27 August 2008

Laserderm confusion?

| smithja
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I have a call out to anyone who has had problems with the formerly known Laserderm International within the Melbourne Building Northbourne, now Laserderm Skin Fitness Centre at Garema Court. (this is a post regarding my feelings and my view only)… just in case they want to sue 😉

Back in 2006, I was talked into purchasing 6 prepaid IPL laser treatments at a cost of over $2500. Apparently, purchasing a pack saved me 25%, you know the same old sales spin. When I brought these treatments, there were no time limits, no special “got to used within a year” deal. So, I used 3 treatments within 2006 and 1 treatment last year, with 2 treatments still to be used.

I called up on Monday to make my appointment, the phone was disconnected. So I called the Belconnen Store, of the same name. I tried again the next day (Tuesday) where I was told that the Belconnen store was not a part of the Civic store, but they were sure that the Civic store had moved or closed down or “something like that”. The man I spoke to took down my number and said he’d try to find out what was going on and would call me back. During our chat, he rambled off a telephone number that I wrote down. After 3 hours without any calls, I rang the number. It was the new number for the Civic Store.

So I call the Civic Store and I’m asking to make my appointment, I get told they would have to take down my number and call me back. Five hours later, nothing from Belconnen, nothing from Civic, so, I decide to call the Civic store again. They tell me they can’t find my file and because they can’t find it I can’t make an appointment. “What”….. I was fuming. The lady on the phone then went on to tell me that the new owners of the Belconnen store stole files from the Civic store and it seems mine might have been in amongst those, but she’ll keep looking and call me back. I mentioned that when I made my appointments at the old location they had a computer and I was on that appointment calendar….oops….. the computers on the blink…. “What”…..

So I’m sitting here, day three, no one has called me back. I have over $500 worth of treatments that no one is taking responisbility for because of in house fighting.

I would like to find out if anyone else has had any problems with these companies, or if something similar has happened to them.

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VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy7:23 pm 04 Nov 08

I went in once for a Brazilian laser treatment, and they burned my corn hole.

Seriously, Mrs Berlina suggests you call Fair Trading at the Office of Regulatory Services.

Hi, this is a huge problem for me too. I had had 4 treatments at the centre on Northborne Ave. I had another treatment on the day they moved to the new centre at Vanessa’s day spa (which was a major issue in itself because I don’t use the emla creme, but sometimes use ice packs just to cut the pain down a little … of course as they’d moved, there was no ice packs available so I had to grit my teeth), but fortuntately the treatment was still given by the usual attendant, who was absolutely delightful and did a great job as she always did. I booked my next treatment and turned up only to be told that none of the women from the previous centre worked there anymore and that Vanessa was going to do the treatment. I seriously doubt she had any idea what she was doing with laser. She took forever to get started (which should have been my first clue). She couldn’t hold the laser properly and just didn’t seem to know how to use it given I was in my final stages of the treatments (which should have been my big flash of the blinding obvious). I walked out knowing that there was no way that that treatment would have worked and I had just literally lost $350. I am supposed to be going in again this week for another ‘treatment’, but there is absolutely no way I’ll be going back. I’m moving to the US in four weeks time, so I’m going to look in to it over there and get them to finish the job off. I’m really angry and disappointed that as clients we weren’t notified of the change or given the opportunity to not attend. I still maintain that Vanessa does not have the skills required to do the treatments and I will not be returning.

One ticked off, half-lasered woman!!

I used to go to Laserderm in Civic, I had one treatment by the same lady when it transfered to Vanessas Day Spa. In general conversation she told me that they didnt have an IPL but they were getting one in the next month ( August).She also told me she was leaving and wouldnt be there for my next treatment. A little later I tried to change my appointment by phone. That was ridiculously difficult , either no answer , a woman that didnt speak english or a kid, I was told to ring back each time. I couldnt do business with people like that so i just cancelled. Now looking for another place to go.
maybe you wont get your money back but i would be suprised if vanessas day spas lasts long

LOL

That is very scientific, yes. Just send it care of ‘The Lodge’. *guffaw*

Yes. Give me your address and I’ll send you some.

*hehe*

But can you prove that scientifically?

Chicken feet are the go, they beat ox hearts every time.

It’s time to break out the ox heart …. Whoops, wrong thread!

; )

What about that guy in the Canberra Times – Consumer Voice? He might be worth a try.

tylersmayhem4:38 pm 28 Aug 08

Maybe they need a tip off that this story is being ran on here?!

Laserderm or “Vanessa” that is.

tylersmayhem3:47 pm 28 Aug 08

I wouldn’t get my hopes up about Today Tonight resolving the issue.

1. How often have you seen a story featured in Canberra?

2. How often have you seen a story when the wrong-doing person/company actually pays up? They usually dodge bullets and escape any involvement.

That said, it really sucks that’s this has happened to you, and keep us up to date with how it all goes!

Maybe they need a tip off that this story is being ran on here?!

Please tell your friends my story…….. I don’t want these people to succeed with their business when their old business ripped people off… This should never be allowed to happen!!!

Well fellow readers, I’ve just sent this story via email to Today Tonight. They will regret the day they ripped me off!!!

Surely there is an investigative journalist out there whose bosom would heave at the prospect of chasing down these ne’er do wells with a camera.

I agree, but unfortunately, the company has just disappeared. I don’t have anyone to sue at the small claims court. Both new companies, the Belconnen store and the new Day Spa, both denie having any links to the previous business. It’s as though the business was beamed deep into outer space…….

