HELP!! Sold a saddle and it was the wrong size!

[kajabe]

Hi, I really need advice.
I bought what I was told as, a 17" wintec saddle for my mare almost two years ago. She is now retired so I decided to sell it. As I was told it was 17" that is what I advertised it as. It was bought by a lady a couple of weeks ago.
She has now said that actually the saddle is 17.5" and it cost her £40 in petrol for her to come and collect it and £40 for the saddle fitter to come and he told her it doesn't fit. She wants a full refund, me to pay p&p to send it back and for me to pay the £80 expenses as well! This saddle on it's own was bought for over £350 and she only paid £160 incl over £50 worth of accessories. So she was getting a bargain really anyway.

What should I do? I've never sold anything before so don't know where I stand on things like this?

Thanks


**edit: she asked me when collecting it was it definately 17" and I said
'to my knowledge, yes. It was sold to me as 17"' so she knew I hadn't measured it**

 

[Patterdale]

I'd tell her to jog on tbh, buying saddles unseen over the Internet is NOT an exact art and there could have been any number if reasons it wouldn't fit. It's the risk you take.

But maybe I'm harsh - plus I would have taken pics with the tape measure on it anyway.

 

[Dizzle]

Most saddle makers include a serial number and if you supply that back to them they will tell you the size and when it was made.

 

[Elsiecat]

For all you know the saddle could now have a damaged tree. Apologise and tell her to sell it on herself. She's had plenty of time to notice the difference. Buyer beware and all that.

 

[flojo]

If she came to you to view the saddle she should have measured the saddle prior to buying it. Sounds as though she's trying to pull a fast one here.

 

[Biska]

Hi, I really need advice.
I bought what I was told as, a 17" wintec saddle for my mare almost two years ago. She is now retired so I decided to sell it. As I was told it was 17" that is what I advertised it as. It was bought by a lady a couple of weeks ago.
She has now said that actually the saddle is 17.5" and it cost her £40 in petrol for her to come and collect it and £40 for the saddle fitter to come and he told her it doesn't fit. She wants a full refund, me to pay p&p to send it back and for me to pay the £80 expenses as well! This saddle on it's own was bought for over £350 and she only paid £160 incl over £50 worth of accessories. So she was getting a bargain really anyway.

What should I do? I've never sold anything before so don't know where I stand on things like this?

Thanks

Where did you advertise it?
I think I am right that as it was a private not a business sale that you don't have to refund, but if you described it wrongly you might want to.
I would definitely not refund petrol or saddle fitter costs, in any case it might not have fitted the horse even if it had been a 17.5 inch
If you sold it as a business seller you would have more obligations.
You can ship a saddle by courier for around £20
Good Luck

 

[3OldPonies]

I'd tell her to jog on tbh, buying saddles unseen over the Internet is NOT an exact art and there could have been any number if reasons it wouldn't fit. It's the risk you take.

But maybe I'm harsh - plus I would have taken pics with the tape measure on it anyway.

This!

If she had a saddle fitter all lined up, why didn't she buy from them? To buy something she thought would fit is at her risk. The fact she then had a fitter say is down to her too. I expect she is just after something for nothing. Wonder if she makes a habit of this just to try saddles out?

 

[fatpiggy]

£40 worth of petrol - what is she driving - a tank? I can drive 350 miles to my Mum's for less than £40 and I wouldn't be so stupid to drive that far just for a saddle. I'd also be VERY surprised if a horse big enough to take a 17inch saddle couldn't possibly take a 17.5. Now if she had said it didn't fit in terms of width, that I could believe, but that is the risk you take when you buy secondhand. I think you are being scammed, frankly. Saddles seem to particularly attract dodgy people,

 

[kajabe]

Thank you for your replies everyone. I was so worried id have to pay it all! You've all put my mind at ease.

She's now said she doesn't want me to pay p&p as she's keeping the saddle but expects a full refund??!!

How do I prase it that she's not getting a refund etc without sounding rude? I don't want to cause an argument!
Thanks
K

 

[xgemmax]

no chance, she's taking the pee! If she wants to keep the saddle then she pays for it, end of!

 

[tiga71]

Why on earth would she think she can keep the saddle and have a full refund? What a nutter.

I would just say 'Keep the saddle, I sold it in good faith. I won't be refunding you any money.' Wouldn't worry about not sounding rude - she is trying it on.

 

[NellRosk]

Thank you for your replies everyone. I was so worried id have to pay it all! You've all put my mind at ease.

She's now said she doesn't want me to pay p&p as she's keeping the saddle but expects a full refund??!!

How do I prase it that she's not getting a refund etc without sounding rude? I don't want to cause an argument!
Thanks
K

If I were you I would not be worried about not sounding rude and kindly tell her to EFF OFF!

 

[Vodkagirly]

She is keeping the saddle and wants a full refund? no chance.
I would say if she returns the saddle at her own cost and it is in the same condition she can have a refund of saddle cost - all other expenses are her own.

 

[3OldPonies]

If I were you I would not be worried about not sounding rude and kindly tell her to EFF OFF!

