Domestic and General issues

wand3223

First time post, hoping someone can give me some guidance!

I bought a whirlpool condesnser drier and It broke down, on calling whirlpool i was informed that the years warrantee had expired 2 days before. Despite pointing out that i thought it would be reasonable to expect it to last more than 12 months, there was nothing they "could " do.

They did kindly offer to set up a policy with Domestic and General which would pay for the repair. They did this and the machine was repaired.

I heard nothing for months until september this year (almost 10 months after the 1 year policy was taken out) stating that some or all payments had not been paid and therefore they had cancelled the policy and asked a company named ARC europe ltd to collect the £123.10 from me for the repair for the drier.

Obviously i was pretty annoyed that D & G had not informed me of any problems before involving a third party. I had no idea that any payments had been missed - I am paperless billing and dont check in detail online. So i wrote to them via email and asked what they were playing at, and to provide me with an invoice for what I am supposed to owe.

8 Days later no reply (save a note apologising for the difficulties i was experiencing and my complaint had been escalated, they would would get back to me ASAP) I recieved a letter from ARC the same day saying if i hadnt paid in 10 days they were going to involve a solicitor.

I emailed D & G expressing my distaste and insisting they cease and further action until they can be bothered to reply to me. I copied this in to ARC. And also sent a seperate email to ARC detailing that i had never been invoiced for this amount and would be waiting for a response from D & G.

6 days later still and i have had no response from D & G or ARC and am concerned that they are deliberately refusing to engage in correspondance in the hope i will just pay.

I am happy to pay anything they can show that i owe, but £123 10 months into a policy seems pretty steep!

Anyone have any light they can shine on this? am getting frustrated with their unwillingness to reply. I dont wish to phone them as in my experience call centre workers are unable to resolve complaints or problems anyway!

Perhaps i am expecting too quick a response but when people are threatening this and that with 10 day timescales it does make me a little impatient!

4743hudsonj

12 odd quid per month sounds about right for a insurance plan? If that's what you should have been paying then just pay up to save hassle.

So I suppose I'm asking how much was the insurance?

wand3223

They arent charging me for the policy - they have cancelled that, they are charging me for the repair, i have never seen a quote or invoice for what this cost.

Just seems to be pathetic service followed by bully tactics - totally unaccaptable in my opinion.

I am not going to pay until they invoice me - i dont think this is too much to ask! I also believe they cannot legally try and recover a sum they have not invoiced me for.

More than anything this is becoming a matter of principle.

Needless to say i wont be doing business with them again and would advise others to stay well clear!

DVardysShadow

4743hudsonj wrote: »

12 odd quid per month sounds about right for a insurance plan? If that's what you should have been paying then just pay up to save hassle.

So I suppose I'm asking how much was the insurance?

I think OP is entitled to a proper invoice.

4743hudsonj

DVardysShadow wrote: »

I think OP is entitled to a proper invoice.

I realise that but what if the insurance should have been 15 quid? Over 10 months that's 150 quid which happens to be more than they're asking for but I bet that of they wanted they could claim for that.......

Hence why I asked what the payments should be as it could cost them more if the company decide to claim for the non payment of insurance.

wand3223

I have made payments towards this policy, so even were they to charge for the policy for the last 10 months instead of the repair it would still be less than £123

They are obviously not in a position to claim for the remaining 2 months since they cancelled the policy without warning.

My gripe is that they have failed to contact me regarding this prior to cancelling and involving a third party and are so incredibly slow at responding to correspondance.

Had they written stating the situation and invoicing me for the initial cost of repair i wouldnt have much gripe (except that they should have given me chance to remedy the situation b4 cancelling the policy - although i understand this would be good service rather than a right)

Mr rights as i understand them are - I am entitled to a proper invoice and it is not lawful to enforce an alleged debt without providing such.

Also it is up to D & G to prove i owe and sum and detail why this is so, rather than for me to prove i do not owe them (which links to the above - providing an invoice!).

This is in addition to basic customer service which should have prevented me be treated in such a poor manner! Or at least resolved it as a matter of urgency.

Mankysteve

Learn to check your bank balance. I think you made need to learn to be more MSE. You've failed your side of the contract. so they've cancelled there. Ask them for and invoiced and pay up before the debt collector start calling.

wand3223

Mankysteve wrote: »

Learn to check your bank balance. I think you made need to learn to be more MSE. You've failed your side of the contract. so they've cancelled there. Ask them for and invoiced and pay up before the debt collector start calling.

Thanks for you reply, however if you had read my OP you would note that i have already asked for an invoice!

And am awaiting said invoice before paying!

Think you have assumed i am trying to avoid paying anything which is due......

Regardless of whether i have checked my statement or not, i have still been treated very badly - if you missed a payment on your credit card and the first thing u heard about it was a debt collection company chasing you, you would not think that fair, so why is this! You would rightly expect the chance to correct your oversight. Hence my annoyance.