European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 18, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 2 if the stars and stripes tuesday october 18, 1977 Many complain about furniture firm continued from Page i that kind of person. Now they can talk with my the Cartwright lawyer. Dieter Knob Lauch said Arnsburg failed to appear at the first trial and the court ordered Arns Burg to return the couple s $412 Down pay is a typical Case where a firm tries these things with americans or any foreigners said Knoblauch. The for Eigners Don t know German Law and if the company Points to something in a contract they Don t know what to do. How Many of them get a lawyer not Knoblauch said local residents would never have a problem with Arnsburg be cause no German would Ever go to a place like Ryttel said half of his business was with former Salesman of the company said it was standing policy of the firm to stall on complaints. They figure they the complainers will go away if they keep telling them they la get the problem taken care of the next Day the Salesman said. Sgt. Raymond Walchak of Giessen took delivery on three pieces of furniture a Wall unit a table and a clock. The clock was t the one we ordered said Walchak. It also did t work and the deliveryman told my wife the company knew that when they sent Ryttel said there was some misunderstanding that the Walchak had gotten what they ordered. He also said Walchak had failed to show up for an appointment to pick out another clock. Walchak said he made no appointment. Mrs. Gary Grubb of Mannheim ordered a Wall unit and clock. The clock was dam aged and the deliveryman had no Wall unit. Mrs. Grubb said the company admitted the Wall unit was never available. They tried later to deliver two different Wall units i did not order she said. The Grubbs waited More than four months for delivery and finally refused to pay. She said they ended the loan arrangement by paying off the Money owed the finance company for the clock. Sgt. Kathy Hardin of Wiesbaden detailed her problem with Arnsburg at the pre sent time four months from order Date we now have two of the three pieces of Furni Ture Hardin said the furniture they received was t the style they or dered. Asked about the complaint Ryttel said it had been settled in mid october and that it was a for repairs mrs. . Brannon of Mannheim said she had been waiting eight months for repairs on furniture purchased from Arnsburg. Ryttel said he would look into the problem. Ryttel was first interviewed by the stars and stripes nearly four years ago during research for an in depth report on furniture. At that time he was running Cobi Mobel and people were having problems similar to those experienced by Arnsburg customers now. A competitor also sued Ryttel during the unsatisfied customers s. Sgt. Lionel and spec. 5 Deborah car right hold the connecting boards for the Wall unit they bought from Arns Burg it feel. The couple is suing the past year. George Huber of International furniture House at Mainz Kastel said he sued Arnsburg for false advertising and won. Huber said an Arnsburg advertisement in a local television guide showed living room furniture he was Selling offered at lower prices than his firm could sell them. Huber sent a Man to Arnsburg head quarters at Kloster Arnsburg near Frank Furt and ordered the furniture. What was delivered was not the same As that Pic tured he said. The court decided the company was guilty of false advertising Huber said. He said he is now suing for damages. Signs in his display room showed the living room set advertised by Arnsburg and cautioned beware of false Ryttel admitted the photo was the same one used for the Huber and but said it was used Only because he did t have time to get one made for the similar furniture he was Selling. In addition he said that the German furniture company for failing to deliver the rest of the unit. The Cartwright have won the first court decision in their fight. Is Walker person Huber sent to Arnsburg insisted so forcefully on immediate delivery that he shipped him what he had despite that fact it was not the Type furniture advertised and promised. Three customers claimed Arnsburg is giving an Exchange rate of 2.00 do to the Dollar at a time when the Exchange rate is approximately 25 pfennig higher. Ryttel said that was not he said the rate is changed each Day according to the daily rate fixing. A stars and stripes reporter waiting for an interview with Ryttel in september stood by while a Serviceman argued with a Secretary. The Serviceman was claiming that Arnsburg had Given him Only two do to the Dollar in setting furniture charges. Two customers said salesmen for the firm had military allotment forms for them to fill out. We Don t have these Ryttel said. That is not the Salesman brought the allotment form with him said mrs. Cartwright. New German Laws will help gis by George Eber staff writer a powerful consumer Protection weapon has been placed in the hands of . Forces personnel in a substantially toughened German consumer regulation has been i effect for several months its usefulness was underscored for Usa eur Legal assistance officers during last week s Semi Nar in