exclusive leather sofas

[berts dad]

I'm another disgruntled customer of Leather Lords in Birmingham, who now appear to be trading as Exclusive Leather Sofas. Leather Lords were unable to correctly fulfil my order so I cancelled and have been waiting for a refund of nearly £3000 for over 4 months. Trading Standards have intervened, but Leather Lords just seem to hold them in contempt and have not fulfilled promises made to them regarding our refund. We've now issued court proceedings and hope that this is succesful

 

I have now filed a report regarding Leather Lords and Exclusive Leather Sofas on actionfraud.org.uk. I'm not sure if they are acting fraudulently, so I will let the experts investigate and decide.

 

Action Fraud is the place for you to find out about fraud. the UK’s national fraud reporting centre. If you’ve been scammed, ripped off or conned, there is something you can do about it - get in touch with them.

 

Here are a couple of definitions of types of fraud from their web site :-

 

Advance fee fraud is when fraudsters target victims to make advance or upfront payments for goods, services and/or financial gains that do not materialise

 

Long and short firm fraud is when a seemingly genuine business is set up, but has the intention of defrauding its customers and suppliers. Long firm fraud is when the business has developed a good reputation and credit history, while short firm fraud happens when the bogus business has been in operation for a few months. Short firm fraud is often internet related. Fraud relating to bankruptcy and insolvency can involve companies fraudulently trading immediately before being declared insolvent, phoenix companies or illegal trading while suspended

 

As I say, I'm not saying Leather Lords or Exclusive Leather Sofas are acting fraudulently, but when you read these definitions it does give cause for concern and needs to be investigated. If you too have had a similar experience, record details of your case on actionfraud.org.uk. The more cases they get to hear about, the more they are likely to do something about it

[daveej]

I'm very sorry indeed to have found this thread so late

 

I ordered two sofas from the Birmingham store on July 4th, and paid up front by visa debit (which I now understand is not very wise). I was told delivery would be likely in 4 weeks, 6 at the outside, and that I would get a call the next day to confirm. Almost as soon as I had paid, at the back of my mind I started to think that maybe I might have picked the wrong company to give my money to.

 

Over the last 9 weeks I have (from time to time) phoned the store and politely chased the order. Finally, I was told last week that today would be delivery day.

 

After trying unsuccessfully all of today to try to confirm the delivery would be coming, I went to the store, which was shut. Staff at a nearby shop told me that they had cleared out last week - I guess shortly after my last phone conversation I was told some other things about the firm's situation that I won't repeat here.

 

I was absolutely horrified. I've since found out that it is actually possible to make a 'chargeback' claim with visa debit, which may get my money back. I'm going to keep track of the London Gazette and will post details about what has happened to the firm here.

 

Hopefully not too many people will end up badly out of pocket in the end. In future I'll do my research before entering my pin...

 

 

Dave

[we shall overcome]

Not sure what this means but I found this listing on the London Gazette to day.

 

 

Gazette Issue 822697 published on the 10 August 2010. Page 581 of 1823

 

EXCLUSIVE LEATHER SOFAS LIMITED 04290207 (D1) 30/07/2010

[daveej]

Think this is a 'documents received' entry for the annual accounts for the Cannock based store (although to be honest I'm new to searching London Gazette). Will give them a call tomorrow...

 

Dave

[kiwee]

Hi

Can I just check is this the Birmingham Branch in Camp Hill that is closed down, not the one in Cannock?

 

[daveej]

My order was with the Camp Hill one, and that's the one that I found was shut down today.

 

Unfortunately I also called the Cannock store a few times today and got no response - and from what the staff next door to the Camp Hill store said, I think the whole company has gone under

[kiwee]

Thank You for getting back to me. A lot of customers are going to be very angry or are already that, I'm one of them.

 

Thank You for replying.

Hope you having Good Luck getting your money back.

 

:mad2:

[daveej]

I'm really sorry to see you've been waiting for your sofa too. I hope you can get a credit card refund. I don't know how long these things take to get sorted out - hope it doesn't take too long.

 

I've had some bad experiences lately with furniture delivery, but this is by far the worst. Next purchase I won't pay a penny or sign anything till I know I've got exactly what I want.

 

I can't believe that a company can carry on the way ELS have for so long.

[we shall overcome]

I rang their Cannock branch this morning and also had no reply. I live near Cannock and will take a drive to see if they are still open and report back.

My order was placed on the 8th of July for a Minuetto suite costing £1769.99, I don't think I will ever see it.

[we shall overcome]

Just visited ELS in Cannock today at 10.45am and found it locked but display furniture still inside. No one around and car park empty with a barrier across the main entrance. No signs anywhere to say if they are closing or still in business, but given the fate of the Birmingham branch it doesn't look very promising. I for one will be contacting my credit card company to see about a refund.

 

I took photos but only have 5 posts so cannot include direct links here.

However, if you paste the links into a browser you should be able to see them, just replace * with h in the address and close the gap between googlea pis.com

 

ELS Cannock main entrance.

 

*ttp://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/40431007.jpg

 

ELS Cannock inside front entrance.

 

*ttp://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/40431014.jpg

ELS Cannock back of store.

 

*ttp://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/40431021.jpg

ELS Cannock rear car park. 7th August 2010.

 

*ttp://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/40431024.jpg

 

 

 

 

(.)

Edited September 7, 2010 by we shall overcome
http:// size

[daveej]

This is awful

 

Yesterday I exchanged numbers with another disappointed customer at the B'ham branch. He suggested there might be some possibility of taking legal action against the people who run/ran the company if a case could be established.

