Allotments 4 All

General => News => Topic started by: Lauren S on August 07, 2012, 23:07:49

Title: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Lauren S on August 07, 2012, 23:07:49
BEWARE OF VEGPLUGS.CO..UK Based In Wales

Not being too well back in March, I decided to treat myself to buying in my fav tomatoes (Ildi being one) and several pepper/chilli varieties.
Ordered £32:00 worth of plug plants from VEGPLUGS.CO..UK

Placed order on March 17th.
Lovely emails arrived..."Your plants will be sent on May 15th"
Nothing arrived....Nothing arrived by June 15th....Nothing by July 15th and certainly nothing is going to arrive by August 15th.
Yes I phoned many many many times, Nobody ever answered and they certainly didn't reply to any of the daily emails I sent.
The crafty beggars waited till nearly the 45 days were up before the emails stopped, so I couldn't make a claim to PayPal.
I've patiently waited all this time to give them the benefit of the doubt before I posted.
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Lauren S on August 07, 2012, 23:12:25
P.S Thought I was safe using PayPal... didn't realise you could only claim up to 45 days after paying.

A lesson I don't want any of you to learn.  >:(
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: shirlton on August 08, 2012, 07:46:27
Thanks for letting us know Lauren
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Ellen K on August 08, 2012, 08:00:25
The website is registered to a sole trader called Victoria Welles who runs another business called The Cardiff Herb Company.

On the VegPlugs website, there is a comment "all prices incl VAT" but as a sole trader with no merchant card account, it's possible she is trading under the VAT threshold and so isn't VAT registered.  No address on the website and just a PO Box on Nominet:

PO Box 178
Bristol
Avon
BS16 1ZJ

As you say, 45 days to make a Paypal claim so if you are nearing the deadline and no joy, you can start a claim anyway - you can always cancel it if the supplier comes up with the goods.

Sorry you lost out to this scammer.  Thanks for the warning.
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: tomatoada on August 08, 2012, 08:56:02
Thanks for the warning and the above info..
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Paulines7 on August 08, 2012, 10:09:36
How disappointing for you Lauren; I hope you had some other tomato plants from elsewhere.

Sorry to hear about the chillies and peppers too but you may be in luck as many garden centres are selling them off cheap at the moment.  I have just bought some chillies for 50p each.  Two are covered in flowers and small fruit but the one I bought yesterday is full of mature fruit.

I hope you get your money back from Pay Pal, Lauren.
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Chrispy on August 08, 2012, 10:49:12
Does not look like a scammer, rather a failed buisness, but seemed to have failed last year so should not have been taking your money.

You should still contact paypal and your bank/credit card, as although neither will refund you out of their own pocket, they can still try and get the money back from the person who was running the buisness.
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: macmac on August 08, 2012, 12:18:23
I had a similar experience with a brewing company.I paid by debit card and my bank did something called a chargeback so I got my money back, despite the company failing
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Tulipa on August 08, 2012, 12:45:56
Hello Lauren, lovely to see you, I have often thought about your lovely allotments with your beautiful view :)  Hope all is well with you :)

Sorry to read about you losing your money, I hope you can get it back, and thanks for the warning.

Take care

T.x
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Digeroo on August 08, 2012, 15:34:57
Did you use a credit card?  I think they offer better protection.

Web site seems to still be up and running.

Suggest you also try trading standards. 

A bit of a google comes up with their address as
16 Caerphilly Rd
Cardiff
07846 445485
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Ellen K on August 08, 2012, 16:47:08
Seems she crashed on ebay last year ... but surprisingly, they did not close her account though they may have stopped her selling ....

http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=vegplugs&ftab=FeedbackAsSeller
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: caroline7758 on August 08, 2012, 18:04:50
Have you contacted Consumer Direct (or Citizens Advice consumer service as it is now) or Trading Standards?
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: cambourne7 on August 08, 2012, 21:31:27
everything i was going to say has already been said

trading standards
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/northsomerset/

chargeback on credit card
http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/sale-of-goods/your-rights-when-paying-by-credit-card/chargeback-on-credit-and-debit-cards/

good luck xx
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: powerspade on August 10, 2012, 08:40:59
They are supposed to be in the Heath in Cardiff. But to my knowledge there is no Nursery in the Heath. I would never buy from a web site which did not show a proper address, and further more I would be even more wary about a PO Box in Bristol for a Cardiff company as most companies in cardiff would use a cardiff Po Box.
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Jeannine on August 10, 2012, 17:50:32
She is in Facebook XX Jeannine
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: powerspade on August 11, 2012, 08:01:40
I just looked at her facebook page it seems she enjoyed a great holiday in Mexico City  - who`s money did she use???????. Also its as I expected its not a nursery but a Private house  in Cardiff
Title: Re: DON'T USE THIS COMPANY
Post by: Jeannine on August 11, 2012, 18:14:07
She also has a market stall  and several newspaper articles about her. Shoiuld be easy to find her.

XX Jeannine