Moneywise helps a reader who had eye surgery with a company that has gone 'out of business'.
I had laser eye surgery with Ultralase in 2001 and was promised a lifetime aftercare guarantee. I asked about getting my eyes adjusted under this guarantee, but it said: “Unfortunately, the company you had treatment with (Ultralase Limited) went into administration and is no longer trading. Ultralase Eye Clinics Limited is an entirely different business.” But on its website it advertises itself as being the company founded 1991 and when I asked it in 2008, it replied: “We cover all patients, past and present, with our Lifetime Care Guarantee.” Can it be held to the guarantee?
NH/Bristol
When does a lifetime guarantee last a lifetime? Never, it seems. When I heard your story, I assumed Ultralase was pulling a fast one. I still think that.
It’s an old trick to take over a company, grab all the goodwill and then let it go bust to kill off all the debts and commitments. I spoke to the current owners of the Ultralase brand and they were keen to distance themselves from the original firm, which got into financial difficulties.
However, they are happy to misleadingly claim the old firm’s long record of serving the UK with eye laser treatment. The firm’s website proudly lists a calendar of the company’s growth from 1991 onwards, even though the new firm only bought the business in 2012.
The new company was investigated by the BBC’s Watchdog programme a couple of years back after several fed-up customers complained about not being able to take advantage of the lifetime guarantee.
Under pressure from the TV show, it issued a statement saying: “Ultralase continues to provide free appointments and follow-up care to past patients, provided the terms of the original contract are complied with.”
But the company now claims that the lifetime guarantee was only introduced in 2006 and anyone who had treatment before that doesn’t qualify, even though the guarantee was offered to “all patients, past and present”.
It is not honouring the original agreement which, even if it was only introduced in 2006 as it claims, still gave you rights to free aftercare. It appears you lost that as soon as the current owners took over.
In short, it is trying to claim the history and goodwill of a long-established firm, but not delivering the same service. As such, I would warn all readers to avoid Ultralase and its seemingly false promises.
OUTCOME: No joy for reader let down by Ultralase
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