Couple lost over £3,000 to firm

Jan 1 2008 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A PENSIONER couple have lost thousands of pounds to a Huddersfield company.

Diane and Edward Bardgett paid Nationwide Windows and Conservatories of Beck Road, off St John’s Road, for guttering and drainpipe work which was never done.

And their tale shows how impossible it was to get money back from the company once they had paid upfront.

Mrs Bardgett said: “We were unfortunate enough to take out a contract with them in November, 2006, after phone sales. We were conned by various ‘incentives’ into paying a deposit of £3,250 on a £6,500 job.

“Once they got our money they messed up every arrangement they made.”

The work was due to begin on December 18 last year.

Mrs Bardgett said: “Fifteen minutes before they were due to arrive they called and said they couldn’t make it because of a weather problem.

“They suggested December 22 and 23, but I didn’t want our house scaffolded over Christmas, so I declined.”

But she couldn’t get through to anyone at the company to arrange an alternative date to begin work.

Mrs Bardgett added: “They never kept promises. The people I wanted to speak to were never in and my calls weren’t returned.”

On January 10 last year she wrote to the company canceling the contract.

When she received no response Mrs Bardgett drove to the company’s offices from her home in Derby two weeks later.

She said: “Nationwide gave me a letter accepting cancellation and promising a full refund. But they said they couldn’t give me a cheque there and then as that would require the permission of two directors.”

The couple took the company to court in February, winning the case on July 3.

Mrs Bardgett said: “We thought we would get our money back, but they ignored the court order.

“We paid for bailiffs to go in, but after several weeks we were told there were no assets and that all the company’s equipment was leased.

“I hope if Nationwide has closed down it can’t simply start up again with a different name.”

The Examiner carried a number of stories last year about customers who paid Nationwide for work which was never completed.

The company’s Beck Road premises were boarded up in November.

Yesterday the Examiner called two numbers which have been used by Nationwide in the past, but there was no reply.