Brighthouse visited last night !!

[WalkinDude]

Hi,

Firstly, what a fantastic site this is, I have been 'lurking' for a long time, recently got around to registering, and this is my first post...

A little background, my partner has 5 agreements with Brighthouse and has been paying a little under £50 a week. Recently, due to other commitments, she has fallen behind with these payments. She owes them 3 weeks worth as of last Saturday.

Since she missed the first payment, she has been subjected to the most unbelievable harrassment, 15-20 phone calls plus 2 or 3 visits a day. Not just knocking on the door but banging on the windows, going into the back garden and looking through the windows etc.

She has been scared to answer because of the intimidating nature of the visits, and they have left numerous cards through the letter box saying basically "We will be back at 5pm to collect the goods". One was actually stuck to the front door rather than posted through.

Anyway, we live apart and I have never been there when they turned up, until last night. Thanks again to this site, I was ready for them !!!!

After asking to speak to my partner, and being told she didn't wish to, they told me unless I paid the arrears there and then they would repossess the goods, and pointed to the van. I said you can't, they (there was 2 of them) couldn't do that, as I would not give them permission to enter the house....

Unbelievable, he then said , and I quote "We will go to the police, they will issue a warrant to let us in to take our goods back"

I said to stop bullsh!tt!ng me and suggested to him the police don't issue repossesion orders. He remained adamant they did, so I invited him to fetch the police out, which he didn't seem that keen to do !!!!

From what I've read on here, and knowing I had them beat, I politely suggested they issued a default notice, and we would take it from there. I also requested they stopped the harassment, which brings me to my 1st question ....

Is there a template on here for a letter to write to Brighthouse requesting all future communications to be in writing only ? I'm sure I came across one once but can't find it now, may have been on another site. I said to them we want all communications in writing, he said only my girlfriend can request this, and then only in writing .... although he had been happy discussing her account with me for 20 minutes previously !!!

Second question, my plan now is this....
1. Post letter as above, recorded, to the store and head office.
2. Post 2nd letter cancelling OSC/DLC
3. Await default notice
4. Reply with offer, reduced new payments + say £5 week arrears.

Sorry for the long post, appreciate any thoughts on where we go now.

Thanks,

WalkinDude

[steven4064]

Hi walkindude

welcome to CAG. I see you have been subject to the usual BH combination of playgound bullying and abject ignorance.

You were right to tell them to push off- they can only reposses goods if they have a court order - the police would laugh them out of the station.

Certainly there is a template - here but I prefer something a bit stronger - please feel free to pinch bits from this letter as well. I would send it to head office with a copy to the store. If you know the names of any of the people that have phoned you, I would put that in too. Harassment like this is a criminal offence - the person doing it and the senior manager who allows it could get sent down for 6 months and/or a substantial fine. I think it is out duty to tell them this

Certainly cancell the OSC.

[Lefty]

Hi WalkinDude.

Welcome to CAG. Really glad we've been of help.

Looks to me like you have everything under control.

I would add that it's important for your partner to continue to offer payments each week, even though they will be refused. She should make a note of the day, time and staff member she deals with each time.


Cheers
Lefty

[WalkinDude]

Thanks for the quick replies guys, I appreciate the help....

I've merged the 2 templates you suggested Steven, I'll get my partner to sign them tonight and in the post tomorrow.

I'll bear that in mind Lefty, thanks, although she is very scared to talk to them atm, due to previous threats I've only just found out about.

I'm really annoyed at their actions, I told them this last night. She's paid them nearly £50 a week for almost a year, I demanded they treat her with more respect !!

One more question, the DLC thing... she has taken out home contents, can I just cancel the DLC in the same way as the OSC ?

Thanks again,
WD

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by WalkinDude

Thanks for the quick replies guys, I appreciate the help....

Originally Posted by WalkinDude

I've merged the 2 templates you suggested Steven, I'll get my partner to sign them tonight and in the post tomorrow.

I'll bear that in mind Lefty, thanks, although she is very scared to talk to them atm, due to previous threats I've only just found out about.

I'm really annoyed at their actions, I told them this last night. She's paid them nearly £50 a week for almost a year, I demanded they treat her with more respect !!

One more question, the DLC thing... she has taken out home contents, can I just cancel the DLC in the same way as the OSC ?

Thanks again,
WD

She needs a covering letter from her insurer stating items subject to a Hire Purchase agreement are covered by her policy.

Interesting point for you...

Your OSC and DLC policies have now lapsed (effectively cancelled) because the account is arrears. The weekly instalments on these policies should no longer be taken into account.


Cheers
Lefty

[WalkinDude]

Thanks Lefty ...

Does that mean I can deduct the fees for OSC/DLC from future payments, whilst they were inactive ? I already intend to challenge the late payment fees as unlawful

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by WalkinDude

Thanks Lefty ...

Originally Posted by WalkinDude

Does that mean I can deduct the fees for OSC/DLC from future payments, whilst they were inactive ? I already intend to challenge the late payment fees as unlawful

That's what I would do. There's no way I'd pay for something I wasn't getting!


Cheers
Lefty

[gni03349]

Just one thing.. DON'T SIGN anything at all!!! If anything is to be written, do it in Capital letters, or use one those script type fonts and print it (there has been an investment in Photoshop by some of these leeches).

[sweetnsexyenglish]

Also I would check if the 1/3 has elapsed, then she should be the one to call them and point out that threats to take items from her home is in breach of their own contract, further more once sending in the letter regarding harrassment, I would suggest should she get any calls she should ignore them, they tend to call on a with held and often one after the other... I made a point of showing them how the phone worked and that they only spoke with me when I choose to answer.

Further more if she responds more in control rather than afraid she will find they have met their match as bullies like the weaker person, when she starts showing them she knows her rights they will back off as they can but it is unlikely they will get a court order and if the 1/3 is reached and they have breached it by pushing cards through that specifically say they have come to collect the goods she should make sure she advises them she will take legal proceedings against them with the evidence which is in breach of contract.

You handling things for her only means they are going to try and avoid you (the one with balls so to speak) but will still try with the tactics in order to try and intimidate your partner given an opurtunity

[steven4064]

You might also want to look at this and see just how many OFT guidelines BH break

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by steven4064

You might also want to look at

Originally Posted by steven4064

this and see just how many OFT guidelines BH break

Steven. I think you must surely be mistaken...

“…If a customer should fall behind with their payments, BrightHouse works closely with them to help get their agreement back on track. Our stores have a weekly relationship with each customer and are, therefore, well placed to help them get their payments under control. In certain circumstances the store manager is empowered to reschedule any debt that has accrued to the end of the contract...

…The BrightHouse policies regarding debt collection are fully compliant with the Consumer Credit Act and with the OFT guidelines regarding the collection of debt...”

...and there goes that pig flying past my window again!


Cheers
Lefty

[steven4064]

So what walkindude and GF are experiencing is BH "working closely with them to get thier agreement back on track" and building up the "weekly relationship" so tat they can be "well placed to help them get their payments under control".

Woops, that pig nearly hit my head