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Billed for a service not requested: Consumer Law?
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I think someone has forgotten the name of this website and the reason for the forum.
If you're going to ask for advice surely it's better to give all the information needed rather than relaying it via the bloke next door ?
Just my thoughts.
Advice given so far :
Ignore them
Put the letter in the bin
Wipe your ar*e with it
Send it back with No Contract written on it
I hope the OP's neighbour will be happy with the excellent advice given so far !0 -
Thank you all for your contributions.
After posting here I Googled for relevent consumer law and could not find anything specific to neighbour's problem. However, I did find the number for Citizens Advice Consumer Service (formerly Consumer Direct) and gave them a call.
Their advice was that the situation was tricky: Whilst neighbour had not agreed to pay for design services, he had not agreed with the firm that design services would be provided free of charge either. If there had been Terms and Conditions or some other contract this would have been made clear: but there was nothing relevant in writing. He should write a letter of complaint about the bill, point out that he did not realise - and was not made aware - that there would be a fee for design services if he did not go ahead and buy the sign, and take it from there. Neighbour has suggested he might offer to compromise and pay half the bill. We'll see if the firm accepts this. if they don't then the Consumer Service will assist neighbour further.
Citizens Advice Consumer Service shares data with Tradings Standards, which might be useful.
Thank you all for your time.0 -
He asked for a quote for a new house sign from a firm that does CAD and sign making. Neighbour sent ideas for the design and asked what the firm could suggest. this is the part where he asked them to do some design work. If he just wanted a quote, then that bit isn't necessary really - the price isn't going to be that dependent on the design but rather the size/materials/number of colours possibly. He could have asked for quotes based on his designs. But he asked them to also come up with ideas for him - that is to do designs.
So he did request the service.
He and the company now need to argue out whether it was agreed that it was free or paid for. The firm was silly to do work they would charge for without agreeing a fee in advance. If this wasn't put to him in any way - t&c on their website? phone call? email? then I don't see how they would be able to enforce a fee now.Cash not ash from January 2nd 2011: £2565.:j
OU student: A103 , A215 , A316 all done. Currently A230 all leading to an English Literature degree.
Any advice given is as an individual, not as a representative of my firm.0 -
heretolearn wrote: »He asked for a quote for a new house sign from a firm that does CAD and sign making. Neighbour sent ideas for the design and asked what the firm could suggest. this is the part where he asked them to do some design work. If he just wanted a quote, then that bit isn't necessary really - the price isn't going to be that dependent on the design but rather the size/materials/number of colours possibly. He could have asked for quotes based on his designs. But he asked them to also come up with ideas for him - that is to do designs.
So he did request the service.
He and the company now need to argue out whether it was agreed that it was free or paid for. The firm was silly to do work they would charge for without agreeing a fee in advance. If this wasn't put to him in any way - t&c on their website? phone call? email? then I don't see how they would be able to enforce a fee now.
Consideration had not been agreed, ergo no contract exists.The greater danger, for most of us, lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark0 -
I wouldn't assume anything. Especially as there is an absence of information.
If the company is demanding payment, they obviously feel that they HAVE provided some sort of service.
No doubt they have but they should have made it a bit clearer that they expected payment in return for their suggestions. Anyone who does something for which they expect payment without agreeing terms first is a fool. What then? They just send some random bill? That will be £100 please. That will be £1000 please. That will be a billion pounds please. Without a contract, it's all a bit unenforceable and opportunistic.
TBH, they sound rather amateur if they're not clear about what they will, and won't, do for what price."Growth for growth's sake is the ideology of the cancer cell" - Edward Abbey.0 -
He also shouldn't have requested a service without knowing about any charges. I would get the negotiation hat on for this one if the company continue to expect payment.0
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He also shouldn't have requested a service without knowing about any charges. I would get the negotiation hat on for this one if the company continue to expect payment.
The onus is not on him to know that the company would charge him for a quote.The greater danger, for most of us, lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark0 -
They sound like a really shoddy company, and your neighbour is right not to use them!
Who on earth charges people for work that most other companies do for FREE, without even informing the client that there was a charge. It's immoral, and downright cheeky.
I don't see how he asked for a service. He asked for a QUOTE based on some designs that he sent them, and asked what they could do for him (i.e. as part of the quote). When you're having something designed, then this is quite normal.
I'm a CAD user, so if he feels he must pay, then given their rate should be about £20/hour for that sort of work, I'd offer £5, as it really isn't hard to knock up a sign on CAD, and should take no more than 15 minutes!Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0 -
I'm a CAD user, so if he feels he must pay, then given their rate should be about £20/hour for that sort of work, I'd offer £5, as it really isn't hard to knock up a sign on CAD, and should take no more than 15 minutes!Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam0
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