Fireplace business has customers fuming
| Author | Yolande Du Preez yolande.dupreez@inl.co.za |
| Published date | 14 July 2022 |
| Publication title | False Bay Echo |
“If we are enough people it will not cost a lot as we can make a huge case, put him in jail and liquidate his company,” he said.
However, the owner of the company, Djamile “Jim” Rossouw, says he isn't trying to scam anyone – the business has simply been through a rough patch.
Mr Nell claims Fireplace & Chimney Co., which is based in Fish Hoek’s Town Square, owes him R24 000 after it fitted a “cheaper fireplace” than the one he paid for.
He said he had been waiting since November last year for the company to replace the unit or refund him the balance. It had failed to respond even after he had sent a lawyer’s letter, he said.
Fireplace & Chimney Co. advertised a promotion on Facebook last year for fireplaces, which required an 80% deposit.
According to The Real Hello Peter South Africa’s Facebook page and Google reviews, several people who paid the deposit are still waiting for their fireplaces to be fitted, and some are waiting on deposits to be refunded after cancelling their orders.
The company’s excuses have included COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, staff being in car accidents, and suppliers letting them down, according to the reviews and customers the Echo spoke to.
Lorna Evans, from George, said she and her husband had ordered a fireplace in October 2021 and paid R17 000 for the 80% deposit.
According to Ms Evans, the installation was to have happened in their newly built house at the end of that month, but they asked for it to be shifted to November 17 because the floors hadn’t been installed. Then, on November 15, she was told the installation team was unavailable so the job was shifted to December 6, but it didn’t happen then either because the company told her the senior installer and his assistant had tested positive for COVID-19.
“I was then offered two solutions. One was to have the fireplace couriered to us that week or a refund with an additional payment of 7.5% for interest and inconvenience.”
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She said the offer had seemed sincere and she and her husband had decided to wait for another installation. However, after two more failed attempts to have their fireplace installed in January 2022, Ms Evans said, they had told the company to courier the fireplace to them and they would find a local installer.
“We also...
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