I hired wedding outfits for myself and my seven groomsmen from Moss Bros in London’s Regent Street, and we were measured in early January.
I selected a faded blue French Connection suit and was told it would be available for collection at my local branch in Ilford at the beginning of March, four weeks before the wedding.
A month later, I received a call from the Ilford branch claiming that only my measurements were on the order form. When I examined the paperwork I found the suit ordered was bright blue and shirts that I had not requested had been added.
I called in and was told the faded blue suit was not available for hire, that the groomsmen’s measurements had been lost and that the promised large-order discount had only been applied to one of the eight suits.
I was back to square one. I then chose a faded blue Ted Baker suit. I was told it would arrive at the start of March, but when I rang on 1 March I was told it was unavailable.
They had also ordered the wrong colour waistcoats and the discount had only been applied to three suits.
I now have four weeks until my wedding and have no idea what is happening with my suit, despite ordering it three months in advance and paying a £340 deposit.
RK, London
Sadly, the saga does not end there. Silence met my alert to the Moss Bros press office for eight days, during which the Ted Baker suit arrived and turned out to be different to the one you had tried on, so you had to choose yet another option, which would only be ready two days before the wedding.
When you lodged a formal complaint via the website you were told that, since the order had now been corrected, your complaint was closed.
After chasing, the press office finally got things moving. It arranged for the suits to be ready three weeks earlier than agreed and replacements would be couriered to you if need be.
“My sincerest apologies for the experience the customer has received,” says a spokesperson. You might expect such contrition to manifest itself in a generous discount. Sadly not. A £50 gift card and a bottle of champagne is all you’re getting for your weeks of hassle and suspense.
One lesson to learn: check order forms before paying, so you can spot any mistakes at the outset.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
