Beware of Fernridge VET- ******ion and threats - Dr Basch

My formal complaint , justified below, is that Dr Basch has clearly attempted to ****** R12884.55 from me by operating on my dog without quoting and confirming with me via prior agreement to the operation. Added to this he has forced me to pay the figure of R6660.00 to prevent me from being listed on the Credit Bureaus He has acknowledged that he made a mistake by not first quoting me and getting my approval and has offered a settlement of R6400.00 as a solution which I initially rejected as it was for an amount that I could not afford and for work I never requested or approved. I indicated that we were willing to pay for the work and medication I requested with an accurate figure of R1935.00 which was what I had requested the doctor to proceed with on the day of dropping my dog off at the Fernridge Vet. The Dr Basch rejected the figure and reverted to impose threats of the full amount to be paid again with threats of credit Bureaus listing. The Dr has changed his offers and his terms of settlement several times and has continued to threaten me with listing me for the full amount of R12884.55 even after I have settled this account in full and final on the 11th of May 2018 as per his offer dated Wed, May 9, 2018 at 12:24 PM On the 11 May 2018 he sent his security detail ( ADT) to intimidate me to sign the terms and condition of the settlement as I had advised his staff that I was not willing to sign and agree to his unfair new terms and conditions of settlement

The dog is worse off after these operations that I never approved or agreed to and will be put down to death within the next 30 days due to its unhappiness with lesions and bleeding sores that have continued since the operations done by Dr Basch..

Wed, May 9, 2018 at 12:24 PM, Fernvet Clinic ********** wrote: Quote " However, I will accept R6 400-00 plus interest and accounting fees as “Full and Final” if the amount is paid in full." un-quote

There were no terms and conditions attached to this offer above except that the amount of R6400 plus interest and accounting fees must be paid in full. This has been done and completed and the entire transaction is complete with no further money due as per Dr Basch's offer and original terms and conditions.

Dr Basch ambushed me , when I went to pay the account as agreed( R6400 plus interest and accounting fees ), with outrageous terms and conditions preventing me from having any recourse on the issue and essentially indemnifying himself and his practice of any liability which according to me is unfair and I did not accept these terms and conditions.

He even attached a condition of settlement that i was not permitted to make a complaint to the SAVC( South African Veterinary Council)

Note that Dr Basch never quoted me or did he have permission to operate on my dog. On the 12th of March the Doctor was instructed by me to do a medical bath and assess the lesions on the dog . To keep the dog overnight for observation at Dr Basch's recommendation Thats all !!!!!!!!. This was done in the past at a cost of approximately R1000.00 Dr Basch went ahead on his own accord and operated on my dog without my consent without quoting me or contacting me with any cost estimates . I received no missed calls or any written communication from the moment I dropped my dog off until a call from reception the next afternoon (13th March) to come collect my dog .. After been shown the invoice of R12884.55 I was horrified and in absolute shock which I made very clear to the Doctor and his staff , I exclaimed that I never requested or approved any operations. I was then forced to sign a document before leaving with my dog which I have been informed by the staff at the practice was a acknowledgment of debt without a value filled in . I have requested on several occasions a copy of this document without any response or success ?

Dr Basch has verbally acknowledged that he made a mistake by not quoting me and that is where and why he made the R6484.55 discount offer. (I received a credit note for this)

I have paid the account of R6660.00 under threat of listing me on the credit Bureaus even though I disagree with the figures demanded to pay.

I paid with the intention of submitting a formal complaint to the SAVC after the guidance of the SAVC . The SAVC stated that they would not entertain a formal complaint unless the account was settled in full.

I have settled this account in full and final but the SAVC have stated that their jurisdiction does not cover billing queries from the public with regards to their Vets??? They told me this in writing AFTER I settled the account in full . I have requested that the SAVC advise what their jurisdiction covers but have not received any response.

It seems to me that protection of their Vets is of more importance than the actual public who pay the Vets and the SAVC salaries ?? I have received no further communication from the SAVC

I find this very frustrating that there is no assistance from the governing bodies which allows their registered Doctors ****** and bully the public into paying for operations and work done that was never requested or agreed to by me the customer .

I will be taking this matter up with the Ombudsman and the Consumer council of SA

I request the refund of R4725.00 paid back to me as I have been forced to pay for work done that I never requested, agreed to, was never quoted on or would have accepted.