Rental cancelled, company want me to buy?

[monkey1212]

HI, I have a small business and I took up what I saw as a good offer by a packaging company a month ago. They were offering one month's free rental of an Air PIllow Packaging machine when buying the 'air pillow roll' to go with it. I had been looking into getting one of these for a while, but couldn't afford the full buying cost, so I thought renting sounded brilliant and with a bonus free month to start would be even better! I placed the order for 'Air Pillow Roll plus Air Pillow Machine Free month's rental' and it arrived a few days later.

I've been waiting for them to contact me regarding them sending me some kind of rental agreement. When it arrived, I did ring them and ask what I needed to do to set up the rental agreement. At that time, they said, no need for that, they tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and they would contact me near the end of the month to discuss my usage and how many rolls I would need monthly.

Today I get a phone call saying the free month's rental runs out today and they aren't doing rentals anymore, so I have a choice of either buying the machine for £995 + VAT or sending it back!

I don't have the money to buy it and even though I don't see why I should now cover the cost of sending it back, I would do that, but I have a bad feeling about the way they do business now. What if they get it and say it was damaged on return (which it isn't) and I need to pay for it anyway?

Can anyone help me on this? Where do I stand? I only ordered this in the first place on the condition that I would be renting it thereafter.

I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me.

[des8]

Re: Rental cancelled, company want me to buy?

Hi and welcome.

Do you still have a copy of the original offer that you accepted?
If so could you post it up or direct us to where t may be seen on tinternet?

Would it be voidfill packaging ltd?

[monkey1212]

Re: Rental cancelled, company want me to buy?

Yes, it's voidfill Packaging......I don't have a copy of the original offer, only the order confirmation email. It was all done online. The only link I could find was of the same offer but dated back in August (mine was end of December). I realise in hindsight, I should've asked more questions. I saw the offer, ordered and paid for it on line and then expected some kind of email to explain the terms of the rental agreement, but nothing came and then a few days later I got my shipping email and then it arrived. I did think it was odd that they had sent it without getting something signed by me first.

http://www.voidfillpackaging.co.uk/#...f25051ca2404ca

Thanks for your reply.

[des8]

Re: Rental cancelled, company want me to buy?

I have seen their advert!

I suspect they do this on a regular basis.
One free month rental so renter finds it's a machine they can't do without.
End rental so renter purchases
Trying to charge for return is just another incentive to buy.

I assume there is nothing in the paperwork you do have, which mentions returning the machine.

If you really do not want the machine (and who would want to deal with a sharp outfit like this) i suggest you package it up safely in a place where it will not be damaged.
Then write, signed for, to the company pointing out they have reneged on an agreement and that you are holding the goods for their collection as there was no agreement that you would pay for its return.
Warn them that if they don't arrange collection within two weeks you will as bailee and will be charging storage fees of £xx per day.

[monkey1212]

Re: Rental cancelled, company want me to buy?

Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it! Especially so late! I will do as you say and update this thread with whatever happens next, so that anyone else having a similar problem can see how things pan out!