Scope of the Small Claims process

I apologise in advance if this topic has been discussed previously, but I have failed to find any relevant posts in my search of the archives!

I have, on two consecutive days, been "messed around" by a company in that I had an appointment with them which they failed to honour. As a result, I am out of pocket for lost earnings and travelling expenses. The amount of money is not large (estimate €160 max.), but I was treated so badly by a very belligerent employee that I have drafted a letter to them seeking compensation. I'm not overly optimistic that they will pay up, and in preparation for my next step, I consulted the Small Claims section of the Courts Service web site.

It isn't clear whether any such claim for compensation would fall within the scope of the Small Claims procedure. Does anybody here have any relevant experiences to share? Thank you!

Were you a customer (or potential customer) of the company, or were you in a business relationship with the company?

Thank you for your reply, Complainer. I was a returning customer. I have no business relationship with this organisation other than the (possibly relevant?) fact that I am self-employed and their services are incidental to my transport arrangements.

Sorry for the inquisition, but just to be clear - are you a customer as a consumer, or a customer as part of your self-employed business?

I've never heard of the Small Claims Court covering consequential losses.

Complainer is probably right but just to satisfy yourself, go to your local District Court Office and explain exactly what you stated in your original post. They will tell you if you have a case against these people or not. If you have, the court staff will help you process the claim and will endeavour to come to a mutual agreement. If this doesn't happen, a District Court Judge will rule on the issue. It doesn't require you to employ the services of a solicitor at any stage. Best of luck

Thanks both for your replies. I think it's fair to say that my relationship with this company is one of a "Consumer" rather than a business relationship. In discussion with friends last night, the following illustration was offered:

My GP is a self-employed businessman. If he goes to a local tyre supplier for new tyres and exhaust for his car (which is incidental to operating his business) then he is a consumer. If he deals with a supplier of pharmaceuticals then that is clearly a business relationship and, in the event of a dispute, would fall outside the scope of the Small Claims procedures.

I may get time to call to the court offices tomorrow - it will be interesting to see what they say. I'll report back either way.

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't trying to interrogate - it just seemed 'unusual' for a consumer to travel to see a business - it is usually the other way round!

Complainer said:

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't trying to interrogate - it just seemed 'unusual' for a consumer to travel to see a business - it is usually the other way round!

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That's odd. Tesco and Dunnes never bother calling to my door, which means that I have to travel to their stores.

Mystic Oil said:

I have, on two consecutive days, been "messed around" by a company in that I had an appointment with them which they failed to honour. As a result, I am out of pocket for lost earnings and travelling expenses. The amount of money is not large (estimate €160 max.), but I was treated so badly by a very belligerent employee that I have drafted a letter to them seeking compensation.

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To be honest, you are wasting your time pursuing this with the Small Claims Court. If I call to my doctor for an appointment and he can't see me due to an emergency (as happens occasionally), I can't expect him to compensate me for my time and travel costs.

ubiquitous said:

That's odd. Tesco and Dunnes never bother calling to my door, which means that I have to travel to their stores.

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Perhaps you've missed the launch of an interesting new concept called 'online shopping'. It's been around for a few weeks now, and a few people are starting to find that yes indeed, Tesco or Superquinn will call to your
door.

I'm sure that my meaning was clear from the context of the original post where the OP had an appointment with the business concerned. Do you make an appointment to do your shopping in Tesco?