Threatened with legal after leaving a google review

[Too Late]

Hi all,

Long story short — we ordered a swimming pool worth around £36,000. There were numerous issues during the process, including:

Inadequate communication
Incorrect schematics
Missing items
Damaged items
Calls and emails going unanswered
Complaint emails ignored

I left an honest Google review reflecting this experience.

Following the review, the company contacted me and suggested that if they provided some equipment (worth about £600) as a goodwill gesture, I might consider updating my review. That goodwill gesture arrived about a week ago.

However, I have now received a letter (both in person and by email) stating that if I do not remove my review within seven days, they will pursue legal action on the basis that it is “unfair, inaccurate, and detrimental” to their business reputation.

I removed the review yesterday, but receiving the letter both by hand and by email has made me reconsider whether removing it was the right decision.

I would like to understand my legal position. My review was a factual account of my experience, and I am concerned this may constitute harassment or an attempt to silence genuine customer feedback.

[Dave.]

Copy and paste their letter/email into your Google review.....

Childish perhaps, but tempting....

[Too Late]

hahaha. Good idea.
Copy and paste of the points in the review which i was unhappy with were:

Terrible Customer Service: Communication is virtually non-existent. Emails routinely went unanswered, and I had to make over 65 phone calls just to chase basic updates and delivery dates.

Broken Promises on Delivery: I was told delivery would take 8–12 weeks. In reality, it took 16 weeks, with no proactive updates or apologies for the delay.

Damaged Equipment: The air source heat pump arrived damaged, and no one informed me. A replacement wasn’t even ordered until I chased repeatedly.

Missing Equipment: The pool cover was not ordered in time. As a result, I had to manage the pool without a cover for two weeks.

Ignored Complaints: X failed to respond to any of my complaint emails, despite multiple attempts to get a resolution.

Inadequate Documentation: The installation guides provided are poorly written and lacking crucial details.

Incorrect Scale Drawings: The scale drawings on their website are inaccurate, leading to additional confusion and delays.

[abzmike]

Sounds like they are using threats to try and strong arm you.
If you have the facts recorded, present them accurately then I don’t see how they can object to you passing your honest opinion on the products and services you have paid for.

[springfan62]

Too Late said:

Hi all,

Long story short — we ordered a swimming pool worth around £36,000. There were numerous issues during the process, including:

Inadequate communication
Incorrect schematics
Missing items
Damaged items
Calls and emails going unanswered
Complaint emails ignored

I left an honest Google review reflecting this experience.

Following the review, the company contacted me and suggested that if they provided some equipment (worth about £600) as a goodwill gesture, I might consider updating my review. That goodwill gesture arrived about a week ago.

However, I have now received a letter (both in person and by email) stating that if I do not remove my review within seven days, they will pursue legal action on the basis that it is “unfair, inaccurate, and detrimental” to their business reputation.

I removed the review yesterday, but receiving the letter both by hand and by email has made me reconsider whether removing it was the right decision.

I would like to understand my legal position. My review was a factual account of my experience, and I am concerned this may constitute harassment or an attempt to silence genuine customer feedback.

Sounds like you accepted their goodwill gesture and didn't keep your side of the bargain.

[Sheepshanks]

They asked you to update the review if they sent you a goodwill gesture. So add that fact as the update.

[nute]

I ran my own business (professional and we don’t use any social media). Since retired.

On looking a Google one day I noticed that someone had left a review of 3 stars. On checking, this person had never been a client also and didn’t know what we do. I did a bit of searching and it’s evident that this chap was a “ local guide” or whatever the phrase is for someone who leaves lots of reviews. In this case he’s evidently been spamming out fake reviews to get his numbers up. Very annoying to say the least.

[Trevor555]

nute said:

I ran my own business (professional and we don’t use any social media). Since retired.

On looking a Google one day I noticed that someone had left a review of 3 stars. On checking, this person had never been a client also and didn’t know what we do. I did a bit of searching and it’s evident that this chap was a “ local guide” or whatever the phrase is for someone who leaves lots of reviews. In this case he’s evidently been spamming out fake reviews to get his numbers up. Very annoying to say the least.

Had similar.

