Did you have a problem with something you bought, or with the service in a shop? Do you usually complain? Who to?
Note: Use the Reported Speech and the Vocabulary in 6A. (“The teacher told us to use …”)
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Eoi Ecija Intermediate's Blog 
Two years ago I went with my family to London, among other things to improve my English. The trip was very nice and the plane took off on time. Some friends told us it was a cosmopolitan city with lots of charm and it is.
But we had some problems. When we reached the hotel, the receptionist told us they hadn’t received our reservation of rooms and the hotel was full. My husband acted quickly and got in touch with the manager of the travel agency in Spain. The manager told him it couldn’t be, the reservation had been made that could give us the number. My husband asked the complaint book at the hotel and he complained vigorously, while the receptionist told us he didn’t understand anything. At the end he was very friendly and gave us the address of another hotel near the Buckingham Palace where finally we were able to spend the night. The next morning, while we had breakfast, I told my husband that we had to ask for compensation for the evil they had done us pass, and my daughter said we could go to the branch of the travel agency located in St. Paul’s Square. We went to the travel agent and my husband told the manager the wanted to make a complaint. He apologized and tried to get us a hotel and make us a discount of 20% over the invoice price. Like we were all very tired and wishing for starting our holiday, we accept the apology. Anyway, the rest of the days were wonderful, we enjoyed a lot. We walked through the streets and we didn’t have problems. We went to Spain with a desire … to return.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
Four years ago, my mother bought a fridge on credit in an electronic’ shop and when the fridge had arrived to my house, my mother checked it didn’t out of order. So, my mother complained to the shop assistant and she told him that fridge didn’t cool anything. The shop assistant asked my mother how had switched on the fridge and my mother answered that how anyone other electronic thing, directly to the plug.
Then the shop assistant said my mother that he went to send the fridge to the technical service for that they put in order in.
My mother asked him how many times they would be late. He said my mother that doesn’t to worry, that he would call her by phone when he had news.
My mother spoke with him by phone and after one week they brought the fridge to my house, but this was a new fridge.
Finally, the first fridge had a problem in the engine and they thought that new one was the best option because they set aside the problems. They changed the model’s fridge too; it was more expensive that the first, but my mother didn’t have to pay more money.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
I didn’t use to make a complaint when I wasn’t happy with a service or I had a problem with something I had bought, but I’m learning. I’m making complaints since I got married because my husband he’s teaching me.
The first time I made a complaint we were in Madrid. We went to Madrid on holiday at Christmas. When we got to the hotel my husband told the receptionist if she could give us the keys of our room. The receptionist said to us “of course” and we took the keys and went towards the indicated room.
When we got to the room, we could hear some noisy into the room. We thought that was the TV of the next room, but when we tried to open the door we couldn’t and suddenly appeared a big black man who stared at us furious.
We went downstairs to reception and we told the receptionist our experience. My husband told her we would want to make a complaint and to give us a new room. The receptionist was very nervous and she asked us if we were sure the number of the room.
My husband started being angry because we were exhausted after the journey and he asked the receptionist to call to the manager director. The receptionist told us we would have to wait some minutes because the manager director was out at that moment but he would be there as soon as would be possible.
While the manager director arrived, the receptionist led us to the restaurant and we could eat the best meal without charge.
When the manager director arrived to the hotel, we were talking with him about our problem. He apologized and he gave us the best room in the Hotel. We decided not to make any complaint because the behaviour of the staff had been very good.
At the end, our stay in the hotel was fantastic but would have been different if we wouldn’t have made a complaint.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
When I buy something which I have a problem I always make a complaint. I always keep
all the packaging and the ticket, this is very important. I keep them until the
guarantee is over. Three year ago, my MP3 started to give me problems. A button
didn’t work. So, I looked for the packaging and the ticket and I went to the shop to
make a complaint. I said to the shop assistant that I wanted a new MP3 because that
one didn’t work. The shop assistant told me that he would talk to his boss and he
would try to help me. I didn’t expect a good end because I bought the MP3
twenty –two months ago. I thought it was too time. But I was surprised when
fifteen days later someone called me to say a new MP3 was waiting for me. I think
it was worth it.
Making a complaint
I think everybody has had some problem at some times with something that they bought, me too, a lot of times.
