phone contracts

marts999

I entered into a phone contract with Unicom for a phone line in my business premises over 2 years ago. The contract was completed over the phone and they went through the terms at great speed. I sold the shop in March 2009 and told Unicom that the new owner wished to take over the contract and they were fine with this. However the new owner changed his mind and they sent me a bill for just short of £200 for terminating the contract. I asked for a copy of the contract I signed or a copy of the phone contract. From April until now I have been bombarded by calls and letters from their debt collectors Universal but it was only yesterday I received a disc of my phone contract Playing it back it appears i stupidly signed for 3 years. I told the advisor that the intention was to sell the shop within a few years but this does not appear on the disc.Have I any get out or do I just pay up which sems totally unfair

DarkConvict

Under OFT guidelines if you were disputing the debt, the use of DCAs is considered harassment (2.6h).

But if you did indeed sign a 3 year contract, you are liable for it. As you state you said a few years, this is a vague term so i do not see it would help so i can't say you would have been mis-sold the contract.
Was it a verbal arrangement with the owner, or did he sign he wished to take over the phone line?

Contracts are to protect both sides so are 2 ways, if you signed a 3 year contract, it means you get 3 years of service, and they get 3 years of guaranteed payments. As soon as it is signed you actually owe 3 years of money, its just that you pay it on a regular basis instead of a lump sum. If the contract is terminated early they will still expect the remaining of the balance as it was your choice to cancel receiving the service.