Unfair claim for money by 6-a-side football company - please help!

tim148

Hello all,

I am in need of some advice on a particular letter I received this morning. I have attached a screenshot of both parts of the letter below.

To put you in the picture, myself and some friends signed up with a internet company promising to offer a 6-a-side football league in the local area. This was done and we started to play a few games. The initial price we were told for each game was £15.00 per team, however the individual who was in charge of taking the money from us each week had decided the amounts vary; some weeks we were charged up to £21, etc. To cut a long story short, the league was so badly organised and run we have since found a new league and have left this one - but we have been penalised for leaving the league when they had kicked other teams out for not turning up - of which we turned up week on week. The teams that have been kicked out have not had any letters sent to them.

I now received the following letter with a demand for the sum of £82.00 if paid within 7 days, or £432.00 if it goes to court.

Could someone please tell me my rights?

Terms and conditions of the 'league' can be found on their website.

Screenshots of the letters I cannot post as I am a new user...

tim148

The terms and conditions of the league are here:

The common letters of any web address (dot)soccersixes(dot)net

tim148

Is there anyway I can post an image? I have screenshots of the letter...

tim148

s1321(dot)photobucket(dot)com(forward slash)user(forward slash)tim_bruce(forward slash)library(forward slash)?sort=3&page=1

Nodding_Donkey

http://www.soccersixes.net/
#
and

http://s1321.photobucket.com/user/tim_bruce/library/?sort=3&page=1

Next time just change the http at the beginning to httx

Ectophile

Their Terms and Conditions are pretty clear:

• I agree to pay the match fee weekly for a full season. If our team leaves the league we recognise we will still be liable for the full season match fees. I understand that should I wish to withdraw the Team from the League before the start of any new season I will provide Soccersixes with 2 weeks’ notice (Termination Notice) prior to the start of the new season or be entered into the new season.

Given that you signed up to them, you're going to have a hard time complaining that they are unfair.


Unless you took any proactive action to contact them about the incorrect fees or poorly organised matches, then I don't think you have a leg to stand on.

tim148

Just to note the league manager originally sent me a text message with his name and company on saying we'd play 40 minute games for £15, which I think is legally binding due to the statue of frauds? As we only played 30 minute games would this be some form of breaching contract, and we could claim damages due to the 10 minutes per game we were not given? I know it's clutching at straws and I'd rather just get the fine paid but my team mates don't seem to want to

Caz3121

tim148 wrote: »

Just to note the league manager originally sent me a text message with his name and company on saying we'd play 40 minute games for £15, which I think is legally binding due to the statue of frauds? As we only played 30 minute games would this be some form of breaching contract, and we could claim damages due to the 10 minutes per game we were not given? I know it's clutching at straws and I'd rather just get the fine paid but my team mates don't seem to want to

I think you are clutching at straws, the time to raise the issue would have been when you terminated

MATCH DURATION
Match duration depends on the league that you play in. Matches within our leagues range between the following:
13 Minutes Each Way
34 Straight Through
18 Minutes Each Way
20 Minutes Each Way

You should have stated that, due to the fact that you were advised that you would be playing 20 minutes each way in the league you entered and the actual league you were in was x minutes each way, you were leaving as you were not being provided with what you believed you had signed up for

did you state anything as a reason for leaving?

tim148

No we never stated the reason for leaving, just that we wanted to leave the league. Should I contact him saying that's our reason for leaving the league then? Do you think it'll help with removing the fine? Thanks

JJ_Egan

You broke the contract that you agreed to so your choice is pay the £82 you owe on the contract .Then if you feel you have a case consider the Small Claims Court .
In my view you don't have a leg to stand on and should have brought up what you are now disputing/ complaining about before terminating your contract .

unholyangel

JJ_Egan wrote: »

You broke the contract that you agreed to so your choice is pay the £82 you owe on the contract .Then if you feel you have a case consider the Small Claims Court .
In my view you don't have a leg to stand on and should have brought up what you are now disputing/ complaining about before terminating your contract .

That depends entirely on how the £82 is calculated.

Remember its not as simple as "you're in breach of contract so you're liable for the full amount".

They are only liable for losses reasonably incurred which cannot be reasonably mitigated. There should also be some sort of discount offered for accelerated payment (ie if payments wouldnt normally be due until the 1st january, 1st february but they are asking for them now due to OP's breach).

I'm curious as to the breakdown of the £432 though - personally it seems like a vastly inflated sum with no real basis other than to try and scare people into paying the lesser amount....