paul stephenson

There is no customer service at all. Just a bot that won’t forward you to any contact point of any sort.
Ironically their tag line is KEEP COMMERCE HUMAN 😂 What a joke.
The sellers I’ve dealt with are fantastic and work hard to get over obvious Etsy issues but Etsy itself is just a machine. No conscience, empathy or accountability.

Scam advert uses the name CarVertical which is a genuine company. Luckily for me I realised pretty quick but had to cancel my credit card since they had my details. They didn’t even supply the £5.99 report.

Update. Halfords responded to this review asking me edit it and insert the reference details so that they could respond in person. I did that immediately but I’ve never been contacted.
Since then I’ve had the brakes fixed at ATS and a warped disc that Halfords missed and to top it all the exhaust that Halfords say they inspected rusted through the next week breaking at the rear box nearly causing an accident. Just the sort of thing that you pay for in an inspection and service. Guess they just ticked the box on that too.


Update: reference and job number 138/9018792
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Interim service


Not very impressive. Went to Torquay as other local Halfords weren’t available on my day off. Full marks for availability and easy booking. They called to say it was ready and I asked if they’d found the source of the rattle in the brakes - “you didn’t mention that”. Well ok I didn’t but it’s really obvious and loud when not braking and they specifically say they inspect the brakes but rather than moan I asked if they could look at the rear brakes again, they agreed and I left it with them a further two hours. I collected the car and asked what they’d found. The desk staff said they couldn’t find the rattle. The service staff said they “didn’t have time to check that”. I’ve no idea what the extra time was for then. I took the car into ATS tyre service at Newton Abbott on the way home. They instantly found the problem without even removing the wheels, showed me the missing clips on their computer, double checked by removing the wheels and wiggling the brake shoes. Halfords did notice that the tyres could be replaced soon so I said go ahead and change them all - they didn’t have any that fit (it’s run in conjunction with National Tyre Services). ATS have ordered the clips (£8) for each rear wheel and will fit them and my tyres next week. Also, their online map and directions take you to another address - they didn’t seem interested when I told them.

Still easy. No longer cheap.
Easy to look up quotes for my car insurance but this year the cheapest offer was 20% higher than my own search. My old insurer had increased their quote by 100% without any changes to my circumstances, car or risk. Hard to believe every other company wants 20% more than them and most offers were hundreds of pounds over. Not sure what’s going on here.

Maybe it’s just in Devon but although there are lots of good reviews I never get a parcel from Evri without waiting at least a week. Same story every time - the supplier gives it to Evri then Evri say they have it, then say it’s delayed, then say it’s at another depot, then back again to the hub for ‘processing’. The current parcel has been ‘ processed ‘ for 5 days now and I still have no idea when I’ll get it. You cannot contact them, you cannot collect your parcel, you cannot get a refund from the supplier because they don’t have it back. The best advice is to ask each supplier if they intend to use Evri and if so either ask for a different carrier or cancel.

First class service from contact to installation. During installation some rusty fittings were found and replaced and the fitter was extremely helpful and professional. I’ve recommended them to others and I’ll be going back to have more work done on the rear belts.

Ordered after reading their website and seeing their “24/7” customer support etc. The order confirmation came with a tracking number but asks that you download an app to track your goods. The app is useless but takes all your data to sell on. However you can track without the app if you keep trying but all you see is “order ready” with no details. Customer support didn’t reply at all so I emailed but that was rejected as “forwarding disallowed” so I added a comment on their Instagram ad. They replied saying they’d received no messages ever but would “look into” my order. Days later after no response I commented again, again they said they’d had no contact from me so I contacted Instagram and my card company and now they say they’ve refunded me because they can’t find the goods and they’re “having problems with our tracking system”. I can’t yet verify the refund but as the only method of contact is by DM and no address or phone number can be found my advice is stay away. Luckily I have the credit card to fall back on but had I paid by debit card would I get my money back? The first Instagram message has been removed and there are no messages from any other customer, seems odd?
If I hadn’t complained to Instagram and my card company would I ever have seen my goods or my money again? Not sure. Has anyone received anything? Who knows? If they have then they haven’t left any public comments ever, there’s only ‘reviews’ on their website.

