Should I pay up or stand my ground?

kezflake

Last may I canceled my 12 month vodafone contract, I did everything they required of me moved house and got on with my life. I believed I had left on good terms with vodaphone, however they never kept their end of the bargain and extended my contract to a further 12 months without my permission!

I found this out this April after a debt collection agency tracked me down to my new address and have spend the past two months fighting my case. They said I had agrreed to the contract and I said prove it which they haven't been able to. They got a solicitor involved then promtly switched back to a debt collection agency which in in itself speaks volumes about the legal validity of their case against me IMO.

At the time they were demanding £498 from me, I fought this and this morning I recived a letter reducing the alleged debt to £76 coveing just 4 months of contract time which again speaks volumes about the case. They know their wrong they are just trying to squeeze a few more quid out of me.

If it hadn't of been for their rediculouse claims I would have already have signed up with them this month as my current contract has just run out and vodafone simply offer a much better deal on the phone I want. I have been told that if I do switch back to vodafone I must pay this £76 but that is still a huge saving against my current provider orange and not to mention I definatly am interested in the new google phone exculusive to vodafone.

What should I do?

barrybarryr

Fight it.

Dont give up. Stand your ground and write to the MD of Vodafone as well as the debt collection agency.

In your letter tell them that if this is not resolved you will take legal action against them and report them to Ofcom.

Also keep asking for proof of your intention to carry on your contract.

Crazy_Jamie

kezflake wrote:

They said I had agrreed to the contract and I said prove it which they haven't been able to.

Do not agree to anything until they do. Tell them that unless they send you definitive documentary evidence that you agreed to this contract, you will not deal with them further and will consider the matter closed.

I despise companies like this that bully people when a debt is not due. If you get any sort of threatening letters or similar explaining the legal validity of their claim without evidence, post them here and I will gladly knock up a response for you.

This is, of course, assuming that you are correct and the debt is not due. Which it looks like is the case.

Microstar_2

Mobile phone companies seem increasingly keen to hassle customers (or ex-customers) on this basis. They are also quick to blacklist people via credit reference agencies.
If you are sure you didn't renew the contract, and the collection agency keeps contacting you without providing evidence that you owe the money then note that they are committing an offence under the Administration of Justice Act. Read a bit more here: http://www.insolvencyhelpline.co.uk/debt_factsheets/harassment_of_people_in_debt_by_creditors.php