NZ Designer Assistance

[DHHong Kong]

Anyone in Kiwiland able to offer advice on the best course of action to take against a design company there who has not provided promised and paid for mast design work and who now ignores any/all e-mail, phone and registered mail communication?? The NZ Marine Industry Association is unable to assist, getting the same snow job from this somewhat noted designer that the promised design has been sent yet no proof of this can be produced - "it's in the mail" - yeah right, for the last 9 months !!
I would be grateful for any referral to an effective resource.
Cheers !

Paul

[dana-tenacity]

Tell me who it is, and if he's nearby I'll have the lads with the violin cases go visit him.

[dana-tenacity]

Actually if i knew who it was I could probably embarass him into a response without actually getting all legal.

[GMac]

What's the bet I know exactly who you maybe talking about, 'sadly' I must add.

I'm with DT, if they haven't done what they said they would but still taken your coin - name and shame.

PM me or DT with a name if you don't want to be too public, I'll bet one or both of us will know it and maybe able to offer some advice. I know it's not me so I'm sweet, you clean DT?

It may just take a quite call from one of us (a 3rd party) for them to realise they should pull finger. I'll happily do that, I've done it before and it worked. Nothing rash just a nice quite reminder that you need to provide what you've been paid for.

I'm upset the MIA don't do anything. I thought it was them who was supposed to be the face of our marine industry and not let things like this happen.

If all else fails I know people you just don't want to know.

[NoTies]

Yep, MIA is a bloody joke. Name & Shame is the way to go if they don't respond to mild threats. NZ is a small paddock and this technique works very well.
DT & GMac, does the Consumer Gurantees Act cover foreign purchases?

[Alan Wheeler]

DT & GMac, does the Consumer Gurantees Act cover foreign purchases?

No I don't believe it covers outside of NZ purchases. Also, the CGA is only for goods themselves. So if the plans arrived damaged or the ink had smeared, DH could have a new set drawn up and sent free of charge. But non-supply of goods payed for are a different case all together. That comes under fraud and/or theft.
I can't believe MIA can't intervean. How pathetic. Typical beuracracy. There just to feed itself.

[Steve Pope]

Yep name and shame is the way to go.
Steve.

[DHHong Kong]

Many thanks guys for your offers of help - GMac, if your suspect had a rather public mast failure in a famous North Island race last October then you are on the money.
I am from across the Tasman originally and have had great business relations and support from various NZ suppliers, notably Maxwell Weaver, ATL, Doyle in Auckland and Reef Rite in KeriKeri for our cat build in China. They are a much more responsive group than their counterparts in Oz and we are just flabbergasted that this somewhat famous NZ yachtsman/designer, with whom we had just previously chartered (also paid in advance so perhaps a wonder we got away from the dock ??), would stoop to such a low ebb for NZ$17K.
He is obviously a thick skinned individual and I am not sure that any shame would work, perhaps not even the violin case lads. Maybe something from another island ??

[dana-tenacity]

I would delight in the opportunity, I have issues with the gentlemen(sic) also. Unfortunately if we are on about the same person you might have an uphill struggle. A good friend who did a big circular race with him thinks he's a paranoid pyschotic.

[dana-tenacity]

What about his home phone no, ring him at random intervals around the clock.

[Alan Wheeler]

There are people that you can sort this through. A NZ lawyer would be best as either he can contact the designer for you, or at least advise you who is best to take this up for you. I would also suggest the NZ Police. Debt collection agency maybe another, but not sure if they work in reverse.
I would like to think that we do have a system in NZ that will sort this. But sadly, situations have arisen lately that is starting to make me think times are a changing.
We do have a NZ TV program called Fairgo. They are brilliant at going in like jack russels and tearing tearing guy's like this apart on national TV. Perhaps you could say to the guy that yu have contacted Fairgo in NZ. He will know exactly who you are talking about and chances are, will not want national TV on his case. That scare tacktik commonly works here.

[Alan Wheeler]

Ummmm, am I right in reading, it cost you NZ$17K to design a mast???

[GMac]

Hmm. Suspected as much and have to agree with comments made by DT and Wheels. Its a long weekend here but I'll check with my money getter bloke (the legal one) and see what he says next week. I'm sure there must be a way.

I also suspect we maybe supplying Maxwell some of your gear. We do a lot for them that heads up that way.

Yet again I suspect Pete and Wheels have the same issue with MIA as me. A bit to much knobing around town by a few key self-interested players and not enought getting on with the job.

Interesting comment about the NZ suppliers (you reading this bit DT ) about how responsive some of us are. We are doing more and more across the ditch. Many we are dealing with over there say the same thing.

[DHHong Kong]

Thanks again GMac and DT - I would be most interested in the legal leads, also the Fairgo program may work but the hide is obviously very thick !!

Alan, yes NZ$17K, but included $5K for the moulds - same section but needed to be shortened slightly. Famous names are not cheap - as I have found !!

The MIA folks clearly did not want to get in the middle of it, despite e-mail tracks etc sent to them. Unfortunate, as it would seem that one of their missions would be to protect the good name of the industry in NZ, though not unlike many such fat bureaucracies.
Cheers !!

[dana-tenacity]

Gmac, when did I say anything nasty about the NZ marine industry?
DH With your permission I'll make some enquiries on another forum dedicated to NZ sailors, very bad press for the individual involved and the possibility of some good advice. Also have another friend ( the one mentioned earlier who would never sail with this guy again) who happens to have a degree in maritime law, I'll run it past him.