VAN DIEMEN will NOT return my Lomo anamorphic lens

[Adnan Siddiqui]

My name is Adnan and I sent some Lomo anamorphic lenses to Van Diemen in UK for servicing and upgrading.  It has been an absolute nightmare dealing with them.  Please read below:  

 

In June 2018, I decided to service and rehouse my Lomo anamorphic square and round front lenses, so I personally contacted Van Diemen. Christopher at Van Diemen stated the average turn around time is 90 days for Square front rehousing (V2 version).  He also stated that Round front servicing will take longer.  Based on this information, I shipped the square and round front lenses to Van Diemen.  

Round Front lenses were returned 11 months later in May 2019 and according to Van Diemen they were fully serviced.  However, one lens was never serviced as it looks identical to before shipment to Van Diemen and after receiving from them. (I'll discuss that topic in a different thread with photos for proof) 

 

 

35mm Square Front

20 months later, my 35mm square front is still in Van Diemen's possession. 

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Please read below:  The excerpts are from actual email communication between myself (Adnan Siddiqui) and Christopher (owner of Van Diemen) 

2018

June 7 (Month 1):  Adnan -  What is the conversion time from receipt of my lens to completion? I have a Lomo 35mm Lomo Square Front 35BAC10-2-1 

June 18 (Month 1): Van Diemen - ....we aim to deliver conversions in 90 days from agreement of terms and receipt of deposit.  

July 4, 2018:  Lenses received by Van Diemen.  

July 6 (Month 2):  Van Diemen - The time to do this work is estimated at 90 days from receipt of PO and deposit payment. 

September 10 (Month 4): Van Diemen - ....we have parts in stock or arriving this week for the Lomo Square front conversions 

October 31 (Month 5):  Van Diemen - We about to start on the assembly of the first batch...We would hope to be delivering these in purchase order sequence during November.

2019

January 10, 2019 (Month 10)  Van Diemen - The 35mm lenses...will all be assembled in sequence yours is no 9 on the list.

February 5, 2019 (Month 9)  Van Diemen - The position with the Square front lenses....We should have them all done by the middle of March.  Your order was 17th in the order book 

March 8, 2019 (Month 10): Van Diemen - The Square front Total Conversion is on the bench ready for re assembly, but will not be ready for a while longer. We have had to make some on assembly modifications....These problems have now been resolved but we have been delayed whilst new parts were awaited I will let you know when your lens is nearing completion. We do still have 7 lenses ahead of yours to build.

March 26, 2019 (Month 10): Van Diemen - Your 35 is now 5th in lens for assembly.

April 2, 2019 (Month 11): Van Diemen - With regards to your 35mm we have all components picked and ready for assembly. 

April 4, 2019 (Month 11):  Adnan - I've decided to cancel the order because this is unreasonably a long wait.

May 17, 2019 (Month 12): Van Diemen - Your lens has been prepared for conversion and parts allocated it currently is no 18 on the assembly list.

May 17, 2019 (Month 12): Adnan -  Back in Feb I was #9, then I was #5. Why I'm #18 now?.....this is too confusing. I wanted to cancel my order......there is no consistency.

May 20, 2019 (Month 12): Van Diemen - We have had some technical problems to resolve in developing the total conversion of the Lomo SF lenses. 

May 28, 2019 (Month 12): Adnan - At this point, I do not wish to get a converted lens due to the design problems. You can do a simple PL conversion and send the lens back 

July 1, 2019 (Month 14): Adnan -  Christopher what is the status of my lens and I did not wish to proceed with the conversion just a PL mount. I inform you that a month ago

August 15, 2019 (Month 15): Van Diemen - None of these simple conversions  of which work well reliably. 

1. Do we rebuild your lens as it was- this is costly in time  . Who is going to pay?

2. Do we ask you to reconsider your decision and have the work, we contracted to do for you, completed.

August 19, 2019 (Month 15): Adnan - I want to have 35 mm converted but this is beyond reasonable. 

August 20, 2019 (Month 15): Van Diemen - ....we have now resolved the teething problems with the product and expect to catch up on the deliveries.

September 16, 2019 (Month 16): Adnan - There is still no timeline provided for the service completion

October 21, 2019 (Month 17): Adnan - I've been waiting for the V2 for almost 1.5 year.  What is the delivery time for V2? 

