Update on dress situ

Oh hun! If I were you I would get my mum & a close friend (or sister) to help me ring round bridal shops for ex sample dresses that I could try on. Then, I'd go to Citizens Advice, explain the whole situation to them & ask them to confirm my rights. I'd then go back to the shop, tell them to cancel the replacement & if they don't give me a full refund I shall be seeking legal advice as I've been to Citizens Advice and I am fully aware of my rights!! I would also mention I am a member of a very large wedding forum & will be warning all other members of the horrendous service. Sweetheart don't trust them, look for an alternative & fully explain your situation to all other bridal shops, I am sure they will bend over backwards to help a bride in need!

There are a few lovely shops that have offered to sell me anything off the peg. I have told them to cancel the replacement as want refund but they are refusing. I dont want to wait until two days before i go to see if they come up with the goods.

I don't blame you!! I can't believe they've done this! Do not let them get away without refunding you, Citizens Advice will give you free legal advice & they will get your money back for you xx

So sorry you are having such a horrendous problem. Are trading standards willing to get involved straight away to get you a refund? I'd agree that it is definitely time to be looking for a replacement elsewhere, you've been let down so badly that it is indescribable , and yet they still have the audacity to ask you to trust them !!

I wish you the very best of luck !

L x

When you try to speak to someone VERY high up in head office you are told "we don't know who that is" and then "no comment". Trading Standards told us that we are entitled to a refund. Its disgusting really. I feel so stressed.

Did you pay with your credit card?

Some of it but mostly on switch.

It might be worth your while getting a free initial consultation with a solicitor. I think if it were me I would be sorting out a new dress, getting on with enjoying the build up to the wedding and then taking them to the small claims court when you get back.

have you tried sending OH in to speak to them?

I'm sorry I can't offer any advice, but you have my sympathy! I can't imagine how you're feeling, but you've motivated me to get the dress sorted earlier than I'd planned.

I really hope you get the dress, and I also hope you get compensation for all this mess.

My goodness Gheko thats awful!

Have you been there in person (to the shop I mean) and demanded a refund?

Might be harder to fob you off if you're there in person!

is this a Franchise?

I have been to the shop who say they can't authorise refund. Phoned head office countless times. It is a large company.

Mention citizens advice & solicitors and I'll bet they suddenly develop the ability to process refunds!!

How awful. I agree with 3d jewellery; 'park' this issue to one side for the moment (although understandably you'll still be fuming) and take them to court once the wedding and honeymoon are over. Find another dress elsewhere and try to put them out of your mind for now.

If you are determined to take action now, Citizen's Advice is a very good suggestion but it can take a while to get an appointment with them and it will probably also mean time off work - not sure how practical that is in the run up to your wedding. You could also try putting your complaint in writing to both the shop and head office; I find this sometimes spurs people in to action.

It's good that you have got Trading Standards involved; could they not take some enforcement steps on your behalf?

I don't know what I would do in your situation but a full refund would be standard practise having worked in mangement in retail. Did you get a photo of the dress and the sample that you tried before you ordered it! Is the designer label in the dress that has come in. Just make sure you have evidence and then I would make initial enquiries with solicitors write a letter with copies of the photos to send to head office use as many staff names as you can and then park it till after your wedding, I think I would be goign for compensation as well!

Hopefully you have the budget to get another dress off the shelf if you find one you love you will feel a lot better than you do now and try enjoy your wedding !

I agree with the majority here, look for alternatives, I would go to the shop with company and state that you have involved trading standards after advice from a lawyer, and see what they say, If no joy then wait until after your wedding to pursue further, the fact that the dress they originally got in was a copy could get them in very hot water indeed !!!!! , I know it's hard but don't let them spoil the run up to your special day, go and find a dress that you love just as much

I know it isnt ideal but do you have any kind of a budget for a second dress?

If you give us an idea of budget and size and style we could start finding you a dress, maybe someone on here has one they would lend you or sell.

I would phone a solicitors immediately.

Can you get trading standards to give you something in writing to say you're entitled to a refund?

If you can I'd take this into the shop to show them, maybe mention you're contacting a lawyer for advice, if they still don't give you a refund I'd tell them to get stuffed and sort them out after the wedding.

Really hope you can sort something out and that you'll forget about it all on your big day, good luck!

Contact your credit card company, Martin Lewis (the crazy money saving man!) is always going on about how even if you only pay part on your credit card it will cover the whole purchase!!

x

Forget trading standards, cab and the shop now. Make an appointment to see a solicitor - initial consultations are usually free (check this when you make the appointment to avoid any more nasty surprises). Then, using the legal information that you glean during your consultation, send a 'letter before action' (mark the letter as such) to head office, stating that they have 14 days to issue you with a full refund before you take legal action, as advised to you by your solicitor and trading standards. Make it very clear that you will also be seeking full legal costs from them, plus financial compensation for the stress and upset that they have caused you in the run up to your wedding. You could also approach some national tabloids with your story, and mention that you have done so in your letter. I'm willing to bet you'll get a much more helpful response from head office after they receive your letter...

Do you have wedding insurance? Perhaps this would cover you for a new dress?

Write them a letter before action. Make sure it's done as a letter not an email as it has more 'oomph'. Send it first class recorded to head office, copying in the shop. Something like what's below. Make sure you keep any additional to it factual and to the point. Basically you are sending them notice that this is what was done wrong, this is why is it wrong and the basis on which you are aware you are entitled to a refund. Send photographs with it if you can as head office may not have seen anything.

