Molenkamps Antiques
Molenkamps Antiques - Will not accept returns in accordance with the law East Dean

A warning to anyone considering buying anything from Molenkamps Antiques.
I purchased a solid gold antique snuff box from the Ebay Trader Molenkamps Antiques. It looked fantastic in the picture and I couldn't resist it, even though it was on offer with a buy it now price of 6, 950.
I was concerned about spending so much with an Ebay trader, but he was selling lots of expensive items, had been a member for a long time and had good feedback. He also offered a 7 day return policy, so I thought I would be safe to make the purchase. I haggled him down to 5, 950 and bought the box.
I paid for the item immediately, but because I didn't want to risk the Christmas postal system I asked him to hold the box and post it the first week in January.
When it arrived it was clear that the picture on Ebay had been either taken with some sort of filter on the Camera or manipulated in photoshop. The rich burnished gold colour in the picture, turned into a flat pale yellow and the engraving that stood out so well in the picture was not visible to anything like the same extent.
Disappointed, I contacted Simon Wicks the man behind Molenkamps Antiques and told him I wanted to return the box under the terms of his 7 day guarantee.
He would not accept the box back, saying that he would lose his Paypal transaction fees.
I pointed out that this was not the case, as a refund via paypal removes the fees, but in any case I didn't want to see him out of pocket so I would refund him any fees that he couldn't claim back.
He still refused. I decided to get an independent valuation of the snuff box from Sotheby's who said it was worth between 1, 000 and 1, 500. Clearly I had been ripped off!
I threatened legal action for breach of contract and failure to honour the 7 day cooling off period granted by the Distance Selling Regulations, but he still wouldn't take the box back.
I then discovered that I had no idea of his address to serve the legal papers. Nothing on his Ebay shop or the Receipt he had sent me had an address. I asked him to provide his address but he refused.
I hired a private detective company to locate him and was eventually able to get his address.
I started a legal claim and when it got to the allocation questionnaire from the Court he contacted me and said that he would settle things by refunding me 5, 725 for the box. I accepted this and sent the box back to him.
When the cheque arrived, he had only sent 5, 497. When I queried this he told me that he had decided that he wouldn't refund any more than this and that I should put my loss down to experience.
The case continues and will be heard in the Eastbourne County Court later in 2009.

If you have any problems the address to serve papers is:
Mr Simon Wicks
T/A Molenkamp Antiques
2 Michel Close
East Dean
East Sussex
BN20 0JS

James
Evesham
United Kingdom

Company: Molenkamps Antiques
Country: United Kingdom
Region: United Kingdom
Address: 2 Michel Close
Phone: 4401323423771

  <     >