Demanding further payments despite cancelling contract - Debit Finance Collections

The_Gert

I was required to give one calendar months notice to leave a martial arts class that I had been doing for a while at £35 per month. The terms and conditions stated that I must do this in writing to 'The Provider'. I wrote to the martial arts firm on 14 July 2011 giving my one months notice. Having heard nothing by mid August, I emailed them confirming my actions and duly cancelled my direct debit. On 3 Sep, I had a letter from DFC saying that as I have missed my payment of £35 (which should have come out on 1 Sep), they will charge me £10, and that I must pay my failed payment immediately. Or if I wish to cancel my agreement, I pay the £10, plus the missed payment of £35 plus my one months notice equalling £80.
I wrote to DFC, enclosing a copy of my letter dated 14 July and my follow up email of mid Aug which I sent to the Martial arts company.
Having heard nothing from DFC, I phoned them today and they stated that they hadn't received my letter. They also said if they had to write to me again requesting payment, they would add a further £20 charge. (Taking it to £100)
They stated that I should have written to them to cancel the agreement, not the martial arts firm. I queried that the terms and condition stated that I must give notice in writing to the 'Provider' which I believed to be the provider of the martial arts service, to which he said that they were in fact the service provider(!)

Anyway, he offered me the chance to settle my debts with them and for a good will gesture, charge £45 and be done with it.

I normally dig my heels right in with issues like this, but don't want to fight a losing battle.

What do you think?

pcombo

Dont pay them a penny, you did what they asked you to do.

They wont and cant add this debt to your credit file so nothing to worry about there. In a couple of months the debt company will just sell it to another company.

arcon5

Amazing how many letter companies like "don't receive" isn't it?!

How did you send your original cancellation letter?

The_Gert

AFAIK, the oiginal leter sent to the martial arts firm on 14 Jul was never received, and neither was my letter to DFC. Funny that!

I didn't send either of them by recorded mail though unfortunately.

I'm just wondering what I need to tell them to get them off my back. I did everything asked as far as I could see. The main issue is that the cancellation letter, they say, should have been sent to them as they state they are the 'Provider' - but the terms and conditions are not clear at all as to who the Provider is, and I have unwittingly sent it to the martial arts firm (in good faith) and not DFC, who i thought were only there to adminster the direct debit.

The_Gert

pcombo wrote: »

Dont pay them a penny, you did what they asked you to do.

They wont and cant add this debt to your credit file so nothing to worry about there. In a couple of months the debt company will just sell it to another company.

What do you mean 'sell it to another company'? Wil someone else start chasing me if i don't pay?