# Do NOT buy ANYTHING off Jacobs Photos - company in administration, orders not honoured, cash stolen



## editor (Jun 11, 2012)

I am fucking livid. I ordered a £510 lens off Jacobs in May. The fuckers bagged the cash and then told me the item wasn't in stock.  I asked for a refund and was told that they had refunded the money:


> Dear Sir
> 
> Ref Order
> 
> ...


 
After waiting weeks for the promised refund to materialise  in my account I wrote to them and got this back:


> On the 1st June 2012 Cecil Jacobs went into administration and so any orders outstanding before this date cannot be refunded.
> We have been advised that you contact you credit card company for a refund and advise of the situation
> Whilst I am sorry for the inconvenience caused, I hope you get the matter resolved
> You can also email the administrators on ceciljacobs@uk.pkf.com


The Jacobs website is still up and trading and asking for your money. I strongly recommend that you don't buy as much as a lens cap from this slippery bunch of fuckers.


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## Pickman's model (Jun 11, 2012)

No refund yet?


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## editor (Jun 11, 2012)

No, and I'm not going to get one.

I'm trying to get the money back via my bank but will also write an article on my tech blog so no one else buys anything from these fuckers.


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## Ted Striker (Jun 11, 2012)

Surely that's illegal (to still be trading)? Unless someone's taken it over and are annulling all previous 'debts'?

If it was purchased on credit card you will get the money back, though I suppose you know all this.

£510  (sorry)

Do they have the lens in stock (again)? At least you might get it if/when it comes back?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 11, 2012)

> Edward T Kerr and Jim Stewart-Koster of PKF (UK) LLP were appointed Joint Administrators of the Company on 1 June 2012.  The affairs, business and remaining property of the Company are being managed by them. Partners and staff of PKF (UK) LLP acting as administrators contract without personal liability. *In the event that an order cannot be fulfilled a full refund of any monies paid will be made.*


 
They're not very clear about pre-June orders not being fulfilled or refunded


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## editor (Jun 11, 2012)

Ted Striker said:


> Surely that's illegal (to still be trading)? Unless someone's taken it over and are annulling all previous 'debts'?
> 
> If it was purchased on credit card you will get the money back, though I suppose you know all this.
> 
> £510  (sorry)


I've been on the blower to the bank for the last 20 mins and I should get the cash back eventually, but I intend to post up an article shortly to warn others about their shoddy antics.


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## bmd (Jun 11, 2012)

Jesus, what a slimy underhanded way to go about trading. How is it that the website is still trading? Have you tried to buy the £510 lens again off them? Obviously not to the point of paying for it but if it's in stock then how come you haven't received yours? And if they have money to restock then surely that money is yours?


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## Riklet (Jun 11, 2012)

That is really shit, good luck getting your cash back!


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## editor (Jun 11, 2012)

Here's my rant here: http://www.wirefresh.com/jacobs-dig...-goes-into-administration-avoid-at-all-costs/

Hopefully it'l be of use to other photographers (there's nothing on the website warning visitors that the company is in financial difficulties.)

Feel free to Tweet and share the info!


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## bmd (Jun 11, 2012)

Interesting thread here about trading whilst in liquidation - http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=58204

and on the bottom of their website it says -




			
				Jacob's Digital said:
			
		

> Edward T Kerr and Jim Stewart-Koster of PKF (UK) LLP were appointed Joint Administrators of the Company on 1 June 2012.  The affairs, business and remaining property of the Company are being managed by them. Partners and staff of PKF (UK) LLP acting as administrators contract without personal liability. In the event that an order cannot be fulfilled a full refund of any monies paid will be made.


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## teuchter (Jun 11, 2012)

I note the use of the royal "we" in the wirefresh article.


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## Crispy (Jun 11, 2012)

the _editorial _"we"


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 11, 2012)

editor said:


> (there's nothing on the website warning visitors that the company is in financial difficulties.)