October 22, 2019 (Month 17): Van Diemen - Your Lens remains in exactly the same place in the assembly line as it did in the beginning…..assembly time is now about 2 weeks 

November 2, 2019 (Month 18):Van Diemen - As soon as you confirm the order for a V2 conversion of your 35mm lens we will load the job...

November 6, 2019 (Month 18): Adnan -  For the 35mm, I had agreed since last year. What do you want me to confirm? Has anything changed?

December 1, 2019 (Month 19) Adnan - I have not heard back from you in a month.  I want to get my lens back.

December 2, 2019 (Month 19): Van Diemen -  The price quoted for this V2 conversion  is £ 5950.00 This quotation will expire at the end of 2019 the prices for 2020 will increase.

December 5, 2019 (Month 19) Adnan - I've sent you multiple messages between October and November but did not receive a reply from you. V2 for square front. This was agreed upon in July 2018!!

 

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20 MONTHS LATER (JANUARY 2020):  No response from Van Diemen.  Lens is still in their possession.  

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by Adnan Siddiqui
grammar mistake

[Thanavorakit K]

I went through a similar experience with him. I've posted my story here https://www.facebook.com/groups/anamorphicshooters/permalink/2042440352434259/

The guy at Van Diemen is very talent I must admit. But that's all unfortunately.

[Adnan Siddiqui]

Van Diemen has been misleading me for 2 years.  Now, they have stopped responding to my emails.  I have been contacted by someone (who contacted Van Diemen for lens servicing) that Christopher promptly responds to his/her email!  Of course, when Van Diemen wants your money, they will treat you like royalty.  But once they get your money, they act like you don't exist. 

I have taken heavy monetary losses due to their misleading promise.  Now, they are intentionally make it difficult to retrieve my property.  

This, in no way, is characteristic of a professional company.  Van Diemen is a disgrace. 

I will make another post highlighting their so-called service on my 50mm lens.  After 11 months in their possession, they sent my lens back claiming to be 'fully serviced' but the lens arrived in the same condition it was sent to them. 

[Adnan Siddiqui]

Update:  It seems Van Diemen has been promptly responding to perspective clients but refusing to answer my request to return my lens.  

Someone sent us a email proof that Christopher from Van Diemen replied to their inquiry within 24 hours.  

I paid Van Diemen and they have possession of my property but they don't care to respond in months. 

[Chris Burke]

Have you tried to contact British authorities? Your "outing" them here is great. Perhaps they think that due to geographical distance or that they are one of very few who can or will do this sort of work, that they have the upper hand. 

I have a former employer who decided not to pay his employees anymore. After many emails and texts back and forth, he has disappeared. Also perhaps thinking that I would give up or that he could hide. Now the attorney general's office is going after him and there is a good chance he will have to pay triple. Keep up the pressure, talk to the cops, hear what they have to say. I will think twice about Van Diemens.

[Phil Rhodes]

Are we talking about https://vandiemenbroadcast.co.uk/?

I have only dealt with them on a couple of occasions but never had any reason to suspect problems.

P

[Adnan Siddiqui]

That the company!! 

I have attached images of a lens (before and after servicing) they are trying to charge me ~$2k.  

They kept this lens for 11 months and when it was sent back after "servicing/polishing" it looks identical to before it was sent to them!!!

They still want to charge for it!!!! 

[Adnan Siddiqui]

Update:  2 more months and no response from Van Diemen.  They are refusing to return lens and trying to charge for service they did not perform.  Another person has PM me about the same HELL Van Diemen is putting them through.  

[Adnan Siddiqui]

Bump. It's almost 3 years and Van Diemen will not send my lens back!  It seems I have to travel to UK to retrieve the lens.  This is unbelievable!!!

[Mark Dunn]

Presumably they want you to pay for the work they had already done before you changed your mind. In the UK time is only of the essence in a contract if agreed by both parties beforehand. Their terms and conditions do not promise a service time.

[Adnan Siddiqui]

I don't know you Mark from "London" but in my opinion, you didn't care to read the thread.  Your assumption that I changed my mind has NO basis.  In fact, I urge you to show me how I changed my mind.  

