Seller beware

After reading your article on second-hand camera sales here is my experience. Do not send your equipment to Peter Walnes, who used to advertise in AP.

In March and July of 2020 I sent him my three medium format

cameras with lenses, all mint and boxed, for an agreed commission price of £8,000 when sold (all recorded on email). I had previously sold gear through him and had no trouble. This time it sold quickly but I had to keep chasing for the payment. Stupidly, I then sent the second pair of medium format cameras with cases, lens hoods and

lters, as before, for the agreed price. He told me he had buyers for them. I saw them go on his eBay shop and they sold within days, but the money was not forthcoming. I was given endless excuses: an

HMRC bill, cameras held up in customs, a 14-day trial acceptance period for buyers, liquidating a pension scheme, and endless profuse apologies, saying he would pay within seven days, but no money.

In October I got a solicitor on to it, as a result of which he eventually offered to repay the outstanding amount in ten weekly payments. The

rst two came in on time, the next three were late, then they stopped altogether. My solicitor then instigated court proceedings, which resulted in a Court Judgement Order for monthly payments, which has been ignored. The last I heard the Court is sending in the High Court Enforcement Of cers. He still owes me £2,500 plus costs, some of which I cannot claim. With interest this will have almost cost me as much as he still owes me, having had my money since last March.

If anybody else has experienced this with him please get in contact via AP, who can pass on my email address. Perhaps we can get together to bring him to book.

We contacted Mr Walnes about this in December and agreed to suspend publication of this letter until Easter to allow him time to settle his debt, which he promised to do. We also suspended his advertising. This promise has not been kept.