www.camerent.co.uk

[manxman_73]

Hi Guys,

I am new to forum, a keen motorsport photographer from the Isle of Man.

I am driven to join this forum to warn fellow photographers of the disgraceful service I have experienced from the above company.

In preparation for the Isle of Man TT Races I decided to rent a 300mm 2.8 lens and a 1.4 convertor. Having scouted various sites and found most places booked out I found camerent.co.uk. The guys were (initially) very helpful, had a lens to hire and a good price (I keep hearing "if it looks too good to be true it probably is" in my head now!!).

Living in the IOM they agreed to ship it a day earlier to aviod any delay and all was looking good .......

However, on day of dispatch (or supposed dispatch), and for three days afterwards they were unable to give me a shipping consignment number, blaming a busy dispatch department, problems with their computers and other excuses.

My worries were finally confirmed when one of their staff, (when threatened with legal action) explained that the problem must be that the lens was stuck in customs and they would offer a full refund. Biting my tongue, trying not to laugh I accepted that "customs" must have my lens and asked for proof of refund to my credit card. Another 3 phone calls and chaser e-mail I finally received an e-mail to confirm card has been refunded - now I wait with baited breath for my credit card statement to see the proof.

I'm glad I used the credit card and have the protection if I need it, please take caution if dealing with this company.

Regards
manxman_73

Admin/mods - this is an honest appraisal of my experience with this company, I appreciate that this is my first post on the forum but feel I should warn people so they do not have the same experience and hassles I have had. If you believe this to be oustide the forum rules please remove the post.

[OneTen]

Try www.lensesforhire.co.uk I've had excellent service and value from them.

[Scphoto]

now I wait with baited breath for my credit card statement to see the proof.

You could ring your credit card company to check the refund.

Btw, is this thread familiar?

[manxman_73]

yeah, managed to get a 400mm from lensesforhire, ordered Monday lunchtime arrived Tuesday morning, great service and am really pleased with the results from racing tonight.

will be phoning credit card company every day for next few days to ensure refund is forthcoming.

Cheers
manxman_73

[Scphoto]

will be phoning credit card company every day for next few days to ensure refund is forthcoming.

Refunds are generally a slow process. Annoying that any company can take money out quick, but refund slow. Still at least it was a CC, so you're protected regardless of what happens.

[Grierson]

will be phoning credit card company every day for next few days to ensure refund is forthcoming.

On a tangent, it's always worthwhile to have access to your credit card and bank statements on line to check in such circumstances even if you don't use on line access to pay bills etc. - John

[Manofolympus]

will be phoning credit card company every day for next few days to ensure refund is forthcoming.

Refunds are generally a slow process. Annoying that any company can take money out quick, but refund slow. Still at least it was a CC, so you're protected regardless of what happens.

Yeah-the wife has a visa debit card for her lloyds account-if she uses it the amount instantly comes off her available balance but if she gets a refund to the card that doesn't appear till the money reappears in her bank account

[IvorETower]

will be phoning credit card company every day for next few days to ensure refund is forthcoming.

Refunds are generally a slow process. Annoying that any company can take money out quick, but refund slow. Still at least it was a CC, so you're protected regardless of what happens.

This (delay) should not be the case. I have had a few instances when I have bought goods "over the counter" at a certain High Street catalogue shop. The goods have turned out to be out-of-stock, computer stock error, but the refund given me has always appeared on the same day as the original purchase transaction when I have received my monthly statement.

[Kiera Dale]

Hi this is Kiera Dale from Camerent,
Most of the members here will be aware of camerent as we have advertised and been reviewed by amateur photographer and which digital camera on many occasions over the past two years.
I would like to comment on the above post as I feel it is only fair to point out that the 300mm lens that the poster tried to hire was indeed held up in transit on its way to the Isle of Man we can only rely on the reason given by the courier company and whilst we would always endeavour to try and send alternative equipment to cover any problems with equipment in transit the user in this instance requested a refund which was immediately authorised to his credit card company.
Whilst this is a very rare case where equipment does not turn up on time we fully appreciate the frustration this can cause and with the remote location there was very little we could do to immediately replace the equipment, offers of additional equipment or awaiting word from the courier was refused. It turns out that the lens was released and did end up being used at the TT after all by another photographer who jumped at the chance to use this lens once it had become available.
Once again I would like to point out that on the rare occasions when things do go wrong we will always go the extra mile to ensure we assist a client with additional equipment, and that is why we always deliver the day before it is required so we have time to send additional equipment should anything go wrong before it is needed. On this occasion all the client wanted was a refund and that was what we done.
As a gesture of goodwill to all users of the forum Camerent are offering a 20% discount of any Lens or Camera booked for hire during the month of June to all viewers of this forum simply mention amateur photography when booking your hire and see for yourself the level of service we have provided to over 2,000 clients in the past 18 months our last customer survey revealed that 86% of participants would use camerent as their first choice.
Kiera Dale
Camerent Customer Services

[manxman_73]

Funny how when you start posting on forums you get a response from the company !!

