Hitachi Finance Personal Loan - Would really appreciate any help!

Coconut88

Hi there,

I bought a laptop with Overclockers.co.uk last year on a buy now pay later scheme with Hitachi finance. On the agreement it states that I needed to pay the balance in full before 01/10/2014 in order to avoid being charged interest, it also states that I will be sent a reminder email closer to the date. I received this reminder in July of this year stating that the repayment date was 24/10/2014. Imagine my surprise when I called up today to pay the balance in full and was told the repayment date was 01/10/2014, therefore instead of ~£1670 I owed ~£2100. I explained about the email but the guy on the phone just said 'well you should have called to check' and 'that email isn't a contract and I can't find any record of it, but even so you need to pay by the date on the agreement'.

Now i'm aware that i'm a complete moron who should have checked the agreement to double check and that I should have just paid it off early (which I could have done), but this just seems to be the height of injustice. Had they not sent me that email, I would have checked the agreement for the payment date, but because they sent me that email (with incorrect payment date) I didn't check back.

I'm gearing myself up for the possibility of having to bite the bullet and just pay what they ask. But it's an extra £500 and I thought I should check whether I had a case to complain to hitachi or the FOS.

Any kind soul, who could help out a guy in a really bad situation, would have my eternal gratitude.

Many thanks,

Zaki.

Apples2

You can complain and take whatever they offer (if anything) but the facts are:

You knew the date - 01 Oct - check
They knew the date - 01 Oct - check
Your agreement states the date - 01 Oct - check

A random email contains conflicting info from all above- should've checked

DCFC79

Not quite sure what replies your looking for, you knew the date it was due but didnt confirm the date when you received the email. You can definitely complain, you might get something.

chanz4

Overclockers have always been a ripoff, but they will have in their t&c's about emails not been binding