Marshall Ward ripped me off!

suegw46

I am really angry & upset about this It all started in Jan when I saw an advert for some lovely bedding in a news paper. It was just what I was looking for. I phoned to order the items, but as I do not have a debit or credit card they told me to order the items by post, enclosing my cheque in payment, so I posted my order & cheque for 69.50 full payment for the goods. About three weeks later I recieved, part of my order worth 9.99. I rang the company & was told that the goods I had ordered were now out of stock. I asked for a refund of the balence, 59.51 & was told that this would be credited to my account. I said that I did not have an account & that I had sent the cheque as full payment for goods ordered that I had not recieved. I was told that I would need to prove I had paid them this money by sending in a Bank Statement highlighting the cheque. I did this. They sent a letter saying they wanted photocopies of the cheque, I sent them this!!
1 mth later & no answer & no money!!! they have now had my money 4 mths despite numerous phone calls & 3 letters. Now they are chasing me for a bad debt & rang me demanding I pay. Angry....Yes, have now written threatening court action if they do not refund my money & am at my wits end. I am in a wheelchair & on benefits I can not afford to write this money off, I saved hard so I could have something nice. Any one any ideas as to what else I can do. Ringing is useless as they just pass the buck then cut you off, plus it costs me!!!!

impy78

suegw46 wrote: »

Now they are chasing me for a bad debt & rang me demanding I pay.

Why are they chasing you????

suegw46

Asking me for 9.99 + 3.50 pp + 4 mths interest by letters & phone calls, saying I have not paid when I have!!!

Butlers1982

Ring and ask to speak to the customer experience manager, he or she is above the team manager and should deal with the query for you.
Try not to be off with the person that you speak to and remain calm. Ask to be put through and just ask for the persons name who you originally speak to.

suegw46

Thanx but tried this too, they put a note on the account saying that I was dealing with missing payments 2 mths ago, did not stop them ringing me today!!!
I always keep my cool & have just about rung every office, I always get fobbed off. I have complied with their requests for proof, it cost me 5.00 to get the photo-copy of the cheque they cashed. Any other ideas?

Butlers1982

has any money come out of your bank account that you sent the orginal cheque with?

suegw46

Yes they took the cheque for 69.50

suegw46

Yes they took 69.50, goods I got cost 9.99, they should have refunded me the difference when the goods were out of stock. It's not as if I had a catalog to order something else instead... But the point is they are saying they can not trace this payment & that I still owe them money!!!! I have given them proof from my bank that they cashed this cheque for 69.50 sent with original order for goods that I am told were out of stock!!!!

maninthestreet

Maybe something you can interest the Press in - "Wheelchair bound woman chased for non-existant debt by catalogue company - but THEY owe her money!"

Butlers1982

If you have the proof and they havent bothered to check, i really wouldnt worry. Did you send the proof by recorded delivery? if so let them try to take you to court. It will be laughed away as negligence by them anyway.
I really wouldnt worry. Ring them back one more time DEMAND to speak to a CEM and say you have sent the proof and you have proof the mail was received and if they choose not to do anything then thats their choice.
They are a multi million pound company and i would suggest that they will just write it off.
They have a customer experience scheme, who ever you speak to ask them to make a complaint and you should receive a telephone call off a team manager asking to explain your complaint and at that point you can tell them and they should listen as they want to "improve the customer experience"

LittleVoice

I posted earlier (but it hasn't appeared or isn't showing now any way).

I suggested that they should not only refund the difference but also the cost (£5?) of the copy cheque which they requested and also your postage and phone costs. It is their fault you have had to send these things.
Also, if you had ordered things from a "set" as it were, would you really want the £9.99 item if you don't have the matching things.