Difficulties with The Online Home Brew Company

[philmeboots]

Firstly appologies, this may appear long, but I'll try to keep it brief. I will also remain factual throughout.

 

After doing my "research" on the comany, I decided to place orders with this company.

 

It now transpires that the company only allows good reviews to be public facing, in most cases removing bad reviews from wherever they can.

 

This company has no contact numbers or fax numbers as it states that giving these to the general public would hamper their "customer service".

Therefore you can only contact the company by email / letter.

 

I placed two orders on the 23rd and 26th January, with delivery dates advised on their "online system".

 

As the days progressed, it became clear that they didn't have all the items in stock, with the delivery date constantly changing.

 

On the 31st January, I requested that the orders be amended, so that all the items in stock could be grouped together and sent, with the out of stock items being sent at a later date.

 

The order was amended, however, some of the "in stock items" then became "out of stock", again, delivery date changing, and still no sign of any goods.

 

Ok, the orders when placed were debited on 2 different Visa debit cards, for the cost of goods of the originally placed orders.

When the orders were amended, the values on their systems changed, however this didn't affect the total amount debited.

This now poses an issue claiming via my bank, as the value differs from that which was originally debited.

 

On the 6th february, I requested that my orders were cancelled and refunded.

 

I received and email saying that my orders were cancelled on the 7th Febraury, and to allow 10 working days for the refund.

10 working days later and still no money in my account.

 

I sepnt a week emailing the company, with no reply, they have since deleted the online emails.

 

What they seem to forget is that you get email confirmation through, with the enquiry you submit.

 

I then drew their attention to the complaint on facebook, which they responded too very quickly.

 

During this time, I had to cancel one of my debit cards due to compromised security,

I was advised by my bank that any refunds sent to the cancelled card would still reach my account.

 

On the 24th February, they advised that the had now issued the refund.

 

On the 27th February, I received funds onto the active debit card, but nothing into the account with the cancelled debit card.

 

1st March I emailed them again asdvising the same, with them replying that they would speak to their finance department.

 

They then never replied again.

 

6th March, another email sent, no response. 9th March,

 

email sent advising refund had been sent to the cancelled card and to wait 5 working days for funds.15th March,

still no refund, and still no response to my email.

 

I've submitted a complaint to trading standards as they are now in breech of distance selling regulations.

 

I'm also no in the process of filling in an N1 form to claim through the courts.

 

Is there any advice apart from avoid this company,

that anyone can give please?

 

I can't go back to facebook, as they have a statement on their website,

which I can see why they say it, that anyone using Facebook in a bad way would be blocked and reported to facebook.

 

I've since had messages from a lot of other people in a similar boat to me.

 

Ironically, I placed similar orders with a different company and I recieved my goods within 48 hours.

[johnvernon74]

Have you asked your bank to confirm monies not paid back to cancelled card?

[philmeboots]

Yes, I've spoken to my bank. They have advised that there are no transactions for the cancelled card. They have also advised that sometimes, the funds don't go back to the cancelled card.I've asked the company to send the money back to the other card used for the other order, however they appear to choose to ignore this. My bank have advised to write to Visa Debit Disputes, so that they can look into it for me. However this mayy atake a lengthly period of time.

[dx100uk]

demand a chargeback

 

http://whatconsumer.co.uk/visa-debit-chargeback/

 

dx

[philmeboots]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

 

I've been told Visa can't do that, as the amount of the refund differs from the orginal transaction after the company re-amended the orders.

 

If I chose that route, I would still have to go trhough the whole process for the difference from the refund and original transaction.

 

I've got to submit proof to the Visa disputes team relating to correspondance from the company, and also evidence of the change in order which affects the value of the refund.

 

I place 2 different orders with 2 cards.

 

They refunded a lower amount to the working card and I'm still waiting for the higher amount on the cancelled card

 

.If I'm being honest, I've had poor service from companies, but resoloutions have been easier to come by than this.

 

The amount of time I've spent chasing the moeny is ridiculous. And not having a contact number.....

 

.... It's just plain stupid.

[dx100uk]

your are not after a refund

you are after the two transactions being cancelled and the money placing back in the accounts [closed or otherwise]

 

the investigation can be done afterwards

 

as for the refund you have, then you can give that back when it sorted.

