After 'free' consultation I'm being chased by debt collectors for consultation charge

JimBlack

Hi all - some advice needed over hidden consultation fees.

I went to a 'free' consultation for some plastic surgery a couple of years ago and was very interested in going through with it. The surgeon I met asked me to go back for a couple more appointments to discuss options - which I did. Ultimately I decided not to go through with the surgery with this particular surgeon.

9 months after, I get an invoice through the post for £150 charging me for the consultations. This was the first I'd heard of the charge and I asked them to clarify as I only ever agreed to a free consultation, at no point did they say I had to pay for any appointments. I asked them to investigate their process and they came back with a complete lie about how a receptionist claims they told me, but I didn't even book in the appointment with the receptionist - it was with the surgeon direct. It was left at me telling them that I am not paying them because I never agreed, the fees were hidden and they have no proof I agreed.

That's all sorted... or so I thought. Almost a year after our last email exchange, I get a letter from a debt collection agency threatening me with court if I don't pay.

I'm fully prepared to fight this but was wondering if anyone had any similar experience, or if they know of any consumer law that can help me out here! I get the feeling they are hoping I just pay it because it's too much hassle not to :mad:

agrinnall

Ignore everything until you actually get something from the court, at the moment they're just trying it on in the hope that you'll pay up to make them go away. I very much doubt if it will ever go anywhere near a court, but if it does come back and post for advice then.

hollydays

Sounds like you had a lucky escape.

robatwork

Did you sign anything at all while at the consultations?

daytona0

JimBlack wrote: »

I went to a 'free' consultation for some plastic surgery a couple of years ago and was very interested in going through with it. The surgeon I met asked me to go back for a couple more appointments to discuss options - which I did.

See, this bit rings some bells...

You went for a 'free' consultation which is great, no issue there.

You were persuaded to have a couple more appointments.

So I wonder to what extent your 'free' consultation was just the first visit, and any further visit would incur a standard consultation charge.

Hermione_Granger

daytona0 wrote: »

So I wonder to what extent your 'free' consultation was just the first visit, and any further visit would incur a standard consultation charge.

Which would be fine providing that the OP was advised of and agreed to these consultation charges.

daytona0

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

Which would be fine providing that the OP was advised of and agreed to these consultation charges.

Well, my old dentist was a crafty place... they got me with 3x assessment appointment charges because they kept changing doctors and requiring me to have new assessments. Only cost like £27 a pop and probably should have chased the refund but they just caught me off guard. So I empathise with OP if something similar has happened..

But in OP's situation it would depend on:

1. Terms and conditions of the 'free' consultation (ie is it just 1 visit or can it encompass multiple visits?)

2. Whether the surgeon misled them (like in my case)

Otherwise, OP would have simply agreed to the recommendation of a further consultation and it would have been chargeable as per the normal rates (which are going to be clearly displayed as well).

Marktheshark

Write NO CONTRACT across letters in red and send them back.

G_M

Don't be intimidated by unofficial debt collecters. the only ones that matter are court appointed ones following a court hearing.

If debt collecters go as far as coming to the door, do NOT let them in.

Just wait and see if they actually take this court (unlikely but possible) and if they do then respond to the court with your defence.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Hang on, are people suggesting that if a hairdresser says to you "You should let me cut your hair", and makes an appointment for you to come into their shop and do so, they can't charge for it unless they have expressly said they intend to?

I would have said the offer of the free consultation would, in the absence of further evidence, clearly be taken as referring to the first consultation only - indeed, the very fact of flagging this one up as free is confirmation of the fact that consultations are generally chargeable. The contract would be formed when further consultations were offered and agreed to.

hollydays

The usual phrase is free initial consultation .
One wouldn't expect any consultation after that to be free, realistically.