6 aside league debt (soccer sixes)

braylfc

Hi all, me and my friends joined a 6 a side league names soccer sixes, they're an FA affiliated league apparently which involved a £30 a week match fee. Nothing was signed however I did agree to the terms and conditions ( see link soccersixes.net/terms) so we competed out first season no problem. Then I received a text saying game on Sunday, I replied that I was under the impression the league was over and was asked if we could fill in until we found another team( T&c state you should give 2 weeks notice if you wish to leave before the start of a new season, we were told 4 days before) we agreed to play for 3 more weeks and then leave. Which we have proof in writing from the league manager. 3rd week came and we were unable to field a team due to other commitments, hence the reason we wished to leave. As we cancelled on the day it states if the other team does not have a game you a liable to both teams match fee (£60). I contacted a player from the other team who I know and he stated there team did not show either and were being chased for £60. We paid our £30 and the other player said his team will pay there's. I have now received a letter through the door saying I owe £60 for match fees £60 in late payment and £27 in arrears? If I do not pay this they reserve the right to peruse all costs in court £147 owed £600 for the rest of the season( even though both parties had agreed to drop out after this week and £400 in court fees. I have messaged the league manager but had no reply. Will they really peruse this for a measly £30. (In future I'll be sure to read the t&cs in full) thanks a lot. Alex

steampowered

Hello, unfortunately I was involved with another case on a forum like this where, if memory serves, a football league did proceed with small claims court action. If I recall correctly the league was trying to recover a couple hundred quid which was effectively fees for most of the season.

It doesn't sound right that they are chasing both teams for that team's fee and the other team's fee. I skimmed the T&Cs but I don't see anything in there which allows them to claim a double match fee from both teams. I would challenge them on this.

I'm not sure where the late payment fee comes from. There is nothing in the T&Cs which allows them to impose an arbitrary £60 late payment charge on a £60 bill. Challenge this. No idea what the arrears are either.

The best way of doing this would be to write back explaining the above and asking them to either cancel the additional charge or explain what part of the T&Cs allows them to levy that charge.

The T&Cs do make it clear that you are liable for match fees for the whole season though, unless you terminate the contract 2 weeks before the season starts. I suppose the best thing you could do would be to formally cancel all of your games now so that the charge per missed game is £20 rather than £30.

braylfc

Thanks for the reply, we've had a text from the league manager confirming Sunday was our last game so I'm not sure why they're Persueing all fixture costs, probably a bit of scare tactics and Miss communication

steampowered

Fair enough, if the manager said you were released from playing the reason of the season it sounds like you should only be paying £30 for the initial missed game.

It would be good to have something in writing contesting all this, so that if the league does try to ask for more money later you can prove that you contested it.

unholyangel

Theres quite a few things you could challenge in their T&C's.

But first, you said you agreed to these terms. How? Just I clicked on the enter a team link (didn't go any further though) and theres no mention of T&C's on that page. Asks you to consent to marketing and that you're over 16, but not the T&C's (unless maybe i'm missing it).

What exactly was the set up? When did you enter into the contract, how did you enter into it, how were payments made, was there ever any face to face dealings before you entered into the contract (never mind when it was performed, at the point the contract came into existence), are you still in contact with the other team and did they pay the £60 or are they receiving the same letters as yourself?

Deal with that angle first before looking at faults to pick with their T&C's though.

arcon5

Sounds like scare tactics.

If you've paid the £30 then ignore it

JackClowser

Currently have a similar issue, did they ever go through with taking you to court? Or did you pay it?

Just wondering if we can ignore this or if it is actually a bigger problem?

Thanks

football12

Can anyone update?

Currently experiencing similar issues.....

lhenderson

Hi can anyone update please? I'm going through the same thing right now. I can't get the lads to commit so went to cancel yesterday and only then got notified of the 4 week cancellation clause. I want to just ignore it..... can I?

JJ_Egan

You can but they may pass any debt on to debt collectors and trash your credit record for 6 years .
it all depends upon the terms and conditions you signed up to .

DoaM

JJ_Egan wrote: »

You can but they may pass any debt on to debt collectors and trash your credit record for 6 years.

Please don't be unnecessarily alarmist. They can't trash someone's credit record simply by passing an alleged debt to debt collectors.

The original company (not the debt collector, unless they've purchased the debt) needs to raise a court claim, and win (either in court or by default if the defendant doesn't defend), and the defendant doesn't pay the judgment in the defined timescale. Only then would a CCJ be registered that could impact the defendant's credit record. Plenty of opportunity for a defendant to avoid getting their credit record trashed.