Home Brew Beer – Est. 2006

Yep Easytwats screwed me over, ordered a barrel 5 weeks ago at christmas, still waiting, they said that their courier lost the whole van load of deliveries and now they are waiting for another. stay away from them, trading standards aware!

Hi guys sorry to hear about the probs from easybrew, damn that would pi$$ me off waiting that long to brew one up. I ordered £80 worth of stuff from them on Tuesday night and to my surprise it was on my doorstep this afternoon (Thursday). Not defending them as this was my first order from them but after reading your above comments think i’ll stick with AOB. Chances are i just got lucky being a first time buyer from them.

Happy brewing folks…if your kit ever arrives!

Has anyone’s problems been resolved with this company. I am also experiencing very similiar problems with them after making an order for quite a significant amount of money over a month ago and so far have not received anything from the order.

Damian Jones. I am sorry to hear about your problem with late delivery. I was not aware of this situation. If you wish to contact me to discuss this, please drop me an email and I will get back to you – annette.ferre@easybrew.co.uk. We do keep fairly large stocks of products particularly hops and grains. However, we place large orders with our suppliers and it takes a while for them to get the orders ready and shipped.

Graham Dinsdale – Graham according to our records we have no items outstanding for you. Again, please do contact me if this is not the case and I will sort it out for you.

David Kennedy – this was the normal standard of service we aim to achieve.

John Finnerty – you have requested and received a full refund.

Justin Bloom – following on from our conversations and emails recently you have received free free goods totally £80.00 with your order and are now satisfied with the level of compensation for the delay.

T Bradley – we kept you informed at all times of the delay with your order by email. All of our suppliers were out of stock of the barrel you required after Christmas and there was a delay in manufacturing more stocks.

We aim, at all times, to give a good service to all of our customers. After all, without happy customers we would have no business.

I am sorry that for you people here we did not give an acceptable level of service.

EasyBrew moved to new and bigger premises, with a warehouse so we could keep higher levels of stock. We had severely underestimated the success of the website and had been having problems fulfilling orders within the time limits we had hoped to achieve. We now have better systems in place and more staff to ensure this does not happen again. Additionally, we are now set up that should items be out of stock we are able to contact all customers to advise the items out of stock, how long until the item comes into stock and asking if they would like to change for an alternative, similar item that we do have in stock.

I would like to resolve that at the earliest possible opportunity. If you would like to email me at annette.ferre@easybrew.co.uk or telephone on 01425 479972 (I will phone you straight back) I will aim to resolve any issues you may have.

Annette Ferre
Proprietor
EasyBrew

I must say that Annette has now rectified all of my issues with Easybrew including a very gracious gift for the problems. I am still waiting for a couple of items that they are having problems getting stock of but I am being kept informed of what is going on now so I am a lot happier.

This company is awful!

I ordered two brew kits on the 10th Feb and am still awaiting their arrival.

First- I never got a confirmation email.

Then I was told that the kits had been delivered when I was out so asked for the kits to be delivered to my work address.

When they did not arrive I rang again, finally making contact with someone after endless unanswered phone calls and answerphone messages.

I was told that my beer had been delivered to Bedford!!! Completelyt wrong -don’t know anyone there, though from the comments above it seems this isn’t the first time they’ve pulled this trick.

He said the boss would ring me, presumably Annette Fere – the next day. She didn’t nor did any one answer the phone!!!

Email doesn’t work, (they bounce back) nor does phone, so I have resorted to writing a letter though no doubt that will be ignored too!

What else can I do?

How do I report them to trading standards?

I have a friend who works for a consumer watchdog magazine – will reporting them make a difference do you think?

Cheers,

Tom

Why did I bother?

I put my order in on the 10th of January and it’s now the 18th of April with still nothing having been delivered.

I’m experiencing all the same problems as everyone else and getting the same old excuses aswell;

Apparently their suppliers are out of stock (do they actually keep anything in stock?) and despite one or two e-mails telling me they should have my order within a week, i’ve had absolutely zilch.

