My rights after paying deposit and company no longer contactable

clairemcbain

My enquiry is about loss of money from a company that is now uncontactable, likely out of business. Earlier in the year I purchased a 'G and Teatime' voucher for myself and my mum for an afternoon tea after previously doing and enjoying the experience with friends. We were booked in for a June date but recieved an e-mail very close to the date saying it would be postponed until August. We re-arranged our plans and this was fine. However, we got the same e-mail before the August date, which was a little strange. I tried to make contact with the G and Teatime company, as well as the overarching 'Drinking Classes' company with no luck via e-mail and telephone. I am still trying with no luck. An e-mail went out this week saying that any further classes are cancelled and to go back to your merchant for financial issues - Drinking Classes itself was my merchant, as opposed to Groupon, itison, etc. so I am at a lost of how to recover my money.

Moreover, my boyfriend is organising a stag event in Manchester and has paid a £250 deposit for 17 people to attend the Whiskey Mavericks class overseen by the same Drinking Classes company. My experience rung alarm bells for him so he has been trying to contact both Whiskey Mavericks and Drinking classes for the past week to put his mind at ease - unfortunately he is suffering the same as me; no response via e-mail or telephone. Compared to my problem, his of £250 and 17 angry men is more troublesome.

We would really appreciate some advice on anybody that we can contact to recover our money.

halibut2209

How did you pay?

Aquamania

clairemcbain wrote: »

My enquiry is about loss of money from a company that is now uncontactable, likely out of business. Earlier in the year I purchased a 'G and Teatime' voucher for myself and my mum for an afternoon tea after previously doing and enjoying the experience with friends. We were booked in for a June date but recieved an e-mail very close to the date saying it would be postponed until August. We re-arranged our plans and this was fine. However, we got the same e-mail before the August date, which was a little strange. I tried to make contact with the G and Teatime company, as well as the overarching 'Drinking Classes' company with no luck via e-mail and telephone. I am still trying with no luck. An e-mail went out this week saying that any further classes are cancelled and to go back to your merchant for financial issues - Drinking Classes itself was my merchant, as opposed to Groupon, itison, etc. so I am at a lost of how to recover my money.

Moreover, my boyfriend is organising a stag event in Manchester and has paid a £250 deposit for 17 people to attend the Whiskey Mavericks class overseen by the same Drinking Classes company. My experience rung alarm bells for him so he has been trying to contact both Whiskey Mavericks and Drinking classes for the past week to put his mind at ease - unfortunately he is suffering the same as me; no response via e-mail or telephone. Compared to my problem, his of £250 and 17 angry men is more troublesome.

We would really appreciate some advice on anybody that we can contact to recover our money.

So was the Company you bought the voucher from Drinking Classes Ltd?

If so they have not disappered (yet). Their website has full contact information (including their current registered address where as a limited company you can send notices to)

However I do note that the company which was incorporated in 2007 has delivered Dormant accounts since 2010 indicating they have not traded from this date.
Admittedly the last submitted accounts were for the year ending 31/08/2012 meaning they are now overdue all of which should have rung alarm bells with you before you parted with your hard earned cash!

Presumably as a result, an application has been filed 09/09/2014 to strike off the company. You may wish to consider appealing against such application if they've taken money from you and not delivered the goods/services ordered.
You might also wish to consider reporting the matter to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06 (especially since in recent years they declared themselves 'dormant')

The company appears to be a one man, or more correctly a one woman, affair, and the registered office (since Sept 2013) appears to be a 'mailbox' type address only (or perhaps she rents an office there).
I often warn against businesses that attempt to hide behind such 'mailbox' type address, and another reason alarm bells should have been ring before both you and your boyfriend both opted to buy from is company.

The previous registered office was a residential address, probably where the sole director lived, but that property was old Dec 2013 so unlikely you will find her there (and probably why the registered address was changed)

Anyway, as a currently active business, you can send notices to them at their registered address. Delivery to the address will be considered delivery to the company.

HTH, and good luck.

Please come back and answer the question posed by the previous poster.
(Why do newbies sign up here, ask a question and immediately log off? :huh:)
The reason asked is that depending on method of payments, (e.g. Credit or Debit Card, Paypal, etc) they may have their own procedures available to help you get your money back if you are not able to do so direct from the seller.

Edit: In spite of all the above, I do see that Drinking Classes Ltd have been selling on Amazon recently. The good news is that Amazon are usually pretty good at resolving issues if you bought through them

Edit2: I don't think they are selling on Amazon anymore. I have seen similar complaints now since July 2014 saying Amazon customers have been unable to contact them. (Oddly at least on person there says they paid by paypal :huh: Since when have Amazon accepted paypal?:huh:)
Those who bought through Amazon and paid via Amazon Payments (and asked) have been refunded, at least one person saying Amazon were 'brilliant' about it.

