Subject: Formal Complaint – Faulty Pre-Assembly and Poor Customer Service Regarding Apollo Phaze E-BikeDear Sir/Madam,I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding both the condition of an item I purchased from Halfords this week and the unacceptable manner in which my concerns have been handled by your customer service team.Earlier this week, I purchased an Apollo Phaze E-Bike online, opting and paying for the pre-assembly service. The bike arrived as promised, with only the pedals to be attached and the handlebars to be straightened.The pedals were easily fitted. However, when attempting to straighten the handlebars, I discovered that the Allen key provided was entirely inadequate. The handlebars had been tightened using a torque driver, and it is simply not possible to loosen such a bolt with a standard Allen key.I contacted your customer service team twice for assistance. On both occasions, the representatives were not only unhelpful but also rude in their manner, showing no willingness to provide a practical resolution. As I do not own a car, I cannot simply transport the bike to a store for adjustment.When I eventually managed to speak with the manager of a Halfords store, I was advised that you might be able to arrange or cover the cost of an Uber or other transport to and from the store so the issue could be resolved. Given that this fault lies entirely with Halfords’ assembly process, I expect such assistance to be arranged without delay.⸻Relevant Legal Obligations• Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be supplied as described, be fit for purpose, and of satisfactory quality. A pre-assembled bike that cannot be adjusted without specialist tools not provided fails to meet these criteria.• Under Section 23 of the Act, the retailer is obliged to repair, replace, or otherwise resolve the issue at no additional cost to the consumer, and within a reasonable time.• The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 prohibit practices that mislead consumers about the nature or quality of a service—in this case, the pre-assembly service.• Your own Customer Service Charter (as published on the Halfords website) states that your goal is to provide “helpful and courteous service” to all customers. The service I received falls far short of this.⸻My ExpectationsI require:1. A prompt and cost-free resolution—either by arranging for the bike to be collected and adjusted, sending a suitably equipped technician to my home, or covering the cost of transport to and from my nearest Halfords store.2. A written apology for the unprofessional conduct of your customer service representatives.3. Confirmation of compensation for the inconvenience, in line with Halfords’ own complaints and goodwill policies.If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 7 working days, I will have no choice but to escalate this complaint to the Retail Ombudsman and, if necessary, take the matter to Trading Standards for further investigation.I trust that Halfords will act quickly to resolve this matter and uphold its obligations under UK consumer law.Yours faithfully,Paul BAfter sending this every email address bounced back. There has been no other response. Their ‘chat with expert’ online service was not working. It has been a totally deplorable service. Do NOT BUY a self build bike online from this retailer!
