Buy as you view help please

sambo31

I am stuck as to what to do next and could do with some much needed advice please.

I had a door to door salesmen offering me a fridge/freezer where i could buy from them instead of renting without being credit checked etc etc and as my fridge/freezers shelves had all broke and being on benefits was pretty desperate and jumped at the chance.The company in question is buy as you view.

But after reading through my paperwork whern he had left realised that i was to have a money meter fitted to my own tv where i would have to feed with £1 coins and also pay £150 insurance which i was to pay though meter for my tv this is obviously so that if my tv were to break they wouldnt be getting there money being paid through meter and after looking at interest rates was disgusted so when they tried to deliver it the day after i refused.

The sales bloke then came back to see me asking why i had cancelled and when i told him i was not prepared to have meter as i had worked it out i would be putting £4 a day in and couldnt afford that and that i wasnt prepared to pay for insurance he suggested i pay through direct debit which would be £30 a month so jumped at the chance i mean i know the interest is high but i was happy to pay through dd so waited 2 days to have nice new shiny fridge delivered.

But then 1 hour later had a bloke turn up from company telling me he had came to fit meter so refused this obviously as i had been told i could pay by dd he then said okay then fine but ill need a payment of £7 now please i was getting pretty fed up at this point and refused so he made me fill out a cancellation form and aaranged for fridge to be picked up 5 days later at this point i got back on phone to sales bloke and he reassured me that this was his fault as he hadnt handed in my direct debit details but that everything was fine and to empty old fridge plug new in etc etc.

Since then i have had a payment plan sent in post with the £150 insurance on there and have had 2 notes pushed through door when ive been out to i'm presuming collect fridge or money from meter that i havent got.

I am absolutely fuming at this company as now i don't know what to do are they in there rights to come into my house and collect the fridge back when i have now threw old one out even when i have been told i'm paying for it by dd.

Please help as to what to do next or who to contact would it be wise to make a phone call to trading standards?

mpython

Pop along to your nearest Citizen Advice Bureau with all the paperwork you have. They should be able to work out what you have agreed to/ what you haven't agreed to, and the best way forward.

raptorman

Sounds odd to me that you should have to have a meter connected to your TV to pay for a fridge/freezer!

I'm no expert but as you are on benefits, can you not get something like a loan from the DSS, at least the repayments won't be extortionate.

Hope you get sorted :-)

furrypolka

I have heard of companies who operate in this way, they often serve people with poor credit or who are struggling.

I would definitely advise you to get your paperwork looked at, nobody can advise you properly without seeing what you have signed. Go along to your local CAB as mpython suggested, or your local Trading Standards Office if they offer a drop-in service, and see what they say.

sambo31

Thanks i have made an appointment with my local cab.

Raptorman thats exactly what i thought and when i asked the sales man he said it was there way of getting payments and when i told him there was no way i was going to pay to watch my own tv and that the only way i would go ahead with sale is through dd he agreed and told me he thought it would be better for the company and cheaper as they have to pay the meter man a wage to come out and collect it but that this was the company's rules

As for loan off social i recently had one for a new washer so cant get another one yet and liek i said i was desperate which these comapnies well know which annoys me as they think they can rip us off stupid.

I just feel now that they will take back that they said i can pay dd and be allowed to fit me a meter and as i now have there fridge filled up with my food i cant exactly refuse can i.

timberflake

Having checked out their website, it also seems they charge way too much for the goods!! For example, I picked the first TV in their catalogue, a 42" Hitachi which was advertised @ £1400 + £300 insurance. However, by putting the same make and model into Froogle it came out @ £989! Thats a £700 mark up + interest!

C_Ronaldo

personnally i would never buy anything from a door to door salesman/saleswoman, they can rack off if they come calling

maninthestreet

£150 insurance for a TV? What insurance cover is provided for that? I insure my entire household contents, max value £50,000, new for old, accidental damage, all for £129 p.a

chika

I don't know if you know but incase you end up without a fridge freezer you could try freecycle where you could pick one up for free or the local paper's free ads where you should be able to get a decent one for less than £50. Good luck!

sambo31

maninthestreet they say the insurance is a viewing guarantee where as if my tv that there metre is fitted breaks down they will replace it or fix etc :eek:

Chika thanks for that mate but ive been a member of freecycle for a while now but as soon as one becomes available i lose out every time as its first come first serve plus i have no transport whatsover to collect it i'm a single mom.

Had a phone call today from buy as you view to tell me that they were coming out to collect the fridge so i told him there is no way he is collecting anything from my house as i have signed for it handed over dd details and have no other fridge to store food and that i will be seeking legal advice i have apponitment Friday morning so i'll let you all know.

Someone has to put a stop to these companies and the way i feel right now they will wish they never knocked on my bloody door.

jivaman

I'm sorry for what has happened to you, however I am an employee of BAYV and from what you have said the salesman has commited gross misconduct. I.e £4 per day equates to £28 per week...A fridge freezer should cost max £8-9 per week! And we always make sure you can afford the payments prior to the sale. We would assume that £28 per week was affordable if you had £280 per week LEFT OVER after ALL BILLS, CTAX ETC....However, from what you have said I assume that is not the case..

Anon