Jacket ruined by dry cleaning company

Q: I left a jacket for dry cleaning. When I called to collect, it the dry cleaner said it had been damaged by another garment.

There is a large mark on the front of the jacket where they have tried to remove the stain, and another on the back.

The dry cleaners claimed that a customer had left a pen in the pocket of a garment and it had leaked and damaged my jacket.

They have not charged me for the dry cleaning but my jacket worth €200 is ruined.

Who is responsible? Can I ask them to refund me the money spent on the jacket?

A: The dry cleaning company is undoubtedly responsible for this damage. It should take reasonable care and use its expertise and knowledge when preparing garments for the dry cleaning process. It is up to the dry cleaner to check that garments are suitable for the specific process and that nothing has been left in a garment that might damage other items in the load.

In this case, it is clear that they failed to check the load thoroughly and as a result your garment was damaged.

Therefore you are entitled to claim compensation for the damaged jacket.

However, the amount you claim should be reasonable and take into consideration the age of the jacket and its condition. If you do not manage to reach an amicable settlement with the dry cleaning company, contact the Consumer Affairs Directorate and register your complaint.