 
There is, but unfortunately it's stuck right at the very bottom of the page where nobody ever looks  which seems a bit of an underhanded way of telling people (or rather. not telling)



> Edward T Kerr and Jim Stewart-Koster of PKF (UK) LLP were appointed Joint Administrators of the Company on 1 June 2012. The affairs, business and remaining property of the Company are being managed by them. Partners and staff of PKF (UK) LLP acting as administrators contract without personal liability. *In the event that an order cannot be fulfilled a full refund of any monies paid will be made.*


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## mack (Jun 11, 2012)

We it's obvious the administrators want to continue trading and clear out any remaining stock, then they'll have some money to pay suppliers etc. etc. Customers will be last on the list so it's lucky you used a cc card.


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## teuchter (Jun 11, 2012)

Crispy said:


> the _editorial _"we"


They're same thing really.


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## el-ahrairah (Jun 11, 2012)

it's fairly common, and perfectly legal, sadly.  it's happened to me a couple of times, and the best you get is an apology and will be refunded last of all the creditors, by which time there will be no money in the pot.


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## editor (Jun 11, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I note the use of the royal "we" in the wirefresh article.


Jolly good.


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## geminisnake (Jun 11, 2012)

A) It was illegal to take your money in the first place B) it is illegal to still be taking money iirc.

Hope you get your money back!!


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## Citizen66 (Jun 11, 2012)

Blimey, losing a monkey is a bitter pill to swallow. I considered Jacobs when buying some kit recently.


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## cybertect (Jun 11, 2012)

editor said:


> I strongly recommend that you don't buy as much as a lens cap from this slippery bunch of fuckers.


 
Somewhat disappointed on all fronts as the guys at the Cannon Street branch of Jacobs are helpful and knowledgeable.

Since the sad demise of Vic Oddens' old shop on London Bridge Walk they're about the only photo retailer within lunch time radius of my office.


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## editor (Jun 12, 2012)

Well, they're in administration so they can legally trade, although presumably this is just to get rid of all the remaining stock.

The way they went about taking the money out of account before the item was even in their own stock was out of order, as was the way they lied to me about refunding the cash when I cancelled the order. They hung on to my cash for nearly three weeks _before_ going into administration. Dodgy as fuck.

I like to support independent businesses whenever i can but I'll never buy a thing off Jacobs again.

Mind, you I guess I should know better when I'm buying goods off a company that can't even spell properly.


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## teuchter (Jun 12, 2012)

Maybe they didn't do it deliberately and the reason they messed up the stock-keeping/refund process was that they were a bit preoccupied with being on the verge of going bust?


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## editor (Jun 12, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Maybe they didn't do it deliberately and the reason they messed up the stock-keeping/refund process was that they were a bit preoccupied with being on the verge of going bust?


I'd say that you'd have to be very preoccupied indeed to fire off a letter saying that you'd already refunded the payment and cancelled the order when in fact you'd done no such thing.

Deliberate or not, I was lied to and they held on to a considerable sum of cash they weren't entitled to.

My advice still stands to anyone considering buying off this company, but feel free to place a large order yourself if you like.


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 12, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Maybe they didn't do it deliberately and the reason they messed up the stock-keeping/refund process was that they were a bit preoccupied with being on the verge of going bust?


 
Very unlikely, even more so because they'd apparently been pulling the trick of taking money for stuff that wasn't in stock with many more people than just the ed. While it's possible that you're right, it's more likely that they deliberately continued trading while technically insolvent in the (usually vain) hope of getting enough short-term turnover to take them clear of their financial problems.  The directors will, of course, have royally fucked themselves if it *can* be proven that the traded while knowingly insolvent.


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## teuchter (Jun 12, 2012)

If the same thing's happened to lots of people then obviously it's a bit different. Is there evidence that it has?


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 12, 2012)

teuchter said:


> If the same thing's happened to lots of people then obviously it's a bit different. Is there evidence that it has?


 
I've seen threads on the Canon and Pentax forums (the only two fora for modern cameras I use) where people have made pretty much the same complaint as the ed - ordered, had money taken, *then* told goods are o/s, then no (promised) refund, and now bust! - all of which, of course, is anecdote, but it seems to reflect a trend rather than a series of isolated incidents.

I suspect that we'll see some "angry reader" letters about similar in those camera mags that carried Jacobs' adverts too.


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## editor (Jun 12, 2012)

teuchter said:


> If the same thing's happened to lots of people then obviously it's a bit different.


But if you're saying they made the 'mistake' because they were under such pressure, then there should be loads of examples of the company 'forgetting' to issue refunds.