Good luck!

Dear Sir/Madam

Account no: xxxxxxxx

I am disappointed that you have not agreed to refund the payments totaling [£…] I have made in relation to my wedding dress [brand / style] ordered on [date].

I would draw your attention to the terms of the Sale & Supply of Goods Act 1979 which are implied into all contracts for the sale of goods in the UK. This includes the term that goods supplied must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. You are aware that when I came to collect my dress on [date] it was discovered that [include details of faults with dress]. You have accepted that the dress was not of satisfactory quality [refer to express comment by shop or say by your agreement to provide a replacement].

I have rejected the wedding dress on the grounds of its poor quality and done so promptly. You are aware that I am travelling to get married abroad on [date]. You have offered to replace the dress by [date]. This is unacceptable due to its proximity to our travel date. A repair or a replacement has to be effected with minimum inconvenience to the customer. I have been advised by Trading Standards that in these circumstances I am entitled to a refund for my purchase.

I require repayment in full of this money within 14 days. If I do not receive this refund I will instruct a solicitor and begin a claim against you for the full amount plus interest without further notice.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

I agree with this call yourcredit card company.

I would also go down the route of trading standards, I had an issue with my original venue about a year ago when I cancelled it and they were trying to make me pay a £4000 cancellation fee. Trading standards were brilliant the lady I dealt with got straight on the phone to them and wrote to them with copies of legislation on why they can't charge this excessive fee and also case studies of similar situations and what the outcomes were. This scared them enough to drop it thankfully without having to take it further. I also sought legal adive band was told to see it out with trading standards as they may get a result without it costing any legal fees, but if not then they would help etc...

It's a different situation from you but the principles are the same.....

It's not going to resolved before your wedding unfortunately, so would be best to find another dress...

As for them saying 2 days before your wedding is plenty of time to get fitted is just farcical (sp). What about your other commitments i.e work, other wedding appointments etc.....

I would tell them you can't get the time off to come into a fitting 2 days before the wedding and they must give you a refund.

I'm really gutted that I've bought my dress from the same company as you and really worried now...I had issues about delivery dates with them a few ago. The dress is in now but my appointment isn't till end of april. I called them after your original post about the damaged dress as I wanted to be able to check the quality of my dress. I was adised it's in a "holding area" and can only be brought out for fittings which means it would need to be fitted now and then I would need to take home and store.

1. I'm hoping to lose a few more pounds and need the 4 weeks in ordewr to do this and

2. I don't have the space at home to store it.

So pretty cheesed off. first fitting 20th April and fly out 9th May so that only gives me 2 and half weeks to sort any problems out that I may have.....

Just a horrid situation. ☹️ Can't offer any advise but really hope you find somthing. x

This letter is perfectly written BV - non agressive, factual and to the point and a great starting point to get this whole horrible situaltion over with. I used to work for the Chairman of a large retail group and would receive letters like this. If you can find out the name of the MD or Chairman and personally address it to them it would be very beneficial. I wish you the very best of luck - be firm but not shouty!

THIS!!!

Good luck xx

I would round up a few friends and spend my Saturday outside the shop telling prospective customers what they have done. I would threaten to do this every day until you are refunded in full.

Agree with the others, I would not let this lie. Get a new dress and tell them where to shove theirs! Horrid for you ☹️

Hi

I don't know the full story but when my daughter got married 2 years ago we had awful problems when she went to have a fitting 2 weeks before the wedding. We knew her dress had been delayed but they said it was in. When she went to try it on they tried to pass off the original sample as her dress. It didnt fit and had make up on.

We rang the designers Amanda Wyatt, and were told that her dress had definitley not been delivered to the shop! My husband and myself both went in on saturday afternoon when they were busy and demanded a full refund which they eventually gave us.

We managed to buy a sample dress from another shop and Amanda Wyatts team sent her a complimentary head piece and withdrew the shop as a stockist.

Try and get in touch with the designer and kick up a fuss in the shop when they are busy.

I am so sorry for you I know how traumatic it was for my daughter but if its any consolation her 2nd dress was more beautiful than the first so be persistent!!

I wish you really good luck x

It gets better, tried to speak to chief executive again and was told he not in today. My file was supposed to be on his desk yesterday, another lie. I asked when he would be in to be told "don't know". Apparantely the staff have no idea when their chief executive is in the office.

Shocking customer service and ignorance from head office.

Are you allowed to say who it is on here? I do have contacts in many retail HO's and may be able to help?

Watchdog is back on now, drop them a line, they tend to jump on things like this really quickly so you never know they might just be able to help. Link is here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74/contact

Remember to tell the dress place that you've contacted WD too, most places will crumble at the thought of their reputation being muddied on national tv.

Definitely start putting this in writing. Use the advice others have given regarding a Letter Before Action. You will need to show a paper trail, whether you go to solicitors or CAB.

A well worded letter can have so much more impact and can be used as evidence if they still don't do the right thing.

You don't need this kind of stress - hopefully you will find an alternative dress really soon.

And as for the shop and it's inadequate Head Office? At a time when many business are fighting to stay afloat, they should py more attention to their performance and behaviour. Reputations are so easily lost or tarnished and in an increasingly competitive market, they should be aiming for higher standards of service.

Get that letter written. Make sure you send it recorded. Fingers crossed you get a swift and acceptable response.

Good luck!