really are all you're making them out to be, then why do the companies not let the product do the talking and offer money back guarentees? (Don't bother answering, I already know the real reason).

Info on pressure selling here (and yes, adjustable beds are in there too, surprise surprise) :rolleyes: :

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/doortodoor.pdf

trisontana

welshbird07 wrote: »

I bought my mother one of these powermatic beds and it is marvellous! It cost £3200 and i would have paid double that for the benefits that she has gained from it, she is 74 years old and is now acting like shes 44! Her blood pressure has gone down to nearly normal now and the circulation in her legs is improving. I originally thought that it was expensive but my mother was in so much pain, i would have done anything to help her and ease her suffering. I think the bed is worth every penny i dont know if this is the same company that we are talking about but everybody i dealt with in the company was polite, courteous and provided a great service to my mother, even down to delivery by taking away her old bed. Maybe you should speak to your uncle and try and resolve it as i don't think that the comnpany targets elderly people its just the people who would benefit from them.

It may by my nasty suspicious mind, but yet again on the board we are getting a newcomer who (surprise, surprise) is praising to high heaven a company that is being heavily criticised and has a bad track record of ripping off people.

mrcow

trisontana wrote: »

It may by my nasty suspicious mind

:rotfl:

lol then I must have one too

In my experience:

If it looks like a troll
And sounds like a troll.....

....don't be crossing any nearby bridges in a hurry :spam: :spam: :spam:

changkra

welshbird07 wrote: »

I bought my mother one of these powermatic beds and it is marvellous! It cost £3200 and i would have paid double that for the benefits that she has gained from it, she is 74 years old and is now acting like shes 44! Her blood pressure has gone down to nearly normal now and the circulation in her legs is improving. I originally thought that it was expensive but my mother was in so much pain, i would have done anything to help her and ease her suffering. I think the bed is worth every penny i dont know if this is the same company that we are talking about but everybody i dealt with in the company was polite, courteous and provided a great service to my mother, even down to delivery by taking away her old bed. Maybe you should speak to your uncle and try and resolve it as i don't think that the comnpany targets elderly people its just the people who would benefit from them.

Do they pay you well? How long have you been working for the company?

changkra

mrcow wrote: »

:rotfl:

lol then I must have one too

In my experience:

If it looks like a troll
And sounds like a troll.....

....don't be crossing any nearby bridges in a hurry :spam: :spam: :spam:

stuff it, you beat me to it :rotfl: :T

welshbird07

Sorry, thought this site was about free speech and expressing your own opinion which you all seem to do quite well. Just a shame i don't have as much time as yourselves to waste time criticising a commpany and a product you know very little about. My mother is happy and to be honest, that's where my priorities lie.

changkra

Why pay thousands when these beds are sold at approx £800 in bed shops, They aren't even worth the price bullied out of the consumer. Ok there are some dearer ones but any company that can drop a min of 1k straight away is definitely on the take