Do Deetha Leisure give a damn?

A reader got in touch to complain about a company called Deetha Leisure in South Africa. It was the same old story that we've heard many times before. A holiday discount company cold-calls someone and before they know it and often without any explicit consent they are charged a membership fee they didn't actually want.

This is what she said in her original emailed complaint to them in April this year.

"I received a call from one of your consultants/salesperson by the name [name removed] on Thursday 10th April 2014 inviting me to purchase a special package for R5999, I asked him to call me again on Monday the 14th which he did. I again asked him to explain the product and how I will be paying. He said I could pay about R500 a month if I agreed, he then said one of the managers will call me later that day and indeed I was called by a certain [name removed] in the evening who instead offered me an even better package for R9999 with more benefits and he said I could pay for that over 24 months at around R500 per month.

To my utter surprise and disgust, I realised that an amount of R7800 and another one of around R900 was taken from my account on the 15th April 2014.

I wish to state that much as I was interested in the product, I no longer want it due to the sheer dishonesty and unprofessional conduct of the two gentlemen and would therefore demand all my money back within the next 5 days. I believe it is not part of your company policy to take money that you and the customer have not agreed on."

Yes, I know people shouldn't give their bank account details to strangers over the phone but they do, they get "seduced" by a smooth-talking salesperson. It happens.

But that doesn't excuse it. It also doesn't excuse taking ages to remedy the situation. They called her in April and she still doesn't have her money back.

In an email to her in July they said:

"Sorry for the inconvenience caused but I assure you as per our telephonic conversation the matter it's been dealt with yes I agree it's taking long and I must sincerely apologize for not being in contact or send you any correspondence regarding the matter at hand"

So they admit they owe her a response.

I contacted them today and was told:

"Like I explained to [name removed] in our telephonic conversation this matter will be settled its only a matter of time as soon as we have finalized the date on our side she will be notified of the reimbursement"

My question was simple:

"Can you perhaps explain what 'only a matter of time' means?"

The response was frankly evasive:

"It means as soon as the date is set for the reimbursement she will be notified"

I think that means that they'll pay her whenever they feel like it. For the record this is NOT the first time this is alleged to have happened. They don't seem to give a damn.