More Nightmares than Dreams!

[Helen BD]

I went into our local Dreams store with my husband on December 29th 2012 as we needed a new bed.

I'm disabled & a wheelchair user, so I thought an adjustable bed would be the way to go.

 

With the help of the assistant we picked out the bed, placed the order and picked up some bedding to go with it.

The finance was arranged and we paid a large deposit.

We were told that the bed should be with us by the end of January.

 

The following day, as we had found the bedding cheaper elsewhere, we returned it to the shop

and also asked if we could amend our order so we could have drawers in the base of the bed.

 

The same assistant told us that wouldn't be a problem and said that rather than giving us a refund on the bedding

(because that had to go through customer services) the value could go partially towards the extra cost of the drawers.

As there was still an outstanding amount for the drawers, we paid that later by the same debit card that we used to pay the deposit.

 

We received a letter from Dreams dated 8th January confirming that the bed should be with us by week starting 28th January.

The remainder of the extra cost of the drawers was paid by phone during the week 21st January.

The call was made to us by the SAME assistant who originally served us in the shop.

 

On the evening of 4th February I called the shop as we had not received the bed or any call to arrange its delivery.

I was told by the store that it was best if I contact Simmons (Sleepeazy) directly to find out what was happening.

 

So I called them on 5 February to be told that Dreams had placed a block on the order.

She said that I would need to contact Dreams to get the block removed.

 

Immediately I called Dreams who said that it was due to a computer glitch and the block would be removed straight away.

During that week both my husband and I called the shop to try to sort out what was by now a mess and we were given different messages by different shop staff.

 

On 9th February I went into the shop again to find out what was happening to my bed.

I was told that the block had been removed and Simmons would contact my shortly to arrange delivery.

 

By 12th February we STILL had no bed or received any call regarding delivery.

I called Simmons to see what was going on.

 

I went over the story again and I was told that the bed was at the delivery depot and we should receive a call to arrange the delivery.

I asked to speak to a manager.

The manager came on the phone and said that he would contact the delivery depot to find out what was happening there

& call my husband back (I was at work and could not be contacted) in half an hour.

No call was received.

 

That evening, after finding out that the manager had not contacted my husband, I called the store AGAIN.

The assistant there said that he would call Simmons the next morning and would call me back at home with whatever information he could get.

I told him that if the bed was not delivered to my home by the end of Friday 15th February,

I would be cancelling the order and buying a bed elsewhere.

 

On 13th February I called Simmons for information and told them that the manager did not call us back as promised.

Their representative said that she would contact the delivery depot and then call me back at home.

She called me back a short while later and said that I would receive a call from the delivery depot on Thursday 14th February to arrange delivery on Friday 15th February.

She even PROMISED me that I would have my bed on Friday.

 

Less than an hour later, I received a call from the assistant at the shop who also said that I would get the bed on Friday

as the delivery firm had not put their delivery schedule together yet.

 

I reminded him that if I didn't have the bed by then I would be cancelling the order.

 

When I returned home from work on Thursday 14th February I was told by my husband that we had not received any call.

So AGAIN I called Simmons to be told this time that delivery was down for Saturday 16th February.

By now I was furious.

 

I explained to her that as my husband was self-employed he did not book any work in for the Friday so he could be home for the promised delivery.

AGAIN I asked to speak to a manager,

AGAIN he was going to contact the delivery depot,

AGAIN he was going to call me back.

 

A few minutes later he called me back just to say that there was nothing he could do,

that the delivery was down for Saturday and the delivery schedule had been put in place 2 days before.

 

AGAIN I went down to the store, this time to cancel the order.

( I have to add here that I was unable to get into the store without the help from another customer!)

 

I spoke to a very rude manager who, in short, told me that there was nothing he could do and I should wait for the Saturday delivery.

When I told him that wanted to cancel my order, I was told that this would have to be done by calling customer services.

As I was leaving I asked for help with the door so I get out stating the shop was not DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant.

At that the rude manager shouted at me from towards the back of the shop that he was "going to help me anyway". I was humiliated!

 

On Friday 15th February I called customer services who, initially wanted to charge me to cancel my order,

eventually took my instruction and agreed to arrange a full refund of all the money I had already paid.

He confirmed the full amount I was to expect, which matched the figures I have.

He also confirmed that I would receive the funds into my account in 3 - 5 working days.

He told me that any complaints and requests for compensation would have to be put in writing.

I have written my letter, sent it by recorded delivery and now I'm waiting for a response.

I've asked for an amount covering my husband's loss of earnings and compensation.

 

On Wednesday 20th February we received a receipt through the post for the refund only to find that it was £111 short.

 

AGAIN I called customer services who couldn't work out why there was a shortfall.

 

He was going to contact the store and call my husband back on Thursday 21st February.

When I told the representative that I had requested loss of earnings,

I was told that it was company policy not to pay this,

 

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THEIR ERROR.

No call has been received today.

I have to call them AGAIN tomorrow (Friday 22nd February) to deal with another one of Dreams' broken promises.

 

Has anyone else had any problems like this with Dreams or Simmons?

[i hate bailiffs]

too many phone calls!

you need to write to dreams

as you paid by debit card you should be able to get charge back for the balance still owing

[Helen BD]

thanks. the calls were made while was trying to sort out the delivery. I have written to Dreams & I'm still waiting for a response.

[renegadeimp]

ALso, how did you pay for it? If by CC, then chargeback is the way to go.

[letsmakeamark]

Not with dreams but paul simons. I have a feeling that because these shops are able to pop up everywhere they dont seem to have much of a customer service.

[MCBIRNIE25]

Hello,

i took on Dreams over their failure to deliver to me within a reasonable timeframe and won. I emailed the CEO of DREAMS directly. I got a response form his team within 24 hours and the issue and refund was all processed within 5 days.

I would go straight to the very top if i were you.

 

Regards,

 

Mike