Don't pay deposits
<p>On 29 March 2017 we got a quote from Alprod Bathrooms & Designs cc trading as Alprod Shower Doors to install some new doors in our renovation project.</p> <p> </p> <p>We agreed that they do the job but as always they wanted 70% of the quoted price up front before they would schedule the job. We reluctantly paid the required amount on 12 April and waited for the projected date of installation, being 10 – 15 working days.</p> <p> </p> <p>About 10 days later we phoned to enquire whether they would be installing shortly, to which they rep**** that as yet they had not yet received our deposit. We were horrified and immediately referred them to our deposit date and amount, which they subsequently found on their bank statement, the excuse being that the deposit reference was “Max” whereas the company name is actually “Cmax”. We were thus not going to get our doors on time but naturally expected it within the next stated 10 – 15 days later. We again phoned them on the new final date and enquired and they then said that they wanted to come to the premises to measure for the job. They obviously had again not yet started manufacturing our stuff. We exploded as this was more delaying tactics and phoned them back to say that they should rather send our money back as we no longer had the confidence in them. They agreed to this without any hesitation so we promptly sent them our bank details and phoned them regularly thereafter to enquire when they would be paying it back. Each time we were told some excuse. It is now 8 days since they first agreed to pay us and we still await our refund.</p> <p> </p> <p>He was reminded on three times to repay the money being 9, 10 & 11 May.</p> <p>All the time we have only dealt with Riaan, the owner.</p> <p> </p> <p>We have now had to hand the matter to our attorneys to collect the money as this company obviously had no intention of doing the job initially or refunding us later in terms of their promise.</p> <p> </p> <p>The public needs to be cautioned that contractors who ask for deposits are not all trustworthy and we must be very cautious before paying contractors without first having checked references from previous customers. Failure to do this could land you in the same position as we are and being out of pocket for thousands of rands.</p>