Can i get my money back

Heather28

I have been paying something off over a few months. I have basically been buying a vivarian for a bearded dragon. The sales person said a 3 foot tank woukd be all i needed but after doing research i have found this isnt recommended or suitable. I have paid £350 so far and there is still another £70 to pay but the stuff i am getting with it isnt suitable after speaking to a vet and other bearded dragon experts. I can get a much better vivarium for half the price. I havent got the one i have been paying for so far so am i entitled to my money back or do i pay out more money and put it down to experience.

pinkshoes

Have you spoken to the sales person about what the vet said?

See what they say first, although it really was up to you to do your research before purchasing, so no right to a refund.

Perhaps they will exchange it, but otherwise you will just need to sell it on.

neilmcl

How big is the bearded dragon, is it an adult or baby?

I agree, it's up to you to do your research but depending on the sort of place you purchased your vivarium from they also have a duty of care when offering advice, after all they are supposed to be the experts. Where did you purchase it from, was it a reptile specialist?

soolin

Heather28 wrote: »

I have been paying something off over a few months. I have basically been buying a vivarian for a bearded dragon. The sales person said a 3 foot tank woukd be all i needed but after doing research i have found this isnt recommended or suitable. I have paid £350 so far and there is still another £70 to pay but the stuff i am getting with it isnt suitable after speaking to a vet and other bearded dragon experts. I can get a much better vivarium for half the price. I havent got the one i have been paying for so far so am i entitled to my money back or do i pay out more money and put it down to experience.

A simple google search suggests an adult beardie would be roomy and comfortable in a 4 ft Viv, but there is no hard and fast legal 'rule' so selling you a 3ft Viv wouldn't necessarily be considered not suitable for purpose. Do you have anything in writing from the salesman and how much research did you actually do before you went out and bought a live animal? Can you prove the salesman told you it would be suitable when beardie was adult, and didn't just sell you a started Viv expecting you to upgrade? I have seen properly researched set ups with vivs less than 4ft, but with beardies that were known to be from a smaller size stock (captive bred so size would have been known) or with the set up designed to allow for climbing (obviously make sure animal is protected from heat lamp if viv designed for climbing).

My sons keep reptiles and it s upsetting to see so many people rush out and buy these lovely creatures with absolutely no prior research , with Google searches and reptile forums all over the net there's really no excuse for just buying the first thing you see.

However, I am very concerned at the cost of your one, £350 for a viv is very very high end - why did you choose this and does the price actually reflect loan interest rather than the cost of the VIV. One of my sons had a system built for him by a reptile company that specialises in Viv, purpose built size and a stackable system with back up heating and power and safety switches ashe runs several vivs- each modular unit of that cost around £220, custom built to his own size requirement.

Whether or not you can get your money back will depend on what you can prove the salesman said, and would your loan/credit agreement says and what you have signed. If you plan to go down a legal route then it might be better to pay for some proper legal advice.

Just the first thing that popped up on google:

http://vivariumworld.co.uk/blog/right-size-bearded-dragon-vivarium/

SouthUKMan

The best thing to do is to share your concern with the shop owner / manager. Keep it friendly and factual and state that your vet has raised a concern that 3ft is too small. The retailer might offer a resolution - such as offering to exchange the vivarium for a larger one if you pay the difference.

The fact that you say you could have got a better vivarium elsewhere for half the price is down to you. That's not the retailer's fault. You could have done more research before parting with your money.

I'm not sure why you say you "haven't got the one I have been paying for". The retailer made a recommendation and you accepted it. As another poster suggested, what is considered suitable can be subjective - and at the end of the day I'm sure the retailer would have loved to have sold you a bigger vivarium as it would no doubt mean more profit. Because of that I can't see any malice. I know nothing about running vivariums, but it might be that a 3ft one is considered 'ok' but 4ft is considered 'ideal'.

Can you get your money back? Probably not, unless the retailer is a very, very kind business owner.

One thing you definitely shouldn't do though (just in case it has crossed your mind) is to stop making payments as this could quickly land you in hot water.

LilElvis

I would expect the seller would allow you to pay the extra to upgrade to a bigger tank with the required accessories, especially as you haven't collected the one you are currently paying for.

neilmcl

LilElvis wrote: »

I would expect the seller would allow you to pay the extra to upgrade to a bigger tank with the required accessories, especially as you haven't collected the one you are currently paying for.

I suspect it's more about this now

Heather28 wrote: »

I can get a much better vivarium for half the price.

Buyer's remorse?