Couldn't agree more, she expects a refund? That means she's got a saddle for free! I reckon she's done this before . . . and will go on to do it again if she keeps getting away with it.

 

[Brochdoll]

If she wants a full refund I would tell her that she can have it once you have the saddle you sold returned to you with her forking out for the P&P

 

[wench]

Did she pay via cash or paypal?

 

[Biska]

Thank you for your replies everyone. I was so worried id have to pay it all! You've all put my mind at ease.

She's now said she doesn't want me to pay p&p as she's keeping the saddle but expects a full refund??!!

How do I prase it that she's not getting a refund etc without sounding rude? I don't want to cause an argument!
Thanks
K

You are being really sensible to keep it all polite, but WHAT . . . . .she keeps it and gets the money back.....ignore her!
Or just say that you sorry but you are unable to refund her.
She is behaving like an idiot and trying it on.
One email is all you need then just ignore her.
was it sold on ebay K ?

 

[3Beasties]

How did she pay? If by cash tell her to jog on. If by paypal be very careful, you could end up with no saddle, and no money if she opens a case/reverses the payment.

 

[Vanha12]

Say you will go and pick up saddle and give refund or she can keep it. Apologise for genuine error and that you didn't intentionally mislead. Bit surprised you didn't measure before you sold but that's a lesson learned and you don't need me to bang on about it. She took a risk when she bought a saddle unseen and then had saddle fitter to it so the extra costs are part of that risk. At the end of the day, what can she do? I hardly think she is going to take this to small claims. Be polite and keep your cool. Good luck

 

[kajabe]

It was sold on preloved and she payed cash in hand.

She also came from about 120 miles away!

 

[wench]

Tell her to sod off then!

I had a similar scenrio... sold something in good faith on the details that it was sold to me on (by a professional). Buyer then started moaning it wasnt what I said it was and wanted a refund. (Paid via paypal.)

They had a week to send it back to me. However the cheeky sod had advertised the item on a facebook selling page saying it fitted them just fine. I took photos of the selling page, but paypal said they couldnt do anything. This made me really mad as the buyer said they didnt want it, as it was the wrong size and totally useles..

 

[fatpiggy]

It was sold on preloved and she payed cash in hand.

She also came from about 120 miles away!

She says! I wouldn't necessarily believe that. There are loads of places she could have bought a second hand saddle a lot closer to home than that. I drove 99 miles each way to buy a cello, but that was because I wanted to try it first and if it hadn't have been right for me, I would have just said, well it was a nice drive out and gone home empty handed.

She's ringing your bell love, tell her where to stick it!

 

[hayinamanger]

I would say that the fact she came to view and collect the saddle, leaves her without a leg to stand on. It probably doesn't fit her horse and she wants to offload it back to you, what a cheek.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Completely her own fault. If i was travelling that far to buy a saddle id know exactly what i was looking at and id measure it myself not take the sellers word.
She's trying it on as everyone else has said. just dont reply to her anymore.

 

[kajabe]

Thank you you've all made me feel a lot better about this situation. How about something like:

"I'm sorry but you came to see this saddle before you bought it so had the opportunity to measure it if you had wanted. That is what you get buying a second hand saddle. I told you that to my knowledge it was a 17" as that was what it was sold to me as. Hence I will not be giving you a refund. Thanks"

Or is that too abrupt?
K

 

[tiga71]

I wouldn't even bother saying that. I would just say 'I am not able to refund you any money. Keep the saddle.'

 

[catwithclaws]

Cheeky cow! Wanting to keep your saddle AND have her money back? What a joke! Don't worry about being rude and tell her to do one!!

 

[Tern]

Thank you you've all made me feel a lot better about this situation. How about something like:

"I'm sorry but you came to see this saddle before you bought it so had the opportunity to measure it if you had wanted. That is what you get buying a second hand saddle. I told you that to my knowledge it was a 17" as that was what it was sold to me as. Hence I will not be giving you a refund. Thanks"

Or is that too abrupt?
K

thats perf if she tries anything after that then tell her where to stuff it and where the door is.

 

[Diddleydoo]

I bought a brand new saddle through a master saddler, it was special order from the manufacturer because I am a short arse and needed a 16.5" seat. It is stamped as 16.5" but when measured it comes in at 17".

There is a good chance that your saddle was a 17" based on my experience.

As for keeping the saddle and getting a refund???? Who is she kidding?

Tell her to jog on and don't worry too much about polite. Good luck

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I can't believe the cheek of this woman.

She is taking the Pee mega big-time IMO and has obviously done this little scam before with someone else who was prepared to be bullied by her!

Well done OP for standing up to her. Sounds like she's an accomplished con-artist.

If she drove to you to pick up the saddle in the first place, the onus was on her surely to do a simple thing and bring a tape measure with her FFS???? and measure the saddle herself to make sure it was the right size?

I've got two saddles for sale on Preloved at the mo (both Wintecs!!! - oh my) - so shall beware of this woman as I'm sure others on here will do now. I do hope it isn't anyone on the forum here...............

Tell her to go forth and multiply if she hassles you again.....