Extremely Disappointed with Lay-By Handling at The Fix – Blocked Without Fair Warning

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment with the service I received from The Fix at Springs Mall on 24 August 2025. I went in to pay for my lay-by and informed the staff that I no longer needed two of the items. I asked if they could cancel those items and transfer the funds to a TFG gift card, as I urgently needed to buy clothes for my daughter at Foschini.

Both the gentleman assisting me and the store manager advised that I should cancel the lay-by. I specifically asked if there would be any penalties, and the manager clearly told me there are only penalties after three cancellations.

To my shock and frustration, when I went to Foschini to open a new lay-by, I was told that I have been blocked from using lay-by services until 1 January 2026.

This feels extremely unfair and misleading. I followed instructions from your own staff. Now I am being punished for something I was assured would not carry a penalty. To make matters worse, the store manager mentioned that their area manager doesn’t want any lay-by cancellations — yet this was never communicated to me before I was advised to cancel.

As a TFG account holder and loyal customer, I feel disrespected and disappointed. I did not know that by simply trying to return items and use my money elsewhere within the TFG group, I would be signing away my basic rights as a consumer.

I request that:

My lay-by access be reinstated immediately,

TFG provide clear and consistent communication of lay-by policies across all stores, and

This incident be investigated so that no other customer is treated in this way again.

I look forward to your urgent response.