G/f has a problem. Company being horrible

Legacy_user

Hi Everyone,

Need some help here. My Gf got some letters today (well I delivered em to her) and one was one from Specsavers saying they wanted £250 because of their error, they hadn't charged her for her contact lenses for over two years.

This letter was sent approximatly a week ago. Now a few days after she got a nastygram saying this matter was being passed to debt collectors. :mad:

So we rang them and moaned a lot at them. She cant really afford much as she is clearing her debts and going back to being a student to do her MSc.

I said offer them full and final for 50% but the snotty !!!!! on the other end said "Right youll be hearing from our solicitors" So then she offered to pay it back, on top of her normal contact lenses for £20 a month, ie they get £8 which they wouldnt accept. They want £50 a month !!! They also admitted it was their fault. But we are 50% to blame for not noticing. When was the last time you sat and read a statement line by line and ticked em off ?

What can we do. Oh we asked for head offices number, apparently they are a franchise and have no head office, just directors. BS me thinks, a limited company by law has to have a trading address. So we said get the director to ring us back.

The first thing I want to do is stop any legal procedings. Any ideas ?

Tempted to go down to "head office" and cause a stink. Or the local branch. Im well annoyed

fairylights_2

What a nightmare. Sadly, I have to say I'd be surprised if you don't have to pay it back, I think you would be well within your rights to negotiate a pay rate.

I think the first thing you should do is call Citizens Advice. Tell them what's happened, and explain that your gf doesn't have £50 spare a month. They might be able to advise the best course of action. Also, start keeping a diary of exactly when all these things have occurred so you have backup should things get nasty.

Fingers crossed they ease off - they've probably just done an audit and realised that their figures were out, and are trying to cover their backs before the end of the financial year. Maybe they need glasses to do their figures properly :rotfl:

Kateelizabee

13000 wrote:

When was the last time you sat and read a statement line by line and ticked em off ?

I am sorry to hear that they're so unwilling to cooperate. I think the above poster offered some good adivce. However, I check my bank statement online almost every day, and I often print them out and literally tick each transaction. Because I started doing that, I've saved £10 a month in account fees I never used the benefits for.

I agree that they were in the wrong, but my mother always said "It's a 24 hour job making sure other people do theirs", and ticking your bankstatements regularly could help stop this sort of thing, not to mention help your gf "find" money to pay off her debts faster.

margaretclare

Kateelizabee wrote:

... my mother always said "It's a 24 hour job making sure other people do theirs"

I love this quote. How true it is, how right your mother was!

I've thought over many years - a lot of the world's problems wouldn't happen if other people just did their jobs properly. Not 'excellently', just adequately. From the X-rays that can't be found when you go for your hospital appointment to the sort of example being discussed here, it's endless.

B's Mastercard statement just arrived this morning and I have reconciled it for him. We couldn't imagine NOT doing this kind of thing.

Aunty Margaret

MORPH3US

Hi OP,

You said that you got a letter saying the matter was being passed to Debt Collectors, but later in the post you said that the woman on the phone said that the matter was being passed to their solicitors. Was the woman on the phone just talking out of her !!!!!! or did you get mixed up in your post. Not trying to trip you up, just quite an important point to clarify.

2nd point, £250 isn't really that much, I know money is tight for most people but couldn't you lend it from someone like parents and pay them back. Is this really a case of £8 a month is all you can afford or is it the old "its their mistake so why should I pay it back" frame of mind. Not blaming you if it is, I would be the same!

If I was you, i'd not worry too much. Get yourself down to Citizens Advice and see what they have to say.

The letter saying the matter was being passed to debt collectors is probably just a warning. If they sell the debt to debt collectors then they will probably only get 50% of what it is worth so they will lose out big time.

After seeing the CAB, post back here what they say, but I would imagine that installments would be a reasonable option and they are idiots for refusing it. Then try and find out who the directors of the company are and write to them in a polite but firm manner and say that they are being unreasonable not accepting your offer to pay back in installments. Name drop a few newspapers, tv shows (watchdog) websites you might inform about the whole matter.

If that doesn't work then again don't worry. When the matter gets passed to the debt collectors just negotiate with them, they might be more sympathetic, or at least might be willing to negotiate to save themselves court costs etc.

If worst comes to worst and it does go to court then plead your case, I am sure the courts will look favourably given that you have always stated you intend to repay the full amount and that you offered installments.

I could be wrong, but I don't think that it will affect your credit fileas long as you agree to repay the full amount, its just a case of how much and over how long!

jellycat40

Hi there, don't panic, this is their mistake. Tell them that you will take advice and get back to them. Then get back to them in writing with what you propose to do. They will not go to court, what would they tell the judge. " We forgot to charge this lady, and now we want her to pay she can't afford to", The judge would not have much time for them.

You were unlucky with the lady on the phone. Next time you contact them ask them what debt recovery service they have sold the debt to. Debt recovery services will take a full and final. Start with a quarter and pay a third.

Good Luck.

Louise

halloweenqueen_2

I'm surprised they are still going to supply your GF's contacts if you owe them money, she may well want to search around for another supplier incase they get shirty. I was under the assumption that if you pay off some of your debt that as you are actively trying to clear it the court wouldn't touch it? I'd be tempted to go and see them and pay the £20 you can afford and tell them you will be back the following month and pay another £20. (make sure you get a recipt each time).
I do check my bank statements and in between getting statements i get mini statements, at least if something happens to your account you know straight away.
Incidently if your GF is paying DD for her contacts would they not try and take the whole amount that way?

Xbigman

If she is short of money she could try wearing glasses. Its much cheaper and can make people look more intelligent. OK lets forget that and stick with cheaper :A
Regards



X

System

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the input, I know £8 isn't a lot in real terms, however when you consider she is also on minimum wage and such its a bit worse. What I *MAY* do is offer to lend her the £250 and she can pay me back at £8 a month, and a meal However that puts my road to debt recovery back a bit. Annoying !

I think the reason we were so annoyed was just because they were so damn rude. I don't really want to meet any baliffs either at my door. I think we may well write a snotty letter to head office and make it a real snotty letter. I doubt they will take noticed but we can try.

halloweenqueen_2

I would more go down the fact that the staff were rude, unhelpful and threatening, than get snotty with them, point out that ideally you should have realised you weren't paying for them and that GF is on minimum wage, a reason you went for specsavers in the first place value for money etc, you may find they are more willing to help and also they don't want people going round saying specsavers threatened them with bailiffs because Ssavers hadn't files the DD form with the bank. sen your letter recorded delivery and make it clear (nicely) that you expect a response. Good luck!

halloweenqueen_2

'more go down the route about the fact' - sorry - fingers overtook brain!