buyers in particular can take heart. Usa eur s German Legal assistance attorney Trutz Orthmann singled out new rules of special interest to them firms May no longer demand an excessively Large payment if a purchaser i delinquent in meeting an instalment. The buyer must be Given an Opportunity to make up the payment first a Lump penalty payment 25 per cent for example of the total sales Price can no longer be demanded if the customer re fuses delivery because a product is dam aged or not what he had ordered a contract now May not prohibit the buyer from pulling out of the contract or demanding Money already paid if the seller fails to live up to his end of the agreement a buyer now May sign on delivery of merchandise and later file claims i damage is discovered after the delivery. Orthmann said the buyer has up to six months in which to file the claim and longer if the defect is hidden if the seller fails to deliver the right merchandise or goods Are damaged or there is undue delay the customer is no obligated to continue payments even if the contract has been transferred to a third party such As a loan company. However a connection Between the seller and the Lender such As Between Arnsburg and the Omni financial corp. Must in fac exist. Often furniture purchases Are made a outlets which make loan arrangements for customers on the spot. Orthmann told attorneys that Consumers now have reme Dies against both parties the seller an the Lender. Orthmann strongly pushed use of this revamped German consumer Protection Law in cases involving wronged american customers. He said that German courts do have jurisdiction in such matters. The Man handed me an allotment form inthe papers i received said Walchak. He identified the Man As former Arnsburg Salesman said the company used allotment forms and added not Only did we use them we had to pay Ryttel one Mark for every allotment form he gave when asked if he was charging that Ryttel sold . Government printed allotment forms the Salesman was More emphatic. I swear to you on my Sis Ter s grave that is the truth so help me company does most of its business on instalment purchases. Ryttel said Mostof his financing until late september was through Omni financial corp., a Newyork based loan firm. Omni charges from 22.91 per cent to 36 per cent interest. Pytte also offers Loans through beneficial finance which he said offers a better inter est rate than Omni. He said he was through financing with Omni unless the company lowered rates. They Are too High he , ther beneficial rates which he said were lower than omnis would Proba Bly be higher than either local military Banks which can charge a High of 18 percent or credit unions which Are limited to 12 per cent on family accused Arnsburg of trying unfairly to get Money from them. Keeling of Grafe Wohr wrote the stars and stripes for help after she got Aletter from a lawyer representing Arns Burg demanding that she and her husband,. Louis Keeling pay 25 per cent penalty for cancelling a contract with no payment the feelings were upset because the had cancelled within the seven Day Cooling off period and owed no penalty first time Arnsburg was contacted Ryttel said the family owed the he was told by a stars and stripes re Porter that the family had registered the letter and had dated proof of cancellation he said it was All Clear and the matter settled. When interviewed several months late about the feelings Case Ryttel changed his Story. He said it was Clear from the be ginning the family owed no Money and he was sure no one from Arnsburg tried to get Money from them. However the family had saved the letter from Ryttel s lawyer telling them they had to pay the 25 per cent penalty charge. Ryttel said he knew Noth ing about it. Despite the fact that Arnsburg is Proba Bly the largest furniture sales firm in Ger Many specializing in american Force business the company does not have a Usa eur commercial solicitation permit and any complaints would have to be referred to the armed forces disciplinary control Board for action. Little leverage Ryttel said he saw no need for the solicitation permit. The Lack of registration by Arnsburg which May be doing half of the . Forces furniture business in Ger Many Means the military has Little lever age in Case of complaints. The situation dissimilar to the Book sales business spot lighted in a june 1977 Star and Stripe report. The report noted that approximately half of the encyclopedia and Book sales to . Forces members is not under the supervision of the commercial solicitation office. Eight of the 10 largest furniture firm specializing in sales to american forces have the permit. A military spokesman said Wmk Mobel and Arnsburg Are the two which do not have said he has worked very hard Over the last few years to build up a goo reputation for Amburg and that he believes almost All of his customers Are Satis fied. He said he tries to handle personally the complaints that Are received and i working to keep the reputation of his Busi Ness , one of Arnsburg s customers who waited four months and never got the furniture she ordered had other thoughts personally i think they re a sorry ass place of business said mrs. Gary Grubb