I can remember when I went with my wife to buy two mobile phones that Vodafone advertised on television. The shop assistant was lovely and she told us that in that moment they didn’t have them but in one week she could get them. So we signed a contract. After one week we went to the shop to pick up our mobiles but the shop assistant was less polite and told us that we had to come back next week and so, we spent six weeks until she told us that the offer had ended and we had to pay for the mobiles. I said that I had a contract and she very angry told me to go to court. So I asked for the complaints’ book and she said that she didn’t have any book. I looked around and I didn’t see the municipal license and inmediatly I phoned the police station and I said I wanted to denounce that a shop didn’t have the municipal license neither the complaints’ book. Before I could hang up my phone the shop assistant put two boxes on the bar and she said sorry.
We finally got two mobiles much better that we wanted.
Making a complaint
Last summer I flew to Galicia for a week with my family and when I arrived at airport I went to the local branch of rent cars because from Spain I had rented a car to move us around city. The branch had a lot of people, about sixty people, whose were waiting to pick up their cars. Anyone could go to another company to rent a new car because when you rented the car on internet, you had to pay it at that moment. After three hours at the queue we get our car but I wasn´t reasonable because also the employer told me we had to do a insurance for the car which said nothing on internet. I asked for a complaint form to fill it.
I didn´t use to lose my temper but that day I was very angry because that situation did to me lost one interview with a manager of a company.
I said the employer if she could give me the complaint form and she told me-why? And I said she that her company had damaged my first of vacation because of her company´s unfitness.
I still remember when some years ago I bought a chest of drawer in a Furniture Fair in Jerez. At those days, I was living in this beautiful city. We had just bought a house and we needed some pieces of furniture. On ocassion of a Furniture Fair that it was hold, I decided to buy an old chest of drawer, it needed to be repaired and painted, so I ordered these services to the shop assistant. He asked me if I had any problems to pick it up and I said, I didn´t, so a few days later I went to the shop, but when I got into, I realized that the chest hadn’t been repaired but just painted. Although I was trying to be reasonable, I complained to the shop assistant. He didn´t help me and he wasn’t very kind to me, not at all. It’s always very difficult not to lose your temper when somebody is trying to fool you, but I got it.
Suddenly, I remembered how important is always going to the top in these situations, so I said to the shop assistant that I wanted to talk to the manager but it wasn´t possible either. So, although I acted very quickly, I wasn’t successful in this unpleasant situation.
I like buying in the summer sales, especially in the shops where the staff are very kind. My best friend said to me that she had found a lot of bargain in a department store nearby to Seville. I needed to buy a new dress for a wedding so I decided to go shopping. I saw that beautiful dress whit a big discount in an enormous window shop. Immediately I came into the clothing store and asked to the shop assistant if my size was available and where the fitting room was because I wanted to try the dress on quickly.
The shop assistant told me that my size there wasn’t in stock. I felt disappointed although I realized that the mannequin would be able to wear my size. I thought that it was my lucky day and I said to the shop assistant the dress that the mannequin wore was of my size but she didn’t want to take off the dress of the mannequin because she was very busy.
I acted quickly and tried don’t lose my temper to sort out my problem. I spoke with the manager of the department to explain my problem and the reason of my complaint. The manager apologized and despite the queue to pay was very large I didn’t have to wait.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
I ‘ve only complained once in my life and it was after buying my last mobile phone. I ‘ve had it for one and a half year and I decided to change it because the company used to text me messages, giving information about how could exchange my points for a new mobile.
So I went to a branch of Vodafone company , it was a mobile shop and I asked the shop assistant whether she could show me good makes of mobile.Althogh my points allowed me to choose mobiles with refund, the best mobile went on being expensive.
The shop assistant said that I could choose a mobile of make Vodafone without paying money, exchanging only all my points.And she told me that the goods had a year of guarantee.
Of course, I would had to renew my contract with the company for another year more. It seemed me a good idea so I took my new mobile and I went out of the shop very happy.
Four month later, the mobile was broken by the use. A close friend advised me to phone the company so that they allow me to change the mobile for another better. However, when I phoned they said that they couldn`t do it until my contract didn’t finish. I could’nt believe!!!! They only gave mobiles to keep customers. At that moment I told the man who was on the phone that I wanted to break up my contract with the company. But he said that I had to pay 100 euros in compensation.
So I went back to the shop to compalin, there was a big queue when I arrived.I told the shop assistant what had happened and she offered me to take the mobile to the retailer who worked for the company because the mobile was still under garantee.
But she said that she didn’t know if it would be repaired without paying money because garantee didn`t cover all fallen in mobile. Finally I got my free mobile repaired.
