Please help with claims compensation company

Yellowfurbaby

Can you help please?
In August 2013 we were delayed about 7 hours on a Thomas cook flight. When we got home we complained and Thomas cook wrote back and said because it was a technical fault with the aircraft we weren't entitled to anything. We thought ok it's over now and forgot it.
However in October last year I heard about the changed rules regarding flight delays and was sent an advert by chance for claim4flights company. I thought no win no fee I can't lose!! I signed up and left it with them.
They were OK to deal with and kept me informed with the communications between them and Thomas cook and basically Thomas cook wouldn't reply to their claim.
Next thing I knew Thomas cook emailed me directly (I had no contact with them since initial complaint letter after holiday) but they emailed me on the original email address I sent them NOT the one I had given to the claims company. They said that they had reviewed the claim regarding the delay and could confirm I was due for compensation for all 4 passengers. They then emailed me a voucher for around £1200 off the next Thomas cook holiday. I thought brill I've won what a result!!
However then the next thing I was aware of was a solicitors letter arriving through the post on behalf of the claims company against Thomas cook for them not responding to my claim.
I spoke to the solilictors and emailed the claims company and explained what had happened. I really assumed it was the claims company that had delivered this result. I didn't think Thomas cook would contact me directly.

By this time I had used the vouchers.

Now the claims company are demanding money from me. However I wasn't paid in money I was paid in vouchers.
This was a genuine misunderstanding between us. I expect Thomas cook have been the ones to act incorrectly as they bypassed the company I had appointed and dealt with me directly. However the fact remains I haven't been paid in cash I was paid in vouchers and haven't got the cash fee they are demanding.

Any ideas? Thanks

Stevie_Palimo

You signed up to the service and whether it be vouchers or cash received you have used it and basically the fee will more than likely still be due by you to the claims firm.

That is part and parcel of using these firms that they get the money in for you and you pay a chunk of that to them, They may not have got this through and it could have come in on the back of TC but none the less they will see it as you have received a payment and are due to cough up your 30% plus rate to them.

The only thing you may be able to do and it is by far a very long shot is take this up with TC and state that they should have gone through the claims Co, I really do not think this will do anything and the bill will be outstanding until you settle up with them.

Alan_Bowen

I suspect you recieved the vouchers entirely die to your own work and not that of a claims company, which would never accept a voucher on behalf of a client for the very reason that they couldn't take a percentage of it. Claims companies are entitled to be paid when you get compensation based in their own work not because you happened to get paid because of your won work. Have a look at the terms you agreed to, if it says you must pay even if they didn't get as far as even writing the first letter, it may be an unfair term and unenforceable.

JPears

A firm of solicitors should provide an itemised bill of work they claim to have done on your behalf. If all they have done is write a letter or two, then you may consider paying them a commensurate rate for their efforts.
However I would put the firm to task for providing evidence that their actions actually resulted directly in your receiving the vouchers.