Firstly I would like to say that I did receive my full refund, for that I am grateful.

Strange how they consider the Isle of Man to be remote, when this farce unfolded I managed to hire another lens from a different company and receive it in less than 24 hours from placing the order. The courier company had no record of the item due to me from camerent and being held up in customs ?? This excuse says it all I'm afraid (unless they have set up a customs border between IoM & UK without telling anyone, IOM Government included !)

As for the lens arriving on the IoM and being used by someone else, I'll take your word for that. Personally, I don't believe the item was ever shipped, if it had been you would have been able to supply me with a consignment number, instead you used several excuses for not being able to provide me with this to be able to track it.

At no point was I offered any replacement equipment (not that I would have put myself through the same nightmare again in any case).

Fortunate not to have lost any money, disappointed I did not get the original lens I would have liked for the TT, exceptionally please with www.lensesforhire.co.uk who I rented from in the end and delighted with a lot of the pictures I have had during practice week, just hope for same decent weather for the rest of race week now.

manxman_73

[mikey22]

I have recently dealt with Camerent and found the service to be terrible. Avoid. Am happy to provide details if anyone is interested but I regret having ever hired kit from them. Other hire companies may be more expensive, but in the long run Camerent is not worth the hassle.

Truly a dissatisfied customer.

[mathewbarrett]

My experience with Camerent.co.uk has been entirely negative. Upon collection of equipment at a time pre-arranged with camerent, the studio they use for rentals in Soho was closed and not responding to the door buzzer. I called the after-hours emergency help line and left message as instructed. Did this three more times over the course of 45 minutes, but NEVER received a call back. Only got my equipment because an employee of the studio came outside for a cigarette break, and because Soho Studios was nice enough to let me take the equipment even though Camerent had sent them no information regarding my rental.

Over one month later and I am still waiting for the return of my £500 deposit after being told multiple times that "it's been processed...it should be there...it must be your bank's fault..." This company does not return phone calls, does not return emails, and does not give straight answers when you do manage to catch an employee on the phone. 100% disappointment, and I urge everyone to avoid Camerent.

[DodgeGB]

I REALLY wish I had done my research before using Camerent. Here's my tale of woe to add...although mine is about a video camera it has a familiar ring to it.

First up, I booked a visit to their High Wycombe offices to try out the camera and workflow needed. I drove up in the snow to find they had no record of my coming, no cameras to show me and no techie staff to talk me through any worries I had. This was a half day wasted of my time. Despite this I gave them a second chance.

I was then informed after Xmas (and only a week or so before my hire) that the camera I had reserved was not available. To be fair, they gave me an upgraded camera at the same price but it was a worrying development nonetheless. And I would have preferred the original camera anyway.

Despite repeated requests for a card from the camera to work with over Xmas (to check my workflow as a result of the aborted High Wycombe visit) and assurances that the request would be met, this was only met after speaking to their sales director ONE AND A HALF HOURS AFTER EMERGING FROM AN OPERATION UNDER GENERAL ANAESTHETIC. I received a test card 4 days before the hire began - way too late for me to cope had my workflow not operated as I wished it to.

Despite sending through a quote from another company for 50% of what I paid them, this was NEVER acknowledged, let alone price matched as they promise on their website.

I had to chase THEM to repay me my deposit after it had been in their account for well over a month.

Upon filling in their feedback sheets with all these tales of woe, how many calls to apologise have I had? Go on, guess.

There are several other smaller occurrences along the way as well which I just cannot be bothered to go in to.

To put a final nail in the coffin, they have charged me £12 for a USB lead I did not use, do not have, and that there is no signed inventory for.

"The reliable alternative....Exceed our clients expectations....Support the industry"?

Pah.

These are hollow marketing words indeed.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

[AGW]

Maybe you might like to share some of your pics in the gallery...or have a pint and a chat in the lounge? We somtetimes talk about workflow in the manufacturers rooms or in the digital darkroom..... lots of experience to share, good(ish) jokes and banter......so welcome onboard.


Are you going to hang around???

Graeme

[Scphoto]

Are you going to hang around???

Doubt it, none of the others have.

Camerent must have seriously p***ed someone off.

[AGW]

Who was the character in THGTG whose life mission was to personally insult every being in the galaxy? He will ahve a lot of web sites to get round....

Graeme

[Fen]

Who was the character in THGTG whose life mission was to personally insult every being in the galaxy? He will ahve a lot of web sites to get round...

You must be on about Wowbagger The Infinitely Prolonged

[AGW]

Yep....great title for a user....

Graeme

[DodgeGB]

And he gets a major part to play in the recently published new H2G2 novel by Eoin Culfer.

And I will take a look around too

[Fen]

And he gets a major part to play in the recently published new H2G2 novel by Eoin Culfer.

The less said about that, D-Adams last H2G2 book and the movie the better.