TOPIC: Deposit Refunds

UPDATE

After contacting Sasha and following her advice, I received a call from OE advising me that a full refund of £500 is being issued immediately.
Thank you Sasha, you are brilliant, I'm so glad I found this forum, OE are nothing but pushy sales people. I almost made the biggest mistake of my life, I'm sticking with my reading glasses.
Sasha, you are awesome for helping so many people. X
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admin: A complaint has been made to the GOC concerning the optometrist's unethical recommendation of lens exchange surgery to Kathryn, contrary to RCOphth guidance
'If you are over 50 years of age and have a glasses prescription higher than the normal range for laser eye surgery, you are likely to be suitable for RLE'
www.rcophth.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/201...-RLE-AW-May-2018.pdf

Count yourself lucky they realised at the last minute you are too much of a risk. Fight for a full refund. Too late for me was told by OE all is ok and I became blind. Don't believe anything any medic or optom says go to the nhs for unbiased advice, OE just want your money don't care about you or your Eyes.
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admin: Please email me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hi, on October 3rd 2019 , I had a consultation at Optical Express in Cardiff for laser eye surgery. They informed me that I was not suitable and the only option was lens replacement at a cost of £7500, I am 48 years old.
On Wednesday 16th October, after many pushy calls and emails, I decided to book it as they had reduced the price a bit (£6868-they even tried to offer me a hotel for the night in Bristol.). They took £500 deposit off me over the phone and surgery was arranged for 26th November. The surgery was to take place at Optical Express Bristol Castlemead with Dr Manu Matthew. I had not met the surgeon nor had any contact with him at this point.
On Saturday 19th October, after reading lots of bad reviews online, I was very unhappy and decided not to go through with it. I phoned to cancel but couldn't get through so left it till Monday 21st October which is when I spoke to someone to cancel. I had a call back the next day and was told I am not entitled to a full refund, they offered me a £150 Optical Express store voucher and £350 refund within 28 working days. I explained that I tried to call on the weekend but they said that it was longer than the 3 days cooling off period.
Surely that cant be fair, it was a weekend, and they say 28 WORKING days for the refund so it shoud be 3 WORKING days for cancellation. I didn't sign theagreemant
Please can you advise me, I have absolutely no use for a store voucher and want a full refund. Thankyou

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admin: Firstly, you are too young for NLR/RLE (same procedure as cataract surgery, but removing perfectly healthy natural lenses), and secondly, Optical Express have no right to withhold ANY of your deposit - no matter how many days
For more info, pls send your phone number to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I am 30 years old, and was told i qualified for laser eye surgery a few months back, which i was very excited about. I notified them about a medical condition i have, they told me it would be fine to still go ahead with the procedure and were quick to take my deposit money from me. I had a call from my surgeon, and i got my doctor to sign my letter off.

On the day of surgery, i met with my surgeon, who read the letter from my doctor, and told me due to my recent blood tests i was not able to go ahead with surgery, or id become blind! NOBODY advised me of this, nobody advised me what the test results needed to be to go ahead with surgery in my consultation, so why take my deposit money before telling me this awful information!? The surgeon displayed no compassion, and in fact was very rude to me, so rude he had me leaving the building in tears.

I am now being told 2 things, i have to wait up to 28 days for a full refund on my deposit, but they have told me the date to expect my refund and it isn't within 28 days its the full 28days!! I just want my money back and to forget about the whole experience. If you have medical conditions, do not listen to Optical Express, do your own research and ask your doctors prior to booking anything. Optical Express just want your money.
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admin: Optical Express have no legal right to keep your money for 28 days, and the optometrist should be reported to the GOC!
For more info pls email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hi Sasha
Just a quick update for you. 

I recieved a call from a man named Rusell from OE refunds dept on the 21st June.

He advised me that a full refund has been issued in the form of a cheque and will posted 1st class the same day.

I was hoping to recieve it by the Monday but I recieved it Saturday the morning after.

