Hampton Court Cycles

The owner of this shop 'allegedly' assaulted my 64 year old mother, damaged my bike and left it in a dangerous condition after we had paid for a service! Last summer my mother decided to help me out and take my mountain bike for a service. She decided to use Hampton Court Cycles as they were a new start-up business and a stones throw from our home. The bike was in the workshop for the entire summer as one of the workers wanted to find a replacement brake lever on eBay since the part required was no longer manufactured. I had no problem with this or the length of time taken to locate the part. We received a call from the technician informing us that the bike was ready for collection. Summer was well over and I was out of the country when the call came in. Again my mother (a 64 year old social care worker) went way beyond the call of duty and decided to pick the bike up in my absence. What happened next was purely unjust. The owner claimed that we had to pay a storage rate (I think it came to £400) for each week that the bike was kept at their premises. Now please note that the bike was picked up one week after the job was completed. The shop took the entire summer to finish the job and we were supposed to pay to keep the bike in their shop!? The service came to £90 and storage costs of £400 pounds or so for taking so long to complete the job??? We questioned the storage rate since they were incapable of fixing the bike in a normal time scale. But please note we had no problem with the rate for the parts and work done. The owner then went on to say he was entitled to keep and sell the bike because it was on his premises for x amount of months? But you kept it there because you had not finished the job! Utter madness. He point blank refused to give the bike back. All we wanted was to pay for the service/parts and leave with the bike, a bike worth over £1300 pounds. The owner finally agreed to show my mother the bike but she would not be allowed to take it. We wanted to be sure that the bike was not damaged or worse still sold and let the police deal with the owner. The owner then proceeded to get the bike from the back of his shop (the bike was left outside), and push the bike on its back wheel, 'allegedly' at speed straight into my mothers face. My mother was struck by the handle bars leaving a bruise and lump the size of a golf ball on here face. The police were called and the owner was arrested for 'allegedly' assaulting my mum. Not only did he 'allegedly' assault my mother, he also did not do the service we had payed for. Bolts on the wheels and brakes were left undone, and the seat was torn. The owners actions can only be described as atrocious! 'Allegedly' Assaulting a 5ft tall, 64 year old woman. Shame on him.

10

Alvin H.