Ruined Dress

pvsol

Hello, I wonder if anyone could give me some advice, I bought a dress for my daughters prom from a local shop, they told me when I bought it that they had someone who could do any alterations that might be required and to go back with the dress when she had got her shoes.
I rang when I got the shoes and was asked by the shop owner to go back one Saturday when the shop owner pinned the dress and told me it would be back in a couple of weeks from the seamstress.
When I got the dress back, it was far too short... to cut a very long story short .. the seamstress has said that the only thing she can do is to sew the material she cut off back on and to cover the seam with some sequins.... the seamstress blames the lady in the shop who pinned the dress and the lady in the shop blames the seamstress for doing it wrong.
I today contacted the shop owner to ask for my money back - she says that she cant do anything as she was only helping me out by getting someone to do the alterations and that my contract is with the seamstress. I didnt sign anything when I went into the shop re the alterations and had never met the seamstress before last night when I went to show her the dress.
It is now less than 2 weeks to the prom and I would really like my money back so that I can try to find my daughter a new dress - who would I need to pursue for the cost of the dress and the alterations????

Blacksheep1979

Copy them both in on a letter stating that you don't care how it's solved but you want a non botched dress or a refund - the shop owner is partly at fault for the pinning of the dress (possibly) and made the referal - both of which potentially make her liable, the seamstress (if she botched the job) is liable for that. Let them know that if you don't have a satisfactory solution presented to you within 2 weeks you will start legal action naming both of them as defendants.

Unless they take your threat seriously (and you should follow through if they don't) you're not going to get a refund before the prom I'm afraid.

pvsol

Thank you very much for this, I will write to them both first thing tomorrow, if I have to buy another dress, can I also claim for any difference in price? Could do without all the stress in the middle of GCSE's !!!

Blacksheep1979

You could claim loss of bargain if the other dress was exactly the same but tbh unless it's the same dress from the same manufacturer you're not going to be able to do this. Make sure in the letter you make it clear that you've copied the other one in. Good luck

headoutthesand

why not try contacting consumer advice at your local trading standards office?

My wedding dress burst on the day and I ended up in a similar situation with the manufacturer and the shop. It took a while but once I got TS involved I got my money back