So grateful for all your help and for this forum.
Thanks again for your help Sasha.  Xx

Hi Sasha
I have read you've helped many people get a refund from OE. I went in on the 25th May for a checkup and to see if I'm eligible for Laser eye surgery. I left £150 lighter that they took as a cash deposit from me. 

I'm a single mother and couldn't afford the £500 at once. Anyways I wasn't given a receipt on the day as I paid in cash. I was booked in for 2 weeks later and was told i could pay in 24 month interest free installments. 3 days later I recieved a call for someone to put my finance through. (Which I thought had already been put through as on the day I went in they was happy for me to pay in instalments) that was the impression that was given to me. I told them my credit was low and was worried I wouldn't be accepted for finance so obviously was delighted when they came back and said yes to the interest free installments. Anyways the person whk called me on day 3 was very rude. He basically told me OE hadn't done their job properly and they shouldn't have even offered me the instalment plan when I didn't have an income from a job. I tried to explain yes I am not working but I do still have an income as I have 4 young children. I was told unless its income from a job I cant go through with it unless I paid the whole amount cash. So as it was their fault for not explaining this to me beforehand, I was due my refund. Which after numerous phone calls back and forth was told will be refunded within 28days. 

I've not had no emails letters or anything from them since. I've tried calling back to speak about my refund but with no luck. 

Please help me out Sasha. 
Kind regards,
Madiya
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admin: Hi Madiya, pls send your phone number This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I came across this very informative site after having a consultation with OE Preston.

I decided to contact Sasha who has been exceptionally helpful throughout the below experience:

13/6
Consultation
Deposit paid over phone around 15:30

14/6
(Found OERML) Called Preston to cancel, was told retentions will call in 48h
I asked for email confirmation, not been received.

15/6
Follow up email sent - no reply

15/06
Called and spoke to Kimberley
Told I will get a call on Monday from retentions (17/6)

17/06
Called and spoke to Terry (female)
was told will hear from retentions today - didnt

18/6-13:20
Called and spoke to Sheila
Told her the 48hrs has passed, no call from retentions
She just said they will call

19/6
Email from OE after 2 missed calls
Dear Dave,
I have tried to contact you today regarding the recent cancellation of your treatment, here are my contact details If you’d like to get in touch with me for anything, please reply to this email or give me a call on the number below. I’d be happy to answer any questions, be they treatment or finance related.
Kind regards,
Chantelle Moss
Clinical Care Associate | Head office
UK: 0800 023 2020
ROI: 0044141 248 8234

19/6
Called back and spoke to Chantelle (recorded the call)
Explained I want refund
She said 28 days and CS will be in touch to issue it.

28 Working days from the 13th June would be 24/07/2019 - this is when I expect my refund to be issued by.

What an atrocious experience! STEER CLEAR OF OPTICAL EXPRESS AT ALL COSTS!

Apologies in advance for this being a long message, but I want everyone to know my whole situation in the hopes that more people will claim against OE and also be successful in getting their money back. Sasha dealt with my case personally and was so helpful and informative and guided me every step of the way, leading to my full refund of my deposit.

I had already resigned myself to the fact I wouldn’t get my money back as that’s how deposits work, it was only after reading things on this forum and others about OE that I started to research a little more and thought I might as well try.

So first of all I’ll start with my visit to OE... I recently went for a consultation at optical express and like many other people who have written on this forum, I left £500 lighter, even though I only went in to chat about the procedure. I was planning to get it done in November maybe, but they booked me in for less than two weeks time, it all seemed very pushy and rushed, they're very good at convincing you to do what they want you to do.

After leaving I now knew the name of the surgeon [Luca Antico] and after doing a little research I discovered a few negative things about him and the Exeter branch of OE. This spurred me into really doubting about the procedure at all, I figured my eyes aren't 'that" bad yet, so why risk making them worse until they are, so I decided to cancel my appointment and requested my deposit back as it was only a day after I booked in, they said they have put my details to another team and they will be in contact, two days later still nothing. Which proves what a lot of others on here have said... ‘the second you cancel or have any problems, OE want nothing to do with you’.
After my consultation I had letters, messages and emails galore! The second I cancelled... nothing!

