Company failed to deliver furniture

[DaGuv]

To cut a short story even shorter, Mrs ordered some kids furniture back in November and paid by bank transfer. Independant company we have used before and wrongly trusted. They have now failed to deliver the item on several occasions and communication via email is sketchy. The item cost just under £400. The bank has not helped much due to paying via bank transfer, which in hindsight was a bad decision but we trusted the company as they have supplied furniture in the past with no issues. Company's online presence has disappeared. We have emails stating the item has been made and will be delivered on several different dates which has come and gone.

Would next course of action be small claims?

Any help would be appreciated!

[sidekickdmr]

Go to their unit in a hired van to collect it?

[DaGuv]

Its 200 miles away and they hardly reply to communications. I have all their details for a possible claim.

[sunbeam alpine]

Maybe worth posting up the location - maybe a friendly PH-er could pass by and see whether there's any activity.

If their web presence has disappeared it's maybe a sign that they've gone pop, in which case you've not got much hope of seeing your money, even if you obtain judgement.

[Driver101]

If their online presence has gone I would worry that the company has gone bust.

[DaGuv]

So if they have gone bust then we have lost the money?

[The Rotrex Kid]

DaGuv said:

So if they have gone bust then we have lost the money?

To be blunt, very likely.

I'd imagine you're a long way down the list of creditors.

[DaGuv]

Update - the furniture turned up a few hours ago.....

[Mr Miata]

If a company doesn’t have a secure online payment, such as SagePay, I walk away. Often this gives 2 factor authentication through my banking app.

The other day I had a company that didn’t offer online payment but they wanted me to say my card details over the phone and they already had my address.

No thanks, I don’t want the product that desperately to take the risk.

[gt_12345]

DaGuv said:

To cut a short story even shorter, Mrs ordered some kids furniture back in November and paid by bank transfer.

Credit card

Anyone reading this, use a credit card if it's over £100. You have legal protection to sue your credit card company (yes, really).