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Original poster

Can anyone advise me please?

15 replies

RalphLeGnu · 30/03/2012 18:09

Today I bought a second hand washing machine from a local sales group on Facebook. The woman only wanted £50 which set my alarm bells ringing so I asked her why she was selling it and if she could guarantee it was in good working condition. She said she was selling it as she'd bought a silver one to go with the rest of her kitchen appliances and assured me it was only 2 years old and in perfect working order.

Her husband delivered it, plumbed it in, switched it on to show it worked and took my old one away. I was so grateful to him.

Except it's quite obvious there is something very wrong- all is fine up to the spin cycle and then it makes the most deafening banging; my 2 yr old DS was terrified and even the neighbours came round to find out what was going on!
I tried to send the woman a message on FB, but she has blocked me.

I've obviously been had good and proper, is there anything I can do? Now I know why they were so eager to deliver - so I don't know their address!

I'm livid and I want my £50 back!

Any advice?

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AllthatshewantsisanotherBBaby · 30/03/2012 18:12

You have not a leg to stand on i don't think, as the police cant do much with just a name, you could take the messages that prove what was said to them but tbh i dont think they would have time to deal with a trivial matter.. Sorry but its a lesson learnt!

ThisWeekonFancyPuffin · 30/03/2012 18:13

That's really shite Ralph

Can you contact the sites admin? Is she a regular seller on there?

Original poster
RalphLeGnu · 30/03/2012 18:15

That's what I was dreading. It's not a huge community so I'm sure with a bit of digging I could find someone who does know their address.

Could I take them to the small claims court if I found them?

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Original poster
RalphLeGnu · 30/03/2012 18:16

I've contacted admin on the site who has given out a warning to other members and deleted her from selling, but there's nothing else she can do.

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AllthatshewantsisanotherBBaby · 30/03/2012 18:19

If you had more details you could, perhaps a visit from the police would be enough to make them give you back your money, but legally if it works then they haven't lied? The fact that it works noisily presents a grey area. Would come under the sold as seen thing id imagine. Id definitely contact the pages admin though.

Id also say for the sake of £50 you risk them taking action against you they obviously are a-moral... Thats the way i would think anyway as i get paranoid about people knowing my address!

Unfortunately Its the old adage if it sounds to good to be true...

ThisWeekonFancyPuffin · 30/03/2012 18:21

Unfortunately I don't think there is much more you can do Sad

Is it worth getting a washing machine repair man out to look at it, it might be an easy fix. I remember my old washer/dryer doing something similar and i got it fixed.

It sucks though, the same thing has happened to me on a Facebook selling site Angry

GravyAndALumpyMashBaby · 30/03/2012 18:23

I think that's an awful lot of work (even if you used a solicitor) and cost (even if you didn't use a solicitor). i think you'll have to chalk it up to experience as horrible as it is.

Original poster
RalphLeGnu · 30/03/2012 18:29

If I had the money I'd pursue it out of principle, but I don't so yes, I guess I will have to chalk it up and make others aware of this devious couple.

Seriously, do some people have no morals whatsoever?

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Original poster
RalphLeGnu · 30/03/2012 18:31

DP has spoken to his friend who's an electrical engineer type thingy who says it would be cheaper to replace than fix. We'll just have to wait until DP gets paid at the end of next month and in the meantime our neighbours have kindly offered us the use of theirs whenever we need it.

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Mama1980 · 30/03/2012 18:34

I'm sorry Sad but I think you just have to chalk this up to a nasty experience. Well done for sorting out a warning for others though. Legally if it works albeit noisily then you haven't really got a leg to stand on, as you would technically have accepted it as seen.

GravyAndALumpyMashBaby · 30/03/2012 18:37

Some people genuinely have zero morals. :(

Original poster
RalphLeGnu · 30/03/2012 18:38

What makes me even more cross is that they'll be scrapping my old one for cash, which I didn't mind in the slightest at the time as he'd been so helpful.

Grrrrrrr.

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Collaborate · 30/03/2012 22:03

Police? ?Get involved in a civil dispute? Really?

prh47bridge · 31/03/2012 00:19

Definitely not one for the police. They wouldn't get involved.

It doesn't cost much to pursue in the small claims court if you choose to go down that route.

Second hand goods must be as described. If they are said to be in perfect working order then they must indeed be in perfect working order. Of course, it may not be easy to prove that the fault already existed when the machine was delivered.

Original poster
RalphLeGnu · 31/03/2012 09:21

Well well well.

After no further response from her yesterday I posted a warning on the selling group wall and lo and behold I have received an email from her apologising and assuring me her husband will be round this afternoon to return my money. She claims it was her mother-in-law's who had told her it was in good condition.

Doesn't add up because her husband told me it was theirs and they had decide to replace it with a silver one to go with the rest of their appliances.

Let's just see if he turns up!

Thanks for the advice everyone.

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