But if there aren't many such examples, it rather undermines your argument.


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## editor (Jun 12, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> Very unlikely, even more so because they'd apparently been pulling the trick of taking money for stuff that wasn't in stock with many more people than just the ed. While it's possible that you're right, it's more likely that they deliberately continued trading while technically insolvent in the (usually vain) hope of getting enough short-term turnover to take them clear of their financial problems. The directors will, of course, have royally fucked themselves if it *can* be proven that the traded while knowingly insolvent.


Indeed. If - as teucher suggests - they already _knew_ that they were about to go into administration, then they should _*never*_ have pocketed the cash for items that weren't in stock.


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## 19sixtysix (Jun 12, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> The directors will, of course, have royally fucked themselves if it *can* be proven that the traded while knowingly insolvent.


 
Is that a criminal offence? Ed could report them to the cops. The credit card firms never bother to report criminal behaviour. Its just cheaper to make the rest of us pay for it. Indeed the credit card firms don't like it when you report dodgy transactions to the cops though i'm not sure the cops are that bothered either.


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## editor (Jun 12, 2012)

I just want my dosh back. Now. Those thieving fucks have already had it for over a month.


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 12, 2012)

19sixtysix said:


> Is that a criminal offence? Ed could report them to the cops. The credit card firms never bother to report criminal behaviour. Its just cheaper to make the rest of us pay for it. Indeed the credit card firms don't like it when you report dodgy transactions to the cops though i'm not sure the cops are that bothered either.


 
Trading while insolvent is an offence under (IIRC) section 214 of the Insolvency Act, so yeah, it's a criminal offence, but it's not really dealt with until the insolvency proceedings go through the courts. It's a fucking stupid thing for a business to do, though. It can render the directors personally liable for the company's debts.


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 12, 2012)

editor said:


> I just want my dosh back. Now. Those thieving fucks have already had it for over a month.


 
Unfortunately, if this goes the normal way, then unless your credit card company play you fair, I don't reckon you'll see your money very soon, and if you do, it'll depend where you are on the list of creditors as to what sort of measly fraction of what they owe you that you get offered.

Not trying to upset you, just trying to prepare you for what *may* lie ahead.


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## editor (Jun 16, 2012)

It's not just me that's been treated so badly. This comment has just been added to my wirefresh post:


> I have been chasing an order since February from them which I have not received. After numerous promises of chasing up this order I finally got the same email last week.
> Just disgraceful.


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## ViolentPanda (Jun 16, 2012)

editor said:


> It's not just me that's been treated so badly. This comment has just been added to my wirefresh post:


 
Sorry to hear that, but not surprised.


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## Jenny Truesdale (Jun 29, 2012)

I've been royally stung by Jacobs too, my boyfriend bought me a fantastic cannon camera costing over £300 for my birthday in march, stupidly I dropped it and the automatic shutter broke so I took it to Jacobs on the 30th of may to have it fixed. They told me it would be sent away to be repaired and I would receive a call to give me a quote. Little did I know the store closed on the 1st June... I tried the number posted on the shop window and the website to no avail, my emails are failing and coming back to me. I'm devastated!  Any advice you guys could give would be hugely appreciated!


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## Jenny Truesdale (Jun 29, 2012)

Surely it's my property and they have to give it back??


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## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

I've still not got a penny back. The lying fuckers.


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## Jenny Truesdale (Jun 29, 2012)

Sneak buggers!  After Theyswent into administration I got no response for the multipule emails or phone calls I made (to the contact details they had on their website and the shop window) when trying to find out  what had happened to my  carmera. 
Reading some forums I found out they are still trading online and by phone to get rid of there stock. I called the sales number and got through to an actual person straightaway when they thougth I wanted to give them money!!!!!!!  
Apparently they have no record of my emails (very convenient!) all stock was taken to a central warehouse and is in the process of being sorted out.....


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## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

Good luck with it. If there was any justice in the world, the fat rich directors would have to personally pay back the money they've effectively stolen from customers by their trading incompetence and deceit, but of course that won't happen.


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## teuchter (Jun 29, 2012)

How do you know they are fat?


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## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

teuchter said:


> How do you know they are fat?


