Some good results this year in the consumer revenge category!

digitaltoast

Ask politely and firmly and you will receive

I just realised that so far this year, I have topped £800 in cash and services from companies who thought they were too big to get away with it!

Unfortunately, I can't go into detail about the largest one, as I had to sign a letter, but it was a certain large ISP, and the cheque (after I threatened court) was for £250.

Next up was Comet - £120 of parts and labour, although that was only what they should have done in the first place, and it took me FIVE letters, only once I threatened them with Trading Standards did they fulfil their legal obligation.

Most recent was o2 - £60 (3 months credit) for appalling service, then £50 credit for mistakenly taking a £200 direct debit for no reason they could explain! They wanted to bump me off with £25. I suggested they might want to run that by me again!

Plus a fair amount of train ticket refunds.

Here's a couple of key things I've learnt - KEEP EVERYTHING! Even the envelopes you received letters in. Also, at the first sign of trouble USE RECORDED DELIVERY. It's amazing how that little red sticker makes a letter get noticed when previous were ignored!

And here's a side effect of using recorded - it provides absolute proof of postal delay, so I then went on to use the receipts to show that my 1st class letters took over 3 days to be delivered, in which case, you just fill a form in, and a while later, 6 first class stamps arrive So I have enough first class stamps to last well into the future ...

Hope these tips help - just remember:
Polite
Firm
Recorded Delivery
Note everything - names, departments, exact times, in diary.
And remember, you CAN record calls, provided it is not "call recording equipment". To clarify, there is NOTHING WRONG in putting your speakerphone on and using a computer to record from a mic. It's only when you use your mobile's inbuilt recorder, or an inline telephone recording device that you then need permission.

Good luck!

derrick

digitaltoast wrote: »

And remember, you CAN record calls, provided it is not "call recording equipment". To clarify, there is NOTHING WRONG in putting your speakerphone on and using a computer to record from a mic. It's only when you use your mobile's inbuilt recorder, or an inline telephone recording device that you then need permission.
Good luck!

Not true, you can record inline, "provided you are not intending to make the contents of the communication available to a third party" see Re-Tell. :-

"Can I record telephone conversations on my home phone? Yes. The relevant law, RIPA, does not prohibit individuals from recording their own communications provided that the recording is for their own use. Recording or monitoring are only prohibited where some of the contents of the communication - which can be a phone conversation or an e-mail - are made available to a third party, ie someone who was neither the caller or sender nor the intended recipient of the original communication. For further information see the Home Office website where RIPA is posted.


Do I have to let people know that I intend to record their telephone conversations with me?
No, provided you are not intending to make the contents of the communication available to a third party. If you are you will need the consent of the person you are recording."

dmg24

What you are describing is not 'consumer revenge' (a very silly phrase IMO), but rather you enforcing your legal rights.

digitaltoast

derrick wrote: »

Not true, you can record inline, "provided you are not intending to make the contents of the communication available to a third party"

Ah, thanks for that. I'd got my information from Consumer Direct, you'd think they'd have got that right! It's good to know there's that extra flexibility though!

digitaltoast

I'm feeling a bit childish and irked by Royal Mail, who are starting to find excuses for not sending the required compensation of 6 first class stamps for late first class post.
So, I just sent them this sarcastic letter - well, it made me feel better anyway!

Thank you for your letter ref X (Please note, my surname is XXXX not YYYY as addressed in your letter to me)

In your standard compensation table, 1st class letters delivered late attract a compensation of 6 first class stamps. When filling out the form, there was no suggestion that I needed to further describe the contents other than what was clear from the attached receipt – that it was a 1st class standard rate letter with added signature on delivery.

Mr XXX wants me to describe the contents of the envelope and packaging. When I phoned customers services, they confirmed I would need to do this.
This seems daft just to claim 6 stamps for a late small envelope, but if you really want it:

The envelope was a self-adhesive non-windowed DL size, measuring 22cm in width and 11cm in height, purchased from Tesco. Externally, the envelope was printed with the address in 18 point Courier New font. Inside was a sheet of Ricoh white 85gsm paper folded into thirds containing private correspondence between myself and a company, printed using an HP printer with 11 point Arial font.

Secondly, regarding response XX dated 2nd November from XX:

I didn’t realise the exact posting location was important in order to claim incoming delay, however as the company which posted it to me was based in XX‎ I would imagine it was either picked up in a sack, or posted in a letterbox nearby.

If I have now been able to help you resolve the delay of over a month for a first class letter, then I do hope the appropriate 6 first class stamps will be winging their way towards me.

Therefore, as per your compensation table, I am claiming 6 first class stamps for XXX and another 6 for XX. Apologies if the filling in of a claim form with the “compensation for delay” box ticked didn’t make it clear that I was claiming for compensation for delay.

Regards,