Sainsburys - Dilemma Please help me

[Sains - pains]

Good afternoon all

im in a dilly of a pickle here. Im from Republic of Ireland. Recently headed up north to get a few bottles of cheap wine etc for a party. My dad got stopped on way out the door (unknown to me! as i had to go back in looking for him!!) security had hauled him in the office with the shopping trolley for looking suspicious - there was no theft - nothing. we had receipts etc. yesterday we got a solicitors letter on behalf of sainsburys that we owe them stg£150 or the bailiffs/legal action will commence. We were flabbergasted at this. We rang the solicitors - and they say this is a charge - for security checking him out - so in a nutshell - they caused my 63 yr old father great stress and distress - and charging us £150 for the pleasure - is this legal - and does anyone know how this can happen? please - im desperate for any advice on this!

[Jeanjaquessmoothie]

Tell them to do one and take you to court

They obviously think it's april 1st. I'd contact them with a strongly worded letter, giving them 14 days to apologise, otherwise you'll take the matter to papers, radio etc.

[Sains - pains]

Hi thanks for the super speedy reply! problem is as this all seems to be UK based law i havent a clue whats what or who to even threaten them with!

[Bookworm]

Ridiculous.

If Sainsbury's chooses to employ security, that is their choice, their bill.

Since you're in Ireland, the legal procedure will be different, so I can't be more specific, but I would answer with a letter on the lines of:
"any action you are contemplating will be vigorously defended".

I have read a few preposterous things on this forum, but this ones takes the biscuit.

[Bookworm]

Oh, hang on, when you say "head North", do you mean that this incident happened in Northern Ireland?

[Sains - pains]

Yes - And i live in Dublin

[Bookworm]

Ok, right, sorry, I hadn't got that from your first post.

In that case, definitely tell them to go and take a flying jump.

I ahev to go out for a couple of hours, when I come back, I'll write you a letter to send to the solicitors and Sainsbury's Head Office. It's Friday afternoon anyway, so no panic, there's nothing much can happen now until Monday.

[Sains - pains]

Thanks! Im sick with worry over this! and my Dad is up the walls!!!

[Bookworm]

1st, the address to write to:

Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd
33 Holborn
London
EC1N 2HT

Dear Sir/Madam,
(write what happened, the date of the incident, etc).

I have now written to the solicitors to ask that they stop their thrreats against my elderly father immediately See enclosed copy), and hope that my letter will be enough to stop this nonsense, but wanted to make you aware of this ludicrous situation, and await your comments.
===============
Solicitors' letter:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to demand that you stop your ridiculous threats against my elderly father at once.

If your clients Sainsbury's choose to employ a security firm, that is their choice, and it is their responsability to pay for those. I can not even start to comprehend the absurdity of a situation where you are expecting the innocent victim of one of the checks to then be made liable for paying for those! It is bad enough that those employees saw fit to pick on an elderly gentleman, found, obviously, nothing wrong, causing him a great deal of distress and anguish, but to then expect him to pay for it? Someone somewhere really needs to get their act together.

Please be aware that should you wish to proceed with this ludicrous scheme to court, your claim will be vigorously defended.

In the meantime, I would dearly love to see where it says that Sainsbury's customers are supposed to be liable for paying for the upkeep of its security staff, so would like you to provide me with a copy.

A copy of this letter is being sent to Sainsbury's Head Office to make them aware of the extortion scheme their (name) branch seems to be running under their name.

Yours , etc...

That should get you started nicely.

[Bookworm]

Any update on this?