Damage to property by SCS who do not accept any responsibility. What can i do?

[airborne1]

Hi I have only just found this site because of searching for solutions to our problem.

 

Me and my girlfriend bought our first sofa together (every one say awwww) from SCS.

 

It came and was great but when the delivery guys left we found that our front door had been damaged by being forced too far back on its hinges and now won't shut properly. When you do manage to force the door shut it is even harder to open and the mortise lock wont go on at all. This makes our house insurance invalid.

 

 

When we phoned up to complain we were initially dealt with by a lovely polite sales assistant and sent her photos of the damage. But then a guy called Tony from the delivery warehouse phoned us back. He was vile! His attitude was aggressive from the start and he said there was no way a bit of fabric and wood could damage a door like that. Anyway, long story short, the 2 delivery guys came back saw the damage and said straight away, yes we have caused this. Very sorry, the company will deal with it.

 

 

Then today I got a call today from the Chester branch manager, Ian Turpin, who listened to my story of events, said he would find out the facts and call me back. He then got Tony to call me back again from the warehouse. He said that the guys who came to look at the damage they had caused returned to the warehouse they told him it was nothing that they had caused and proceeded to , indirectly, call me a liar and trying it on!! I'm afraid I lost my temper with him and hung up. I then called Ian back at the Chester branch who completely backed up his warehouse manager and that SCS consider that they have not caused any damage and that is the end of the matter. When I tried to argue my case with him, he simply hung up on me!! Fuminig!!!

 

I have contacted trading standards and they say that as it is a finance deal that we took out, there is no come back on SCS what so ever and we have to take any complaint up with the finance company, even though it is SCS who have damaged our property and refusing to take any reponsability. Surely there is something I can do? Any ideas?

 

Thanks in advance

Edited November 1, 2013 by citizenB
formatted

[citizenB]

In the first instance you need to put this in writing - head it "formal complaint" and send it to their head office. If you have an email address for them, send it by email and by Recorded delivery post.

 

This obviously doesn't solve the immediate problem in that your home is probably not secure. I will see if I cant find someone who can help.

[renegadeimp]

Write a formal complaint direct to their Head office and give them 14 days to fully rectify the issue before you take legal proceedings. Make sure to mention that your house insurance is currently void while the door is broken.

 

In the complaint, dont ramble on about things. List it concisely. Breakdown what happened and what you want to happen as a form of resolution. Keep it short and sweet and right to the point.

[airborne1]

Thanks guys. I have written a letter. I have coppied and pasted most of it as my original thread. Too rambling maybe? I'll try to review it and be more concise.

We are secure if i give the door a heafty shoulder barge and kick and from the outside if I put both hands through the letter box and pull with all my might. Hardly ideal but better than unsecure. I also have a mate who is a joiner but I didn't want to get it fixed only for SCS to say there you are it must have been fixed all along. They have called me a liar already.

 

Thanks for your help

[citizenB]

If the sofa itself was damaged, I would say TS were correct in that the Finance Company should be responsible. However, this is damage to your property by delivery men, so it is my belief that SCS would need to rectify this.

 

I see no reason why you cant copy your letter to the Finance company with a covering letter advising this is what happened and your letter to SCS is attached. However, if they are responsible for this, perhaps they could deal with it.

 

I would add to the bottom of the SCS letter that you have copied the letter to the Finance Company.

[stu007]

In your Formal Complaint Letter I would also request to be provide copies of the witness statements taken from the Delivery Drivers.

[airborne1]

Just had the store manager on the phone again. Apparently he has witness statements from the delivery guys swearing that the have not caused any damage. This is after them being really nice to me, my girlfriend and our kids and apologising to our face and saying that it was damage they had caused!!

 

The store manager had phoned us to say that we are barred from callling the store any more lol

[citizenB]

I am sorry to hear this. Well, I guess you need to add that little gem to your complaint as well.

 

Of course it wont help that they are getting a shot of bad publicity on the forums.. perhaps they might want to take note of that

[silverfox1961]

Hi,

This is the holding Company of SCS so your formal complaint should go there.

 

A. SHARE & SONS LIMITED

45-49 VILLIERS STREET

SUNDERLAND

SR1 1HA

 

 

Can you say who the finance was with?

[airborne1]

Hi,

This is the holding Company of SCS so your formal complaint should go there.

 

A. SHARE & SONS LIMITED

45-49 VILLIERS STREET

SUNDERLAND

SR1 1HA

 

 

Can you say who the finance was with?

 

Hi

Thanks. I will send my letter there. The finance was with Barclays

[silverfox1961]

During my checks yesterday, I found that SCS ( Can't be bothered typing A. Share & Sons Limited)-Oh! ... Have a credit brokerage licence which made me think they may be getting commission for finance agreements.

 

One other thing I saw was that one of their trading names was House of Fraser!!! I could find NO link to the real HoF

[airborne1]

Thanks again silverfox and everyone else. A heavy postmans / postpersons sac has been dispatched this afternoon.

 

Hopefully something will come of it.

 

It isn't really the damage to the door which is the issue now. That could be repaired well for around £100 I estimate. But it is the attitude we were given when we dared to make a complaint, and then to be told we are lying really is red rag to a bull. Furthermore, my girlfriend went over the sofas with a fine toothcomb last night and found a 1 inch rip just at the bottom on the back of one of the sofas. She is going to make an issue of that now too. It will never be noticed and we probably would have let it go. But not now.

 

This is war baby. lol

 

Thanks again everyone

[raydetinu]

Hope you included photos of the damage.

Get the door fixed, and keep receipts etc. and report to state extent of damage.

Give them 7 days to respond, then take them to small claims court for the cost of the repair and any other expenses, phone calls etc.

[Helen_ScS]

Good Morning,I have recieved this information via Facebook this morning, and just wanted to let you know that I will be contacting you today to discuss this furtherMany ThanksHelenScS Customer Care