I must say the staff in the shop were helpful because they treated me kindly and they gave a good solution to me. I`ve never mind having contracts with Vodafone company but now anymore, becuase they were been able to give a new mobile to me and they didn’t want. They are lost a good customer.
Making a complaint
Last year I bought a fridge. It cost me quite expensive but I didn’t mind because I wanted a good fridge. But it was very noisy, especially at night when I went to bed I hated it because it didn’t allow me to sleep. As the fridge was under guarantee I went to my local branch of Fagor and told the shop assistant to pick it up and to change it for another one. He told me that he would come and see it the next day, but he didn’t come the next day and neither the days after that. The next week I returned to the shop and the shop assistant apologized and said he had forgotten to go. He said he was going the next day but as you can imagine he didn’t come.
I waited two more weeks and then I decided to write a letter of complaint to Fagor and a few days later two workers of Fagor came and changed me the fridge and they gave me a small appliance to compensate for my wasted time.
Nowadays, I never have made complaint. But I have a lot of imagination.
Two years ago, I bouhgt a movile and that mobile didn´t work because has a problem with Its mobile antenna. The shop assistant told me that I hit it so it didn´t work. I set to her that it was false and would did you give me the complaint forms. The shop assistant set to me that She didn´t know where was It? So I had to wait to the manager some minutes because He was out at that moment, Then I had to wait to the manager trhee hours in the mobile shop. When the manager arrived and saw me that I was very angry, He set to me What were you problem? I told him my problem and he apologized and gave me another mobile.
My bathroom was renovated in March. I hired the services of a builder company which equipped me with everything and everybody I needed.
I was very satisfied with the plumber’s work, so I asked him if he wanted to work for my school, because it very often needs these services. I believe that he felt proud about my offer, but he said he had set up a plumber company with other partner and he needed to chat with him. When the partner appeared told me that they agree working for my school. He wanted to visit the building and met with the head teacher and to sign an agreement to start working.
Two days after that, at half past eight in the morning, the plumber appeared in my house to finish the work which he had started several days before. At half past ten he had finish the work yet and he began to write, in a sort of receipt, all the goods he had used and the time he had worked in my bath this morning. That was incredible! The plumber wanted to charge three hours instead of two. I told him that he had worked only two hours! He replied he started working at eight o’clock in the morning but the problem was the parking. It had been very difficult to find a place to park in the city centre. I answered that it wasn’t my problem. After that I revised all the receipts that he had given me before and I found out that he has been cheating. I got very angry and I had an argument about all those questions and finally I said I would pay only the real worked time and no more.
Finally I complained to the builder company, which had to pay the plumber’s bill, and they gave me a compensation of one euro per worked hour. So finally I only pay nineteen euros per hour instead of twenty and they only charged me the real time. Of course, they lost the possibility of working in my school for ever (353 words).
Making a complaint
Many years ago, I bought my first mobile phone, a NEC mobile. I was exciting and I could talk with my family and my friends when I was studying in Seville. But just four or five months later the phone stopped work (what a pity!). When I returned to Ecija, I went to the shop and they said to me that the mobile phone was under guarantee. They told me that the mobile phone had repaired in a week. I returned the following weeks but each time they told me to come back the next week. Two months later the mobile phone arrived in the shop. Only two days later the mobile stopped work again. Finally I surrendered and I bought a new mobile and I spent more money.
Some years ago a friend asked me to go shopping with her. She needed a dress because she had to go to a wedding and she was completely obsessed with finding bargains. We used to live in Seville and we decided to go to the city center because there were lots of pretty small shops and we knew we could find great discounts. I can’t remember how many dresses my friend tried on but we were exhausted and she didn’t like anything. We had spent hours when she saw a dress she liked in a shop window. She was a little disappointed however I encouraged her to get into the store. The staff wasn’t helpful but she didn’t mind because she found the dress herself easily. She tried on the dress and it was perfect. Also, it was a really bargain so she decided to buy it. When we approached to the till in order to pay for the dress, the shop assistant gave us other but equal dress. We left the shop and as soon as we arrived at my friend’s home, she wanted to try on her dress and the shoes she had bought the day before. She was able to realize the dress had a tear and we decided to act quickly and go back to the shop to complain. We started to explain the problem but when we finished the shop assistant told us it was impossible. She suggested my friend was broken the dress, even if my friend had showed the receipt and only 40 minutes had passed since the shopping. My friend was nervous and she wasn’t able to say anything so I ask to speak the manager. The shop assistant told me her boss was in other shop and my friend started to lose her temper. Fortunately after a few minutes, the manager turned up and I explained to her the situation, even the shop assistant had changed the dress. I think she got angry with the shop assistant and she apologized and said she could solve the problem. She took the first dress which my friend had tried on and checked it didn’t have holes. I said to her we wanted a refund but she offered to compensate my friend. She said to my friend she could choose a little party bag and she accepted it. It was a bit embarrassing but at the end my friend got the dress she loved and a beautiful party bag.