 

From reading through some of the previous posts ELS clearly have a long history of dissatisfied customers. I wonder if there is enough information available about their business practices to put a case together.

[kiwee]

Hello

 

I am sorry to hear that there are more and more Customer's just like me that have paid by Credit Card and those that have paid by cash.

I have been down to the Store in Birmingham and confirmation has been given by the other branches next to ELS that they have gone into Administrations.

These are some advice I can only share through my own experience that I am going through now.

 

1.) If you have paid by Credit Card, contact your Credit Card Company and inform them of the

situation and they will asked you to get confirmation of a Letter of a Liquidation/Termination

Letter from the Administrator's to confirm they have gone into Administration also contact

Trading Standards.

 

2.) If you have paid by Debit Card also contact your Bank for further advice and Trading

Standards, they will be able to advise you which next step to take.

 

3.) If you have paid by Hire Purchased, you need to contact the Hire Purchased Company and

prove that you have not receive the goods and also contact Trading Standards.

 

4.) If you have made the purchased by cash or a deposit you will need to claim of the

Administrator and also contact Trading Standards.

 

Please register your complaints to Trading Standards as it would give them more evidence of what Exclusive leather Sofa has done and they can pass your details onto the Administrator once they have been informed giving us the Customer a chance to get our money back.

 

Good Luck to everyone

 

[kiwee]

Hi Berts Dad

 

I have finally log my complaint with Action Fraud.

Thank You

[kiwee]

Hello

 

To all the Consumer's that have been affected by Exclusive leather Sofas or Leather Lords as know as before in Birmingham or Cannock, we might be able to stop Companies like this from operating if they have been reported.

Contact Action Fraud.org.uk or Tel:0300 123 2040

 

They are very Helpful and also give you other information on organisation's that might be able to help you.

 

Best of Luck

[daveej]

I have logged a complaint with action fraud too.

[danielj282003]

Hi

 

I went to this ELS the Sunday before the bank holiday, my mother saw two sofas a 3 and 2 seater, the price was astonishingly cheap, I checked it and it seemed really well made so I put down half the money. After I paid the salesman then said it will take at least three months to deliver. So yesterday I decided to look at the website which does not work, so I phoned the number off the internet (NO ANSWER) I then tried two other numbers and guess what (NO ANSWER) I am now extremely worried as I had a problem with a sofa firm many years ago and they were called "BROTHERS FURNITURE" and went bust and I lost all the money. I am going to see them later after work, I did pay the money by credit card so I should be alright I hope. After looking at the there terms and conditions I have noticed a lot of spelling mistakes which makes me feel even more that they are a bunch of crooks. I have not seen one positive review concerning ELS and hope that no one else falls into there grasp. Thank you for informing me of this firm which I hope will never have to deal with again.

[jipcus]

i am a recent member of staff at els/leather lords until the company was liquidated on wed/thurs of last week

any questions?

i will do all i can to help anyone

thanks

[DICKYT]

Yes, as I have also replied on your other thread - if you are genuine, please do the honorable thing and help out all of s who have been ripped off by these fraudsters? I do apologise if I sound a little mistrustful, but as anyone with any dealings with - Leather Lords/ELS/Exclusive Leather Sofas whatever they are called at the moment - will say, it's not surprising.

We need , where the furniture is - and the delivery men who emptied the store WILL KNOW THIS! We already know the main players in all this - So, how about doing the honourable thing?

Edited September 11, 2010 by dx100uk
no pers info please

[oldchurch]

Yes, can I have my sofa & chair too (they were on the shop floor and sold as in stock) - my finance documents have been altered to say that my furniture was delivered, which it wasn't - so can I have my furniture please, cos this is fraud and falsification

[nikkialtaf]

they should have done the honourable thing and called all customers whow had left a deposit, I'm presuming there was a filing system with customers invoices who were waiting on furniture to be be delivered

Edited September 11, 2010 by dx100uk
clarity

[nikkialtaf]

I wud be surprised if staff were not aware of this issue I called on 23 august was told by a MEMBER OF STAF that my sofas wud be coming on the friday they knew they wud not be there so how can you help please tell me

[kiwee]

Would anybody like to contact Rogue Trader on the BBC, by the way jipcus would you like to give an Interview? I guess not!

[janeevans]

can you give any details of the administrator? Can you advise if it will reopen as another name. My missing part of a corner settee is in the office so all i need is to get in to collect it

[DICKYT]

JANE - by reading all the other blogs so far, both stores have been emptied out and abandoned, you will not be able to go and get your missing bits. And I have a sneaky feeling that this company/companies have not officially been declared insolvent, I think they have just packed up and cleared out while the going is good. (for them). I doubt if we will ever see an insolvency notice or liquidators appointed, because no one will know where they are???????? They will, as the very "helpful" ex member of staff explained, simply set up under a new name somewhere else. But I will not give up on this, I am passing everything I have to the Birmingham bailiffs, as well as to Trading Standards and fraud agency. Not to mention local press & radio. You guys over in the Cannock area, you need to do the same, as over here our people have no jurisdiction over Cannock area. Lets all do as much as we can to get these bastards - excuse my language.

[oldchurch]

The Cannock Store still has furniture in it, the back door is open and so is one of the containers out the back. I have no intention of claiming the furniture I believe is still inside the shop, unless I can do this officially as I'd probably get done for theft of my own furniture but I think that by the time the local community realises the above, it may all disappear. I have informed Watchdog, Trading Standards and attempted to contact the Police (however they put me on hold for 25 minutes before I gave up).