Ultralase - guarantee no longer valid - advice needed

magpiecottage

Good news

If you put ANY of the cost on credit (including the free credit from Hitachi mentioned above), then the credit provider (in this case Hitachi) is jointly and severally liable under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

So write to them and ask them how they wish to go about honouring the guarantee.

If they refuse then under the Consumer Credit Act 2006 you can take then to the Financial Ombudsman Service (free!).

Clive_Woody

I am in a similar situation and I have made a Section 75 claim to my credit card provider. I suspect this will be a long drawn out procedure but who knows it may be successful. Like others on here the big selling point was the lifetime guarantee offered by Ultralase. My one eye does need re-treatment.

What makes it more annoying is that Russell Ambrose (owner of Optimax) bought Ultralase let it go into administration, then dumped all the Ultralase customers and then set up a new company still using Ultralase in the title. He had promised that Ultralase customers would be treated no differently to Optimax when he took over, but clearly this was just one of his lies. The man has the morals of a snake.

Clive_Woody

Russell Ambrose holds 21 current appointment, has resigned from 2 companies and held appointments at 7 dissolved companies (one of which is Ultralase). Russell began their first appointment at the age of 41 and their longest current appointment spans 19 years and 3 months at OPTIMAX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED.

The combined cash at bank value for all businesses where Russell holds a current appointment equals £2,468,696, with a combined assets value of £32,025,408 and liabilities of £38,435,111. Roles associated with Russell Ambrose within the recorded businesses include: Director, Llp Designated Member, Company Secretary.

http://companycheck.co.uk/director/901652921

smoothie09

Did anybody get to bottom of whether the lifetime guarantee is being honoured by optimax. As I have paid £25 for a consultation. I explained my circumstances as nd they seemed happy to help. Am I having the wool pulled over my eyes. What happened with Hitachi Finance

Jenbeam

I rang them and was told have to pay £275 per eye to be re done. I paid in full back in 2008x

magpiecottage

If you paid by credit card, or a finance plan arranged as by the provider, then the credit card/finance provider will be liable - provided it was your own credit card/finance arrangement.

This applies provided the treatment was within prescribed limits - at least £100 and not more than £25,000 or possibly higher depending on when you had it done.

Note that it is the cost of the treatment, not the amount of the loan that counts.

If the loan was a penny but the work was £20,000 then the lender is liable - even if oyu have now paid the loan off.

If the guarantee is not honoured by the provider then ask the lender to sort it. If they refuse, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman Service for assistance.

Johnny5isAlive

If you took out credit through Hitachi just pick up the phone and call them.

I phoned today and expressed concern over my lifetime guarantee, and whether it was Hitachi's responsibility as the lender. I quoted the Consumer Credit legislation mentioned helpfully by magpiecottage here.

They very quickly emailed me confirmation that they had obtained the agreement of the owners of Ultralase to honour the terms of yhe lifetime guarantee, free of charge.

This is, in my book, a satisfactory outcome and I don't see why I should be financially compensated if I have peace of mind going forward.

andwan0

"They very quickly emailed me confirmation that they had obtained the agreement of the owners of Ultralase to honour the terms of yhe lifetime guarantee, free of charge. "

What do you mean "they had obtained the agreement of the owners..."
What does this mean to us?

And has people successfully got fully refunded via the section 75?

Steps to do:
1. Make a complaint to Hitachi
2. Ask for full refund.
3.

magpiecottage

andwan0 wrote: »

"They very quickly emailed me confirmation that they had obtained the agreement of the owners of Ultralase to honour the terms of yhe lifetime guarantee, free of charge. "

What do you mean "they had obtained the agreement of the owners..."
What does this mean to us?

It means the guarantee will be honoured.

And has people successfully got fully refunded via the section 75?

No - why should it if the surgery was successful

Steps to do:
1. Make a complaint to Hitachi

About what? Unless and until something goes wrong with the surgery you have not lost anything.

2. Ask for full refund.

Why? You wanted surgery and you got it.

If something goes wrong, you can go to the lender and ask that the deal is honoured. Whether this is by the successor to the business that carried out the original procedure or somebody else competent to do so is something to be established as and when it is necessary.

andwan0

Am talking about the life-time aftercare guarantee.
Optimax gave me some appointments for checkup, but they told me I had to pay £25 per visit, and if I needed retreatment, it'll be £400 per eye, etc.

Ultralase promised me (in writing), life-time of aftercare, including free checkups, and free retreatments.

So am confused, does Optimax require to honour the agreement even though it's a different name from the agreement?