I have to admit I find it suprising that people are prepared to accept such treatment and do nothing more than complain about it to everyone else.
I would expect that Hunter Systems probably get a great deal of faults and returned items due to nothing more than incorrect fitting so the response, whilst not always justifiable, is probably to be expected. However, as with so many things nowadays, the initiative has to be taken by the customer and followed through. Once vendors realise that you have a justifiable case and that you are prepared to see it through to the end you will almost certainly get your money back.
A year and a half ago I purchased a wooden tool chest from Rotagrip in Birmingham, based on what I had seen of it on top of thier stand at an enginering show. When I received it it was a bit dissapointing as it was basically cheap Chinese tack. My own fault, I should have looked closer first. Anyway I repaired the broken bits and waxed up the runners, freed up and oiled the locking pins and polished the casing until it came out presentable.
!0 months later the sides and the top started to split. I contacted Rotagrip who messed me around until they came out with the response that, according to thier expert(??) I had stored it near a window or I had put it near to machinery and it had been splashed with coolant. As it happens it was in a workshop in my house with under floor heating, no-where near a window or coolant and probably in the best possible conditions it could be. (See my workshop in Nigels competition thread, the new chest is in the same place below the Bismarck) In also know a thing or two about wood and I know poorly seasoned cheap wood when I see it. So I spoke to them and the bottom line was that they were not prepared to do anything as thier importer has never come across such a thing before.
At this point I could have given up and complained endlessly about the appalling treatment but I wasn't prepared to accept that. Firstly I spoke to my local Trading Standards Authority who advised me to get an indepandant report written, which I did. Then I wrote a number of letters, including the report, which were all ingnored until I sent the final one on a Trading Standards Authority template and commenced proceedings to take the case through a small claims court.
It only costs 30.00 pounds to take an item through a small claims court up to the value of 500.00 pounds. If you have done your homework and present your case according to the advice you are in with a good chance of winning. Anyway Rotagrip eventually realised I wasn't giving up so they sent me a cheque for a full refund.
Even if you are talking about small items you should do everything you can to make you claim and most vendors, if they realise that you are justifiable in your claim will usually pay up. They are of course constantly up against people who are trying it on to get something for nothing so it is not suprising that they are sometimes reluctant.
I was even ripped off once by an Ebay seller to the tune of 25.00 pounds for a transmitter. Trading Standards said it wasn't worth chasing so I had a chat with the Police. They agreed that I was a victim of fraud and investigated the claim with the guy, who turned out to be a schoolboy, at the other end of the country. When his father got involved I got my money back.
Just a couple of experiences that I hope will encourage people to follow through a justifiable claim and make you realise that you have the means available to see through such issues.
