Problems with BrightHouse.

Blanchie1974

Hi. I am not sure that this is the right place to post this as I am new to the site, but I could really do with some advice.
I purchased two items from BrightHouse, a cooker in November 2013 and also a second hand ipad in March 2014.
When I entered into the agreement with BrightHouse on both occasions I was asked by the shop assistant if I wanted to pay weekly or fortnightly.
on both occasions I said I would pay fortnightly, however I volunteered to pay weekly.
In February of this year I decided to pay fortnightly but was charged late fees for this, although I had agreed that I would pay fortnightly. I left it at this point and paid the late fees.
Up until this point I continued to pay weekly. However, I received a call from BrightHouse asking when I was going to pay on my account, bearing in mind that as far as I was aware I agreed to pay fortnightly. I explained that I would pay on the account on Wednesday December 3 2014. The adviser I spoke to them said that I woul be charged a late fee, until I pointed out that this could not be so as I was not in debt and pointed out all the facts that I have mentioned above.
The adviser agreed and said that I was in fact correct and that I was not actually in debt and woul waiver the late fees and put a note on the system.
On Wednesday the 3rd of December I proceeded to make the two weeks payment over the telephone at the West Bromwich branch, only to be told that the late fees would not be waivered and that I would pay the late fees. At this point I said there was no way on gods earth that I would pay these late fees as I had pointed out numerous times that I was not in debt and was more than willing to pay the amount and that it was a breach of contract on their part.

on Thursday 4 December I recieved a call from the call centre asking for a payment including the late fees. Again I refused to make the late payments and pointed out that the weekly payments were done voluntarily on my part, and again it was proven that I was correct and that a BrightHouse
West Bromwich was wrong. Yet again I agreed to pay the amount but not the late charges, but my computer was updating and I could not access my account to make the payment, and I was told that I would receive a call back from the call centre.
Upon the adviser hanging up, I recieved a text message asking me to contact the West Bromwich branch at which point I did. I explained that I was waiting for a call back from call centre and was making a payment with them as well as seeking advice from Trading Standards as I felt I wanted to pursue the late charges that were wrongly taken from me in February earlier in the year.
Anyway, I received the call from the call centre and the person that I spoke to at this point was rude and said that I would be paying the late fees, otherwise they would collect the goods and that a mark would be put on my credit history, at this point I become very irate, as I am also a law student, studying part-time I am aware of some of my rights, so I said by all means do collect the goods and I would sue for breach of contract and also for defamation.
at this point I refused to speak to the person on the other end of the phone and called trading standards.

I explained what had happened and they agreed that I was in fact correct on the point that I was not in debt and that because there is a dispute under no circumstances was there to be any mark put against my name, and to put it in writing, and also that it was infact a breach of contract on their part.

I I then called their customer complaints office and again I was told by the person that I had spoken to that I was in fact right and that I was not in debt and that it could be seen where there has been a mistake. The girl that I spoke to said that this would be passed on to the area manager.
I then sent an email explaining everything that I was told by the person to whom I had spoken to at trading standards (CAB).

To add more problems with this company. I received a call from the West Bromwich branch saying that I had arranged for the items to be returned. I said under no circumstances were I returning the goods because I have been more than willing to pay, but no way was I paying late fees, again like a stuck record I explained that I volunteered to pay the weekly payments not that I agreed to pay weekly. I then had thrown at me if Trading a Standards had seen the agreement as it says weekly payments. I then went on to explain that if that was the case, then why when I make the payments am I always asked if I am paying fortnightly and not weekly? I also have witnesses who can verify this when I have been into the store itself to make payments and also when I have made the payments over the phone.

can someone please offer some advice on where I go next from here. I have also been offered a job, which I am about to start (pending background checks) and will be paid monthly. Will they try and pull this stunt when I come to trying to pay them, or should I just hand them back the goods or see this through to the end as I feel I am in the right and not actually done anything wrong?

unholyangel

Few points to make.

1) Defamation doesnt even come into it.

2) There are a few reasons they may ask whether you were paying weekly or fortnightly - many people pay more than 1 week at a time to save going back up every week.

3) Whats important is what is detailed in your credit agreement. If this says payments are due weekly then they are due weekly. Do you still have your copy of the agreement?

knightstyle

You must have signed an agreement, what does it say about repayments? If you have lost it ask for a replacement.
Then go from there.