The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Dear Consumer’s Voice

Does a furniture store have the right to take goods that I bought from them, black list me and still expect me to pay for the goods while they have sold those particular goods?

I bought a Television set from OK Furniture last year. I had problems paying my monthly instalments and eventually they came to take the TV away. I was told that I still had to pay the outstanding amount. While I do understand that I have to pay that amount, I don't understand why OK Furniture should sell that TV set, black list me and still make me pay for the set. I tried to find out from their manager but to no avail.

Do they have the right to do this?

Yes, they do.

When you bought the goods on credit you entered into a contract with the store to pay them an amount of money over a set period. When you had difficulties and stopped paying they were within their rights to reclaim the goods you had bought and sell them so they could get back some of the money you owed them. Obviously the TV, now second hand, wasn't worth nearly as much as when you bought it.

For instance if you bought a TV for P2,000 on credit, paid them back P500 in instalments and they finally sold it for P600 then you still owe them P900 plus their costs.

You should confirm that the price they got for the TV when they sold it was credited to your account. You should also ask them for a full statement of the amounts concerned.

On the subject of "blacklisting" then yes, they DO have the right to tell TransUnion, or whoever else they use, that you had a problem paying. There's no such thing as "blacklisting" as such, just credit histories that might contain details of repayment problems.

I'm sorry we can’t be of more help but if you get the figures from OK Furniture, send them over and we’ll happily check them for you.