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Original poster

To think the dry cleaners lent out my shoes?!

335 replies

crispysausagerolls · 24/09/2019 19:19

Finally got round, two years later, to dropping my wedding shoes at the dry cleaners to be cleaned. Not sure if relevant to the story but they are a fancy pants designer shoe (for context, nice and only worn once by me on wedding day). Bit marked so wanted them cleaned. This was 6 weeks ago and I forgot to go and get them. Went in today and the guy looked extremely bloody shifty and said he cleaned them but as I was late he got a special whitener which arrived yesterday which he will use on them for a special touch so I can’t get them until next week. I did not see my shoes. I felt he was lying to me somehow but accepted the story, relayed it to DH who says I’m an idiot and they have clearly lent them to a friend or something similar and I should’ve said it’s fine I want them now.

Is this a thing?! Do dry cleaners do this?!

OP posts:
PicsInRed · 24/09/2019 19:52

Bring your husband tomorrow.
Have your husband do the talking. Just a polite but firm word.

Sexist? Absolutely. More likely to get the shoes back than you, alone? Sadly, yes.

Divorce678 · 24/09/2019 19:53

Try not to worry or get wound up about it tonight as that won’t help the situation at all and will ruin your evening.
Go in there first thing and get them back - hopefully they have them and all the speculation will be for nothing (it does sound like a BS story but hopefully it’s ‘just’ that he’s given them to wife/girlfriend who hasn’t worn them yet and they’ll be back tomorrow!)
Good luck op - hope all is ok in the morning

imnotinthemood · 24/09/2019 19:53

Well - you are never going to wear them again, are you? What are you going to do with them if you get them back?
There her wedding shoes and they are Prada !!!! Course she wants them back .

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 24/09/2019 19:53

What are you going to do with them if you get them back?

Treasure them? Maybe give to my daughter one day if I have one? Maybe wear to a christening?

OP posts:
Funghi · 24/09/2019 19:54

I think he’ll be getting them back and giving them a clean. Otherwise he wouldn’t tell you to come back.

dowehaveastalker · 24/09/2019 19:55

Yikes op. I want to tell you it’ll be fine but a part of me thinks they’ve sold it/given it to his wife becasue they’re Prada and now you don’t have the ticket...... so technically he could say he can’t find them as no ticket..... I guess even if you produce receipt for shoes, he might not refund you either. Arghhh - I feel for you Op. I hope you get them back.

Raphael34 · 24/09/2019 19:57

I think 6 weeks is an extremely long time to leave them there. He had your number though so he should have phoned you to ask you if you were picking them up. And cleaning with a whitener shouldn’t take a week. I think he’s probably sold them

FreshwaterBay · 24/09/2019 19:59

If the dry cleaning assistant has actually taken your shoes, albeit temporarily, the information on this thread has alerted them to your reasoning and they will come back to you tomorrow fully prepared. Of course they do not know you. At the very least, how can you prove it.

Pull this thread just in case.

LenoVintura · 24/09/2019 19:59

Our dry cleaners keep items for six months then dispose of them. They do get in touch a few times before they do that.
You're not getting your shoes back - you can't prove they were ever there. He kept the ticket deliberately.

nanamouskouri · 24/09/2019 20:00

Definitely go back in tomorrow. I’d take my phone and have it recording but not pointing at them or anything just in your hand so you pick up audio. Say you had a think last night and you’re not happy that they still have your shoes and that he kept your ticket. Ask for one or the other back on the spot.

I work in an industry where part of our job is repairs and if we loose something or fuck it up beyond repair while we have it we are legally obligated to compensate the customer. It’s in the consumer rights act 2015 so not optional.

If your mum is better with confrontation send her as this needs a firm hand. I’m really surprised that a village dry cleaner would do this knowing his reputation is at stake!

Smelborp · 24/09/2019 20:01

How did you pay OP, was it cash?

Marnie76 · 24/09/2019 20:02

Freshwater, are you saying you are the dry cleaner?

BlokeNumber9 · 24/09/2019 20:02

OP, the Supreme Court has just shaken the British constitution to its foundations, but Prada shoes take priority. Even I understand that.

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 24/09/2019 20:03

FreshwaterBay

You are freaking me out - are you trying to say that you are my dry cleaner?

Look if I don’t get my shoes I will involve the police because it’s theft. And maybe I don’t have a ticket but I prepaid so I have the payment from my card to their system!

Also I would be completely prepared to go nuclear and go to every shop in the village to explain. I grew up here and I know everyone/this place is relatively new!

I am trying very hard to calm down because I think it will be ok and I won’t have to resort to any of this but it’s all very worrying.

OP posts:
Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 24/09/2019 20:04

Our dry cleaners keep items for six months then dispose of them. They do get in touch a few times before they do that

It’s been six WEEKS, not six months!!

OP posts:
Botanic · 24/09/2019 20:04

Hopefully it’s just a case of the shop is disorganised and he needs to root around a bit.

If they did this often in a small town/ village they’d not last long at all, so hopefully they aren’t so stupid

timeisnotaline · 24/09/2019 20:04

Oh no, I’m so stressed for you op!

Shortfeet · 24/09/2019 20:07

I think everyone is getting carried away.

He probably just hasn’t cleaned them yet !

switcharoonie · 24/09/2019 20:09

I feel like they wouldn't do this in a small village. Maybe gave them to his wife as a gift, but is planning on taking them back to return to you, now you've come back? If so, sounds like an awkward evening at their house tonight Grin

I also think that if it was their policy to dispose after 4 weeks or whatever, he would have said that today. I reckon you'll get them back OP. Really hope so!

Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 24/09/2019 20:09

*He probably just hasn’t cleaned them yet

After 6 weeks?!

OP posts:
Original poster
crispysausagerolls · 24/09/2019 20:10

I feel like they wouldn't do this in a small village

Same (I hope)

OP posts:
Bobbiepin · 24/09/2019 20:10

I really doubt you're getting them back. My money is on them pretending not to know what you're on about, and you have no ticket.

Alternatively, they know who has the shoes and is getting them back tonight. If you do ever see them again, check them over very carefully.

Woodlandwitch · 24/09/2019 20:12

I need to find out what Frrshwater meant by her cryptic post

Mooncupblues · 24/09/2019 20:12

Sounds awfully suspicious to me

Ninabean17 · 24/09/2019 20:12

Hoping he's just forgotten to clean them and will actually have them ready for you for next week.

Realistically though, it sounds like he's given them away or sold them and is now trying to dig his way out of a hole.
I hope you get them back, op.