problems with Pipex!Help!!

swifts92

Hi,
this is my first thread on this site so please bear with me.
My mother,(75 & partially deaf) was cold called by a Pipex sales person last November asking her to change her phone package from BT to Pipex,She asked that if she did`nt get on with pipex could she change back to BT? She was told that that would not be a problem. She took up with Pipex but was not too keen on it so She told Pipex that she was going back to BT.
She has now received a bill for £173.05 for breaking her contract.
My Mother says that she was`nt aware that she was on a contract & she would not have made the switch had she have known.Also, She has not received anything in writing from Pipex regarding the change of package or a contract. The sales person who called my Mother,did`nt mention the fact that if She did revert back to BT She would be breaking a contract, albeit a verbal one & that She would incur fees for breaking said contract, had She been made fully aware of these facts then She would never have switched to Pipex! I have spoken to Pipex on my Mothers behalf,saying that she wasn`t informed of any contract but they are saying that it`s registered on computer that the salesperson informed her that she was entering into a contract.I said that I think the salesperson took advantage of my Mother for a cheap sale & I thought the said charges should be dropped. Is there any thing that my Mother can do, Pipex have threatened to hand over the debt to an Debt collecting agency if this debt is`nt paid by 23May2008?I also said that as the bill is in dispute they(Pipex)should hold off any action involving Debt collection agencies until this has been resolved. I was told that could`nt be done.!,Any help would be very appreciated,
Cheers,
Pete McC

redux

3 days before they go to debt collectors? Sounds like harassment to me.

And it seems to me they should have sent a letter confirming terms and conditions and so on

I don't know exactly how to go about it, but I'd do a search on the internet for articles about phone slamming, and contact Ofcom for advice. 020 7981 3000

swifts92

Many Thanks for that redux, I have contacted ofcom & they have told me to put my complaint in a letter to Pipex,who then have upto 12 weeks to respond,if their response isn`t to our satisfaction then we contact CICAS(ombudsman ). So letter is on it`s way.
Cheers for now
PMcC