bad service

MJC Boshoff Oranje St. 6 Boshof 8340 Date: 24 March 2025 Lewis Stores (PTY) Ltd Du Toitspan St. Kimberley CBD 8301 Re: Formal Complaint Regarding Account: M J C Boshoff: Account Number: 0*** Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding the handling of my account, number 0***, following the purchase of a washing machine and a medium freezer in April 2022. An agreement was signed between Lewis Stores and me for a monthly payment of R 938.14. On 22 April 2022, I, MJC Boshoff, signed a debit order for R 1000.00, resulting in a monthly credit of R 61.86. These monthly payments were consistently made from April 2022 to December 2024, totalling approximately 31 months. Based on this, the accumulated credit on my account should have been R 1 917.66. My ex-husband and I were valued customers of Lewis Stores for 45 years, and it is with considerable disappointment that I have experienced the following issues: Numerous times each month, I receive calls stating that my account is in arrears, despite a credit balance being visible on the account. I continue to receive unsolicited calls encouraging me to make further purchases, even after explicitly requesting that these calls cease. As a pensioner whose account is being managed by my daughter, these calls are particularly unwelcome. My daughter also contacted Charlene at the Lewis branch in Kimberley, Du Toitspan Road, to request an end to these marketing calls. In November 2024, we initiated a request for the final settlement amount to close the account. We were informed that while a credit existed, it could not be factored into the final payment. Instead, we were told that after settling the outstanding balance, a new purchase would be required to utilize the existing credit on a new account. On numerous occasions (approximately 20 times), we contacted the Du Toitspan branch and were made to wait for Charlene, the accounts representative. Messages were left, but no responses were received. Subsequently, I contacted *** and spoke to S Jacobs, who provided a letter stating a final payment amount of R 921.32, to be paid within five working days. On 6 December 2024, I made the payment of R 921.32, using my identity number as the payment reference, as advised by the Capitec bank. Proof of this payment was also mailed to Lewis Stores by my daughter. Despite our request, we did not receive an updated statement. Subsequently, a representative of Lewis Stores contacted my daughter, claiming they could not reach me and that the account was in arrears. My daughter, Madeleine, informed them that the full settlement amount had been paid on 6 December 2024, and proof of payment, along with the settlement letter, had been mailed to Lewis Stores. It is unacceptable that three months later, Lewis Stores claims to have not received this payment. On 24 December 2024, the credit amount was refunded to me, with a Lewis consultant stating that Capitec had returned it due to an incorrect reference number. This is disputed, as my identity number, provided on the settlement letter, was used as the reference, and Capitec bank confirmed they did not refund the amount. On 10 February 2025, I personally visited Capitec bank, where a consultant confirmed that my account had not been refunded. To date, on 13 March 2025, Sanna from the Kimberley branch contacted me, encouraging me to make further purchases due to a "high credit" on my account, further highlighting the internal inconsistencies and lack of proper account management. I, MJC Boshoff, believe I have consistently fulfilled my obligations and maintained a good payment history with Lewis Stores for many years. The persistent incorrect calls, the convoluted process regarding the credit on my account, the lack of communication from the Du Toitspan branch, and the erroneous claim of non-payment after settling the final amount are all indicative of unacceptable service and a disregard for a long-standing customer. I also had to endure rude calls and an aggressive tone when attempting to clarify the credit on my account. While it is my understanding that a credit on an account should typically offset future payments, in my case, fees were apparently added, and the numerous calls from Lewis representatives have been a waste of time and resources. After 45 years as a customer, I am deeply disappointed by this treatment. I will not recommend Lewis Stores to anyone and will not make any further purchases. Please take note that no further payments will be made to Lewis Stores. I expect a prompt investigation into this matter and a satisfactory resolution to the issues outlined above. Yours sincerely, M J C Boshoff