What to do about dry cleaner and missing dress

[HarlotOTara]

Two Christmases ago I bought a black velvet dress from Toast for about £275. I have worn it once this Christmas to go to a wedding. Took it to a local dry cleaner at the end of January to have it cleaned and went to pick up two weeks later. When I went to pick up my dress the dry cleaner couldn't find it and asked me to come back in a few days. I did and he said that my dress had been located and had been given to another customer, he was waiting for it to be returned. I asked him to ring me when it was back (I stated that I was not happy with this state of affairs at all, in fact very cross as I loved the dress). I assumed this would be a couple of days. Due to work I haven't been able to go into the shop but am planning to do so today. As I haven't been contacted for 10 days I am assuming the dress isn't back. How should I deal with this? Am I able to claim the cost of the dress if it hasn't appeared? Would rather have the dress.

Advice appreciated.

write an official letter of complaint requesting either the dress is returned or you are compensated for the value of the dress giving a date when this is to be actioned by.

quote the supply of goods and services act, 1982, i think it's section 13 "all aspects of the contract are to be performed with reasonable care and skill"

loosing your dress means they are in breach of contract, as they have not taken reasonable care with the item. you enter into a contract with them once you drop the dress off and employ them to do a service for you.

i'm not an expert but i spoke to the CAB earlier this week about a similar matter and this is the advice i was given.

nipers thanks I will do that.

I had a similar experience with a drycleaner about 15 years ago. My local drycleaner advertised that they were now undertaking shoe repairs so I took a much loved pair of boots in to be reheeled.
I went back to collect them about a week later and was told they weren't ready. I went back again and saw the proprietor's wife who told me to come back later as her husband was dealing with the issue.
When I finally got to see the proprietor he told me that the shoe repairs had been outsourced and the repairer had gone bust taking my boots with him. He said he would compensate me for the boots but only on production of the original purchase receipt. Given that the the boots were at least 2 years old I no longer had it. I called trading standards who told me that I could only claim the "market value" of the boots, not the replacement cost. To replace them would have cost about £50 at the time. I settled for £20 but I was very angry and upset and never returned.