Courts customers tell of their plight

Hundreds of BBC News readers have paid a deposit to Courts, the furniture company that went into administration on Tuesday. Here are some of their tales.

My Mother and Father in-law have paid £500 deposit for a new sofa and another £200 for a warranty.

We are three weeks from Christmas, we work hard, but the likelihood is that we will lose our jobs, which in turn could lead to people losing homes and indeed just about everything. A Courts employee responds

They were going to pay by card but the salesman said their machine wasn't working and could they pay by cheque, which they did. Now it appears they have lost their money, which they can ill afford to do.
Nick Pratt, Chislehurst, Kent

I unfortunately paid by building society cheque for goods to the value of £800 and only had one item delivered with a chair being faulty. The other items were supposed to be delivered on 29 November.

I placed and order on 17 October at the Slough branch and paid nearly £300 deposit using a well known credit card.

Upon hearing the news yesterday, I tried to contact the store, their website and Customer Helpline, all of which were effectively off-line. So assuming that my order was now null and void, I phoned the credit card company (on the day of the announcement) and they said that the credit card insurance only covers loss, damage or theft and not this situation.

I was advised to let them know in writing and they would try to reclaim my deposit money on my behalf. Is this really correct? Can everyone (both Courts & the credit card company) really play ping-pong with their responsibilities, leaving me out of pocket just before Christmas? What about consumer protection? Should I now check the financial status of a company before I place an order the same as the retail industry checks my credit rating before accepting it?
G. M. Irwin, Chertsey, Surrey

I run a small transport company which delivers furniture for both the Swindon and Bristol, Cribbs Causeway shops. They currently have £20,000 which is owed to me Maria Starkey, Swindon, Wiltshire

Courts even rang me last week to confirm delivery. This is money we can ill afford to lose. Where is the protection for the consumer who paid by cheque or cash? I am left without the furniture and have no chance of replacing the items because I simply have not the funds. Happy Christmas Courts.
Paul Cole, Norwich

I am personally very worried about the outcome of the administrators decision. I run a small transport company which delivers furniture for both the Swindon and Bristol, Cribbs Causeway shops. They currently have £20,000 which is owed to me.

This could force me into a dire financial situation. It is not the loss of work which concerns me, it is the money which I was relying on to help me pay my tax bill and VAT in January 2005. At present I am feeling very desperate and will be glad when I know what is going on.
Maria Starkey, Swindon, Wiltshire

I have had £1300 cash effectively stolen from me, with no chance of getting the stuff i paid for and no refund. In my eyes it is worse that being mugged. At least when you're mugged you can see the person robbing you, and maybe you can do something about it.
Ben, Letchworth

I ordered two couches from courts about two months ago. I was due delivery this week sometime. I've paid the amount of £899.99 in full and now it looks like I'm going to lose everything. It's taken me a long time to save this money and I paid on my switch card. I cannot claim it back from my bank; I've tried.
Victoria Carter, Bradford

We bought the sofas for our first home with money that my granddad gave us, and it is very unlikely that we will see the money again. We are totally distraught, as that's the last time we will have such funds again Helen, Herts

I paid over £400 cash deposit, a third of the full price, for two sofas due to be delivered before Christmas. I was talked into paying an extra £200 for a warranty on the mechanics as they were recliners. I went into Courts a week and a half ago and was told the sofas should be with us very shortly. Obviously they're sitting in a warehouse and now somebody else will buy them. Doesn't seem at all fair.
Sue Sutch, Luton

I am a single parent mother to a six-month-old son. I recently purchased a set of sofas from Courts for a total of £1500, I was promised by the sales adviser that I would get my sofas for Christmas.

We ordered a new suite on 16 October and paid cash. Now it looks like we will loose the lot and with three young children it is a lot to loose. Andrew Watkins, Cwmbran, South Wales

Unfortunately, I paid using a debit card. Several days later I went to my bank to get some money out and noticed that I was overdrawn. I couldn't understand why but after a thorough review of a mini statement I noticed Courts had made an unauthorised withdrawal from my account.

I was not pleased as this happened on a Friday when I was just about to do my weekend food shopping. I had to run around to get some information out of Courts about why the money was taken out and if there would be any thing that could be done as needed some money to purchase food for my son.