It's a turn of phrase, Mr Dull Pedant.


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## Citizen66 (Jun 29, 2012)

So pleased I swerved using them when buying equipment recently. I would have been fucking livid if they spirited away my hard earned for gear I wouldn't receive. It's criminal.


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## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

Citizen66 said:


> So pleased I swerved using them to buy equipment recently. I would have been fucking livid if they spirited away my hard earned for gear I wouldn't receive. It's criminal.


But as in all these things, the people responsible for steering the company into financial ruin and ripping off their customers will escape scot-free. As you say, it's criminal.


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## FridgeMagnet (Jun 29, 2012)

And probably go on to run other companies.


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## Jenny Truesdale (Jun 29, 2012)

I can't believe they are still trading when they have already ripped off so many other people. They need to deal with the problems they already have instead of creating new ones!


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## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> And probably go on to run other companies.


Indeed. And if they screw them up too they'll probably still get a 'golden goodbye' (or whatever it's called) and keep on doing it again and again (see: the various rail franchises for examples).


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## Citizen66 (Jun 29, 2012)

editor said:


> But as in all these things, the people responsible for steering the company into financial ruin and ripping off their customers will escape scot-free. As you say, it's criminal.



It's one of the few times that i'm grateful for my Must Have It Now mentality, that I wanted to walk into a shop and walk away with the gear that day, because I almost ordered it over the net with Jabobs and would have done if I hadn't located what I wanted in another London camera shop.


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## abe11825 (Jun 29, 2012)

editor said:


> After waiting weeks for the promised refund to materialise in my account I wrote to them and got this back:





> _On the 1st June 2012 Cecil Jacobs went into administration and so any orders outstanding before this date cannot be refunded._
> _We have been advised that you contact you credit card company for a refund and advise of the situation_
> _Whilst I am sorry for the inconvenience caused, I hope you get the matter resolved_
> _You can also email the administrators on __ceciljacobs@uk.pkf.com_


 

Um... "*you contact you credit card*[...]"? Shouldn't it be _your_ credit card?

Yea, dodgy as fuck site. I've been on those types of sites before, and I gave up on one of them. I just ate the money I spent and stopped supporting the cause. Can't trust alot of "legit" businesses these days, unfortunately 




editor said:


> Mind, you I guess I should know better when I'm buying goods off a company that can't even spell properly.
> 
> View attachment 20033


 

Goes with the you credit card... 



Jenny Truesdale said:


> Sneak buggers! After Theyswent into administration I got no response for the multipule emails or phone calls I made (to the contact details they had on their website and the shop window) when trying to find out what had happened to my carmera.
> Reading some forums I found out they are still trading online and by phone to get rid of there stock. I called the sales number and got through to an actual person straightaway when they thougth I wanted to give them money!!!!!!!
> Apparently they have no record of my emails (very convenient!) all stock was taken to a central warehouse and is in the process of being sorted out.....


 
In other words, they stole your camera instead of stealing your money. They're low class "legal" thieves.

Hope some answers can get fixed from this, and money returned from some sources...


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## elbows (Jun 29, 2012)

At least one of their shops has now closed:

http://www.demotix.com/news/1298658...ures-company-goes-administration#.T-3ASO1CjDo


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## Jenny Truesdale (Jun 29, 2012)

On the 1st June 2012 Cecil Jacobs went into administration and so any orders outstanding before this date cannot be refunded.

Basically they said this to me, saying I would have to pay £10  to get my camera back when they find it , has it been after the 1st of June they would send it to me for free.

If it had of been AFTER the 1st they wouldn't have taken my camera because the shop would have bloody closed!!!  I paid £20 as a deposit to get it fixed in the first place!!!!


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## Jenny Truesdale (Jun 29, 2012)

elbows said:


> At least one of their shops has now closed:
> 
> http://www.demotix.com/news/1298658...ures-company-goes-administration#.T-3ASO1CjDo


 
The one by me in Kingston closed on the 1st of June...


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## MBV (Jun 29, 2012)

Closing down sale in Leicester tomorrow.


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## editor (Jun 29, 2012)

dfm said:


> Closing down sale in Leicester tomorrow.


If the directors had any decency and dignity they'd be selling off some of their own assets to recompense the customers they've stolen money off.


