Update re my unreturned deposit

hnmisty

hnmisty

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As some of you may remember (thank you to everyone who offered advice!), I was having problems getting my deposit back off a lady who I was going to buy a horse from. Horse failed vetting, and then was still lame several weeks later.

I sent her a letter asking for the money back, or I'd take her to a small claims court. By this point, I hadn't heard from her for over 6 weeks. The letter was delivered last Tues.

I have just had two emails from her today: "Hi Harriet,

Did you not get the cheque sent to your Sheffield address?

X (hubby) said you sent a letter while Ive been away, that was quiet threatening. Sorry you have felt that way.

Im currently away but can send you a cheque over when I get back.

Thanks. Person"

and then
"Are you at your dads now? Is there any chance you can check that the cheque hasn't gone to Sheffield so I can cancel it if has?

cheers".

(a) now I feel really bad, but if she has actually posted it, why not drop me an email or text to let me know?

(b) her first email (6 mins before the second) says she posted it to my Sheffield address. The second says she might have posted it to my Shef address by accident?

I've now got my mum trawling through piles of post at home, and I am going to see if I can find anything here.

I gave her my Shef address on the 1st May, and my home one on 20th May- so am I being harsh to be smelling a bit of cow poo here? It doesn't quite make sense to me- if she got my email with my home address on, why didn't she reply saying she'd posted it? If she posted it when she got my text saying "here's my Shef address" why not reply to that? If you have a stranger asking you for money back, wouldn't you let them know when you'd posted it?

Am I right to be feeling guilty, or am I right to be thinking she's trying to pretend she sent it ages ago?
 
It is all smoke and mirrors... just email back ,as my letter dated ? if I have not received the money by what ever date you stated you WILL ISSUE A SMALL CLIAM.Dont get sucked in . Hold your ground.
PM me if no luck I will telephone her and tell her a few home truths.for you
 
Tell her to cancel the cheque that she claims she's sent you (she will have a counterfoil for it surely) and ask for a reissued cheque to be sent forthwith to such and such address otherwise you will continue going down the small claims route if you haven't received it by the end of this week. Sounds like she's lying to me tbh and hasn't sent you a cheque at all but even if she has it's no big deal for her to cancel and reissue.
 
I would just go back and say that the cheque isnt at the Sheffield address and can they send a fresh one

That cuts out any more delay with to-ing and fro-ing with various people checking and asking the other to double check

Ask for a fresh cheque. if the other one turns up just tear it up, tell them if they want to cancel it thats fine

I'd nip any 'confusion' in the bud straight away
 
Thanks guys.

I've sent her an email saying along the lines of no cheque has arrived, it *could* have got lost in the post. Please send me another to this address. Sorry if you found my letter threatening, that wasn't my intention".

I'm glad I'm not the only one who smells BS, my mum does too!
 
possibly they sent the first email then sent the second to make it sound more credible

Whatever way you have a dialogue with them now, no matter how much BS you smell (and I am sure most of us think it stinks too) I'd allow them to save face and make things right now so at least you get your money
 
Could you ask her to do a bank transfer rather than a cheque . It would be quicker and less hassle than waiting for a cheque to arrive then clear..
 
Luci07 said:
which also now takes 5 working days to clear and not 3. As I found last week and was extremely annoying!
Click to expand...

But the difference is it is harder to recall the payment once it's gone. A cheque can be returned for absolutely ages.

I wouldn't accept another cheque from this person, would ask for bank transfer, they can do that straight after they have cancelled the mythical cheque....
 
You may be jumping the gun a little, I wouldnt be so hasty to assume shes mugging you off. It sounds like a lot of crossed wires, and shes been away making it harder to keep track of where you are or are not living.

Im surprised you didnt check your old address for the cheque before you sent the first email. But at least you're getting your money back....
 
Let's see what she comes back with- surely she'd know if you'd had the cheque, as after this length of time you'd have cashed it! Think she's trying her luck
 
She suggested cheque so I told her my address again (was amazed to have heard from her), should have sent her my bank details again. If she hasn't replied by tomorrow I'll suggest that.

I felt really bad at first that I'd sent her the letter...then I read her emails again...and they just don't add up. What a coincidence too that I finally hear from her after she received my letter!

q105 said:
You may be jumping the gun a little, I wouldnt be so hasty to assume shes mugging you off. It sounds like a lot of crossed wires, and shes been away making it harder to keep track of where you are or are not living.

Im surprised you didnt check your old address for the cheque before you sent the first email. But at least you're getting your money back....
Click to expand...

I would be more inclined to agree about jumping the gun, were it not for the fact that she has ignored my texts and emails for SIX WEEKS. Until today, I hadn't heard anything at all from her since the 17th April. That's quite a long time to believe that you haven't been conned. A very kind HHO member did some research and it turns out I'm not the first person to have problems with her over money.

My parents check my post that goes to home for me. Had anything arrived, they would have sent it up.

And sorry, but if you owe someone £200, and you're going to be away for a while, you could at least send a text saying "sorry, going away for a while, will be back on X date, will do it then", which would still be cr@p. And if you put the cheque in the post, it wouldn't be much effort to send a text to say so.

I'm naturally a very trusting person, which is why it took me so long to realise that I was going to have to put some effort in to get it back. I don't mean to sound like a curmudgeony old defensive fart, but sending that letter wasn't something I rushed into, I asked a LOT of people for advice, gave them all the facts, and actually had this route suggested. My letter was checked over by two solicitor friends of friends, who both approved it.
 
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