Optical Express - Appalling! What are my rights

[Deleted User]

Hi everyone, hope you can help us.

My partner had never really been bothered about laser eye surgery but recently received a phone call from optical express saying that the finance payments for treatment would probably be around the same price what she is paying for her contact lenses a month (£15).
When we got to the consultation the price per month would actually be £100 a month, we were disappointed by the lie they had told us to get us to the consultation but I was happy to go ahead because it was interest free and my partner really wanted it done.

After a pure hour of pressure selling which really annoyed me (I will not go into that now) we agreed to sign up for the treatment. £1495 with a £400 deposit and the rest interest free over ten months.

Anyway, the day came for treatment and my partner booked the day off work and so did her mother. They both paid the train fare to Birmingham. When they got to the clinic the advisor asked "have you been using your eye drops?" My partner said "no". We had not been told she needed any eye drops nor had she been given any. The treatment could not go ahead without these drops! My partner was furious, she had built herself up for this treatment and booked the day off work and now it couldn't go ahead all because of the negligence of the advisor at the consultation.

We demanded a refund of our deposit as we had lost all faith in this company and want to book treatment with ultralaze instead. The store said we can have a refund but not for 28 days??

What are our rights regarding this? We paid the deposit by visa card straight away so why should we wait so long? the company say that his is our policy but they cant produce this policy to me? Does anyone know how long a company can make us wait for a refund and are they unlawfully withholding our money?


Many Thanks Alan

miduck

I imagine they meant up to 28 days, and they are allowed to do this.

pinkshoes

Tey have to refund within 28 days, so not much more you can do.

Personally I'd be asking for the train fair refunded, then the next train fair paid for the new appointment.

To be fair, the laser tratment will be good. It was just someone who forgot to give you the drops.

Herongull

If your partner wants laser treatment, the last person they should go with is a "bait and switch" company. Shop around and decide based on surgeon's experience and track record. Be very choosey about this sort of surgery.

maninthestreet

So this was a cold-call from Optical Express, or was your partner already a customer of OE?

bod1467

I suspect the latter, as regards the contact lenses.

C_Mababejive

OMG OMG..not talking specifically about the OP but why oh why do people insist on treating such a crucial and life changing matter as some kind of bargain hunt at the January sales?

You will not read much about it but eye surgery of this kind can and does go wrong and when it does, it will likely be a life changing experience.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Of course there are many successful outcomes.

But do you really want to take the chance?

OpticalExpress_representative

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hi everyone, hope you can help us.

My partner had never really been bothered about laser eye surgery but recently received a phone call from optical express saying that the finance payments for treatment would probably be around the same price what she is paying for her contact lenses a month (£15).
When we got to the consultation the price per month would actually be £100 a month, we were disappointed by the lie they had told us to get us to the consultation but I was happy to go ahead because it was interest free and my partner really wanted it done.

After a pure hour of pressure selling which really annoyed me (I will not go into that now) we agreed to sign up for the treatment. £1495 with a £400 deposit and the rest interest free over ten months.

Anyway, the day came for treatment and my partner booked the day off work and so did her mother. They both paid the train fare to Birmingham. When they got to the clinic the advisor asked "have you been using your eye drops?" My partner said "no". We had not been told she needed any eye drops nor had she been given any. The treatment could not go ahead without these drops! My partner was furious, she had built herself up for this treatment and booked the day off work and now it couldn't go ahead all because of the negligence of the advisor at the consultation.

We demanded a refund of our deposit as we had lost all faith in this company and want to book treatment with ultralaze instead. The store said we can have a refund but not for 28 days??

What are our rights regarding this? We paid the deposit by visa card straight away so why should we wait so long? the company say that his is our policy but they cant produce this policy to me? Does anyone know how long a company can make us wait for a refund and are they unlawfully withholding our money?


Many Thanks Alan

Hi Alan,

I’m sorry to hear about your partners experience. I believe that our customer services department are currently dealing with this issue. If I can be of any further help, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at customerfeedback@opticalexpress.com.

Thanks

Lynsey Shaw
Optical Express – Head of Customer Care

shocky_2

I think you need to take this a bit more seriously. I had treatment with Ultralase which was fantastic and I don't regret it, but it is a serious cost and a serious committment. Its not like shopping for clothes in the January sales.

[Deleted User]

OpticalExpress_representative wrote: »

Hi Alan,

I’m sorry to hear about your partners experience. I believe that our customer services department are currently dealing with this issue. If I can be of any further help, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at customerfeedback@opticalexpress.com.

Thanks

Lynsey Shaw
Optical Express – Head of Customer Care

Lynsey, I would barely say your team are dealing with this, been a week and still no refund! I work in a very busy retail environment for a large company and we issue refunds straight away by either cheque or PDQ machine when we are in the wrong.

Do not know what could possibly be taking so long to get this refund!

Thank you everyone one for your replies, my partner has also been told before that she can not have the surgery done because of a stigmatism on the eye, optical express said this would not matter, maybe this was another lie they told us??

Would not recommend this company to anyone, were all slimy and after a sale as soon as we stepped foot in there, in hindsight I can not believe we ever signed up!!!

wealdroam

[Deleted User] wrote:

Lynsey, I would barely say your team are dealing with this, been a week and still no refund! I work in a very busy retail environment for a large company and we issue refunds straight away by either cheque or PDQ machine when we are in the wrong.

So you process refunds immediately, but do you know how long after that it is before the refund hits the customer's bank/creditcard account?

It will be measured in days.