What can I do?

Harry

i have still hadno luck getting my order or getting a full refund as promised,so i have contacted ,The BBC Watchdog team to see if they can apply any shame on this so called company,despite what you said graham,it only took 30seconds for them to take my cash,so it should take the same ammount of time to return it ,.,!!

well graham i finally got my refund this morning ,i really had given up on them.buta full 4 weeks on i got back my cash.Is it a possibility they keep our cash for the interest,?please give me feed back,r

86 phone calls now do not go near them

Sadly I’ve also had problems too. I ordered a full beer starter kit on May 27th. It is now July 15th with several emails and calls passed.

I’m on my second request to get a refund on my payment!

I’ve resorted to passing over the issue to my credit card company who will recover the payment on my behalf.

EasyBrew is rubbish, they should not be allowed to trade!!! I will be sending all info to trading standards.

I just discovered this thread having ordered from easybrew on 7th July 2007. After a day I received a very polite e-mail saying that due to their ‘free postage’ offer on the Tom Caxton kit I’d ordered, it was out of stock but would be in within 14 days. I was given the option to wait or cancel. Since then I’ve phoned and e-mailed numerous times with no response. There’s an answer machine message there that was recorded on 23rd July and hasn’t changed since. Unfortunately they’ve billed my card – and included postage!

I live locally and intend to pop over and see them

I’ll post again if I get a result!

BTW – in the mean time I’ve ordered from http://www.hopshopuk.com and received a brilliant service. Spoke to the proprietor, a chap called Hywel, on the phone. Very helpful bloke. Stuff arrived next day. Max postage was under a fiver regardless of size of order.

Right then…

I popped over to Easybrew today to find that the shop (and it is a shop) was shut with a notice on the door saying that the proprietor had a hospital appointment but would be back tomorrow.

Have posted a letter through the door demanding goods or refund by tomorrow or I’ll ring trading standards.

I did, however, speak to the shop’s landlord who said that the business was a going concern and rent was paid up to date but that the owner was having ‘personal problems’ which meant she (as it seems to be a one woman show) wasn’t keeping regular hours. He’s seen her this morning and she’d said she was having a large stock delivery this week.

I’ll keep you posted!

I eventually got my money back (as item still out of stock after a month) today by visiting the shop itself. The man I spoke to had no knowledge of my phone calls, e-mails or the letter I previously posted through the door.

He promised that new stock was due to be delivered by the end of the week.

I sympathise David. I eventually phoned trading standards on 08454 040506 (from the UK) and spoke to someone called Chris. Apparently the law under the ‘Consumer protection distance selling act’ states that they have 30 days from the date of purchase to supply goods or a refund. As I understand it, after 30 days, they’re breaking UK law. I got a refund after 29 days but only by turning up in person. I’d give trading standards a bell if they won’t listen to any other means of communication. Good luck

Further to the note on the Distance Selling Regulations. They are also bound by the Sale of Goods Act 1979. If the the goods are not sent on a next day delivery, as quoted, then they are in breach on contract, as they have not provided goods as described within the agreed time..

I wish I’d read all this before I ordered goods from this company on August 20th (2008). I’ve received nothing so far, nor had replies to phonecalls. On that, and reading numerous complaints about them here and elsewhere, I’ve reported them to Trading Standards this morning, who’ve advised me to demand my refund in writing.

I’m then supposed to give EB 30 days to do so, and contact TS again if I get no joy. I’m not overly hopeful, though.

I paid by debit card, so I’ve little protection. The amount wasn’t huge (£22), but with everybody else’s paid for, but unreceived goods, it seems Ms Ferre is sitting on quite a pile. >:-(

Sorry everyone else is having similar problems. I’ll be watching to see what transpires.

- Susan.

It’s just happened to me! I feel so angry and wished I’d had the presence of mind to look-up the company before parting with my money.

