I've used LivingSocial occasionally over about three years. Things have gone smoothly on about three occasions - the rest of the time there has always been some problem or other.

Firstly, the website is very unstable. Often, when you click on an interesting deal and then click through to "buy", the panel that is supposed to give you the discount code simply fails to appear - the text tells you to click on the code, but neither the panel nor the code is there. Sometimes I've just given up, but sometimes the deal has been so interesting that I've persisted, going back to the ad and clicking through to the 'buy' page time and time again. After many tries, the code at last appears and allows you to proceed to the purchase page. No, my computer is NOT faulty (as one LS customer service agent declared) - it works perfectly on all other online purchase sites.

Secondly, on two previous occasions the merchant has not recognised the LivingSocial deal and has charged me his full retail price on my credit card. On one occasion LivingSocial arranged for a refund, on another they said the problem was between me and the merchant and Living Social could not help me. My credit card company got me a refund, saying that they had a long history of problems with that merchant and were no longer accepting his business. So why was LS doing business with the merchant?

In spite of this poor history I recently made one last try, because the offered deal was so good. It was a deal for a TOTAL WHITE teeth whitening kit, normally about £80 - £90, for £16 plus £4.95 postage. Again, it took me several tries to bring up the LS site page with a discount code panel, but eventually it appeared. The next day I received an emailed invoice from the merchant for the postage which was immediately deducted from my credit card account. I received the product OK, a couple of days later, but two weeks later £79.95 was deducted from my credit card account. I immediately emailed LivingSocial who emailed a reply saying they didn't accept emailed complaints and that I must phone their customer service - difficult for me because my vocal cords are paralysed (as I had said in my email to them).

I phoned as requested and was told by a very snotty (female) "customer service (!)" agent that it was not their problem and I had to call the merchant. I phoned TOTALWHITE who said that they had no knowledge of any such discount offer and my order had been treated as a normal transaction at their usual price and terms. I phoned LivingSocial again, this time to find a much more sympathetic (male) agent who took all my details and promised to investigate the problem, to sort it out. And to email me back. Guess what? Nothing further.

I've given up, life is too short to spend hours on the phone or at the keyboard sorting out these problems - which, of course, is what these soulless internet scam artists count on. But I'm putting LivingSocial on my blocked address list and telling as many people as I can - DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS (DIS)ORGANISATION. Like the man said "If it seems too good to be true, it is." Don't buy, don't get caught.

UNBELIEVABLY BAD SERVICE! Myself and my partner booked a simple carpet cleaning service through Living Social using ABC carpet cleaning in Birmingham in April 2012. Once the voucher was bought we tried contacting Jimmy at ABC cleaning on countless occasions. On the rare times that Jimmy answered the phone it was very clear he had no time for customers using Living Social as in his own words it wasnt worth his time as he was making a loss going through Living Social. On 2 occasions he even hung up on us! After several months when we were reaching the end of our thether and told him we would write reviews online about his lack of service he eventually made an appointment several months down the line. We were happy we finally had an appointment. However come the time of the appointment he asked if he could come a day early as he was in the area. No problem we said and we re-arranged our schedule to fit him in. At the new appointment time however he simply didnt turn up and didnt call. I called him on his mobile and he immediately asked if he could call back in 2 minutes. 2 minutes later we had a text stating he forgot to put it in his book - Sorry. We said ok, lets stick to the original appointment time then. Predictably this was no good for him and we were back to square 1. After 6 months of chasing this very simple service we decided to contact Living Social (We had made a complaint to them already about our lack of service). We spoke to Marlon who after hearing a re-gurgitation "If you will look at section 6 of the terms and conditions" and "well you need to arrange an appointment with the merchant" over and over, we were told Living social would not under any circumstances give any refund and there were no supervisors at all available for me to be referred to. This is genuinely the first review I have ever felt the need to broadcast online, and being 35 years old have never had an experience as bad as that with Living Social and ABC services. I would highly recommend both services be avoided at all costs and suspect I am not the first, or the last to be manipulated by these "businesses". We feel so let down and have simply had money taken from us with no service received in any form whatsoever. The definition of theft is to dishonestly take property from another with the intention of permanently depriving them of it. I think this comes pretty close. Please, save yourself the stress and go through a business with a decent reputation and one which will actually give you something for the money they will take off you.

Avoid Avoid Avoid!