Six months of miscommunication
Georgina could not be contacted when Totally Suite tried to deliver the original lounge suite. When Totally Suite tried to deliver the lounge suite again, the particular model of lounge suite that Georgina had ordered was unavailable. Totally Suite offered an alternative lounge suite, which Georgina accepted. However, the actual lounge suite that Totally Suite delivered was different to what Georgina expected to receive.
Three further order and delivery errors occurred over the next six months, at which point Georgina stopped making payments under her hire purchase agreement. Georgina told Totally Suite she would not pay until Totally Suite delivered the correct lounge suite.
Totally Suite, believing it had done everything it could to communicate with Georgina and deliver the correct suite, repossessed the latest suite it had delivered to Georgina.
Georgina wanted Totally Suite to refund her $1,600 for the lounge suite in full and pay for the repossession costs. Georgina argued that the whole ordeal had caused her undue stress and delay. Georgina complained to FSCL.
FSCL’s review
Totally Suite provided FSCL with documentation to prove that it repossessed the suite legally and was not liable to pay anything back to Georgina. However, Totally Suite accepted that it had communicated poorly with Georgina, and was therefore prepared to waive any dishonour fees for non-payment and the loss it would incur from on-selling the repossessed suite
After discussions with FSCL’s case manager, Totally Suite offered a refund to Georgina of $800 and waive all repossession costs. Georgina agreed.
The case was successfully resolved shortly after being referred to FSCL. Although the settlement was approximately half what Georgina initially requested, Georgina accepted that some fault lay with her after reviewing Totally Suite’s documents.
