The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Dear Consumer’s Voice

On 8th January this year I bought a refrigerator on credit from Supreme Furnishers at Game City in Gaborone.  After a few months I had difficulty making the payments and I communicated with Supreme about my problem.

On 11th June I got home and found that the fridge was not there.  I called them and they said that they had repossessed the fridge.  On 16th July I went to them with the money I owed them for the arrears and also for some months up front.  They told me that they had already sold the fridge and listed me with TransUnion and that I still owed them the remaining balance.

My complaint is that they think they can repossess without giving me proof that they have done so.  I tried to talk to the Credit Manager at Supreme HQ but she said she couldn’t help me and that I couldn’t have my fridge back

Can you help me? 

Unfortunately this is too late.  Supreme have taken your goods, sold them and listed your bad credit history with TransUnion.  However it seems unbelievable that Supreme would have gone all the way to repossess your goods without communicating with you first.  Surely there was some paperwork from them?

We’ve seen contracts from other furniture stores that make you acknowledge that the store can come and enter your premises and take possession of your goods if you fail to pay the instalments on time.  You probably signed such an agreement when you bought the fridge in January.

We’ll get in contact with Supreme and get their side of the story.  However unfortunately I suspect that this is too late and that they will claim they went through their correct procedures before repossessing the fridge.  We’ll let you know.

Meanwhile the lesson is ALWAYS to read the contract you sign.  Do NOT sign it until you have understood it.  Do NOT sign it if you don’t want to abide by the conditions.