Please help - FAST 4 NET - are not being nice

sane01

Hi

I do not know if this is in the right place but two months ago I cancelled my internet access by letter to fast 4 because I could not log on to the members area. I never thought anything else of it until two weeks ago they phoned at a really bad time I was feeding my two young children, they were quite agressive when I said could I speak to them later on to cut a long story short I put the phone down, which I did the next day for the same reason. I then went on holiday for a week thinking I would sort it out when I came back but it would seem they have already sorted it out by sending me a letter from a credit collection agency for £89.71 which I assume has some sort of charge attached to it, as I see it if they never received they letter I would owe them £10 at the most. Please could someone help me out and tell me what to do, I just do not think I should or that I can afford to pay this amount of money, it also seems to have came about very quickly without giving me a chance to sort it out.

Any feedback would be appreiciated.

theloft

Hi, Have only just picked up on this. Hope you have managed to sort out the problem, but if not, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau. Or you could try and phone them if you are still unable to use the member's website.
Their freefone number is 0800 089 0076. I know it is advice after the horse has bolted so to speak, but you should have cancelled by recorded delivery. But if you explain your situation, put on the sob story, single mum with 2 kids etc. you might get some relief. Were you on dial-up or Broadband ? I am with Fast4 and having re-started the FAST 4 CONNECTION DIARY 2 thread, am aware of the pitfalls with this company.

sane01

Hi,

I forgot about this post actually, I did sort it out I phoned FAST4NET and spoke to a really nice guy called Paul, explained to him what had happened, did not say I was a single mum as I am not but I did explain to him in a sob story theme and he sorted it but I then got a letter from the debt collectors so I phoned them and they said that this sort of thing was not uncommon from this company and sister company V21 and that the £80 that was added on was actually fast 4 net and not them, they put the account on hold until the got confirmation which they got, so its all sorted.

Thanks anyway

Elaine

GeoThermal

Speak to CAB as suggested. I think you should contact the debt collection company by letter, (sent recorded) stating you dispute the amount as you had cancelled the account in writing before going on holiday. Once the amount is disputed the debt collection company (as far as I know) can not immediately take it any further and have to refer it back to Fast4.

Please confirm the above with the CAB though before proceeding as I'm going by bits I've read online over the years.

I hope you get it resolved quickly.

theloft

sane01 wrote:

Hi, I forgot about this post actually, I did sort it out I phoned FAST4NET and spoke to a really nice guy called Paul, Thanks anyway Elaine

Really pleased you got it sorted, I think they are not so bad if you talk to them! The single mum bit was to help with the sob story by the way, I was not inferring that you were !!

GeoThermal

Glad you got it sorted. Must have been a worry.