Message Google, and they'll remove it if person never been a customer.

[MustangGT]

springfan62 said:

Too Late said:

Hi all,

Long story short — we ordered a swimming pool worth around £36,000. There were numerous issues during the process, including:

Inadequate communication
Incorrect schematics
Missing items
Damaged items
Calls and emails going unanswered
Complaint emails ignored

I left an honest Google review reflecting this experience.

Following the review, the company contacted me and suggested that if they provided some equipment (worth about £600) as a goodwill gesture, I might consider updating my review. That goodwill gesture arrived about a week ago.

However, I have now received a letter (both in person and by email) stating that if I do not remove my review within seven days, they will pursue legal action on the basis that it is “unfair, inaccurate, and detrimental” to their business reputation.

I removed the review yesterday, but receiving the letter both by hand and by email has made me reconsider whether removing it was the right decision.

I would like to understand my legal position. My review was a factual account of my experience, and I am concerned this may constitute harassment or an attempt to silence genuine customer feedback.

Sounds like you accepted their goodwill gesture and didn't keep your side of the bargain.

If the OPs wording is correct they said "I might consider updating my review". That does not require an update, it was considered but decided not to update it as it was a fair representation.

[stressd]

abzmike said:

Sounds like they are using threats to try and strong arm you.
If you have the facts recorded, present them accurately then I don’t see how they can object to you passing your honest opinion on the products and services you have paid for.

This ^

[GasEngineer]

As has been said they were not asking to to change what you had said - so a fair update would be to add that they had contacted you and offeed £600 of extras by way of compensation.

The original review still stands.

[MrBogSmith]

I have no legal experience / expertise in this area of law, but I do our 'reputation management' which includes work with TrustPilot etc, so do understand the policies around this sort of thing from TP / Google's POV.


The UK's defamation laws are pretty solid in favour of free speech.

They'd need to show your review caused 'serious harm' (serious financial loss) or it doesn't even get off the ground. Would one normal Google review do this? Unlikely.

Then you have defences which include:

1) Truth - If the statement is substantially true, it’s not defamatory.

2) Honest Opinion - Protected if it’s clearly opinion (not fact), based on facts, and an honest person could hold that opinion.

By the sounds of it they'd have no chance and are being bullies. What are they going to do? File a claim at the High Court for a standard customer experience review?

Alternatively anonymously pay a group in India via crypto to do a negative review bomb on Google as it's hard work getting reviews removed

[paul_c123]

Judging by the reviews of Philip Ireland (Supercar dealer), it turns out NOT all publicity is good publicity!

[Simpo Two]

Too Late said:

I would like to understand my legal position. My review was a factual account of my experience, and I am concerned this may constitute harassment or an attempt to silence genuine customer feedback.

But you were happy to have an extra £600 of stuff so your morals are not impeccable either. Accepting a bribe perhaps.

In short your review got you an extra £600's of stuff, and you've taken it down. I would call that a decent deal and leave it at that. No point starting needless fights.

[MrBogSmith]

This is one TrustPilot have been battling against for a while which they've managed to get binned because the law firm couldn't prove they suffered serious harm.

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/firms-libel-clai...

It ended up a bit of a 'Streisand Effect' and you can see how their TP looks now: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/bwlegal.co.uk

Simpo Two said:

But you were happy to have an extra £600 of stuff so your morals are not impeccable either. Accepting a bribe perhaps.

It's hardly unusual in business to compensate someone who has had a really poor experience.

If the OP had explicitly agreed to remove his review for a 'good will gesture' then I'd agree.

If that was what the business wanted it should have been explicitly stated and a clear agreement made. Not implied.

[Simpo Two]

MrBogSmith said:

It's hardly unusual in business to compensate someone who has had a really poor experience.

If the OP had explicitly agreed to remove his review for a 'good will gesture' then I'd agree.

Yes. We don't know exactly what was said. Still time to take the winnings and enjoy the pool though :-)

[C5_Steve]

If the review is factually correctly then there's nothing they can do. Based on what you've posted here it all seems very easy to evidence one way or the other so I'd be inclined to let them crack on with their threat.