Here are facts: 

June 2018 Van Diemen accepted 50% of my deposit via Paypal. 

Feb 2020 Van Diemen refuses to accept final payment via Paypal.  WHY?

May 2018 Van Diemen sends one lens back and it has no sign of servicing.  Now they want to charge for it!!!  See my photos I provided as evidence of BEFORE and AFTER.   

June 2018 Van Diemen stated they ...we aim to deliver conversions in 90 days from agreement of terms and receipt of deposit. 

 

CONVERSION TOOK THEM 2 YEARS!!! They forgot to mention that, because it will prevent clients from sending the lenses for servicing.  But once the lens is in their possession, they can do whatever the hell they want......like what they did to me.....UNETHICAL! 

VAN DIEMEN IS A JOKE!

Mark, in my opinion you have a good relationship with Van Diemen and are trying to show I did something wrong.  But you do not know the facts. I welcome your feedback if it is unbiased.  

 

[Mark Dunn]

Why should I be biased? I have no relationship with them at all. As to facts, I know only what you have presented. In March 2019 there seems to be an exchange in which you decline to pay for preparation work they have done because you want to cancel. I assume the dispute about servicing you claim was not done is a separate job for which you have not paid- or have you?

If you have an address in the UK you can use for correspondence you have the option of the small claims court.

[Adnan Siddiqui]

Van Diemen claimed they aim to deliver in "90 days".  I waited ~300 days before I felt it was an unreasonable delay. 

If Van Diemen could NOT competently complete an order on time, they should have been upfront.  Instead they MISLEAD me, so they can take my 50% deposit and hold me hostage, as they have been doing for last 3 years.  

Van Diemen has an apparent advantage of the distance, and they are acting like gangsters.  

Today, when I informed Van Diemen my intention to fly to UK to collect my lens and settle payment, Christopher stated, "We do not allow personal visits during the period of the Pandemic." 

WHAT?!!!! 

I cannot collect my own property during the "Pandemic" while people can carry on daily activities!

Why is my attempt to settle a business transaction considered "personal visits"?!!! 

Wow!!!

 

[Phil Rhodes]

I have no relationship with Van Diemen and all I know is based on the discussion in this thread. I hesitate to get involved, but since this seems to be an ongoing problem I'll try to pour a little oil on troubled waters.

Please confirm my understanding:

- lenses were submitted to the company who predicted a 90-day turnaround

- The company presumably encountered problems with the conversion and things took at least nine and a half months longer than expected.

- The customer decided to cancel, but the company had already started work, and wants to charge a fee to return the lenses to their original state.

Without making any comment on who's right or wrong, is this summary correct?

P

[Mark Dunn]

15 hours ago, Adnan Siddiqui said:

I cannot collect my own property during the "Pandemic" while people can carry on daily activities!

You may be being fobbed off, but you may also be unaware of the pandemic restrictions in the UK. "Daily activities" are far from normal. Van Diemen may have decided that they cannot satisfy, or afford, the regulations for admitting visitors to their premises,- of course "personal" means "in person"- and of course whilst you are permitted to enter England (British citizens are currently barred from the US), you would be required to quarantine for 14 days on your arrival in England.

[Sergio Arguello]

Simply put, In my opinion if VD wants to save face and not lose customers they would return lenses ASAP. I 

know that in the US a vendor of any sort cannot keep merchandise in Lew of payment. period. they must

by law return items and have there day in court to retrieve any amount of monies owed. My fear in hearing 

this is that lenses have either been damaged to worse lost. Adnan I suggest you contact authorities and a lawyer

immediately. I rehouse lenses often and I've changes to Zero Optic in Glendale for this reason alone. UK is just out

of reach (legally) for my taste.

Edited December 8, 2020 by Sergio Arguello

[Mark Dunn]

33 minutes ago, Sergio Arguello said:

in the US a vendor of any sort cannot keep merchandise in Lew of payment. period.

This isn't the case under English law. A trader often has a lien on goods for monies owed; it would surprise me to find out, for example, that I could demand my vehicle back from a US mechanic without paying him for the work.

The UK is a perfectly safe place to do business. This appears to be a dispute in which we don't have all the information- certainly not enough to conclude that VD is in breach of contract.