Unfortunately, there was not much they could do until the next working day, according to the store manager. I did receive an apology latter, but I should have taken that as an early warning and cancelled the order but I trusted Courts yet again. I am left with no sofa no money and no one to get my money from.
Katie, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

I put a deposit down of £700 for carpet throughout my house about eight weeks ago. It was due to be delivered and fitted today, Wednesday.

They initially deducted the deposit from my account twice. One amount was refunded and because of the inconvenience a £50 voucher was given to me to spend in Courts. On Sunday of this week, I purchased/ordered a bedside table, I paid with the £50 voucher and also another £90 cash to cover the remainder of the value.

As you can appreciate I am very upset about this whole matter. Nobody is answering the helpline number provided, I have taken a day of work in order to receive my goods, I have not been contacted by anybody to inform me of what has happened.
Christine Dobson, Deal, Kent

Me and my wife paid for a bed in full five weeks ago for our new house - a total of just over £750. Like idiots, this is the only thing we paid for using a debit card. Looks like that has come back to get us. We can't afford to lose £50, never mind £750. We have no idea what to do.
Chris, Hertfordshire

Me and my boyfriend paid courts £1,220 for two leather sofas on 6 September. We were expecting delivery this week, and then this happened. We bought the sofas for our first home with money that my granddad gave us, and it is very unlikely that we will see the money again. We are totally distraught, as that's the last time we will have such funds again.
Helen, Herts

I paid a £750 deposit by credit card in September. On Saturday 27 November, I paid the balance of over £1800 for the three items of furniture I had ordered for delivery soon. So far, the latest payment has not been presented to my credit card company, but I am unsure whether or not I will recover my initial deposit. I think under the credit card companies agreement I can be quite hopeful.

I bought with a credit card, so my issuer has joint liability, so I should be OK!
Jimmy, Ipswich

Basically, I have a replacement bed waiting in the warehouse. I was phoned by Courts two weeks ago to arrange delivery. I have phoned today and they have said they can't release the stock nor can they deliver.

This is a replacement bed from a complete botch job by Courts and Regency. I now have one broken bed at home and a new one at the store that I can't have. I am £500 out of pocket. I am still trying to get through to KPMG to sort this out and after 15 minutes I am still on hold. One very angry person.
Gareth Walch, Bradford

Paid deposit only 2 weeks ago, plus insurance on accidents happening to furniture. The shop assistance must have know something was in the wind.
Mrs G Collins, Bexley Kent

We ordered a new suite on 16 October and paid cash. Now it looks like we will loose the lot and with three young children it is a lot to loose.
Andrew Watkins, Cwmbran South Wales

I recently purchased new carpets from courts and paid by credit card. The carpets where fitted but very badly. We requested Courts to issue us with new ones. We had received no further update until we heard this week that they have gone into administration.
Michael Upcraft, Crawley, West Sussex

I received telephone call to say that goods were available for delivery on 20 November. I could not take receipt because of unfinished building works. The new delivery date was set for 11 December. I have now been told that I will loose my deposit and any goods that are in storage will not be dispatched.
S. J. Mitchell, Swansea

I had a phone call at 8pm on Friday night to say our settee was ready to be delivered. I paid the outstanding balance of £850.00 on Sunday 28 November and was told the goods would be delivered on Tuesday 30 November. I haven't received our goods and only paid the deposit of £350 by debit card. The rest was paid in cash. Now we are not sure where we stand. By the looks of things we will loose all money and our settee which we saved so long for.
Sharon Partridge-Underwood, Wellingborough, Northants

I bought a mattress from Courts in Littleborough, Lancashire last weekend. I paid with Switch and now it looks like I will lose the £400 I paid for it. The mattress was there in the store. (We couldn't fit it in our car, otherwise I would have taken it.) As far as I am concerned, it is mine. I am disgusted that due to the pathetic management of the company they are now able to take my money without providing the goods I bought. I have a contract with Courts to provide the item which I would expect to be honoured. I can ill afford to lose £400 three weeks before Christmas.

