🚀 go-pugleaf

John G. Silver wrote:

> > In March 1995 we bought 36.5 metres of carpet from Harvey Norman. While it was being 
> > laid we advised them it was faulty.  We refused to pay until it was fixed. After 12
> > months Harvey Norman sued me for the balance of the purchase price, $2,500.
> 
> Without going into the issue, one would have to wonder at the quality of
> the legal advice HN was getting.  If they had got experienced and
> competent advice at the beginning this might not have even gone a week.

Exactly. My opinion is that Harvey Norman's solicitors and barrister were simply lining 
their pockets.  It wasn't a big firm of solicitors -- low-ranking, small, city office 
with one partner.  No competent and honourable solicitor would go the the trouble and 
expense of briefing a barrister for a Magistrates Court civil matter.

> Why did you not report it to the Consumers Claim Tribunal straight away?
>  It is specifically set up to deal with these sorts of baby consumenr
> issues.

I did telephone the Office of Fair Trading & Business Affairs, which is the body in 
Victoria that is supposed to deal with these issues.  Their comment was to the effect 
"Oh no, not Harvey Norman again" and they advised me to get a solicitor.  Not really 
helpful or supportive.

Shortly I will write up the fiasco in more detail and send it along so Fair Trading & 
Business Affairs can add it to their Harvey Norman file.

Changing the subject, my wife was relating the story of the carpet balls-up to a friend. 
This friend occasionally drops in a Harvey Norman's computer shop.  The friend said 
there was a steady stream of disgrtuntled customers returning new computers, plonking 
them down and saying "It doesn't work".

-- 
Bernie Morey
Melbourne, Australia
bmorey@aardvark.apana.org.au