You can track the history of the official website here by entering the domain name: http://archive.org/web/
0) INTRODUCTION and SUMMARY
This is a client's review who used JFT Safe Deposit Lockers service from July 2011 until October 2013. It will not be complete or in perfect order, since the main purpose of this blog is to give existing and prospective clients of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC a different view of this company and encouragement to be careful and diligent when dealing with JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC in order to avoid the many pitfalls the client has encountered.
For those who do not have the time to read the whole blog, here is a SUMMARY.
The business model of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC seems to be like this:
1. make it as easy as possible to receive payments in cash, and
2. make it as difficult as possible to refund any cash (such as a refundable key deposit).
3. charge pricey fees and render a polite but arrogant low quality service.
JFT Lockers lists on it's website the charges, only to ask for additional hidden charges lateron. If you object stubbornly, JFT Lockers will make an exception for you and leave you with the false feeling on how generous they have been to you. They will use that false feeling of generosity in future negotiations against you.
Keep in mind that the safe deposit locker service is a highly sensitive business, where you entrust part of your valuable personal and/ or business belongings to a more or less known third party! As you will certainly agree, trust and sound business practices are of paramount importance. I could not find either with JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC.
I invite you to read on if you are interested in some of the details in order to make up your own mind whether you wish to remain or become a client of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC. I also ask you not to believe me but to verify my assertions yourself.
Okay, let's begin ..
1) THE AGREEMENT
When conducting a due diligence on businesses, I prefer to do it the written way, since conversations on the phone or in-person are always harder to prove if any dissension lateron occurs. This prudent business practise also prevented me from much harm in the case of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC.
My initial request (March 2011) went like this:
"Dear Customer Service, I am interested in the smallest size first (125x125x600). Please let me know the total price for 2 and 3 years. Thank you."
The same-day reply was: "Dear .. the rental for 2 yrs will be AED 1500 & for 3 yrs will be AED 2000, kindly add AED 2000 (standard refundable key security deposit) to your choice of tenure. Thanks & Regards Customer service
JFT Safe Deposit Lockers"
See also here ..http://web.archive.org/web/20110823121712/http://www.jftlockers.com/prices.html
See also here ..http://web.archive.org/web/20110823121712/http://www.jftlockers.com/prices.html
and here ..
http://web.archive.org/web/20110820062754/http://www.jftlockers.com/faq.html#8
At this time, the whole deal still sounded very simple and straightforward: you pay cash, get a receipt of your payment, at the end of the term one either extends or cancels. If cancelling, just return the keys and immediately receive your key security deposit in cash.
This was not the case though with JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC .. not at all.
I downloaded the Terms and Conditions in order to get informed in advance what exactly I will sign. I soon found out that the Terms and Conditions on the official website were and still are to this day! (13 Oct 2013) not the same that I later signed in the office.
An example: the agreement downloaded from the website mentioned: "On the expiry and/or termination of this arrangement, the key(s) of/to the locker shall be handed over by me/us to the representative of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC., Sunday to Thursday between 9am to 1pm."
The agreement that JFT Lockers handed me to sign had added the following (marked in Bold):
"On the expiry and/or termination of this arrangement, the key(s) of/to the locker shall be handed over by me/us to the representative of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC. .. The key security deposit part/full/nil will/or not be refunded to me by JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC after a minimum of 2-3 working weeks upon surrendering of my locker & upon settlement of all my dues and all fees deductible as may be in force at that time and due performance of all terms and conditions in force at that time."
Is this sound business practise to use two different agreements, especially when the 'office version' contains detrimental terms & conditions for the client?
Now let's switch ahead into the future (Sept 2013). When I informed JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC two weeks in advance by email that I terminate my agreement already nine months early, I received this reply:
"Dear Customer, We at JFT SAFE DEPOSIT LOCKERS, thank you for your support and patronage over the past years...
Kindly note, The main applicant has to return the contract and the 2 keys to the locker, Sunday to Thursday between 9am to 1pm, for us to proceed with the closure of service.
Please note, AED 250 in cash will be applicable towards administration for closure of service.The refund security cheque will be processed after 3 working weeks on fulfilling the above conditions. You may refer to your contract for any further clarification. Best regards,Customer Service Dept JFT Safe Deposit Lockers"
Comments:
+ In the office contract/agreement I signed with JFT Lockers, nowhere is mentioned that the keys can only be returned during the morning office hours. Official working hours also are from 5pm - 9pm.
+ In my point of view, it is a highly unusual and unsound business practise to ask for a return of the original contract/ agreement since both parties have a copy. If anybody would comply to this demand, one loses any legal claim for a return of the key security deposit.
+ There was nowhere in the agreement or website a mentioning of an account closure fee.