I messaged OERML to seek advice and promptly received a message from Sasha saying that she would call to discuss the next steps. After a brief chat she said I would definitely get my deposit back, all I had to do was file a claim using an MCOL. I was having a few problems with the government website and Sasha kindly stayed on the phone with me and helped me with everything. We filled in the form and filed the claim. The MCOL cost £35, but this will be refunded by OE along with your deposit.

Whilst on the phone Sasha also informed me of how corrupt the whole laser eye business is, I had read a few things but I learned so much more and I’m even more thankful now that I didn’t allow this procedure to go ahead! It’s crazy that the government allows it to continue legally.

For example, there is a statement on the terms and conditions they give you in your welcome pack which says ‘These terms and conditions are still valid even if they have not been signed’ which is completely illegal, so if you too have paid a deposit already and haven’t signed these forms... you’re all good! And don’t need to worry

Two days after I filed the claim I had a missed call and a voicemail from someone at OE stating that my refund, including the £35 for the MCOL, had been issued and would be in my account within 3-5 working days. Sure enough, 3 days later it was in my account. Thus proving that as soon as any legal documents were issued, OE couldn’t react quick enough to settle up and not have to go to court, because they know legally they have no leg to stand on! They obviously make all their money from people who don’t pursue them to get their money back, it’s terrible!

I hope anyone who reads this will now have the confidence to go ahead and try to get their money back and not allow OE to take another easy £500 from someone.

Many many thanks again Sasha for all your help and advice!

28th February 2019 - I attended free consultation for laser eye surgery at Optical Express Bath store and optometrist told me I was suitable for lens replacement surgery.
3rd April - Spoke to Optical Express & booked bilateral lens replacement surgery for 27th May. Paid £500 deposit without meeting surgeon or knowing who it was!
5th April - Optometrist phoned me & told me not to have both eyes done on the same day & to reschedule. I cancelled & asked for refund. Was told someone would contact me that day to arranged this. No one did.
8th April - Email from OE asking me to contact them if I had any questions. I replied saying I wanted my deposit refunded.
9th Apr - Recieved email from OE saying that refunds take 28 working days according to their T&Cs. I replied that this was unacceptable as I did not sign or see T&Cs and that they are not legally entitled to hold my money. Had no reply from them.
With the help from Sasha I have put in a MCOL and it was issued 11th April.
I am claiming my £500 deposit plus interest plus £60 court fee. Still waiting.
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admin: Mei-che received her £500 refund + £60 court fee from Optical Express a few weeks after issuing her MCOL.

I asked her a number of times to update her post with this info, to let others know that they too can get their deposit refunded.

On 3 July she finally responded with this message:
'Hi. When I can i will do.'

Obviously a very busy young woman, I've saved her the effort of doing so

After reading a bit more information on the practices of Optical Express and the surgeon assigned to my surgery I decided that there was enough evidence to convince me not to go ahead with surgery.

I phoned the Bristol branch to cancel and was told that the cancellation team would be in touch. They phoned at at time in the morning which wasn't convenient so I asked them to call back at 1pm - They phoned me at 5pm - again I couldn't answer.
After this I took the initiative to call them however I was put through to a standard call centre employee, when asked to be put through to the cancellations team (the girl that left me her name) I was told that it was not possible to do that because the girl was off sick, when asked if I could speak to someone else, this was also refused.

So now with the help of Sasha I have put in a MCOL against OE to recover my £500 deposit plus court fees, this has been submitted and I am currently awaiting the outcome and a reply from Optical Express. I will update once received.
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admin: Unfortunately, even after asking him three times, Ben Sandford is apparently too busy to update his post with the news that his deposit was refunded as a result of my help