I also see the individual also had another company called KCO Limited (formally known as Cocktailstars Limited and Cocktailstaff.com Limited)
Was first incorporated 2002 and appeared to offer similar vouchers (at least in the latter years)
However, last accounts for that company were filed 31/01/2010. Initial attempts to strike off the company were unsuccessful (perhaps she appealed, or perhaps other customers who lost out stopped it?)
However, court ordered it to be wound up in February this year and OR was appointed.

She also appears to have set up over the years (and since disbanded) many different websites offering smilar vouchers for sale.

(Again, all this would have rung alarm bells in my mind before I handed over my hard earned cash to any other business that the individual was involved with - unless I knew I would be fully protected and how)

clairemcbain

Hi there,
Aquamania, sorry for the lack of reply - I had expected to be emailed if anyone replied to my posts and hadn't got any then came on today on the offchance anyone had looked at it - so, glad I checked back
Anyway yes, sadly I paid by debit card, which I've since learned is not wise in such a situation and promptly invested in a credit card.
Aquamania, thanks so much for your detailed response. I will take time to digest and look into it and will come back to you
Thanks again,
Claire

wealdroam

clairemcbain wrote: »

Anyway yes, sadly I paid by debit card, which I've since learned is not wise in such a situation and promptly invested in a credit card.

Maybe a chargeback via your debit card would be possible.
Speak to your bank about that.

Might be worth reading MSE's Chargeback article first though.
Note that there are time limits.

frugal_mike

Credit Cards do not generally offer better protection than debit cards unless the goods cost more than £100.

clairemcbain

Hi there Wealdroam, thanks so much for getting in touch. I tried to quote your reply but it won't let me paste links as a newbie apparently. Anyway, read the article and it's certainly worth a try - have dropped my bank a note. Thanks so much for the heads up. Claire

clairemcbain

Hi Aquamania,

Sorry for the delayed response; been looking into some things. As you say, I have reported it to Trading Standards through Citizens Advice.

Yes, the company was Drinking Classes Ltd and I've been in touch with Companies House who have confirmed they are not dissolved yet, as you say, but they have applied to be "struck off." Companies House have explained how we can object to that so we will certainly do that. I have found a discussion on Amazon (as a newbie I can't post links here unfortunately) regarding the Drinking Classes issue and have posted there encouraging other people to follow suit with the objection.

On this discussion forum, people have previously sent notices to them by recorded delivery at the current address and had no luck. As you say it's a mailbox type and she doesn't have space in the office; the reception just call her when she has mail - and, of course, they refused to give out her details.

Your edits show some good investigating - she sounds like a complete crook setting up all these websites.

Any further help or advice gratefully recieved.

Best wishes,
Claire

disgruntled_tenant

Hi,

Thanks for your advice Aquamania - I am also in the same boat. I may be the person you are referring to who used Paypal to purchase - I posted on the Amazon website, even though I didn't buy through Amazon.

I have also contacted the insolvency department today via their online form, so I am waiting for their reply.Citizens advice are also passing this onto Trading Standards.

As I had previously attended one of their events, I assumed that this was a trusted company. Turns out that I was too trusting!

disgruntled_tenant

There are at least 3 threads discussing this company. Would admin be able to merge them? Thanks

hollydays

I've updated one other thread.
The previous residential address was a privately owned /rented? maisonette occupied by a relative.
This relative also has a business and contact details.perhaps they might be able to locate her?......

# 6 hollydays Old Today, 9:59 AM
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http://secure.eventadv.com/RSVP/exhi...%20RELEASE.doc

”This partnership is allowing us to continue our approach of creating bars that are entertainment features at events” says CocktailStars [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM], “We are very happy to be working with Event Prop Hire as we are able to offer the best of both worlds – combining our bar kit and technical expertise to ensure the catering aspect of the bar runs smoothly, into a custom designed set that allows us to enhance the themed entertainment we provide”.

08009561932 is a freephone number she uses for anyone else googling her

From one of the addresses that she was registered with is a link to a company called
https://www.3r-creative-solutions.co.uk
Now at a different address but the director has the same surname as [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM].
E-Mail: roy@3r-creative-solutions.co.uk


Who claim to carry out problem solving training in Surrey
https://www.problemsolvingtraining.com
Last edited by hollydays; Today at 10:45 AM.
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Also
http://directors.findthebest.co.uk/l/897189/Mr-Edward-Roy-O-Neil