[matchmaker]

MrBogSmith said:

This is one TrustPilot have been battling against for a while which they've managed to get binned because the law firm couldn't prove they suffered serious harm.

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/firms-libel-clai...

It ended up a bit of a 'Streisand Effect' and you can see how their TP looks now: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/bwlegal.co.uk

Simpo Two said:

But you were happy to have an extra £600 of stuff so your morals are not impeccable either. Accepting a bribe perhaps.

It's hardly unusual in business to compensate someone who has had a really poor experience.

If the OP had explicitly agreed to remove his review for a 'good will gesture' then I'd agree.

If that was what the business wanted it should have been explicitly stated and a clear agreement made. Not implied.

I completely agree with the reviews of BW Legal

[jdw100]

MrBogSmith said:

This is one TrustPilot have been battling against for a while which they've managed to get binned because the law firm couldn't prove they suffered serious harm.

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/firms-libel-clai...

It ended up a bit of a 'Streisand Effect' and you can see how their TP looks now: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/bwlegal.co.uk

Simpo Two said:

But you were happy to have an extra £600 of stuff so your morals are not impeccable either. Accepting a bribe perhaps.

It's hardly unusual in business to compensate someone who has had a really poor experience.

If the OP had explicitly agreed to remove his review for a 'good will gesture' then I'd agree.

If that was what the business wanted it should have been explicitly stated and a clear agreement made. Not implied.

The £600 is for compensation. He is still entitled to post an honest review.

I’d be interested to learn if the company gave a response on google to his review.

I have had a terrible experience with a builder. I left a google email on the review saying if anyone wants to see photos the building please email and I’ll send some.

Obviously they had someone send an email asking for photos. I sent a load, all taken by me or my wife and with dates. No opinion, just facts; this is wall after one month, this is leak from roof, this is leak from roof after third fix etc etc.

We suddenly had a flurry of requests to meet from the owner, who had ducked out of conversations as soon as we had started raising issues.

I showed his number two a doc that we had bought 16 (?) domain names all similar to their’s, plus I had a guy in India pulling together as many similar Instagram names as possible. Also that I was showing photos at various business, development, construction forums. The last one is real.

This is not just me being a dick , they have pushed my wife and I to the point of a possible divorce. My choice of construction company.

I actually now have a guy building a website (=£80), I have no fingerprints on it beyond supplying photos, it’s hosted outside the country, built in another country..etc…

I won’t actually (probably not) launch it but it might push them to compensate for the £2k we have already lost by having to cancel bookings, plus the one month shutdown they want to fix both pools, cabanas, painting etc…

We have found out subsequently they took on too much work (it’s a boom time here) and have shafted other customers as well.

I think they have really damaged my relationship/life/pocket so I will return the favour and damage their business.

[E-bmw]

MustangGT said:

springfan62 said:

Too Late said:

Hi all,

Long story short — we ordered a swimming pool worth around £36,000. There were numerous issues during the process, including:

Inadequate communication
Incorrect schematics
Missing items
Damaged items
Calls and emails going unanswered
Complaint emails ignored

I left an honest Google review reflecting this experience.

Following the review, the company contacted me and suggested that if they provided some equipment (worth about £600) as a goodwill gesture, I might consider updating my review. That goodwill gesture arrived about a week ago.

However, I have now received a letter (both in person and by email) stating that if I do not remove my review within seven days, they will pursue legal action on the basis that it is “unfair, inaccurate, and detrimental” to their business reputation.

I removed the review yesterday, but receiving the letter both by hand and by email has made me reconsider whether removing it was the right decision.

I would like to understand my legal position. My review was a factual account of my experience, and I am concerned this may constitute harassment or an attempt to silence genuine customer feedback.

Sounds like you accepted their goodwill gesture and didn't keep your side of the bargain.

If the OPs wording is correct they said "I might consider updating my review". That does not require an update, it was considered but decided not to update it as it was a fair representation.

My thought exactly.

Sadly because the OP has now removed the review it may be considered differently perhaps.

OP
Hindsight I know but in your shoes I would have added to the review the bit about the goodwill gesture and left it as-was otherwise.

That way others can once again make up their own mind what to think & the company can't have had any come back to you.