Levin Aquactic Swimming Centre

Jocelyn Neighbourly Lead from Foxton Beach

Last Wednesday while I was at the Levin Aquactic Swimming Centre, I felt like a snack and a drink. So I go over to the vending machines and the one with the snacks lets you use your eftpos card, so away I went and got my snack. With the next machine I had to use cash, in goes $5, then I pushed the button required, but nothing comes out and I can't get my cash(refund) back. I go and tell a swimming attendant and she says, you'll have to ring the people who has the franchise and tell whats happened. So I said, "NO" that is not my job, it is your job, these machines are on your premises and it is not my job to do that. No luck with her, off I go the reception, the persson behind the desk tells me the same thing, so I repeat to her what I said to the other person. Next thing, another swimming attendant comes in and she comes and helps me. We turned the machine off and on a few times. No luck. She then says to me that she has used these macines before and has been charged a $5 fee for each item she purchased (total items was 4) ending up being charged $20 plus the cost of the snacks.

I brought up my bank account on my phone and noticed that I had been charged the correct amount of $2.50 PLUS a further two lots of $5's. Off I go back to reception and rings the people responsible. The person says, "you'll have to wait for 24 hours for it to go through the system, before it can be returned to your bank". The transaction said "pending". I was totally disgusted that this sort of fraud is allowed with these vending machines by the franchise people. I told the office at the pool they should not allow this to continue and to get rid of the machines. As it is now the weekend, I will be contacting Comsumers Gaurantees office on Monday. Before leaving the swimming pool, I wrote a long complaint to the Management. That Franchise has not not heard the last of this.It is not only the money, but the principle of it.