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## Citizen66 (Jun 29, 2012)

The website is still trading. 

http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk


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## Fruitloop (Jun 29, 2012)

Jenny Truesdale said:


> Surely it's my property and they have to give it back??


 
Don't know if you're still reading, but yes it is your property and they do have to give it back.


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## abe11825 (Jun 29, 2012)

Jenny Truesdale said:


> On the 1st June 2012 Cecil Jacobs went into administration and so any orders outstanding before this date cannot be refunded.
> 
> Basically they said this to me, saying I would have to pay £10 to get my camera back when they find it , has it been after the 1st of June they would send it to me for free.
> 
> If it had of been AFTER the 1st they wouldn't have taken my camera because the shop would have bloody closed!!! I paid £20 as a deposit to get it fixed in the first place!!!!


 

That's a load of bullocks - you having to pay them more to get your camera back. It's your camera that you were paying (them) to get fixed. The 20 quid was to the service fee and adding an extra 10 means they're just reselling your camera to you... It's almost like a hock shop reselling any type of shite people never pick back up... except it was yours to begin with. 




Jenny Truesdale said:


> Surely it's my property and they have to give it back??


 


Fruitloop said:


> Don't know if you're still reading, but yes it is your property and they do have to give it back.


 
Aye... goes with the whole you shouldn't have to pay to get it back. Free after a certain date or not. Their closing has nothing to do with you having to foot the bill to get your camera sorted, found and given back to you. Services are only rendered once the item is given back in good standing. Not to have it still broken and a "finder's" fee... tbh.


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## elbows (Jul 2, 2012)

editor said:


> If the directors had any decency and dignity they'd be selling off some of their own assets to recompense the customers they've stolen money off.


 
lol thats not how things work is it? Otherwise we wouldn't bother having limited companies in the first place.

Anyway with administrators in place its completely beyond their control now - they'd get in a lot of trouble if they gave preference to one creditor over another, lots of boring rules in this regard. Some creditors do have preference over others but its not up to the directors to decide the order at all.


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## elbows (Jul 2, 2012)

And one thing we can be sure of is that the administrators sure as hell make sure they get their fees paid out of whatevers left. Im not defending the current system of insolvency, administration etc, just saying how it is unfortunately.


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## mincepie (Jul 2, 2012)

Website is very sneaky ...apart from the small text at the bottom of the page you'd never guess anything was up.
Am guessing the London TCR shop has shut. Shame, they had the best range of camera bags.

I see on the website they started in Leicester. As did Jessops I believe?  Why Leicester!  I know it's quite a bit city, but still?


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## Ted Striker (Jul 2, 2012)

Without sounding johnny-bi-cahones, if I was that pissed off I'd walk into the local branch and out again with a pocketful of gear and leave them your order number.


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## editor (Sep 14, 2012)

Still haven't got my half-grand back. 

The company has gone for good now:


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## teqniq (Sep 14, 2012)

@ editor Sorry for your misfortune, wish I'd seen this thread before. Does your bank take part in the chargeback scheme? It wouldn't hurt to ask. I bought something from Focus DIY via their website using my debit card and it later transpired that they's already gone into administration. I registered as a creditor but it became apparent in short order that I was way to far down the foodchain to ever see the dosh again by that route. After googling a bit I came across this scheme (which is voluntary) and enquired of my bank (Smile) if they took part in it, explaining all the details and providing the transaction #'s. The money was back in my account two or thee days later.


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## editor (Sep 14, 2012)

I'm currently trying yo get the dosh back off my bank but it's taking ages.

I wonder if the fatcats on the board at Jacobs have lost any of their own money?


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## editor (Nov 13, 2012)

Five months later and I've *finally* got my money back.

And now I'm going to spend it on a Olympus Pen E-PL5, I reckon


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## geminisnake (Nov 13, 2012)

Glad you got your dosh back


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## dweller (Mar 9, 2013)

Hope editor doesn't mind me promoting a sale, but it is Jacobs related so I thought I'd mention it.
A recommended seller on ebay is selling a whole bunch of Jacobs filters at a much reduced price.
I thought this might be of interest to some here.
I just bought a 52mm CPL filter and had my offer of £5 accepted. 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/finemoor/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686


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