Pat Baldwin,
Somerset West
The other day I went to a shop in the Strand to buy a part for my car. I phoned first and told the man what I wanted. I had gone onto the internet to get the proper name other than a “bottle top”.
I flew over there to get the part and it cost me R89. I asked if the man could put it on for me to make sure it fitted properly. He then told me it was the wrong thing and said it was me that had given the wrong instructions.
I denied this, however, luckily he had the right part.
That fitted perfectly and then he said there is a small problem this is cheaper than the first part. Well, that is good, I said, being a pensioner etc. So, are you going to give me the cash difference, or put the first item on my credit card which is how I bought it and then recharge the new one.
No, he said, we don’t do things like that here. He then proceeded to tell me I had to go to my bank to get a letter from them stating that I am a client of theirs and they had to give my account number on the letter. Then I had to present that letter plus a copy of my ID to them and then they would deposit the difference owing to me into my bank account.
Well, to say I was flabbergasted was the understatement of the year. I have never ever heard of such a procedure before. I told him that and said surely for this amount you don’t require me to do that and then come all the way back to the Strand.
To give him credit, he did approach some men in an office but was denied and said I had to do it their way, their accountants were very strict, otherwise I can’t get my refund.
In the end he said I could email the letter as I gave him a copy of my ID while there, but now I find out if I get the letter from my bank I have to pay more for it than my refund.
I have spoken to friends of mine and my son who works in the financial world, and none of them have ever heard of such a system.
I would like to know if anybody out there has had the same experience as this, and if anybody from that firm reads this I can assure you that I will never, if possible, ever buy anything from them again.
Logic tells me they make more work for themselves doing it their way and putting people’s backs up.