+ There was nowhere mentioned in the agreement that the key security deposit refund can only be done through a cheque.
One would expect first-of-all a cash refund (since the client paid in cash), or otherwise, any of the many options available in the 21st century, such as bank transfer, Moneygram, PayPal, Western Union, cheque, etc.
+ According to the written demand of Customer Service Dept, if you do not return the original contract as well, the conditions will not be fulfilled and thus the key security deposit not refunded!
2) MR. LOUIS
I will dedicate a full chapter to Mr. Louis, the owner or/and receptionist of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC. I only know that he is Indian and lives in Dubai.
Mr. Louis claims that the owner of JFT Lockers is an Indian Lady that also runs the back office and replies to your emails. By the way, try to find an email address on the official website. It appears Mr. Louis prefers to be called rather than commit himself to writing.
By using the Wayback Machine http://archive.org/web/web.php, you will be able to verify that www.jftlockers.com still offered a contact form until at least 21 Aug 2011.
I cannot ascertain for sure who is the real owner of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC, since no names in the correspondences have ever been used.
I personally hold the view that Mr. Louis is the owner, because all receipts and agreements hold the same signature. I watched him sign in front of me. The signatures from the back office have been identical.
Furthermore, Mr. Louis is the only contact mentioned regarding the Domain Name: JFTLOCKERS.COM
Mr. Tauro, Vivian Louis
viv.tauro@gmail.com
+9715045008x90
Feel free to use a domain tool such as http://who.godaddy.com to verify my information.
My personal experience is that Mr. Louis treats a client in a polite but arrogant and sometimes condescending manner. Keep in mind that this is only my own personal view.
Mr. Louis was the person that tried to charge me repeatedly 'hidden costs' that were neither published on the website, in the agreement, or openly displayed in the office.
An example: originally, the agreed fees according the website (July 2011) and the confirmation by email correspondence (info@jftlockers.com) were:
2000 AED - Rental of small locker for 3 year tenure
2000 AED - Standard refundable key security deposit
Total: 4000 AED to be paid up-front in cash.
http://web.archive.org/web/20110820062754/http://www.jftlockers.com/faq.html#8
At this time, the whole deal still sounded very simple and straightforward: you pay cash, get a receipt of your payment, at the end of the term one either extends or cancels. If cancelling, just return the keys and immediately receive your key security deposit in cash.
This was not the case though with JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC .. not at all.
I downloaded the Terms and Conditions in order to get informed in advance what exactly I will sign. I soon found out that the Terms and Conditions on the official website were and still are to this day! (13 Oct 2013) not the same that I later signed in the office.
An example: the agreement downloaded from the website mentioned: "On the expiry and/or termination of this arrangement, the key(s) of/to the locker shall be handed over by me/us to the representative of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC., Sunday to Thursday between 9am to 1pm."
The agreement that JFT Lockers handed me to sign had added the following (marked in Bold):
"On the expiry and/or termination of this arrangement, the key(s) of/to the locker shall be handed over by me/us to the representative of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC. .. The key security deposit part/full/nil will/or not be refunded to me by JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC after a minimum of 2-3 working weeks upon surrendering of my locker & upon settlement of all my dues and all fees deductible as may be in force at that time and due performance of all terms and conditions in force at that time."
Is this sound business practise to use two different agreements, especially when the 'office version' contains detrimental terms & conditions for the client?
Now let's switch ahead into the future (Sept 2013). When I informed JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC two weeks in advance by email that I terminate my agreement already nine months early, I received this reply:
"Dear Customer, We at JFT SAFE DEPOSIT LOCKERS, thank you for your support and patronage over the past years...
Kindly note, The main applicant has to return the contract and the 2 keys to the locker, Sunday to Thursday between 9am to 1pm, for us to proceed with the closure of service.
Please note, AED 250 in cash will be applicable towards administration for closure of service.The refund security cheque will be processed after 3 working weeks on fulfilling the above conditions. You may refer to your contract for any further clarification. Best regards,Customer Service Dept JFT Safe Deposit Lockers"
Comments:
+ In the office contract/agreement I signed with JFT Lockers, nowhere is mentioned that the keys can only be returned during the morning office hours. Official working hours also are from 5pm - 9pm.
+ In my point of view, it is a highly unusual and unsound business practise to ask for a return of the original contract/ agreement since both parties have a copy. If anybody would comply to this demand, one loses any legal claim for a return of the key security deposit.
+ There was nowhere in the agreement or website a mentioning of an account closure fee.
+ There was nowhere mentioned in the agreement that the key security deposit refund can only be done through a cheque.
One would expect first-of-all a cash refund (since the client paid in cash), or otherwise, any of the many options available in the 21st century, such as bank transfer, Moneygram, PayPal, Western Union, cheque, etc.
