Jo Valentine Trading Again...................

[Wookie]

Well what can I say other than gobsmacked she's trading again, a member on the forum contacted me saying that she had her goods delivered by the same company in August 2015!!!

I and others are still awaiting payment for the debt this she owed to the shipping agent to secure our belongings, I contacted Trading Standards in Doncaster earlier this week and here is their response................. can you believe it they even got my name wrong

Dear Ms Valentine

Thank you for your enquiry concerning my response to your complaint from some time ago. You quote from my response

“However, it does raise concerns if a business continues to trade and does not refund customers when they have experienced these problems whilst continuing to enter into contracts which they cannot fulfil. In these circumstances we would wish to look into this. I have already checked the businesses advertising and website and can see it is continuing to trade. If they have not refunded the payment you made and are refusing to do so it would be helpful if you could forward the email you received from them regarding their financial position so we may investigate further.”

The Trading Standards Service in Doncaster did in fact investigate your allegations and visited the trader in question. As I recall only 2 other individuals made complaints to this Service one of whom had received redress. You complained that the trader was taking money for the provision of removal services which there was no intention of providing and for which you were considerably out of pocket. However our investigation found insufficient evidence that would support a prosecution for fraud, though we did find poor business practice and you were advised of this at the time. The business owner was also provided with compliance advice and guidance.

It is not usually possible for enforcement agencies to prevent businesses with poor levels of service and customer satisfaction from trading altogether though these types of business will generally not trade for long. We will try and get the business to improve and will take enforcement action for more serious criminal breaches of the law or collective consumer detriment. We have to ensure that any action we take is proportionate to the problem. For this reason we also promote pre-shopping advice so consumers can protect themselves. We encourage consumers to research the wealth of information available on the internet about any business you are giving large sums of your money to before contracting with them. Visit http://www.tradingstandards.uk/advice or http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk or visit Doncaster Trading Standards Facebook page for up to date advice.

A business can be liquidated and then the individuals involved can legitimately set up another business and trade again as long as it does not use the same business name so as not to lead to confusion with creditors of the old company. This is fairly common practice, the reasoning being that just because an individual has had one failed business does not mean they have not learned from the experience and will hopefully succeed a second time around. Setting up a new business after liquidation only really becomes an issue when the directors abuse the arrangements to transfer assets into the new company before insolvency to avoid paying creditors. From our investigation this did not appear to be the case as the individuals concerned had few, if any, identifiable assets. If you have an issue with this area of law then you should contact the Insolvency Service.


If the new business continues to trade unfairly then Trading Standards will undoubtedly receive further complaints from consumers. The business will be monitored and further action considered as deemed necessary. You should consider however that no business is likely to be entirely free of unsatisfied consumers. We would look at the number and nature of complaints in deciding any course of action. Our enforcement policy takes a number of issues into consideration and can be viewed at http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/bu ... -standards. At this point in time I can advise that we have received no further complaints or evidence which would form the basis of enforcement action for fraudulent trading activity.

I hope the information above clearly sets out our approach to complaints about businesses and our powers of enforcement. I am sorry that you had an bad experience with the previous business and that you have been unable to obtain satisfactory redress. Unfortunately this is generally the outcome when a business liquidates as there are not usually sufficient funds to meet all the creditors.

My response to them was as follows...........

After reading your email I must say that I am gobsmacked to think someone can openly admit by email to their customer (which I still have a copy of) that they are unable to fulfill the service in a contract they undertook and were paid for in advance.

Also, two others contacted you about their experience with this company ONE being out of pocket the same as myself even had the same "I am so sorry but business is bad" email that I received when their furniture arrived! just a change of name, but this does not seem to matter in the least, that this company had already gone into liquidation before asking me for payment, why was this company not compelled to inform me of this!!

I sent two letters (by registered mail which I also have copies of signature) asking for the money that I had to pay to secure my furniture because they could not pay their bills with the shipping agent, with no response at all!!!

Now they are trading again!!!

I thought Trading Standards was a government body designed to protect the consumer! obviously I am mistaken as far as I'm concerned you are as much use as a "chocolate fire guard"

Regards

[jackvern]

Wookie. Can fully understand your utter frustration with The Trading Standards in Doncaster.They are are as you portray them another Government Quango and totally useless. Had to deal recently with The Dispute Serviice and subsequently the property Ombudsman regarding rented property which tenants trashed and whilst they found in our favour they awarded a paltry sum which in no way covered the damage caused. They do not protect the injured party and are like the United Nations USELESS NOBODY'S.

Who is this Jo Valentine?

[Wookie]

Jackvern

look up the past posts on Jo Valentine 2014 all I will say if anyone if thinking of bringing their beloved mementoes of home do not use this company