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Kay Optical problem (1 Viewer)

Hi jfm

I am sorry to hear that you are also someone that has had a very negative experience with Kay Optical.

Yes, the phone number that you have quoted is the one which I managed to finally communicate with Tony, albeit only by text message until I finally met up with him again at his Morden premises.

Forget the Lancaster address. This is Kay Optical as per the Companies House registration ....

Name & Registered Office:
KAY OPTICAL (1962) LIMITED
55 CHERTSEY DRIVE
NORTH CHEAM
SUTTON
SURREY
SM3 9UL
Company No. 08334909

If you are not getting any response from the phone number, I can only suggest that you do what I was going to do i.e. send him a recorded delivery signed for letter threatening him that you will report the matter to the Police as a theft and that you will seek legal advice on claiming your property back plus compensation. Thankfully this was not necessary in my case but I was quite prepared to take my complaint the distance.

Good luck!

Richard
 
Richard - I am glad that your issue has been resolved!

Further to this thread I have been contacted by two other birders from birdforum experiencing similar issues, and I have been able to help them with contact details for Tony of Kay Optical as well: I don't know how they have got on, but I wish them every success.

I feel very disappointed that so many of you have had such a struggle to resolve these issues, and am very disappointed that there seems to be no effort by Kay Optical to acknowledge these issues publicly & apologise, or to even put information on his website advising that he is in the "process of moving " (which seems to have been going on for a year now).

I suspect that once he has "moved" and resumes advertising in mags like Birdwatch again, and revises his website (which is still showing Field Days for 2014) that he finds that his reputation is in tatters and prudent birders sensibly avoid a business that is run in such an unprofessional fashion - especially when there are businesses such as Cley Spy, South West Optics & Ace Optics (amongst a number of others) that are run by birders and treat us as customers courteously, promptly & professionally.

Hi Simon

Thanks to you providing a contact number I did indeed resolve my issue with Kay Optical.

I totally agree with your comments. If Tony ever wants to resurrect his business he will find that he has totally trashed his reputation by his own conduct.

Just one further point to add to my experience. This week I received a quote for the repair to my telescope from Nikon via In Focus. The quote was £98 including VAT, somewhat less than the £200 to £300 excluding VAT provided as an estimate by Tony!

Richard
 
Many thanks for your reply, Richard.

If I am unable to get my binoculars back, does anyone know if personal effects insurance covers this sort of loss?

Jfm
 
Hi jfm

I am not sure if insurance would cover your loss.

I suspect not since if you made an honest claim and advised on the circumstances they would advise you to do what I suggested i.e. report the loss as a theft and pursue a legal claim. They would not view someone holding on to your property as an insured loss.

In addition, I think policy premiums would increase if you made a claim.

It might be worth looking at the small print of your insurance policy but I would not hold out much hope in your insurance company resolving this for you.

Richard
 
Many thanks for your reply, Richard.

If I am unable to get my binoculars back, does anyone know if personal effects insurance covers this sort of loss?

Jfm

Hi,

Having had a similar problem with Kay Optical - albeit at a much lower value I have followed most of this thread. Forgive me if I have missed some comment but it appears that Mr Kay is, for whatever reason, completely unreliable, but in moments of lucidness (if that is a word) does the right thing. I wouldn't give up hope, regardless of whatever other action you take, persist in trying to recover you property from him because if you catch him at the tight time you are likely to get your kit back.

Good luck

Perry
 
Perry suggests perseverance and certainly in my case this did indeed lead to me getting my telescope back eventually.

However, perseverance meant countless e-mails, phone calls and text messages from me. The need to continuously chase Tony Kay was to put it mildly very frustrating and should not have been necessary if he had the slightest concept of customer service.

My experience is obviously not unique. None of us should have to wait for him to be lucid (yes, lucidness is a word!). Even when he was lucid and decided to communicate with me there was not even a hint of an apology or an explanation other than that he was moving premises.

Hopefully all of you that have outstanding issues with Kay Optical will find a successful resolution sooner rather than later.

Richard
 
I really feel for all of you people on this thread and so sorry to read all of this. I bought my scope from him some years ago; never had a problem then and even recommended Kay Optical to friends. I wouldn't do so now, nor would I entrust anything to him. Hope you all get your stuff back.
 
Hi all

I am truly sorry to hear of the ongoing problems with Kay Optical.

For my part I have dealt with Kay Optical when Tony Kay senior (who now runs Optrep) was the owner, and then his son, Tony Kay, for over 20 years.

Tony Kay, the current owner, who is, imho, a decent guy has always provided me with an excellent level of customer service until roughly a year ago, when the business seemed to be going awry.

I believe his health is only part of the issue - he has had health issues for years, and was very, very unwell for a few years, and in fact the business seems to have gone to pot since he got better.

On a personal level he has let me down on a Swarovski SOC that I am owed worth £100 or so, and I have given up chasing him - life is too short. Having said that, I have followed the thread on here and persistance seems to pay off - I guess that after 20+ years of dealing with him more as a friend than a supplier I can't bring myself to chase what I am owed with the tenacity that I should!

His home address is the one in Cheam, but I would urge people to follow the legal route rather than doorsetepping him - whilst I more than understand your frustration, I suggest that there may be more to this than we realise: Who knows what is really going on his life? All I know is that I believe that he is basically a decent, honest man and that although his current behaviour is unprofessional, it is out of character and I do not believe for a second that he is intentionally trying to defraud or rob anyone.

I wonder whether a group email to him or getting Birdwatch / BB to investigate might be worth doing: If he does want to resurrect his business this would give him the opportunity to explain what is going on to the wider birding community, and by his response either redeem or condemn his own actions?
 