I’ve been told so many different stories, I’m not sure what to believe. I was hoping that someone on here may have had dealings with these people, may know the name of the owner.. so I’m able to do this…

As was suggested above, I’d suggest lodging with the small claims court – quite often these people are quite willing to return one person’s money, once they’ve shown they’re serious, to make the problem go away rather than risk external authorities taking a closer look.

Start working your way up the chain if you have to.
http://www.choice.com.au/viewArticle.aspx?id=101817&catId=100405&tid=100008

Don’t play LawyerBattle unless you have to, but your option of last resort may be
the ACT Small Claims Tribunals.
http://www.courts.act.gov.au/magistrates/index.html

I did keep a receipt, but that doesn’t seem to matter… I just received another call from the woman her apparently owned the Civic branch, who resigned and ‘disappeared’ overnight. She’s now saying that the old business closed down, they just kept the number and ‘some’ clients. (On Wednesday everyone and everything had ‘disappeared’) and the business (who belongs to the woman who is in Belconnen) was transferred to Belconnen.

OMG…. is this frustrating or what… I’ve spoken with the ‘man’ who owns Belconnen and for 1. he’s not a woman and 2. he tells me he has nothing to do with the Civic Business.

I actually went on to the small business website, the business went into liquidation in March. The woman who owns the ‘Vanessa’s Day Spa’ has 3 different names, one which seems to be linked to the laserderm place. I was told by her and this woman who ‘disappeared’ and ‘reappeared’ that they don’t do IPL, nor do they have a machine. BUT, I went to the shop yesterday and they have on their signs, phamplets and this Vanessa ‘3 names’ business card, that they do in fact do IPL treatments..

I’m really annoyed that these people continually lie, making up different stories as the days go by without taking any responsibility… They just shut up shop, moved to a new location, with a new name and started over. So what about the people they owe money too,not only their clients but suppliers, cleaners, landlords.. If they did this to me, I’m sure they did this to everyone.

I really don’t see me getting my money back. However I can say that, due to my personal experiences I would never go to Vanessa’s Day Spa in Garema Court.

If we tell you our secret women’s business, we may have to kill you.

; )

Just out of curiosity, what kind of work are you guys/gals having done? And apart from the shonky operators what have the results been like?

Please, folks, go to a specialist medical doctor for laser treatments! It’s actually much cheaper than these Shonky Sisters outfits, they have better equipment and know what they are doing. Yes, they do cosmetic stuff. I went to the Northbourne Ave shysters and got the hard sell. I declined.

I knew someone would… LOL

Mia80 said :

(although some bloggers may disagree) Theft is a crime.

I disagree, theft is not a crime…

Firstly, do you still have the receipts etc from your pre-purchase, evidence of how many you have used etc????

Still I say go to the ACCC, because what they have done is blatant theft. Nothing less, and (although some bloggers may disagree) Theft is a crime. Plain and simple.

Raise the issue with everything and everyone you have before you get legal.
Even then a Small Claim will only cost you around $50 to lodge, but why should you have to spend more money on those ^&*(&^(&*^.

Fernwood is another example of theiving &^$^%$&^(*.
I was talked into getting a 2 year membership (with monthly direct debits). Don’t know why, I was perfectly fine without a gym before. But I don’t know how many times I rang and wrote to them to cancel my membership (being direct debited from my account), they never did.
I had to close the account and start a new one.

Why do “businesses” think they have it over us?
They wouldn’t exist with us in the first place.

So very wrong.
I am so very angry for you.

I’M PISSED OFF THAT THESE PEOPLE RIPPED ME OFF AND THEN CLAIM ‘THEY KNOW NOTHING’…;)

I’m feeling calming now…….. calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean….

UNLEASH THE DOGS OF WAR!

…and by dogs of war I mean a solicitor.

I would like to find out if anyone else has had any problems with these companies, or if something similar has happened to them.

It’s okay to simply say ‘I’m so pissed off I want to go public’. We can dig.

Just an update, I called the Civic store to find out if they were able to ‘find’ my file. The woman I spoke with – Vanessa, from Vanessa’s Day Spa, – told me that the woman who worked for them conducting the laser treatments, owned the business and because she resigned yesterday they no longer do LPI treatments. Fair enough..

So, I wanted to find out more about this woman, who took off with my $500, closed down the store without any kind of notification. I asked ‘Vanessa’ if the Vanessa Day Spa has the files and equipment from the Melbourne building, which she told me that the Belconnen store stole the files and she doesn’t know where the equipments is and that they no longer, as of today, conduct IPL (well I now know that). She avioded answering any of my questions and when I pressed her she hung up on me. Although she did say, that this ‘woman’ who owned the clinic told her no one paid up front. So they don’t have my files, the computer doesn’t work but they can confirm that no one paid for their treatments up front… mmmmmmm

So as of yesterday, this day spa ran the laser clinic out of their premise (which she confirm, saying yesterday that she owned the clinic) and today the equipment has dissapear (over night…. it’s the aliens), this Vanessa woman knows nothing and the clinic was never run from her store nor does she know where is has gone.

WHAT A CROCK OF SHIT!!!!!!!!! I just want my money!!!

I rang the Belconnen store and was told that they haven’t stolen anything and that they are a legite business. Which I believe.

I found out that this Vanessa persons husband appartently owned the Laserderm International clinic in the Melbourne building. So basically, she lied through her teeth.

I’ll keep everyone up to date!!

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