The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Dear Consumer’s Voice #1

I registered with a University to do my Degree, 2 weeks after registering, I got hired, and decided, to leave school and start working due to the high level of unemployment, I decided that working now will be better than going to school. So I went back to the university to ask them to release me but they refused saying that I have to pay them P12500, because I have breached a contract with them, so I'm wondering which contract have I breached because the only thing I did was register my name on their course list other than I didn't sign anything, since I was going to be on government sponsorship even the memorandum of agreement at DTEF I haven't signed.

I really need advice on what to do on this situation its really stressing!

You might be one of the few people lucky enough to escape from a situation like this. If it’s true that you never actually signed a contract, either with the university or DTEF, then you might just get away with it. I suggest that you write to the university explaining that you never had any written agreement with them and that you don’t see how any money is owed to them.

However you need to understand that you’re very lucky. It’s only because the university made a serious mistake in not getting you to sign a contract that you’ve got away with it. If they’d been more sensible you would have been committed. Some might think that you’re morally committed anyway. You gave them an assurance and two weeks later you changed your mind. They now have lost a lot of income because you wouldn’t honour your commitments.

The simple truth is that an agreement is binding. If you sign a contract, whether it’s a lease for a house, a loan agreement with a bank or a credit agreement with a furniture store (ignoring that you need you head examined if you sign that last one) then you have to stick to it, no matter how much you might later regret it.

Consider yourself very lucky!

Dear Consumer’s Voice #2

Good day. People I need your help. I have bought 2 loads of river sand on the 7th this month and was promised to be delivered on 9th this month. The supplier did not honour his promise so I called him and he told me he is in Gabs to buy a spare part and will deliver the following day. That didn’t happen and I called him back he told me the truck is on its way to deliver as we speak but the day went by without any delivery. The next morning I called him and he cuts off my call and switch off his phone. After a day he delivers one truck and when I call to ask about the second load he cuts off and switches off his phones, Up to now all I have is just one load and his invoice. What should I do? He is in Mahalapye and I’m in Gabs.

Yet another person who doesn’t keep his promises. Didn’t their Mums ever teach them the difference between right and wrong, about keeping their word?

If this guy has a problem in making the delivery the least he can do is tell you so. The irony in business is that breaking bad news to a customer often improves the relationship between the two because it builds trust. Hiding bad news and switching your cellphone off when a customer calls does the opposite.

Clearly there’s nothing complicated about this. This guy owes you either the second load of sand or a refund.

I contacted him and he sent me this message. “hie the remaining load of sand wil be delivered on wenesday 02/10/2013 sori the delay due to the breakdowns of our plant”.

Why he couldn’t tell you this himself is beyond me. I wonder if it’s something to do with fear of The Voice? It doesn’t matter, just let me know if you get your sand?

Update: He still doesn't have his sand. Stockport Holdings in Mahalapye clearly don't care about their customers and sticking to their deals and their promises.

Update: Once I told him that his company would be named he responded again with yet another promise of a delivery date. We'll see if he breaks this promise as well.