JS Audio Repairs: Help sought to resolve an issue

[dogdog]

In the hope I am posting in the right section of the Forum, I'm looking for advice on how best to proceed with John Sampson of JS Audio Repairs, Croydon, Surrey. He has had a preamp of mine in for repair for over 10 months and has repeatedly told me that it will be ready and despatched by this or that date; but then nothing is despatched and I hear nothing further. For the past 5 or so months, he no longer responds to my email inquiries, and try as might, using different phones in case he is screening, for the past 2 months he has not answered his phone to me (instead, the answer-phone kicks in).

He first received the faulty ("squealing") preamp, an Eastern Electric Avant, back in November of last year, and quickly claimed to have identified the fault. I paid £295 and the unit was returned. The unit, however, still emitted the high-pitched whine, and so, at his request and cost, I returned it on January 14th, 2015. It has been with him ever since.

Does anyone on this forum know him personally and can lean on him to get this item finished and out of his workshop so that no more mud need to be slung? Or is my next step the small-claims court? As many people say of him, he seems like a genuine, decent, thoroughly committed engineer; but after almost a year of getting nowhere with him, I think he may also have other attributes that are less decent and less committed.

Thanks in advance.

[southall-1998]

That sounds very degrading, Simon. I'm sorry to hear about this!

S.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Go down, confront him, demand your amp and money back. Seek another repair service. If you have no luck, take him to court and tell everyone on the various forums about the crap service he gave you.

[walpurgis]

Simon is in The Netherlands Andrew, so it's not that simple. There's likely to be some EU law that protects his interests though.

[karma67]

funny but when i blew my amp up i tried him as he cae highly recommended,as luck would have it he never answered his phone!

[Lodgesound]

Sorry to say this but will anyway.

What is your machinery worth?

If the answer is above £500 then chase further......below that figure then write it off.

I assume you had it insured before sending?

Sorry to hear about your situation nonetheless.

[dogdog]

Thanks, All, for the advice. I have in fact recently returned to UK, so that particularly problem no longer obtains. Regarding the cost of the unit, it sells on Audio Emotion for £1500 or so, and although I bought mine used for £890, in working order (...) it's still worth more than £500. Audio Emotion recommended JS Audio Repair when the unit went faulty. As I say, there are lots of people who speak very well of this repair shop, and I have no wish to impugn its reputation; I just want this matter resolved, in my favour.

[killie99]

Have you tried speaking to Audio Emotion to see if they can contact him? If they are putting reasonable numbers of repairs his way they may be able to exert some influence. I have used John in the past and he was great. Sad to read such stories of poor service.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Simon is in The Netherlands Andrew, so it's not that simple. There's likely to be some EU law that protects his interests though.

:doh: Didn't see his location.

[dogdog]

Have you tried speaking to Audio Emotion to see if they can contact him? If they are putting reasonable numbers of repairs his way they may be able to exert some influence. I have used John in the past and he was great. Sad to read such stories of poor service.

I've just this minute written to Gary (of Audio Emotion) in the hope that he can gently "lean" on John. Thanks for the suggestion. As you say, and as I cannot repeat enough, I know JS to be a highly regarded as an engineer -- indeed, he recapped and upgraded my Meridian 557 without issue at the start of this year. But for some reason, the EE preamp has caused some kind of tailspin or similar.