Been left with a saddle I haven't paid for- advice please!

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
I had a saddler come out at the end of May as I didn't feel my current saddle was fitting correctly.

The saddler confirmed it didn't fit and suggested a different saddle for me. She left it with me to have on trial for a week to make sure I was happy with it. It is a second hand saddle which she is selling on behalf of someone else, but I don't know who the actual owner is.

Due to the awful weather we had our yard was flooded and I had to put off the follow-up appointment which the saddler was fine with. My boy then went lame and I had the vet out who commented he was also very sore in his lumbar area. He suggested putting on his current saddle to look at the fit vs. where the pain was and it is clear that the saddle which I was left with is too long and is also tipping back. I called Albion about the details of the saddle and it turns out it is a 18" saddle which is far too big!

I have since had a second saddler out who has confirmed that the Albion doesn't fit and has now fitted another saddle (fingers crossed this one actually fits!)

I have been trying to contact the original saddler since the beginning of July to say the saddle doesn't fit (originally to get her out to check it) and for the last couple of weeks to return it altogether and I haven't had a reply from her! I know she has read my messages as she has the read receipts on her imessages so I don't understand why she isn't replying.

I haven't paid for the saddle and would love to return it to it's owner but don't know how to go about it!

Any advice would be very welcome!
 

millikins

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 March 2011
Messages
3,895
Visit site
If you have an address I would write to her. Something along the lines of " I have messaged you several times which iPhone records as read. I am now giving you 30 days from date of this letter to collect the saddle or I shall sell it to recoup my storage costs". Keep a copy then do exactly that. And send recorded delivery,
 
Last edited:

JillA

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 May 2007
Messages
8,166
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
If you have an address I would write to her. Something along the lines of " I have messaged you several times which iPhone records as read. I am now giving you 30 days from date of this letter to collect the saddle or I shall sell it to recoup my storage costs". Keep a copy then do exactly that. And send recorded delivery,

Just get legal advice before you do that (BHS help line, your home insurance, CAB etc) just in case you are deemed to have stolen it.
 

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
"I know you have read my message as your iPhone has told me so please arrange to collect it asap. Thanks."

If you have an address I would write to her. Something along the lines of " I have messaged you several times which iPhone records as read. I am now giving you 30 days from date of this letter to collect the saddle or I shall sell it to recoup my storage costs". Keep a copy then do exactly that. And send recorded delivery,

Just get legal advice before you do that (BHS help line, your home insurance, CAB etc) just in case you are deemed to have stolen it.

I was going to suggest CAB too.

What an odd situation, I hope you get it resolved quickly!

Thanks for the replies! I did think about CAB but wasn't sure as it is an equestrian problem. BHS helpline is probably a good idea!

So far I have sent a few imessages and an email this morning. Will contact her again at the weekend with FfionWinnie's message if I have heard nothing by then.

It's very strange- I would have thought as I haven't paid for the saddle she would want it back!
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
Do you know if she is posting on facebook or fitting elsewhere?
I always worry some major life problem has occurred in this sort of situation?
 

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
Do you know if she is posting on facebook or fitting elsewhere?
I always worry some major life problem has occurred in this sort of situation?

I've seen her posting under her personal facebook account out XC training last week so as far as I can tell she is ok!
 

MuddyMonster

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 September 2015
Messages
4,969
Visit site
Maybe try posting to her FB account, either her personal or company profile, if you are friends as it being public/viewable by others might 'trigger' her into taking action ... particularly if the owner of the saddle happens to see it!
 

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
Maybe try posting to her FB account, either her personal or company profile, if you are friends as it being public/viewable by others might 'trigger' her into taking action ... particularly if the owner of the saddle happens to see it!

I'm not friends with her on FB but the post I saw was tagged with a mutual friend we have so I could see it.

Good idea to post on her business page- it doesn't have comments turned on but you can leave reviews so could do it that way.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
contact her on fb/email then in case she has had some sort of phone disaster/it is lying about deliveries.
 

molly7886

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 June 2008
Messages
301
Location
surrey
Visit site
It's possible that she's just been busy at the time of the messages/otherwise occupied and forgets to get back to you later.
have you actually tried phoning her to see if you get an answer?
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2009
Messages
11,027
Location
Slopping along on a loose rein somewhere in Devon
Visit site
If you have an address I would write to her. Something along the lines of " I have messaged you several times which iPhone records as read. I am now giving you 30 days from date of this letter to collect the saddle or I shall sell it to recoup my storage costs". Keep a copy then do exactly that. And send recorded delivery,

Second this (plus the advice given re. seeking legal advice).

I had this happen with a rug (rather expensive one) that was left at my yard by a mobile rug cleaner. It wasn't my rug or anyone's at the yard and despite repeated requests to the rug cleaners to pick the dang thing up, they hadn't done so.

I sent a RD letter saying that (1) I had the item inadvertently in my possession and it did not belong to me; (2) I could no longer undertake for its continued safety or security and if it went missing or was damaged I could not and would not accept responsibility; (3) despite repeated attempts to contact them, no-one had yet collected it; (4) unless the item was collected within 31 days of the date of the letter then it would be sold and the proceeds given to an equine charity.

Guess what: the woman came to collect it on the 31st day, which was actually New Year's Eve....... unbelievably she came at about 5pm when I was doing the horses, needless to say I didn't use her services again, what a PITA.

A difficult one this, as this is an expensive item I'd deffo seek legal advice. Put it somewhere as safe as you can, send your recorded delivery letter, hang tight, and see what happens.
 

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
It's possible that she's just been busy at the time of the messages/otherwise occupied and forgets to get back to you later.
have you actually tried phoning her to see if you get an answer?

I've never been able to get her on the phone- even when booking an appointment! Her voice mail says she doesn't listen to her vm so not to leave a message.

I'm trying to keep communication written for proof that I have been contacting her.

I think legal advice and getting an address is the way forward!
 

Pocketr@cket

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 March 2016
Messages
229
Visit site
If she is not too far away I would take pictures of the saddle and return it to her home address. If it's too far away I would package it and send it recorded delivery to her address on the invoice.
 

Kaylum

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 May 2010
Messages
5,317
Visit site
I would be insisting she pick it up ASAP as you don't want an invoice from her if you have had it for more than so many weeks. She might be thinking everything has been ok and she could also say your horse changed shape so it does not fit. Yes get legal advice.
 

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
If she is not too far away I would take pictures of the saddle and return it to her home address. If it's too far away I would package it and send it recorded delivery to her address on the invoice.

Thanks for the advice :) i'll look into posting it- just depends on the cost!
 

timbobs

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 November 2014
Messages
1,904
Visit site
I would be insisting she pick it up ASAP as you don't want an invoice from her if you have had it for more than so many weeks. She might be thinking everything has been ok and she could also say your horse changed shape so it does not fit. Yes get legal advice.

Nothing has been signed regarding a commitment to buy which is good. As soon as I was made aware he was sore I let her know and asked her to come back and check the fit and I got no reply then either (mid june) and have had nothing since I said I wanted to return.

Hopefully I can't be made to buy it!
 
Top