Some years ago, I had to go to hospital to get tested. The nurse told me that the results would be sent to my health center in 15 days. Two weeks later I went to know my results but they hadn’t come. I returned the following week and they were not yet. My sister went some days later because I couldn’t leave my work again and she complained, but nobody knew where the results were. So she made a complaint in writing and the hospital answered quickly apologizing for the mistake: my results had been sent to another doctor whose surname was the same as my doctor.
Best of all is that this story ended happily because the results finally appeared and they were negative.
Making a complaint
I think it is worth complaining when services or goods aren´t satisfactory. Why not?
If you buy anything and it is guarantee, you are within your rights to complain.
Two summers ago, I went to Paris for my holidays. When I arrived to the hotel, my room was open and when I came in, I could see it was very dirty and untidy. I couldn´t believe it! I was very tired and I wanted unpack my baggage. I was angry.
I said to the receptionist my room was dirty and I wanted a new room, then he told me, they had cleaned in ten minutes and he said he was sorry.
Ten minutes later, I came in to my room and in fact, it was very clean and tidy.
“Making a complaint”
A few years ago in a shopping center I bought a TV, but just nine months later I found that it had broken down.
As the machine was guarantee I went to the shop and I told about this problem on TV with the shop assistant.
The shop assistant said me that although TV was on guarantee, he couldn’t change it because the box where I put on TV was a little break.
Then I started angry because I couldn’t understand it. I asked to speak to the manager. The manager said me the same that the shop assistant and also they didn’t have other TV of the same brand in stock. I said him that it didn’t matter and I’ll choose other brand. The manager said me that it wasn’t possible. I was really angry and I asked to see to the top people of company, because I’ll make a complaint about it. Suddenly the manager changed your opinion and finally he decided to change my TV for other model.
I think that we should make a complaint when we’ll have a reason for it.
It was a year ago, I went out to lunch with my family. We ent to a restaurant that some friends had recomended to me. So we arrived about two hours and the restaurant was full. One waiter cames nad said to us that if we wanted a table we had to wait for one so we decided wait for it drinking some in the bar. While we were waiting I could see a family who follwed the waiter and they sat in a table. I asked the waiter about it and he said to me that they had booked the table. But the table didn`t have the reserved card, I said. Oh no, said to me, We knows this family and they always come here to lunch.
I went with my family and we continues waiting for one table.
Forty five minutes later ( and four beers, two cokes, two sprites and a dish of prawms) the waiter comes untill we were to said to us that we had a table.
When we sat in ours chairs its were dirty and the table too so we had to clean it whit dirty napkins that it were on the table.
One waiter cames and asked us our orders and, of course, I asked him to clean the table, Ok sir I`ll back in two minutes, said to me. Lie, whe he returned there were passed ten minutes and he returned with drinks we had ordered.
Thirty minutes later we were hungries and angries so Isaid to my family: OK let`s go home I`m sure there is something to cook in the fridge, come on!
When I go in the door the waiter cames to said to me that my irder was in my table, I said to him, this is not my order and this is not my table, this is not a good restaurant and you are not a waiter. tables are dirty, waiters are lazies and unprofessionals, and I`ve luck to cant eat your food, Good evening, we have lost too much time here.
The next day I returned to the restaurant to pay drinks we had eaten, the waiter apologized me ( I didn`t pay, of course) and invited us to dinner when we want.
We never returned there.
Making a complaint
I don’t use to complain when I have a bit problem with something I bought or with some service at the first time, but if I have a problem and the service don’t try to solve it ,then I think I must complain it.
The first time that I remember I complained was when my youngest daughter was born.
I felt I was going into labour but the matron said to me that I needed to wait for hours.Ten minutes later I asked for a doctor because I had a big pain, the other matron recognized me and said to me that I had to stop because my baby was being worn ,after that a nurse said to me there wasn’t a bed for me .When I took a bed ,she said to me there wasn’t a cot for my baby and I had to put my baby in my bed.I was very happy ,but later ,another nurse liked very angry and annoyed with me and she asked me why I put my baby in my bed and it was bad,I diden’t believe it.I think I was quite patient but I asked for a complaint book.At the end the nurse asked me apologize and then I retired the complaint,because I think she learned to be careful when she would ask patients.