I suggest everybody contact Tradind Standardd for the Hampshire Region (SW) because they will only act if there is sufficient complaints to warrant time being spent. Also there is a site called http://www.ripofftipoff.net where one can log issues.

What we need is someone to take-down the Easybrew site – it’s still being maintained and somewhere there is a bank account collecting money of unsuspecting punters like me!

OK Helen, that clinches it!

If there is even the slightest chance that this company and this Ferre person will debit accounts a second or subsequent time then this will be clearly fraudulent activity and the primary concern has to be self-protection. I suggest that those impacted cancel their debit card and ask their banks to reissue a new one. It’s a small inconvenience in my view. My loss currently stands at c. £27 but I really don’t it to grow.

Accordingly I have informed my Bank’s fraud team. I have written to Consumer Direct/Trading Standards who will need to hear from more of you before they deploy resources on this, so please treat this as a call to arms. If it helps, you can link your inquiries to my reference to get things going: SW493055

This woman has completely changed my attitude towards using the internet and although I doubt she is a master-criminal I prefer not to take any more chances.

i am having the same problems as everbody else it seems,no goods delivered,and looking at the amount of feedback ,i should imagine ,quite a lot of money involved.i have spoken to trading standards and there advice was to send a recorded delivery letter claiming my money back under the consumer protection{distance selling}regulations 2000,so i will see what happens

Oh no,im another one! Wish i had seen this first i spent £190 on my first delve into cider making,to say im sick is an understament.Spoke on the phone to her last week and they were waiting on some stuff to be delivered and i should receive it all by last weekend,mmm rite! not getting answers to my phone calls,emails etc.
the website should be shut down,hell they cant even spell,giving a discount on the main page!

Hi paul,its sad the site is still running and taking peoples money,i did a search on a ferre in hampshire and got 1 residential number,is this her home phone! im bloody tempted to try it!

I ordered from easybrew in September 2008 and I am still waiting for the order. They ignore e mails and phone calls. Can we get together and take them to court? How about trading standards.

Hi,
I also pay in August and did not receive goods. I have now made a claim through HM Court. It takes 5 mins and costs £25 up front but the claim is for original goods + the £25 fee + interest + wasted time and the impact on my business.

For HM Court Service. call Customer Help Desk between 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday (tel. 0845601 5935).
http://www.hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk

P.S. Ringwood Council contact details:

http://www.ringwood.gov.uk/Information/Contact/Contact_Us.html

P¬)

Initially I sent a fax to: +44(0)1425489477 setting out my concerns and enclosing my email address.

Then a Ringwood official responded directly to my email address.

Please see my post dated 09OCT08

Well I have mananged to speak to Annette on the phone (lucky me, I know!), and she told me i had been sent 2 emails explaining that there was some delay with my order – I can assure you no message had been sent or recevied.

Asked for a refund on the phone which she said she would sort straight away – it wasnt.

emailed a copule of days later and she said she knew i had spoken to ’someone’ in the office ( it was her) and was going to sort my refund. Using a different email address gave her the excuse that im using different email addresses so this must be the reason i didnt see her emails, erm, it wasnt!

After twice asking for a refund i was then told my items were arriving that afternoon. Would you beleive this after the crap so far, so i again reiterated i had twice requested a refund!.

I was then offered a free gift if i still took the order – again reiterated all i was after was my refund – for the third time!

Out the the blue i then receved an email saying sorry for the delay, but due to sudden illness there was a delay with the orders but ‘all the staff’ were working extra hours to catch up. I asked why i was receving this message as i was after my refund! She then apologised for what i could see was her delaying email by looking at previous posts!

So anyway, got an email with a transaction confirmation for a refund. It was dated on the 15OCT08 – still nothing has come into my account.

Contacted her and she said contacted her merchant bank and it didnt go through so offered to send me a cheque!!!!!

Normally with a retailer if you pay by card – they refund you by card.

Said didnt want cheque (as hut hum, this could get lost in the post) so i have now been added to her Spam filter so all my messages are now blocked.

