The story has concluded.
All the gear has now been picked up and they've had the drill fixed. They stopped 50 quid out of my deposit - 40 for parts and 10 for labour. I thought it was a bit steep, but since they already had my money, I wasn't in a good bargaining position. If I'd have had more time I'd have argued the toss endlessly but as it was I just grumbled and paid.
Presumably, they had already given up any hope of repeat business...
Cheers,
Colin.
Why don't you name them here?...
On Thursday 27 June 2013 17:02 Colin Stamp wrote in uk.d-i-y:
Name please...
It's The Milton Keynes branch of M&J :-
Cheers,
Colin.
If it's a chain, I'd contact head office and complain. Might just be a local manager making a bit on the side.
M&J is a chain - they have a branch here.
And it could be a subtler scam than first appeared - scare with 500 quid bill, obviously faked. Then the 50 quid one will get paid without a blink.
The thought had occurred to me too, but more with the 50 quid bill as a consolation prize should the big one fail.
My guess though, is that they really did spot the damage first when the breaker came back from me (whether it had been there all along we'll never know). They noted that I was a DIYer who probably wouldn't be a big loss if I got pissed off and they decided to try it on. Cheeky bastards.
Cheers,
Colin.
That is dangerous, they could quite easily and justifiably add further hire charges, and penalties for late return.
I'm temptedt to write them ans ask the MK branch if they have any ex-rental Makita ratty old breakers for sale.
Colin Stamp put finger to keyboard:
You should ask to see the repaired drill.
If it's a sensible scam, they'll have a bust part hanging around to put on to show the punter it's bust, and a good one to put back on for the actual rental.
Clive George put finger to keyboard:
True - but that's more effort than simply telling the customer he broke it and they fixed it. Path of least resistance and all that.
So you tell then to f*ck off.
So they hang on to his 200 quid.
So he hangs on to their several grand Genie.
If it were me I'd find out who the managing director is and put the case to him in writing. Also I believe they have a trade association and probably like many it exists for the benefit of its members but one might hope that they see cases like this in a differing light and might ask their member to adhere to their rules of practice..
Seems to me the branch manager is either on the make or fiddle somewhere..
I've not hired from that firm but the few I have done so with I've had very good service from. One in Wisbech we had a faulty breaker from not only did they come out in a van with a replacement they were very perfuse with apologies and refunded half the rental charge as compensation not that we were actually inconvenienced that much if at all;!....
By now we can be sure that the total cost to the company far exceeds the £50 they made out of you.
Assuming that the company actually saw the £50....!
Yep. They'll lose more than that in business from me alone. It's a shame but now the trust has gone, there's no way to salvage any kind of business relationship.
Cheers,
Colin.
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