van repairs

tezza · Senior Member

van repairs

Ma · Guru

Might I suggest that you run it by Cindy first. She will let you know if you are pushing the boundaries.

Ma

Webmaster · Guru

Hi Tezza,
I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with your current van repairer. Although I can certainly sympathise with you, I don't feel that naming the person/company involved on the forum is appropriate. I think it may open up a can of worms and we may find ourselves swamped with negative posts ... and possible legal issues.
Perhaps you could take the matter to the Consumer Affairs Agency. They might be able to help - and also telling your repairer that you are planning to take the matter further may frighten them into sorting things out for you. Best of luck with it.

tezza · Senior Member

but isn't the idea of forum to provide info to each other. surely forewarned is better than bitten. If only facts are posted where could legal challenge come in?

xina · Guru

Maybe Tezza could name the Area, and then PM people who enquire about it?
Cheers,
xina.

-- Edited by xina on Wednesday 15th of July 2009 08:11:05 PM

Webmaster · Guru

Point taken, Tezza. I'm sure you've got a valid case. However, I can see potential problems if multiple posters were to begin using this forum to regularly name individuals or businesses where they have had problems. It would just be impossible for me to verify the facts of each case and I wouldn't feel comfortable with that situation. I hope you understand.
.

Ma · Guru

I think Xina has a valid point. It would be on a "needs to know" basis and then only to those who PM Tezza

Wombat 280 · Guru

Ma. sounds good to me, the more people who are aware of the poor performance of certain sections of the industry the better off the industry will be in the long run, but that's a job better suited to Consumer Affairs if they take on your case .

Problem with going public is there are just as many out there have are over the moon with the job they had done . Can only please some of the people some of the time

tezza · Senior Member

understood, that's fine.

kesue · Senior Member

Hi Tezza its a shame we cant warn each other about shonky services and workers as this seems the ideal place to do it, after all we say when we have good service so why not bad. As for the consumer affairs...dont hold your breath, my experience is they are a useless dept. with very limited powers put there by the government to make us think they are looking after our interests. Good nluck with your dealings with the repairers. Keith

dave06 · Guru

mate sorry to hear about your bad experience but I wouldnt go naming names, these shonks have a way of heading to court very quickly and the consumer almost always loses

unless you have a hefty bank balance to hire some high class silk I wouldnt name anyone, it could get very ugly for you and the nomads as a website for allowing these things to be said

sad but true is the fact that we the general populace are the "cash cows" and are here only to be milked

Disco Duck · Guru

Just one more thing on the agenda for the revolution Dave...............please take notes.

More thieving Mongrels!!

Cruising Granny · Guru

Tezza, if you've explored all your options and are still not satisfied with the work and/or the amount charged you need to get in contact with Prices and Consumers.
You may also need to get legal assistance with your issues with the repairer.
Bad-mouthing a business will only get you into possible legal trouble, and none of us would like to see that happening.
If it's a general issue with a van fault and the steps you've taken to get it amended then you can be public about it.
If you think we can help you, or advise you in any way to get a resolution, then by all means tell us the problem generally, and I'm sure your fellow Nomads will come to your aid.
Bitter revenge is never sweet no matter how cranky you are. Have a cuppa or stronger, take a deep breath and think about your options. We're with you in spirit. Cheers Chris

Wombat 280 · Guru

kesue wrote:

Hi Tezza its a shame we cant warn each other about shonky services and workers as this seems the ideal place to do it, after all we say when we have good service so why not bad. As for the consumer affairs...dont hold your breath, my experience is they are a useless dept. with very limited powers put there by the government to make us think they are looking after our interests. Good nluck with your dealings with the repairers. Keith

Kesue.

My point exactly, In ten years I have had two trips to Consumer Affairs and both times it worked well for me and I got full satisfaction, one with a car dealer another with a builder.

