Small claims court and Facebook businesses

mailmannz

Hi team,

I’ve run in to an issue with a local business run through Facebook where basically I paid for a service but over the course of 6 weeks that service was delivered only once.
 

Because of that level of non-delivery I decided to cancel and ask for a refund of what I paid in advance and they are now refusing the refund me because they have to fill that spot with a new client:

The question I have is, if I go down the small claims court path how do you raise a “complaint” when they don’t have a physical business address? As they basically work from Home does that mean I have to stalk them to discover their home address for the small claims papers to be delivered to?

Thanks in advance.

user1977

In short, yes, you need a physical address for them. Which is why it's a bad idea to start doing business with anybody if you're not sure where to find them in real life.

pinkshoes

Yes, you will need to stalk them to get their home address.

Start by online directories and looking at their profile. Do you have their full name?

Have you checked the wording of your contract vs what was delivered? You could always start by an online review if that's where they get their business. Send them a firm message saying you paid £X for XYZ which they didn't deliver, so you are now seeking a refund of £Z (refund less the one time they did deliver on service) and let them know if they don't refund within 14 days you will take legal action as well as leaving factual reviews online.

The threat of bad online reviews (screenshots of business and posts in local groups letting others know you got ripped off) will hopefully make them refund.

macman

If it's a ltd company, then just serve the papers to the company's registered address on CH. If a sole trader, then as above you'll have to trace them first.
But always send an LBA before you go to small claims process (there is no such thing as the small claims court, it's a county court action via the small claims process).

Ectophile

If it's a company, check the details at Companies House https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company

If it's a person, acting as a sole trader, you need their address,