Correction:
Four years ago, my mother bought a fridge on credit in electronics’ shop and when the fridge arrived to my house, my mother checked it wasn’t of order. So, my mother complained to the shop assistant and she told him that fridge didn’t cool anything. The shop assistant asked my mother how she had switched on the fridge and my mother answered that like any other electronic thing, directly to the plug.
Then the shop assistant said that he was going to send the fridge to the technical service for them to put it in order.
My mother asked him how many time they would delay in solve the problem. He said that she needn’t worry, that he would call her by phone when he had some news.
My mother spoke with him by phone and after one week they brought the fridge to my house, but this was a new fridge.
Finally, the first fridge had a problem in the engine and they thought that a new one was the best option because they set aside the problems. They changed the model’s fridge too; it was more expensive that the first, but my mother didn’t have to pay more money.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
I’ve always thought ( that) if you want to buy smart shoes,you should travel to Cordoba.
Many years ago, I was going for a walk with some friends in the city centre of Cordoba ,when suddenly , in a big window shoes-shop I saw the most beautiful pair of boot that I’ve ever seen in all my life.They had high heels and a pretty beige colour.Although I bought on sales and they had an important discount, they weren’t cheap at all,but I didn’t worry because it was worth having them.
Next weekend,I first wore my superb boots and I felt like a child with new shoes.But after a while,I noticed that I was wobbling and I astonished when I realized that one of the heels was broken.I couldn’t believe it.
The following day I went to the shop back to complain,and I asked the shop-assistant to speak to the manager.I didn’t want him to give the money back; I only wanted to have identical boots like the first ones.The manager talked to me it was unhelpful to make a complaint because on sales he couldn’t give me a refund and there weren’t a new pair in stock on my size. I was getting quite angry.
The same night I could find out on the Internet where my boots had been made- place and address, and as I usually keep receipts, labels and packages of my last purchases, I decided to write to the managing director of the facory in Elda and explain him what had happened.
A week later I received a pack from Elda.It contained a new pair of boots and a letter apologized for not having good services and thanked me for being so reasonable.
Three years ago, I bougth a mobile phone in a mobile shop. The mobile was wonderful because it got internet, but two days after, my mobile didn´t work the antenna. I couldn´t believe that I had bad luck with my new mobile.
Then I went to the mobile shop back to get another identical mobile but the assistant shop didn´t want to change it because he thougt that I hit it so it didn´t work. I said to him; “Could you tell me where I hit it?” and “Could you tell me If you give me the complaint form?” or “you give me the complaint form, don´t you?” I don´t remember that said him, exactly.
The shop assistant didn´t give me the complaint form because he didn´t know where it was. So I had to wait the mannager an hour in the shop because he was out at that moment. I was angry because had to wait the mannager an hour.
When the mannager arrived and saw that I was very angry, he said to me; “Could you tell me what your problem is?” I told him my problem and he apologized and give another mobile.
A few years ago I needed a new PC, so I decided to buy a PC. Normally I always go to a shop near my home but my friend told me : ” I know a new shop cheaper than you go, so if you want a new PC, I’ll go with you”, althought I did not like very much we went to the new shop and I bought my computer. Some days later I could not use internet, my computer had a big problem and I came back to the shop and spoke with the shop assistant and told him “Please, I bought this PC las week, but I think that it’s broken, because I didn’t have internet”, he phoned the manager and said to me ” I’m sorry, it’s a big problem, you are the third person with the same problem, we can change your PC”, but I did not want that, I want a refund, so I said ” If you can’t give me a refund, I’ll speak with the manager”. The manager asked me to show the receipt and said ” I’m sorry but I can’t pay back your money” and I made a complaint.
If I had known I would not have bought because I couldn’t have a refund and I changed it.
Making a complaint
I think it is worth complaining when services or goods aren´t satisfactory. Why not?
If you buy something and it is under guarantee, you have the right to complain.
Two summers ago, I went to Paris for my holidays. When I arrived to the hotel, my room was open and when I came in, I could see it was very dirty and untidy. I couldn´t believe it! I was very tired and I wanted to unpack my baggage. I was angry.
I said to the receptionist my room was dirty and I wanted a new room, then he told me, they would clean it in ten minutes and he said he was sorry.
Ten minutes later, I came into my room and in fact, it was very clean and tidy.