THEY TAKE THE CASH IMMEDIATLEY EVEN THOUGH THEY OBVI0USLY DONT HAVE THE ITEMS. but then wont refund. This is daylight robbery. How can anyone sleep at night whilst carrying out this behaviour. With all the constant lies this is obviously a troubled woman.

Anyone thinking of paying a personal visit to collect your cash please email me at hairychurch at btopenworld dot com as i would be delighted in sharing the cost of fuel to go and collect the cash.

I will keep you updated, but Annette if you are reading this my patience is running out i will not take too much more before exploring my options.

Best regards

i have the same problems as above. i will be paying easybrew a visit in the near future.

Oh No… I’m yet another that’s been caught and from looking at all the feedback things are getting worse from sept onwards. I ordere on 24th Sept and like most wish I’d checked things out beforehand. Spent £87 on wine making stuff, seemed so good on web, and am still waiting. I’ve had the same problems, phones and e mails unaswered. Happened to get someone answer one day 2 weeks ago who said initially order had strangely been cancelled, when I said no money been refunded to my account was told hang on no it’s still here we seem to have missed it. Profuse apologies and promise it would be sent out by end of that week.On 15th Oct also got e mail saying Annette F had been off sick, was now back & taking on extra staff to catch up, so I sent conciliatory e mail saying how sorry I was!!! On 20th Oct got e mail to say delivery would be there on Fri, granted it didn’t specify a date I just assumed it would be the 25th!! Took day off work and no delivery.Have sent e amils since and then read review on another site re bad experience. I’ve been in touch with Hampshire Trading Standards who directed me to consumer advice site. Thay have replied advising I send recorded delivery letter asking for full refund under Consumer goods Distance Selling legislation. Not overly hopeful but am really angry and intend pursuing matter to the end as grief I am getting at home is riling me as well!!! Something has to be done to stop this activity by this woman.

Still no response from easybrew so contacted consumer direct (As per Carys’s post). They suggested that we’re protected under legislation and even have a template letter here:

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/making-complaint/template-letters/dsr_letter/

(amend as necessary)

I’ll try sending this, recorded delivery and see if that gets a response.

AFTERTHOUGHT:-
============

In the US there is the concept of a “Take-Down” letter or notice. I presume it is a form of summary judgment for injunctive relief but particularly where the internet is being used illegally; i.e., Take Down the Site!

If you want to see the impact of a ‘Take-Down’ then look at the following URL: http://www.olga.net/

Pity we don’t appear to have something similar here. In the UK we could probably apply through the courts for an equivalent order of the court using the following Civil Procedure Rule: http://www.justice.gov.uk/civil/procrules_fin/contents/parts/part24.htm

ho hum

Carys;

she said the same thing to me in an email dated 21/10/08. Don’t believe a word, as Thin Lizzy once famously sang.

sleazybrew have stolen £15 from me regarding a wine kit, damn Im mad, have waited 10 weeks now, Im actually thinking of phoning the police about this, or at least alerting watchdog

Hi all, just checked the site and unfortunately it’s up and running today. Going to post my trading stds template letter today but am holding out little hope of seeing my hard earned dosh again!!

Wow…shock of all shocks. As I was about to write to Easy brew yesterday I got an e mail from Annette Frres , linked to my previous e mail of 28th alering her I was contacting Trading Standards and my solicitor. Yesterday’s e mail siad parcel had been dispatched on 29th Oct, gave me the company name and tracking number.She stated she had checked with them and had been told I would get a delivery today. Lo & behold I have received part of my order…about £15.00 worth out of stock to be delivered in 10 days. Seeing other posts this may be it, should I be grateful for the bulk..yes, am I happy ..NOT ENTIRELY! I will give her another 10days and then start process again to recover £15.00.The information on Companies House web didn’t sound too hopeful. One thing for sure..I WILL NEVER SHOP WITH THEM AGAIN AND WILL ALWAYS GOOGLE TO SEE IF COMPANIES HAVE PROBLEMS BEFORE PURCHASING ANYTHING.

