I was wondering if someone could help me with this matter?

angelcakes_smw

My daughter's old dance school have sent our 'account' to a solicitor saying we owe them money, I rang them to inform them that I feel we do not owe the money but the dance teacher has just sent a letter to us received today stating that if we dont pay the money her solicitors have advised her to send it to court, she has been very un-cooperating thus far so I can very well see her sending it to court. What can I do now? I cant be bothered with a CCJ for no reason whatsoever! Can anyone help me with this?

thanks

Tixy

How do you pay the fees usually? have you got any proof of the payments?
has she sent a statement of account to show supposedly what lessons/period you owe for?

Culex

If she cannot prove it, will you tell her to foxtrot off?

angelcakes_smw

we paid in cash every month. she is saying we owe the money from when we stopped attending the classes, she has continued to charge us even though we have not been attending classes, we told her our daughter wanted to stop but she seems to think that it's ok to keep charging us for classes not even taken!! is she right? I dont think so but she is adamant she is.

cassidy0111

angelcakes_smw wrote: »

we paid in cash every month. she is saying we owe the money from when we stopped attending the classes, she has continued to charge us even though we have not been attending classes, we told her our daughter wanted to stop but she seems to think that it's ok to keep charging us for classes not even taken!! is she right? I dont think so but she is adamant she is.

Did you sign a contract of any sort?? If so can you find any T's and C's relating to cancellation?

angelcakes_smw

not that we can remember, surely we'd have a copy of it if we did and we dont. she did say it 'clearly states this at the bottom of each monthly statement' but we've not signed anything and how can you continue to chage people who no longer want to attend dancing? its only in a church hall, not like its a professional dance school!

cassidy0111

If there is no contract, there will be little realistic prospect of a successful court case.
Have you received a letter from her "solicitor"?

If she starts to harrass you by phone/letter come back on and someone will direct you to the appropriate template letters.

angelcakes_smw

one, I phoned them to say I feel we dont owe the money and they said "ok" (what kind of 'solicitor' would do that?). that was less than a week ago and now I have received this letter from her. so should I ask her for a copy of the 'contract' and statements? she wants payment by 27th April so thats not much time really. also, what is classed as harassment?

Culex

No, two weeks is not really much time.

You should certainly request copies of the alleged contract and statements.

climbgirl

Stop phoning them and start putting things in writing so you have a record.

Requests copies of the statements as well. I don't suppose you got receipts for the cash payments?

zzzLazyDaisy

Just to say - if you did in fact receive statements, and the statements did say something like 'classes are booked in blocks of 8 weeks' or something that would alert you to the fact that you were expected to continue paying until a given date, then by continuing to send your daughter and pay for the lessons, it is very likely that a court might rule that you are deemed to be aware of and agree to their standard conditions of trading.

Of course if it goes to court, you will get the opportunity to put your side of things, and I agree, it would have made much more sense to get you to sign a contract from the outset, or even to pay up front for a block of lessons.

I am just pointing out a potential pit-fall, but I do wish you luck.