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Mark Dunn

[Sergio Arguello]

1 hour ago, Mark Dunn said:

 A trader often has a lien on goods for monies owed;

 

Exactly right, a lien is not by law the same as possession. If you decide to keep ones possession that

by definition is theft! So if VD indeed does shotty work they still feel the need to get paid?when In fact they

don't even let the customer inspect the lenses to at least have the conversation? Smells of something

gone rotten. It doesn't seem as if this person doesn't want to pay although he has shown pictures of

work that in our industry would agree that is quite substandard. That is just as it seems from afar.

 

 

[Jasper Enujuba]

I bought a set of filters and some basic equipment from Van Damien in mid-May this year. It was meant to arrive in 3-5 days. from purchase. A week later, I hadn't received the item. I called them and they re-assured me they got my order and would send it. This went on for a few more weeks. I called em saying I no longer wanted the items as it was now August. They promised a refund - this went on, no replies. Avoid this company. 

Edited December 10, 2020 by Jasper Enujuba

[Adnan Siddiqui]

On 12/8/2020 at 12:37 PM, Mark Dunn said:

This isn't the case under English law. A trader often has a lien on goods for monies owed; it would surprise me to find out, for example, that I could demand my vehicle back from a US mechanic without paying him for the work.

The UK is a perfectly safe place to do business. This appears to be a dispute in which we don't have all the information- certainly not enough to conclude that VD is in breach of contract.

 

I NEVER demanded my lenses without payment. 

I am disputing the charges for lens that was not serviced and Van Diemen is forcing the charges on me!  

I am disputing their demand for CASH or wire transfer only, while they accepted 50% of the payment via Paypal and are now refusing to accept credit card or Paypal! 

[Adnan Siddiqui]

On 12/8/2020 at 1:45 PM, Sergio Arguello said:

Exactly right, a lien is not by law the same as possession. If you decide to keep ones possession that

by definition is theft! So if VD indeed does shotty work they still feel the need to get paid?when In fact they

don't even let the customer inspect the lenses to at least have the conversation? Smells of something

gone rotten. It doesn't seem as if this person doesn't want to pay although he has shown pictures of

work that in our industry would agree that is quite substandard. That is just as it seems from afar.

 

 

As Sergio said it, I am disputing the shotty work that Van Diemen did and I will not pay them for it.  For the lens they completed conversion after 2 years (instead of ~90 days), they demand wire transfer only! Thats crazy!!! I do NOT TRUST THEM after all I have went through with them! 

[Adnan Siddiqui]

On 12/9/2020 at 9:29 PM, Jasper Enujuba said:

I bought a set of filters and some basic equipment from Van Damien in mid-May this year. It was meant to arrive in 3-5 days. from purchase. A week later, I hadn't received the item. I called them and they re-assured me they got my order and would send it. This went on for a few more weeks. I called em saying I no longer wanted the items as it was now August. They promised a refund - this went on, no replies. Avoid this company. 

Van Diemen reels you with their BS so you can shell out the 50% upfront.  Then if you want to cancel because you find out the truth, they scare you with a cancellation service fee....so now you are in it and at their mercy

[Adnan Siddiqui]

31 months later....

We have now entered 2021 (3rd year) and Van Diemen is still sticking to the lies   

Christopher from Van Diemen in a December 2020 email to me states that "There have been no unreasonable delays in completing the work you requested".   

WHAT!! A wait of 2 years may be reasonable if they promised 18 months, but not when Van Diemen declared "90 days" as turnaround time.  

I have people on multiple forums contact me about the same scenario with Van Diemen.  However, they seemed to be afraid to speak up in fear of retaliation by Van Diemen, as is so obvious in my case. 

Van Diemen has caused irreversible damage to my business.  I'm unable to travel to UK due to the pandemic, but I have now developed a website to make the public aware of my horrible experience with Van Diemen.  I will be launching the website soon.  

Anyone who thinks I'm avoiding payment is simply missing the point of all this. 

[Thanavorakit K]

Let me know when your website is ready. I can vouch for this.

[Adnan Siddiqui]

15 minutes ago, Thanavorakit K said:

Let me know when your website is ready. I can vouch for this.

Thanks! It should be ready within a week, and I will include screenshots of other people's messages who are suffering in the same manner