Where is it?

I commissioned a company to make a plant stand for me.

They insisted that I pay a 70% deposit, which I did and I have the paperwork to prove it. They told me the work would be done in 4 - 8 working days. That did not happen and they requested an extension, which I agreed to.

Two months passed without the stand and I requested my money back. Numerous times they said they would deposit the funds and I think it has been 4 months now. Now they won’t pick up my calls and I am not sure whether I need to take them to the police or where to go to get my money back.

Let’s talk about the Consumer Protection Act.

Section 14 (1) of the Act says that when a supplier “undertakes to perform any services for or on behalf of a consumer, the consumer has a right to … timely performance and completion of those services”.

Note that it says “timely performance”. That means they must deliver the services in a reasonable time. Obviously that can vary depending on the circumstances. Some services take longer than others. But these guys told you that it would take just over a week. You were kind enough to give them an extension but I don’t think you meant four months, did you? I don’t think you said they could go silent, did you?

The same part of the Act also says that a supplier must give a consumer “timely notice of any unavoidable delay”. This is actually very simple to understand. Suppliers are required by the law to keep their customers updated on progress and inform them of any delays. But perhaps more importantly, it’s not just the law, it’s good customer service. It’s just reasonable behaviour.

I contacted the supplier and he’s at least talking to me. He claims to be out of the country but I don’t think that should make any difference. I’ll keep the pressure up.

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