RE: Unresolved Auction Related Complaint about Incorrect Vehicle Details – Deposit needs to be refunded

I have bought and sold numerous times with We Buy Cars. I have not had any issues. I have had good experiences up until this matter. Throughout my various correspondence I have shown grace, patience and respect for We Buy Cars. I still intend doing business with We Buy Cars. It pains me to have to go onto HelloPeter to resolve a matter. I don’t like resolving matters in a public forum. But after 4 months of trying to get a resolution I am left with little other choice as the internal processes are not working.

Summary of Complaint: i. Incorrect details provided for vehicle on auction (August 2022). These details would have affected whether I had bought the vehicle on auction. This problem was identified subsequent to the auction. Note that only the deposit was paid. ii. A complain was laid. No responses or resolution to complaint. Repeated attempts to get a response or resolution out of We Buy Cars were not addressed. iii. Deal cancelled by We Buy Cars and deposit money taken despite complaint not being addressed. iv. After numerous attempts to get a response We Buy Cars finally admitted that the several of the vehicle details were in fact incorrect, and offered the deposit towards another vehicle on auction, which I was unable to get, so the deposit amount was not credited to another deal, and still remains with WBC. v. I have since attempted numerous times to resolve this, as I am still owed a refund. vi. Please resolve this. This is taken an unreasonable amount of time.

Background: I was interested in a vehicle on auction. I reviewed the details provided on the website as well as the Dekra Report prior to placing a bid. I paid the deposit. I placed a bid. I won the auction. (24th August 2022) Post-Auction: Subsequent to that I received more information in the pro-forma invoice that I then cross-checked with the vehicle manufacturer, and found that several of the details of the vehicle were incorrect. I immediately sent an email to We Buy Cars customer care detailing the issues I had found. At the time I wanted acknowledgement of the issues, and for We Buy Cars to suggest a resolution to them.

I made numerous phone calls to We Buy Cars in the weeks following the auction. We Buy Cars keeps record of this (should you wish to verify). Each time I am met with the same responses – that the matter has been escalated, and that someone will phone me back.

Nobody phones back. Nobody responds to emails.

The deal was then cancelled by WBC and the deposit retained. This is despite my complaints not being addressed, and no feedback being given. I would have still been willing to negotiate on that deal with WBC (as stated in my correspondence with WBC).

After umpteen emails and phonecalls I finally get a response. “My sincerest apologies for our delay in response. I have been awaiting feedback from management at Silverlakes to provide me with feedback regarding your refund.” …(details of next two paragraphs withheld)… “Again, I do apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. We do strive to assist our clients to the best of our ability, and I hope that your experience with us has got better since our delay in coming back to you.”

The offer was toward another auction deal where the deposit would be allocated. I was not able to get that deal. It was sold to someone else in the auction. That wasn’t a problem for me, I just wanted the deposit put back into my WBC account for me to use whenever. But this didn't happen.

This matter has therefore been unresolved.

I have thereafter made numerous calls and emails to get this deposit money back. Again – nobody phones you back. Again – nobody responds to your emails. You just get passed on between people on the phone, and have to re-explain the story each time. And then nothing ever happens. Despite the fact that I have an email from Customer Care where they apologize to me, admitting fault on their part.

Eventually I was put in touch with the guy on the floor at Silver Lakes who tried to sort it out for me. I will keep his name out of this public forum, but he was the only person who made a serious attempt to help me. I have been regularly asking him where this is going. But internally he just isn’t getting anywhere. I am told people will phone me about a refund. I am told that I would be emailed for proof of payment. I have a trail of whatsapp messages spanning over 2 months. I have much respect for this guy, but unfortunately he is just not getting anywhere despite his efforts.

I remain in the same position.

My plea is. Resolve this matter. Pay me back my deposit. If you don’t want to do that then credit it to my account. If that is still too difficult then give me a formal letter declaring that I get R5000 off my next purchase. It comes to the same thing.

But to be fair, given 4 months of fighting (where I have remained cordial and patient), maybe paying it directly into my account would be the right thing to do?

I have records of all correspondence. We Buy Cars keeps records of emails and telephone calls. It will not be difficult for you to see that I have been fighting this since August 2022. I have lost count of how many billable hours I have spent trying to get this resolved. The time cost for the time I have spent is certainly worth more than the deposit owed. But this is a matter of principle.

If you were in my position, how would you feel? If the situation were reversed and the fault was with me I am certain that a large corporation like WBC would not accept this.

Please sort this out. It is not difficult to do so. Give me this money back. I want to put this behind me and forget about it. I don’t hold grudges. I just want this matter resolved.