Cancellation Charges

stokeymad

Hi,
I'm new to this so I apoogise if this has been asked before or if its in the wrong place.
I was just hoping to get some advice, we are getting our carpets cleaned due to moving house, and I ordered a carpet cleaning company to come out tomorrow (saturday). Due to circumstances (landlord wanting to get his own company) I rang back up to cancel, the man at the end of the phone who was very pleasant earlier now turned nasty and advised how they had moved around bookings to accomodate our booking. I told them I hadnt been advised that they would go to all this trouble and he said well you are going to have to pay a £28 cancellation fee now as I cancelled less than 48 hours before the appointment. He hung up the call and later on left me a voicemail saying I have spoke to my manager and the cancellation fee is £25 so can I ring to pay it. I rang to ask what the website was to see the terms and conditions myself and he advised me there is no website. They only have my phone number and address, but seeing as the booking was less than 48 hours wouldnt this negate the cancellation needing to be 48 hours before the appointment?
Do I have to pay this amount because I cant help feeling he is trying to scam me.
Thank You

The_Pedant

You can only be charged any fees that you have agreed to.

If they did not advise you of a cancellation charge, then I would not have thought they could be expected to enforce such a claim.

If they pursued it however it would come down to their word against yours, with them claiming they told you.

Personally I would have a word with the manager and put to them the fact that they can only enforce fees you have been notified of. If they really wanted to play hardball then it could be an uphill battle on both sides.

Could always try meeting them half way if it came to that?

stokeymad

Thank You
They didnt advise me of any charges when I made the booking, they just took my address and said they would be there for midday. Wouldnt they need to provide proof I agreed to charges so as a recording of the call?

Tea3

As they did not tell you of any cancellation charge then I would ask them to provide you a signed copy of a contract showing you agreed to these charges - of course they cannot do this and they cannot prove they told you about any charges either so you should be fine. If they tried to take it further I doubt they would get very far as they are claiming they moved bookings to do yours (without you asking them to do this) and they are claiming they told you about a 48 hour cancellation charge when the booking was made less that 48 hours from the cleaning date??? I would not worry about this as I think they are just trying to get something from you instead of nothing. I would send them a recorded delivery letter stating that you were never informed of any charges when you booked and you never signed anything agreeing to them (nor did you verbally agree to them). Also when you were informed of these charges (after cancellation) they were unable to provide you are terms and conditions showing these charges, and that any further calls from them will be regarding as harrassment. That way you cover yourself incase they do try to chase it further.

stokeymad

Thank you for that I will certainly so that