The builders licensing board didn't want to know me, Now if you want a wasted space then try the BLB , more interested in making sure DIY home renovators get a builder licenec so the builders super fund can grow, They were the ones that started the Gold Licence racket.

kesue · Senior Member

I was parked on the next site to a poor buggar in NSW who had bought a brand new van and had the most appalling problems with it. He took it to the dealers and thye did not want to know and then he tried other dealers who would not touch it because the caravan manufacturerers were not paying their bills. They went to the com. aff. in Canberra who rang the dealers who supplied the van and they abused the C.A. whilst the people were in their office. Last I heard they were taking the company who sold them to court...and I just hope they won. These shonky people survive because they know that the majority of people will eventually give up. I sometimes think we should be more like the french who fight and protest for everything they beleive in (especially their farmers) Keith

tezza · Senior Member

the problem is not shonky work, it is no work. Despite having van for 7 weeks and insurance company approval and knowing we wanted to head west on 4/7(was ensured this would be ok) up until yesterday nothing has been touched. Insurance co. is trying to get in touch(difficult when they do not return calls or answer emails) to see if they can get any sense out of them. I got that fed up with them not calling back I drove 320k to see them yesterday only to be told the boss was not in and was not answering his phone.

Basil Faulty · Guru

Can I give you a "sort of legal" opinion?

If you name someone on the net who is NOT SHONKY and we are talking consumer law here then they have every right to seek redress via litigation or other legal means. If they are shonky then they simply bluff and bluster with threats etc and would not seek redress as it simply costs too much and they are going to be found out and publically shamed....

Caravan repairers that I encounter all seem to be dodgy one put a different profile cladding on the side of one van I had repaired, another got done by the insurance company for fraud and another was also read the riot act by the insurance company for claiming to have replaced parts ie a stove that was not actually replaced.....

Maybe a good policy to only post the names of places/businesses that give decent service and if you have a beef your local consumer affairs office should be able to help except in the ACT where the office of Consumer complaints is a waste of time and instead ACT Consumers should contact Graham Downie at Voters Voice.

Not Good Enough is a website for Aussies who get the finger from repairers and some of the stories in there are unbelievable...

http://www.notgoodenough.org/

Ma · Guru

If we are talking about "good repairers" then the bloke here in Ulladulla is top notch in my book. Well at the moment at least. We had a lot of work done on our Penguin, and he couldn't have been more helpful. He is very conscious of the quality of his workmanship and is up front with costs. Comparing the work he did and the quotes from a place 40 minutes away our bloke came in way ahead and did an excellent job.

Will have no hesitation in using him again should the need arise and no hesitation in recommending him to anyone either resident or just passing through.

Ma

Cruising Granny · Guru

Tezza you really have a problem, and so it seems, does the insurance company.
You obviously have them on your side, and that has to be a good thing.
The other thing you may do is approach the van building company who may also support you in your repairer's slackness.
It's just irresponsible business practice for them to be so far behind in their work particularly on an insurance job. Clearly they won't get anymore insurance work from that company.
It seems you have a lot of people in your corner, so between all of you the repairer will either succumb to pressure or shut down his business. This will create another problem.
You van may be locked in the yard when he leaves town.
Obviously his business practice must be getting up the noses of his other customers.
Maybe a word in the ear of the the current affairs TV programs.
Be honest when stating your situation from beginning to now, state the absolute facts, the number of attempts you've made to contact the repairer, the insurance company's name so they TV researchers can contact them as well. The media may also be able to find the owners of other vans waiting to be repaired to see what their story is.
If they pick up your story and it goes to air, it may generate more comments from other grumpy customers.
The insurer may suggest another repairer if they haven't paid the slacko, and I hope they haven't because that's fraud to claim on jobs that aren't done yet.
Gee, can of worms slightly understates your dilemma. Right is might, and if everything is in your favour you have a good story and a good case against this bloke.
Keep in contact with your insurer. They have a lot of power in these matters, and they have a legal team to back them up.
I'm really sorry to hear your plans have had to be put on hold because of this gherkin. Keep up the pressure. Cheers Chris