 

dx

[philmeboots]

I'm a little worried. Within the last 24hours, the company has disappeared of the face of the earth, literally. I've not been able to chase VISA in the last couple of days, I plan on doing so tomorrow. If the company has gone belly up, does that mean I won't even get any money back?

[assisted blonde]

Is this company called Homebrew Ltd? if it is then the the company was dissolved on 1/3/2012 if the company have no assets then you will not get anything from them even if you are a creditor. If it is not this company if you could give the correct name/co reg number then I can check it out for you to see if they are still trading

[philmeboots]

I'm not 100% sure. The details I have is

 

The Online Shopping Company

Units 5 Parkside Centre

Potters Way

Southend On Sea

Essex

SS2 5SJ

 

The online homebrew company is part of the above trading name, with the same address. Both websites in the tab sections say "this is no longer available" for both companies. I have a feeling, even if it's not the same company as you mentioned, they've still gone in a puff of smoke. The last communication I had with this company was on the 9th March. It's a little strange that their facebook page has gone too. This company only had three ways to contact them, by email through their website, through their facebook page or by writing too them. They blocked anyone who put a negative comment on their facebook page and tried to remove all bad reviews submitted to various companies, so at face value when you research the company, they always looked good. That is until you start digging a little deeper.

[philmeboots]

Update

 

It appears that the company has ceased trading, according to a review submitted 12 hours ago on trustpilot, the bailiffs went in last week. So sadly, there goes my money.......

[floyd baggins]

Oh dear,

I have come across the site this evening and been reading the posts with a little disappointment, but also probably if I am really honest, without surprise.

 

It looks like Im not the only one to have been totally dupped by this company.

 

I have been waiting for my refund since January.

 

I have been on and on at them via their web site but they were so bad at communicating.

 

Been so frustrating.

 

Kept getting replies that my issue was being dealt with, and general "holding pattern" replies from them.

 

I even have two emails stating that my money was being refunded.

But still nothing.

 

Was starting to think that I needed to actually write a letter or try and different tack.

 

Then went to go online to my account in their web site at the weekend...and they have completely gone!

 

'Assisted blonde' mentioned needing the details to look to see if they are trading...

as I had previously tried to do some digging around on the web looking for a telephone number,

 

I came across the following details:

 

Online Shopping Company (address as above post by Philmeboots) VAT number 976180783 Reg number 06958394.

 

Also found out the names of three directors - James Hendry Hamilton; Damon Richard Parsons and Lee Anthony Taylor...

as I was planning to addres my letter to them in the hope of getting my money back.

 

 

Doesnt look likely now.

I feel totally dis-heartened about this situation.

 

Grateful to hear if anyone else has luck in obtaining refunds via VISA etc...

as I think this is my only possibility now.

[dx100uk]

chargeback goes for atleast 120days.

 

dx

[floyd baggins]

Thanks DX. Am pursuing that line with my credit card now.

[francine25]

Just to let you all know, one of the compnay directors was my ex and father to my daughter. he refused to pay csa payments, the company was then trading as ESUASION LTD... he told me that he would take the company down if csa got too close, which he did. They immediately restarted the company as the-online-shopping-company .... the csa appeal is due in the next few weeks, and once again puff the company disappears. Buyers beware as this company will resurface under a different name. I wish you all luck as unfortunately I can't get a penny of the 16000 owed to me.

[francine25]

I actually posted over a year ago on a thread that made a complaint about esuasion to warn people that they were restarting the company and their previous history and my post was removed followed by threatened legal action in a text by him.

[francine25]

Please beware this company are also trading as TOSCUK on amazon selling stock off from their other sites, I should think the good reviews were as usual left by themselves!!

[floyd baggins]

:whoo:Yipee...I finally have had a positive result! My credit card just refunded me £75. Wow, I am so chuffed, as its something I had almost given up on. Many thanks DX100uk for advice and other previous posters. This site is so cool! If I hadnt come across you I would have stuggled in knowing how to take this forward. Once I contacted my credit card company I had to fill in a dispute form. Fortunately I was able to provide them copies of emails from the Online Shopping Company stating that they were "processing my refund"...yeah, right, pull the other one you naughty lads of the bogus online shopping company...karma will make you pay eventually for all your wrongdoings!!!