What further annoys me is that I believe that the store manager (who we spoke to) must have had some idea that this action by the creditors was imminent, yet he still tried to sell me the extended five year warranty - probably knowing full well that it could not possibly be honoured.
Daniel Blake, Todmorden

We ordered two sofas from Courts over six weeks ago and were pressed for a significant deposit. We eventually took the interest free option and paid £100 by credit card. We were told we would receive notice of delivery within 4-5 weeks. We have heard nothing since.

We are progressing the deposit issue with the credit card company, but I am rather concerned about the credit agreement we signed. Courts must have known they were experiencing difficulties, yet they were still taking deposits from customers.
Graham Binnersley, Castleford, England

These people have had problems for a long time, yet they took a deposit from me for goods which, on my wage, I could hardly afford to pay for. Now I am £60 down the Swannee thanks to Courts. Is this the thanks I get for paying a cash deposit? In future i will pay using a credit card and at least i will be insured against this sort of thing.
Stuart Carse, Ferryhill

We paid £2,300 cash in September for a Leather suite, a table and 6 chairs. It looks like we have lost the money and the goods! We are very, very angry!
Mr Paul Siwiak, Warrington

I've lost £200 deposit on goods not yet delivered. Courts must have realised that, whilst continuing to advertise special deals in the press and TV for delivery by Christmas, they were likely to go to the wall?

I would say that there is a case for the DTI or similar body to look into fraudulent activity - maybe the BBC Watchdog programme could pursue? I now see that the chain is to re-open (with a clean slate?) and continue trading.

Once again the company laws of the UK leave consumers to pay for the shortcomings of directors who are free to start again. Surely it is about time that the Government review trading laws and protect consumers who buy in good faith. Courts (UK) Ltd seem to have borrowed money here and given credit based on this to their stores in the Caribbean, then been caught out by the weak dollar.
Steve Smedley, Chesterfield

We recently paid a £514 deposit for a dining table and chairs (total price £914). The table and chairs were to be delivered on Friday 3 December. Courts have let us know that they have gone into administration and it will not be delivered. I paid the deposit with a debit card and will lose the money as the bank tells me that there is no insurance on the card. Can I put in a claim to the administrator?
George Esslemont, Salisbury, Wiltshire

My elderly parents paid £2700 to courts in early November for a new suite and chairs. Being pensioners and "old school" they do not like using credit cards, preferring to pay for things at the time of purchase having saved the money first.

What concerns me most are the statements from the Administrators that anyone having paid for goods but not received them are likely to loose their money, unless a credit card was used. Yet the administrators are looking to re-open the stores Thursday or Friday. For what purpose? Will they honour the contract with my parents? What guarantees will new customers have?
Geoff Webber, Weymouth Dorset

We had only part of our order delivered , three of the chairs were damaged and needed replacing. Courts were due to come and replace these items. Obviously this will not now happen, so what happens to the rest of our order and the replacement of damaged items?

The two other items ordered matched the table and chairs delivered so now we are left with odd items. Our credit card company says we should try Courts first as it could take up to a year for them to deal with this. Where do we go from here?
Mr M & Mrs C Crosbie, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

My wife and I have lost our life savings of £2000 on an undelivered sofa
Simon Groves, Bristol

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A Courts employee responds:

I think your coverage of the Courts crisis is rather unbalanced. You have given disgruntled customers carte blanche to have their say, yet not offered people on the inside a chance to comment.

I am not talking about directors, spokespeople or the administrators. What about the vast majority of employees? I am one of them.

I appreciate that it is absolutely devastating for these people who have lost money. Firstly, I would say to them, however, that if they couldn't afford to pay the money in the first place, then they shouldn't have paid it. Again, I fully appreciate that that won't be seen as the point or thrust of the arguments.

What I would like to be said is that far from losing £60-£3000 without having orders fulfilled, think of the vast majority of staff in stores, and indeed head office. We are three weeks from Christmas, we work hard, but the likelihood is that we will lose our jobs, which in turn could lead to people losing homes and indeed just about everything.

To see people slagging off my fellow employees galls me. We knew we had difficulties, for sure, but our Directorate has spun out information basically saying that everything would be OK.

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