+ According to the written demand of Customer Service Dept, if you do not return the original contract as well, the conditions will not be fulfilled and thus the key security deposit not refunded!
2) MR. LOUIS
I will dedicate a full chapter to Mr. Louis, the owner or/and receptionist of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC. I only know that he is Indian and lives in Dubai.
Mr. Louis claims that the owner of JFT Lockers is an Indian Lady that also runs the back office and replies to your emails. By the way, try to find an email address on the official website. It appears Mr. Louis prefers to be called rather than commit himself to writing.
By using the Wayback Machine http://archive.org/web/web.php, you will be able to verify that www.jftlockers.com still offered a contact form until at least 21 Aug 2011.
I cannot ascertain for sure who is the real owner of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC, since no names in the correspondences have ever been used.
I personally hold the view that Mr. Louis is the owner, because all receipts and agreements hold the same signature. I watched him sign in front of me. The signatures from the back office have been identical.
Furthermore, Mr. Louis is the only contact mentioned regarding the Domain Name: JFTLOCKERS.COM
Mr. Tauro, Vivian Louis
viv.tauro@gmail.com
+9715045008x90
Feel free to use a domain tool such as http://who.godaddy.com to verify my information.
My personal experience is that Mr. Louis treats a client in a polite but arrogant and sometimes condescending manner. Keep in mind that this is only my own personal view.
Mr. Louis was the person that tried to charge me repeatedly 'hidden costs' that were neither published on the website, in the agreement, or openly displayed in the office.
An example: originally, the agreed fees according the website (July 2011) and the confirmation by email correspondence (info@jftlockers.com) were:
2000 AED - Rental of small locker for 3 year tenure
2000 AED - Standard refundable key security deposit
Total: 4000 AED to be paid up-front in cash.
This is what Mr. Louis tried to charge me:
2000 AED - Registration fee
500 AED/ year - Non-resident administration fee (500x3= 1500 AED)
2000 AED - Rental of small locker for 3 year tenure
2000 AED - Standard refundable key security deposit
250 AED - Account Closure fee
Total: 7750 AED (!)
The only 'hidden fee' that has since been published on the website (as of 13 Oct 2013) is the Registration fee of 2000 AED, even though the standard key security deposit requirement has mysteriously disappeared from the website. I cannot confirm whether it still shows up in the 'office' agreement.
Make up your own mind whether business practises like this instill trust and peace of mind in you,- whether you would entrust your personal and/ or business belongings to a company like this.
3) MY FINAL ENCOUNTER WITH MR. LOUIS
My final encounter with Mr. Louis was at the beginning of October 2013.
Since I have no business activities in Dubai, I combined the return of the keys with a trip to Europe. I was hoping that a personal conversation with the owner of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC and/ or Mr. Louis would bring a solution instead of corresponding through email or by telephone.
The good news is that my belongings were still inside the locker.
The bad news is that I had to forfeit my key deposit of 2000 AED for not having to pay an additional hidden account closure fee.
This needs to be explained a little bit more in detail: because the contents of the locker was still there, I first offered Mr. Louis to have his way and deduct the hidden account closure fee of 250 AED from my key security deposit of 2000 AED, leaving 1750 AED for refund. When he declined my offer, I realized that the chances will be close to nil to ever receive my key security back. I always had settled my fees in advance.
This assumption was reinforced when Mr. Louis reaffirmed the content of the email correspondence (Sept 2013) that only a pick-up of the refund security cheque after 3 weeks in-person will be possible. Of course, he offered me that I could apply for an exception by sending an email to the back office (no guarantee though).
The last comment by Mr. Louis was the final straw that broke the camel's back as the saying goes.
Comments:
+ It nowhere states in the agreement that a cheque is the only means for refunding the key security deposit. So why should I apply for an exception?
+ I had no written or otherwise guarantee that I will ever receive any key security refund at all. What if Mr. Louis invented and charged some new fees to deduct from the key security deposit?
+ Having to visit Dubai within six months (as the cheque expires) would have incurred costs of at least 800 to 1000 USD. FYI, 2000 AED are about 550 USD at the time of writing. So it does not pay to make the trip. I explained to Mr. Louis but he still insisted on his procedure.
The only offer that Mr. Louis finally accepted was that if I forfeit my key security deposit of 2000 AED, he would then generously allow me to deduct the 250 AED account closure fee and proceed with account closure.
So, instead of the agreed 2000 AED I ended up paying 4000 AED.
Do you still wish to remain or become a client of JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC?
Decide for yourself ..
4) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I thank Dylan Rhodes for assisting me to publish my account and experiences with JFT Safe Deposit Lockers LLC online.
If you have any questions, pls contact me through Dylan Rhodes at fbi . dylan . rhodes (at) gmail . com