Further to my earlier post I have checked into Kay Optical's company details and trading position using a commercial service - the same service that businesses use to assess other businesses for the provision of credit and to check their general creditworthiness.

Things do not appear to look good for Kay Optical & there is a mixed picture overall: They have recently received a CCJ for £1353.00 on 24.04.15, and the company is listed as being in a "pre-dissolution state".

Whilst the above information can be read in a number of different ways, I would suggest even more caution in future dealings with them until the situation is clarified / resolved.
 
Update to my problem with Tony of Kay Optical - I went to his house and could not get any reply by knocking on the door and calling out. I left a typed 'letter' on the mat emphasizing that he was withholding my property and I would have to contact the police. I also left a note with a neighbour asking them to tell Tony when they saw him to contact me.

I then went to the old premises in Morden and they were clearly empty and closed up, with a lot of post stuffed in the letter box.

About half an hour later I finally received a text from Tony!

Among other things he was apologetic and said that my binoculars would be back from repair as of yesterday and he'd let me know when they had come back.

Sooooooo, this is still ongoing. And could run and run.

But, at least I feel I am slightly more in contact than I have been over the last month.

Jfm
 
Update to my problem with Tony of Kay Optical - I went to his house and could not get any reply by knocking on the door and calling out. I left a typed 'letter' on the mat emphasizing that he was withholding my property and I would have to contact the police. I also left a note with a neighbour asking them to tell Tony when they saw him to contact me.

I then went to the old premises in Morden and they were clearly empty and closed up, with a lot of post stuffed in the letter box.

About half an hour later I finally received a text from Tony!

Among other things he was apologetic and said that my binoculars would be back from repair as of yesterday and he'd let me know when they had come back.

Sooooooo, this is still ongoing. And could run and run.

But, at least I feel I am slightly more in contact than I have been over the last month.

Jfm

I am glad to hear that you have at last made some progress with your issue with Kay Optical.

However, in my experience do not expect Tony to come back to you. I had to keep chasing him to confirm that he had received my telescope back and then chase him several times again to confirm a date and time when I could collect it. Stay on his case!

Good luck as you hopefully move towards a final resolution.

Richard
 
Hi all. sent citizens advice letter to him yesterday, he has until mid next week to resolve , then my soliciter and police take over I'm afraid. Enough is enough. Mark
 
Further update. On Friday I received a text from Tony telling my my binoculars were back from repair. I went to his house and picked them up! I paid for the repair. However, to complicate things, they were better but still not focusing properly when I tried them out, which Tony accepted. Very disappointing.

On trying to use them today I find that they are no better at all, in fact, so I regret paying anything.

Some further discussion ensued, and I'm not sure what to do next about these b----- binoculars, but I thought I'd let this forum know that I succeeded in getting my binoculars back.


If anyone out there has a pair of Zeiss 8X20 T binoculars they don't ever use, let me know!
 
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These are awful stories chaps,
Always a good idea to let the manufacturer fix bins, costs more but you usually get them back!

I usually leave mine with Swarovski at Birdfair, they go to Austria, get serviced and cleaned and are then returned post free! Got them back in two weeks with a complimentary set of end covers.

I know from past history that Leica provide the same service.

Andy
 
Another update - I informed Tony that the 'repair' had not been effective and he has lent me a pair of binoculars while mine get properly repaired. Thank you Tony.
 
I also note that Kay Optical no longer seem to be advertising: There have not been any ads in BB or Birdwatch for a while now.

Unfortunately once a website / historical details are online they stay there, to all intents & purposes, forever so his website & history will keep attracting unsuspecting customers.

Add one "unsuspecting customer" here. Placed an order for a used Swarovski eyepiece back in March and the money went from my bank account immediately. Then ..... nothing, not even an acknowledgement of the order. After many weeks of unanswered emails and phone calls going to voicemail, I eventually obtained a refund from my bank. Thank goodness I paid by credit card!

Frankly, I don't give a damn about this guys medical problems or his past trading history - it's how he treats his customers now that counts and whatever his personal problems he appears to have no integrity when dealing wih members of the public.
I note the website is still up and so he's presumably still taking people's money, offering lousy, or nil, service and it seems totally ignoring current consumer legislation which is supposed to protect mugs like me.
I'm a recent convert to birding and the whole experience nearly turned me away for good. Luckily, more recent experience with other on-line retailers has restored my faith.
 
Kay Optical: Ceased trading?

I just wanted to update the forum that I drove past Kay Optical's premises on Saturday morning on my way to visit a friend, specifically to see if he was open.

Not only were his premises closed, you can see through the windows that they have been emptied - no lights were on and there was no furniture, stock or anything as far as I could see.

I see that the website is still up - but presumably not being updated as their Field Days from 2014 are still being advertised.

I think that the only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that they have gone out of business?
 
If anyone has a Wilkinsons shop near them it is well worth buying goods from them.
They are mostly photographic suppliers but they also have a decent range of optical equipment.I always use them.
I had two problems.
First I bought a Manfratto tripod and one of the leg keys snapped a week after buying it.
I took it back and they gave me a new one straightaway-no quibbles.
A few years later I bought a pair Nikon bins.[Prostaff]
Within a couple of days I noticed the focussing wheel wasn't right.They sent them back to Nikon and they came back a couple of weeks later-in perfect working condition.
I have had them for two years since and they have been wonderful-a bargain too at £200.
Lastly I bought a Nikon scope at £250 including the eyepiece and cover.
At that price I thought they wouldn't be up to much.
Au contraire: they have served me well for over three years now and do a great job.It is just as effective as my previous Optricon scope which cost over half as much again.
You can also buy things off them on the internet.
 
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