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A Very Small Claim

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terminal7
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A Very Small Claim

#446194

Postby terminal7 » September 29th, 2021, 10:10 am

A month ago my wife and ordered a 48 hour postal PCR with Randox for our return to the UK. Both boxes were waiting at home on our return, both posted back at the same time and I received my result within 2 days. However, my wife has yet to receive anything. An email elicited an automatic response with a reference number stating that they would look into the matter. Despite several further emails there has not been any further response. Trying to make contact on the phone is impossible. The amount involved is £48 so clearly is relatively trivial. However further research indicates that this non completion of a service bought for in advance is common amongst Randox and their competitors. Clearly I do not want to waste time on chasing such a small amount - but the principal of these companies getting away with this on a mass scale is galling.

T7

mc2fool
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446212

Postby mc2fool » September 29th, 2021, 10:37 am

Did you/she pay by credit/debit card? If so, put in a chargeback.

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-do-i-use-chargeback-abZ2d4z3nT8q

Clitheroekid
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446373

Postby Clitheroekid » September 29th, 2021, 6:19 pm

To make the exercise worthwhile your wife could include a claim for, say, £100 for the stress of not knowing whether or not she was positive! I'm not suggesting that she should actively pursue such a claim to a hearing - rather that if they're so incompetently run they may well overlook defending the claim at all.

She can then get a default judgment, following which she'll almost certainly receive her £148 by return :P

Funnily enough I'm about to do the same thing. I obtained a kit from a firm in Bradford. It was waiting for me on my return to the UK, but needed an activation code, obtainable from their website - except it wasn't.

I must have phoned / emailed them dozens of times to no avail. I eventually got a semi-literate email about 4 days later, telling me to write the barcode in ink on the phial! By that time I was well outside the 2 day time limit.

I'm going to claim additional damages on the grounds that by their incompetence they forced me (an Officer of the Supreme Court, no less!) to commit a crime. The stress of worrying about being chucked in chokey, not to mention being struck off the Roll for having a criminal conviction, must be worth thousands! ;)

redsturgeon
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446395

Postby redsturgeon » September 29th, 2021, 7:20 pm

As providers of this service we hear these stories all the time. What is particularly galling is that Randox as well as being one of our suppliers is also a competitor...and they actually charge us more for the tests than the general public!

We pride ourselves in always providing the service requested and we have not failed once but there are problems with the mail service. Just today we have had to send out two replacement tests due to the originals not reaching their destination. We send these by tracked mail so we know exactly which postal depot they are currently sitting in having been posted in plenty of time for the arrival date required.

So yes there are many problems with this whole service, not all of it the fault of the laboratory.

John

Kantwebefriends
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446451

Postby Kantwebefriends » September 29th, 2021, 11:08 pm

Never mind chaps, they aren't very good tests anyway.

Mike4
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446454

Postby Mike4 » September 29th, 2021, 11:22 pm

Kantwebefriends wrote:Never mind chaps, they aren't very good tests anyway.


Can you cite some evidence for such a scandalous assertion, please?

terminal7
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446507

Postby terminal7 » September 30th, 2021, 9:57 am

redsturgeon wrote:As providers of this service we hear these stories all the time. What is particularly galling is that Randox as well as being one of our suppliers is also a competitor...and they actually charge us more for the tests than the general public!

We pride ourselves in always providing the service requested and we have not failed once but there are problems with the mail service. Just today we have had to send out two replacement tests due to the originals not reaching their destination. We send these by tracked mail so we know exactly which postal depot they are currently sitting in having been posted in plenty of time for the arrival date required.

So yes there are many problems with this whole service, not all of it the fault of the laboratory.

John


My moan is the complete lack of any accountability by Randox and I understand others - one automated response email and then nothing over a 3 week period in unacceptable. There are many other reports of similar experiences. Loose regulation results in shark infested waters - look what has happened with energy suppliers.

T7

redsturgeon
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446510

Postby redsturgeon » September 30th, 2021, 10:34 am

terminal7 wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:As providers of this service we hear these stories all the time. What is particularly galling is that Randox as well as being one of our suppliers is also a competitor...and they actually charge us more for the tests than the general public!

We pride ourselves in always providing the service requested and we have not failed once but there are problems with the mail service. Just today we have had to send out two replacement tests due to the originals not reaching their destination. We send these by tracked mail so we know exactly which postal depot they are currently sitting in having been posted in plenty of time for the arrival date required.

So yes there are many problems with this whole service, not all of it the fault of the laboratory.

John


My moan is the complete lack of any accountability by Randox and I understand others - one automated response email and then nothing over a 3 week period in unacceptable. There are many other reports of similar experiences. Loose regulation results in shark infested waters - look what has happened with energy suppliers.

T7


I would agree 100% with you. We make it a point to be on the other end of the phone pretty much 24/7. I understand it is impossible to speak with many/most other providers at all. In fact we find it pretty difficult to reach them too.
That is one reason why our prices are significantly more than the "stack 'em high sell 'em cheap brigade.

I honestly would not hold out much hope of a successful claim though...they will probably just say the test was not received by them.

John

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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446524

Postby stevensfo » September 30th, 2021, 11:16 am

redsturgeon wrote:
terminal7 wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:As providers of this service we hear these stories all the time. What is particularly galling is that Randox as well as being one of our suppliers is also a competitor...and they actually charge us more for the tests than the general public!

We pride ourselves in always providing the service requested and we have not failed once but there are problems with the mail service. Just today we have had to send out two replacement tests due to the originals not reaching their destination. We send these by tracked mail so we know exactly which postal depot they are currently sitting in having been posted in plenty of time for the arrival date required.

So yes there are many problems with this whole service, not all of it the fault of the laboratory.

John


My moan is the complete lack of any accountability by Randox and I understand others - one automated response email and then nothing over a 3 week period in unacceptable. There are many other reports of similar experiences. Loose regulation results in shark infested waters - look what has happened with energy suppliers.

T7


I would agree 100% with you. We make it a point to be on the other end of the phone pretty much 24/7. I understand it is impossible to speak with many/most other providers at all. In fact we find it pretty difficult to reach them too.
That is one reason why our prices are significantly more than the "stack 'em high sell 'em cheap brigade.

I honestly would not hold out much hope of a successful claim though...they will probably just say the test was not received by them.

John


I've used Randox as well as a few others, and I'm pretty sure that all return boxes were via tracked mail.

Could it be the fact that Randox boxes go to Northern Ireland?

After all, the boxes are the perfect size for smuggling in a pack of sausages! 8-)

Steve

redsturgeon
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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446546

Postby redsturgeon » September 30th, 2021, 12:08 pm

stevensfo wrote:
After all, the boxes are the perfect size for smuggling in a pack of sausages! 8-)

Steve


You may have a point, although they have recently opened several labs in England to cope with demand (just as the government are moving away from PCRs to LFTs!)

John

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Re: A Very Small Claim

#446575

Postby stevensfo » September 30th, 2021, 1:03 pm

redsturgeon wrote:
stevensfo wrote:
After all, the boxes are the perfect size for smuggling in a pack of sausages! 8-)

Steve


You may have a point, although they have recently opened several labs in England to cope with demand (just as the government are moving away from PCRs to LFTs!)

John


Thanks. I think that I only used Randox once, for a 5-day test to halt quarantine, and I remember seeing where the box had to go and worrying about the time.

Steve


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