Dear Consumer’s Voice #1

I bought what seemed a quality Soviet t-shirt from people who sell stuff on the streets.

Unfortunately it just lasted for two months and its value and colour were gone. It costed me P250 and I didn’t return it because there was no guarantee.

Unfortunately I suspect there’s not a lot you can do in this situation. A legitimate product isn’t going to fade like that so long as you treat it well.

A legitimate product that was sourced through normal channels would come with some sort of guarantee. It sounds like a fake to me.

If it’s a fake then you’re probably not going to get much support from the seller but it’s still worth a try. You might want to ask the seller whether the t-shirt was a fake or not. If it is they’ve broken the law.

Whether or not it’s a fake they still owe you a replacement or a refund. However you’ll be lucky to get the seller of fake goods to honor their moral obligations. The sort of people who sell fakes are fakes themselves, they’re not decent people.

If this particular seller doesn’t offer you a refund or a replacement I suggest you report them to the City Council for trading in illegal goods. Or the cops.

Dear Consumer’s Voice #2

My car was involved in an accident at Mogoditshane, immediately after the accident some breakdown vehicles approached me to assist.

I agreed with one of them that his garage will make a quotation for labor and all the parts to be repaired/replaced.

They later informed me that they cannot find the parts which I ended up looking for myself. After a week they phoned me asking for a deposit of P2,100 which we did not agree on which they said was half the price they charged for labour. They also told me that if I chose to take the car I should pay rental plus towing.

I would now like to know if it’s right to pay that amount before I am sure the guys will properly do the work as they promised.

I think you’re being abused but that’s not a surprise. We’ve all been there. Within moments of breaking down the tow-trucks appear as if by magic and exploit your situation. They take your vehicle away from you, making promises about fixing it and then, very often, ripping you off.

We’ve heard before of towing and repair companies that only mention storage and towing charges after they’ve got your vehicle and can hold you to ransom. Often they only mention these charges after you stand up to them and ask for your vehicle back.

It is, of course, completely unacceptable for them to introduce all these charges without telling you about them up front. They simply can’t do this, at least not legally. But when has the law ever stopped crooks committing crimes?

I suggest you speak to the company and get a full written quote for what they plan to do. Insist on a full breakdown of the work they plan to do and how long it will take. Then you can decide if you want them to do the work for you.

If you then decide to take your car elsewhere and they demand storage of towing fees, ask them for a copy of the agreement you signed with them where you agreed to pay these fees. If you did sign such a document then you’re going to have to pay up. Otherwise you should call the cops if they refuse to return the car they stole from you!