Debit Finance

matw2

Hi, hope someone can help. I've searched the forums and found another thread relating to debit finance for something similar, but not the same.

I went to a trial session at a kickboxing club in Birmingham, and was told that they offered a months free trial kickboxing, so I signed the relevant paperwork including a direct debit mandate form. One of the things on the direct debit mandate was that you were committing to a 6 month contract. I queried this and was told by the club that I didn't need to, and that I could cancel with one months notice. They gave me some printed sheets which stated this on it.

Some time into the month I received a letter from Debit Finance PLC stating that the DD had been submitted late and so they would take 2 months together at the next payment date.

I carried on attending but towards the end of the free month I became injured as a result of training. As I was told to rest my knee for 6 weeks, I decided to cancel the membership because I didn't think I would go back after 6 weeks. I wrote to the club explaining that, and also to Debit Finance stating that I was giving one months notice and cancelling my DD with the bank. Neither the club nor Debit Finance replied but only collected one months payment on the next payment date.

Skip forward several months and I get a letter that says despite 2 previous reminders (never received) I now owe lots of money. Since then I've received another letter stating that the outstanding amount is £255 (the contract was for £45 per month, and one month was paid so I've no idea how they've arrived at this sum).

My questions are, given that the club provided me with printed sheets to say that i need only give a months notice to leave, am I still tied into this contract, or can I leave on the basis of it being missold (based on my experience and the other forum post it seems the club don't know how Debit Finance work, to find it google "Debit Finance" and look down about 4 entries). Also, can I complain to the financial services ombudsman? There is no mention of the service on the web site, and so I don't know if I can?

Finally, assuming that I need to pay, given that I had a months free kickboxing and that the DD mandate says that I am committing to 6 months minimum membership, can they actually charge me for 6 months, or only 5 months?

Thanks in advance for any help

Mat

BigLee_24

Can you prove you sent the letter to cancel it? Do you still have the paperwork which says you can cancel with one months notice?

matw2

I do have the paperwork that says that I can cancel it, but I cannot prove that I posted the cancellation letter as I did not send it recorded delivery