Much improved. I’ve had past experiences with Yodel over recent years and worked for them via an agency briefly. They were absolutely without doubt the pits. They were so bad that had I known my supplier was using them I’d have shopped elsewhere. Luckily I didn’t know until the parcel was in their hands. Today’s delivery, service and communication was first class though. Very impressed.

Gave their app a negative review in 2020 but it’s much it’s much improved since then. Other than that the service has always been great.

Stay away. I moved to So but found the deal wasn’t what I thought. They wouldn’t stop the transfer of supply. Then they lied to my old supplier when I moved it back, saying that I didn’t want to leave So. I put my request in writing to So and showed my old supplier the written request but still they wouldn’t let me leave. Weeks later I finally got back to my old supplier. Now weeks later again they have taken my supply back without even talking to me. They are hopelessly deluded as I’ve repeatedly told them I will not be their customer. If you get involved with this lot you’ll be in for a world of aggravation. The customer means nothing to them. They ignore me completely and just carry on as though I have no voice.

EDIT since my review So have made a great effort and it appears that the dispute between suppliers was over whether or not I had been wrongly switched. I wasn’t. I’d asked to switch and changed my mind. However I had said so in writing and it should have been clear to anyone. My old supplier made it worse by trying to take the gas back as well later. Actually, neither of them listened properly and started squabbling instead. Full marks to So for patiently revisiting the file and contacting me.

UPDATE: Received a generic response to my review with a phone number that turns out to be just their ordinary number. Also a backdated letter 6 days after the final payment was made Now they demand a dd as well. Hopeless.

Pretty rude call handler who spoke incredibly fast in a heavy Glaswegian ? accent and insisted on talking over me. The company wouldn’t take the full payment that I offered when I cancelled the policy ( which I cancelled when Close took over the payments suddenly for Lancaster Insurance ) They got the end date wrong so the dd was cancelled leaving just £12 outstanding. I called to pay within 30 minutes of them
telling me and not only did they try to charge £30 for “defaulting” but refused again to let me pay my bill unless I paid the extra amount. Eventually the call handler accepted my £12 but not before asking me to “stop being cheeky” by insisting on paying my bill. Just crazy. Lancaster made a huge mistake letting these people come between them and their customers.

Bought classic car insurance and was happy the first year then they moved their payments system to Close Brothers suddenly. They made life difficult so I cancelled the policy but was not allowed to pay off the last 3 months immediately. I was told I must continue the dd and when to cancel it but they got the date wrong. I paid the final £12 a day late ie a day after the dd would have been paid and 30 minutes after being notified. Close Brothers demanded £30 for ‘default’, tried to refuse the £12 payment and told me I was “being cheeky” because I insisted. Crazy finance company - hopeless insurers. I would have happily paid more for my insurance too as it was a good deal until the finance company got involved.

Had an ongoing complaint with Halfords since March after they fitted the wrong battery to a Hybrid Lexus causing breakdowns, acid leakage and damage. The shop has no problem accepting responsibility but insists they need permission from the complaints dept. ‘Customer Services’ keep fobbing me off with questions and once all questions, photos, receipts, RAC report and payment details were given to them they consistently ignore my emails. No reply on the phone whatsoever. Hopeless company. Dangerous in this instance. Update - They apologised and finally came out and fitted the correct one first week in July after promising twice but cancelling each time. Took months but they got it right in the end

Very quick, very helpful in 2020
Now again in 2023. Went way beyond the call of duty and even transported the car from home days later (the right garage wasn’t open on the day of breakdown) and let me rearrange that twice too. Faultless service and excellent communication.