Refund is music to pensioner’s ears
WAS a customer who paid £2,584 for hearing aids about to lose her deposit after problems with the fit prompted her to send them back?
That was Edna Lyons’ worry, she told Crusader, following her purchase of the in-ear devices from healthcare supplier Hearing Health & Mobility, trading as Hearfocus.
The 84-year-old had been looking for something more comfortable than her old NHS aids when she contacted the firm about a home visit.
Several amicable appointments were made by one of the company’s consultants that included a hearing check and moulds fitting.
During the first, she says, she paid £400 by bank card.
But on the second visit she told the consultant that the £2,800 price was too expensive. “She suggested another cheaper pair, which with batteries, cost £2,184 and she made the moulds for me,” said Edna. “But I could not get on with them, they kept falling out. When the consultant visited again I told her and returned them.
“But three days later at the cashpoint I was shocked to see that
■ Hearfocus
£2,184.”
Edna says both she and her granddaughter called the company and a man there told her the £400 was the deposit.
“He said I’d be refunded in three to four weeks but it wasn’t clear about my deposit and that seemed too much to lose and too long to had taken
afurther wait,” she added. Edna, who also has macular degeneration, recalls signing a form but because of her sight problems did not read the terms closely.
We asked the company if it could return Edna’s money as soon as possible and clarify her position regarding the deposit.
Hearfocus director Russell Borland confirmed that as Edna had first assumed, she would get a full refund.This has now been paid.
“Any misunderstanding is regrettable. It was explained to [Mrs Lyons] we could add a lock to the canal fitting to assist,” he added, explaining that when the new hearing system was fitted payment for the balance was taken.
Edna thanked Crusader for our input and urged others to “learn from my experience”.