Glass room deposit predicament

**TSW** · 20 02 2012, 05:58 AM

Back in 2010 two of your experts (Annie Shaw and Teri Harman ) were successful in helping a Mr P F Moderate recover a deposit he had paid to Countrywide Group (UK) Ltdfor the purchase of a glass garden room.

We currently find ourselves in a very similar predicament to that of Mr Moderate and are hoping you may be able to use your influence once again. Brief details are below.

Back in July 2011 we paid a £9150 deposit for the construction of a glass room. However, the absence of an acceptable set of detailed plans, failure to obtain building regulations approval, and demands for additional monies, resulted in us seeking to cancel the contract.

We have been keen to resolve the matter amicably by offering financial recompense for the work Countrywide undertook in obtaining planning permission. However, our numerous attempts via letter, email and telephone to obtain the balance of our deposit have been met with silence.

My husband did manage recently to speak to one of the directors but his response was to deny any knowledge of any correspondence including a recorded delivery letter which the Post Office confirm was delivered on 24 January. He indicated that somebody from Countrywide would call us back. Once again we have heard nothing.

If you feel this is something you may be able to help us with I can supply full contact details and supporting documentation as required.

You may also wish to note that there appears to be growing dissatisfaction and concern amongst other customers of Countrywide which is posted online at: http://www.reviewcentre.com.

**Teri Harman** · 22 02 2012, 08:37 AM

I vaguely remember this - I think the person I spoke to at Countrywide was rather rude to me and I cannot actually remember whether our subsribers did indeed get their money back. If you send me some more information privately (which you can do via the website) - name address and dates, I'll phone them again and see what I can do.

**TSW** · 22 02 2012, 10:17 AM

many thanks....I will forward on additional information

**Editor** · 22 02 2012, 11:20 AM

Yes, he did get his money back

Remember to use the private message function (click on Teri's name above to open the PM system). Don't publish personal info on the bulletin board.

**Teri Harman** · 22 02 2012, 11:57 AM

Thanks, but it's your full name and address I need sent privately so that I can pursue this, although the company's details are useful too!!

**TSW** · 22 02 2012, 12:34 PM

sorry...will forward

**Teri Harman** · 23 02 2012, 01:24 PM

I'm on the case now and will get back to you as soon as I have any news.

**TSW** · 23 02 2012, 08:31 PM

Thanks for this. There has been a further development today in that we have received a letter indicating that Countrywide Group (UK) Limited has applied to place itself in voluntary liquidation. The meeting to pass the necessary resolution is scheduled for 7 March. We will be completing the 'proof of debt form' provided by the insolvency practitioner and registering a potential claim under an independent warranty which is due to expire on 8 March.

Given that Countrywide is not yet in liquidation I am hoping there may still be steps you can take to assist. It is rumoured that the company may resurface under a new name.

**Teri Harman** · 24 02 2012, 08:13 AM

This is not too much of a surprise. I tried a few times yesterday to call Countrywide - the phones are either engaged or no-one picks up but I did then send an email to which I have not as yet had any response. I think this is probably very bad news from your point of view. I was going to suggest you look at your written contract (presumably you did sign it) to see if there was any mention made of the extra work being included - if not, then I am afraid it was not covered by the quote. I looked back at the correspondence with Mr Moderate, whom you mention in your original enquiry, and his situation was rather different in that he was turned down for the loan that Countrywide would have arranged and they actually offered him either a full refund, a discount for cash or to subject himself to further more vigourous credit checks and he chose a refund, so it was merely a case that the company had been very slow to pay him back and we were able to expedite matters. In your case obviously Countrywide has undertaken some work and you needed to come to some agreement on how much they were prepared to refund you, and I rather suspect that under the terms of the contract they were probably entitled to keep the whole deposit and you would have been relying on their goodwill to make a refund, notwithstanding that they had clearly not kept up their end of the bargain and you might have had to resort to going to court to get some money back.

The voluntary liquidation I am afraid negates all of this. As you say, now you just have to fill in the necessary forms and hope there are some assets left in the company to pay out but I imagine you will have to take your place in the queue and there are likely to be many others in front of you possibly 'owed' a great deal more. I regret to say that I don't think there is anything further we can do, but of course if I should hear back from Countrywide I will let you know.

Just a final thought: did you by any chance pay the deposit by credit card? If so, you might be able to make a claim under the Consumer Credit Act with your credit card provider and get a refund that way.