Ok after 2 months of messing around with this company regarding my order and various threats and arguments with them, I have finally recived my order
I weill never deal with this company again and strongly urge you all to boycott them

Guys

You may have seen my previous posts….

I FINALLY GOT MY MONEY BACK – VIA CHEQUE SENT BY ANNTETTE RECORDED DELIVERY.

THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS:

VISIT HERE: http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/after_you_buy/making-complaint/template-letters/dsr_letter/

DOWNLOAD, FILL OUT AND SEND RECORDED DELIVERY LETTER TO ANNETTE.

ONCE SHE SEES THE PROPERELY FORMATTED LETTER, YOU WILL GET A RESPONSE. I WOULD NOT ACCEPT A CHEQUE (AS THIS COULD BE LOST IN THE POST).

SO SHE SENT ME A CHEQUE RECORDED DELIVERY, AND TO MY DELIGHT IT WENT THROUGH OK.

GOOD LUCK ALL AND MERRY CHRISTMASS. FROM NOW ON I WILL USE MY OLD CHESTNUT http://www.brewityourself.co.uk

great website – items delivered the next day!!!

all honest and above bored.

I’ve just like to say, I dont think annette is a crook, she just shouldnt be running a business cos , hey, shes a woman

Have just posted the above Recorded delivery letter, thanks for the link Paul….will post if I get a response. In fact i’ll probably post if i dont get a response as well!

I didnt end up sending recorded delivery letter as I did get a response from Annette via email after I advised her I was considering legal action. I have since received a full refund to my card. I echo Pauls comments about Annette, I dont think she is intentionally trying to rip people off, yet it doesnt bode well for a company when so many people are having so much difficulty. Good luck to all concerned, I hope you get the same result before Christmas.

I too have the same issues as above. Have been given the “I’ve been ill” email and since then my e-mails have been opened (read receipt received) but no answer. Will follow some suggestions as above but it’s very frustrating especially at this time of the year. These items were gifts for people that I have paid for and not received. Will now have to pay again and worry if these arrive or not…. not sure who to use!

Just an update on the above. After many sturn emails to Annette, yesterday I received 2 emails saying that the problems were due to her unexpected ill health (seems that she has been ill for some time) but now she was back at work and sorting things out.

She has promised a refund on both mine and my husbands orders and attached copies of the refund transactions.

I will wait and see if these refunds go through but I have my doubts.

i am yet another victim of sleezybrew i placed a 40 pound order in oct08 and have had all the excuse e mails, illness is no excuse , i was laid off through illness in oct my order was my christmas drink , thank you annette , i just wish i lived close enough to you to beat some good buisness practices into youre head

Easybrew have changed the address and name of their website. It is now http://www.homebrewingandwinemaking.co.uk

hi just found this site and can,t believe what i,m reading i too have been done over by easycon placed a order in november and guess what order got lost i think this is a matter for the police

Just a quick comment to keep the information up to date and keep it at the top of the Google searches.
We ordered from Easybrew in late Oct 2008 and didnt recieve any emails confirming reciept of the order or any kind of correspondance, but the credit card was charged immediately. After a few weeks passed, we attempted to call and email Easybrew several times to enquire about the order with no answer. Eventually we called the bank and they cancelled the charges etc. At this point we considered the order cancelled, until a box from Easybrew arrived and the credit card was charged for a second time. Bear in mind we still hadnt had any correspondance from Easybrew whatsoever, including any request to authorise a second credit card transaction. The final joke is that the box was missing 30% of the order, but they still had the audacity to make the unauthorised charge to the credit card for the full order value.
In my view this goes way beyond trading standards issues, and from reading around online it seems like its been happening since 2007. Hopefully if we make everyone aware of the problems, this is one company we can force to go under during the credit crunch/recession.

On Friday 3/07/2009 I called in at Easy Brew in Ringwood.Premises empty and sign in the window said (No Longer Trading).