TV repair warning (From Stroud News and Journal)

TV repair warning

TRADING standards has warned residents in the Five Valleys to beware of a television repair company advertising under a false address.

The company, Adams of Stroud, advertise their premises in the Yellow Pages as 21 High Street - the premises of Catridge World which is totally unconnected with the TV repair enterprise.

It also advertises and answers to a Stroud telephone number.

Brad Plunkett, branch manager at Cartridge World, said: "From what I know they have been claiming to have been here for quite a long time.

"The first thing I found out about it I was standing in the yard and a guy asked me where number 21 is and I told him it was here.

"He started getting quite aggressive, asking where his TV was."

Since then, Mr Plunkett has had to fend off at least eight complaints from angry customers of the TV firm.

The SNJ contacted Adams and a man identifying himself only as Harry said: "We are not in Stroud. I moved to Birmingham a long time ago."

When asked how long ago, he said: "I can't say," and hung up.

When we called back we were directed to an answering machine. The message said they would respond to all calls within fifteen minutes - but they did not ring us back.

A spokesman from Yell (Yellow Pages) said: "We take this very seriously and at the outset we are very sorry for any inconvenience caused to the gentleman at that address.

"We take adverts in good faith and are working to trading standards guidelines which state that adverts should be truthful and accurate."

He said the address had been removed from the new 2005/06 edition of the Yellow Pages.

And a spokesman for trading standards said: "We do know of the company, whose proper address is in Birmingham.

"They do not have an address in Gloucestershire even though they advertise that they do in Yellow Pages.

"We have had a number of complaints about this company - we would welcome more information from the public about this company."