"Terms of business" "late payment charge / fee"

Undervalued

Deastons wrote: »

I've never heard that and would be very surprised if that's true. Vets are a business, not a public service.

I can believe that being in the vet's code of practice, but not law.

I think you are correct there but ultimately if a vet fails to comply with their code of conduct they can be struck off. That would make it illegal for them to practice so it comes to much the same thing.

InFi[D]eL

Undervalued wrote: »

I don't think a vet is allowed by law to refuse to provide emergency treatment to an injured or suffering animal.

This is exactly right I believe. I have a feeling it's under the animal welfare act.

ssparks2003 wrote: »

Why don't you just pay them instead of expecting them to bank roll you? Seems like you are not keen to meet your side of the contract after they helped your pet.

What an unpleasant thing to say. I was purely curious about the contractual obligations. I have made regular payments within my means and the majority of the bill has been settled. The small outstanding will also be settled soon enough.

In fact I even said in an earlier post:

"I've sent in a polite email and made it clear that as soon as I can pay them I will do so"

So I'll thank you to be less belligerent.

Deastons

InFi[D]eL wrote: »

What an unpleasant thing to say.

Welcome to the MoneySavingExpert forums..

ssparks2003

Sadly you failed to answer the question and instead got indignant. So I'll ask you again, why do you expect a company to bank roll you?

Had you agreed a payment plan prior to the work commencing and you have kept to it 100%, and they are now trying to change the agreement by threatening you with legal action.

Or have you just decided that it does not suit you to fulfil your side of the contractual obligations and pay them in the timescales expected?

I am curious on your understanding of the term contractual obligations, as sending them an email telling them you will pay at some point is both not acceptable and not in line with your contractual obligations.

macman

How many days is the o/s amount now overdue? From your posts, I'm assuming several months?
Perhaps they are just tired of you drip-feeding payments?

peter_the_piper

I hope you have found a new vet, (which the old one has not contacted), because they won't want you as a customer any more.

bris

They will be allowed to add reasonable costs for admin purposes to keep sending you reminders so it would be enforceable.

InFi[D]eL

macman wrote: »

How many days is the o/s amount now overdue? From your posts, I'm assuming several months?
Perhaps they are just tired of you drip-feeding payments?

Oh no nothing like that. It's only been 3 weeks and they've had the lion share in two large payments already.

peter_the_piper wrote: »

I hope you have found a new vet, (which the old one has not contacted), because they won't want you as a customer any more.

Perhaps but I suspect it will be fine the affore mentioned letter was their first reminder.

bris wrote: »

They will be allowed to add reasonable costs for admin purposes to keep sending you reminders so it would be enforceable.

I suppose that does make sense.

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I should stress I only made the post as I was curious at the terminology used in the letter and what the contractual obligations can or would be without up front disclosure on their part.

unholyangel

InFi[D]eL wrote: »

But can I be in breach of contract if I didn't sign anything? Surely to enforce a terms of business in this manor requires me to have read and consented?

I know in some instances using a service constitutes consent but I thought this fact had to be disclosed first by them?

They can't enforce it even if it's a breach of contract, they'd have to make a civil case it's not like they have any powers. I just wondered if it can be considered a breach of a contract when they didn't make it clear such a contract existed to begin with.

You don't need to sign but you do need to be given the opportunity to become acquainted with the T&C's before you are bound by them - because a party can only be bound by the terms they agreed to at the time of entering the contract.

However, that also means that unless you agreed with them upfront that you would be making payments by instalments, that payment is due immediately at the time the service is performed. If you didn't agree otherwise and fail to pay immediately, you are in breach of contract and liable for any reasonable & foreseeable losses incurred due to that breach.

Put it this way, if you get paid on Mondays and your employer was to instead just pay you £20 when you should have been paid £800, how would you feel about that?

Perhaps see if your area has a pet hospital - where usually if you're on a low income they will just ask for a donation. Or speak to your vet to see if they do any plans - we have a few that offer them and they come with the option of spreading payments over a few months, for any treatment not covered by the plan.

eddddy

InFi[D]eL wrote: »

I've sent in a polite email and made it clear that as soon as I can pay them I will do so.

Did you agree those payment terms before the treatment started (i.e. before the contract was formed)?

I would expect that a vet would require full payment immediately after the treatment - wouldn't you expect that?