CUSTOMERS won't receive purchases from a furniture store placed in administration.
An undisclosed number of people who have paid for goods from the Courts store in Bumpers Lane, Chester, don't yet know if they will receive any financial recompense.
The UK section of the 154-year-old firm was placed into administration on November 30, prompting the closure of all 88 stores and leaving 2,500 employees across the country uncertain about their future.
Stephen Smith, of Hough Green, who began paying for two sofas worth £1,100 two months ago, received a letter from accountant KPMG on behalf of Courts Plc and Courts (UK) Ltd last week.
It told customers they should be able to claim a refund from their card issuer if they paid by credit card. However, those who paid by debit card, cash or cheque may never see their money again, but are told to make a claim against the firm.
'We paid £200 by debit card Switch but I was initially going to pay the full amount,' said Mr Smith, 27, whose bank will not cover Switch payments.
'The salesman told me to just pay a small amount off the balance and he was quite insistent we didn't pay the full amount.
'He probably did us a favour, but we were there with our baby boy in a pushchair so maybe he could have warned us of the potential problems.
'Surely he must have known we were paying money we would lose. He actually said to us 'I can't believe they are selling it at such a low price'.'
He added: '£200 is a lot of money to lose at the best of times but with Christmas coming up it's a real blow.
'I know we are not the worst off, people will be losing jobs and others will have lost a lot more money, but when you go to a big company you don't expect to end up losing your money.'
Mr Smith questioned the company's recent advertising campaign, which inspired him to buy from the store, and said: 'I know the salesmen were in a tough position, having to carry on doing their jobs when they must have been under threat, but it strikes me as wrong that a company can carry on selling things to people if they suspect they are not going to be able to fulfil the orders.'
Mr Smith, who lives with his partner Kathryn, 30, and their seven-month-old son Sam, said: 'We were looking forward to enjoying our first Christmas with Sam from our nice new suite.'
Though KPMG was asked for details regarding the situation, spokeswoman Rachael Morgan said: 'We are not going to be able to provide you with these very specific facts and figures regarding the Chester store.
'All customers have been written to and we are trying to get allocated and paid-for stock out to customers.'
An official statement can be found at www.courts.co.uk.
