Thread: payment charges by brighthouse...

Hi BB

Just wait for Clemma, PB or lefty.

They are the experts. Just don't sign anything or let them in.

Jogs

Hi

And where are they getting £162 from? How many agreements do you have?

If your regular weekly payment is approx. £50, then going late this week, means that they will ask for 2 weeks plus late fees.

For example, 1 weeks arrears, another week to get you back on time, then £3 late fee per agreement. So if you have 3 agreements, they will ask you for £109.00.

If they are asking for £162.00, then at £50 a week I would say you are over 2 weeks late and have 4 agreements?

You only get late fees applied once during a late period. It only recurrs if you bring up to date and then immediately go late again, by not paying the extra week to get in front again. But each week you are late will increase the arrears by the same amount.

The attitude change does not surprise me, as you have now migrated from the sales customer status to debt. And the reason you had a van at your door, is because when you telephoned, you got through to a sales person, not an account rep or manager. So they didn't go into your customer file on the system and flag a commitment to pay, meaning they wasted some diesel, running your house. Tough on them if you ask me, but I wouldn't stress about it.

You are right that they have no right to enter your home at any time and reposess these items. But before we go down this lengthy route, I would say that your situation is a long way off needing this sort of advice and is easily recoverable.

It sounds like a typical, "storm in a teacup" brought on by BH's reluctance to use common sense. At this stage, keep the channels of communication open, and if you tell them you can pay on a certian date, then make sure you do and make it easy on yourself.

Hope this helps and keep us informed.

PJ

NOT PB THANK YOU STELLA

Originally Posted by badboy09

hi there and ty for reading in advance ...

i have been with brighthouse about 4-5 months and never missed a payment infact 95% of the time i have payed b4 my payment date was due and the other 5% on the day ... anyways ...
i got a couple of computers off them and recently a new tv and the amount i was paying was 50 pounds a week

And this is of concern to me as well.

Without wishing to put you down at all, in my day, it would have been an awful lot longer than 4-5 months, before we let a new customer grow to over £50 a week.

This amount was also ideally set at the highest a branch should be looking at loading a customer with. After all, £50 a week is £216 a month, or £2600 a year!!!

Not that it ever happened, so long as the store met its sales targets, and kept control of the debt, this "ideal" was overlooked.

And, as it is easier to load existing customers than attract new ones, I suspect this is now common place.

A phrase about eggs and baskets comes to mind!!

PJ

Originally Posted by plumberjon

NOT PB THANK YOU STELLA

I am so sorry

It was late and I was drunk


Jogs

Like PJ - I don't understand where this amount has come from It should just be 2 weeks payments plus their ridiculus £3.00 per agreement charge......

Brighthouse are bullies, and unfortunately you have received a nasty taste of it! They are not allowed to enter your home to repossess goods as only court bailiffs can do this. There is a letter you can send to stop them coming round - I am not at my computer at the moment, so I'll post it up as soon as I can.

I had the same problems with the staff at my store

I know you are only a few days late, but BH will not allow you to pay just one week - they want another weeks payment on top. My calculation is that you owe £115 (including charges) - just pay it on Friday as you normally would.

The letter to stop them turning up is

Dear Sir/Madam

Account Ref xxxx

Please be advised that I will only communicate with you in writing.

Should it be your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you.

There is only an implied license under English Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.). Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance.

Yours faithfully

Send to your local branch and Head office (send recorded delivery if possible)

You should only have to pay 2 weeks money - don't believe anything they tell you over the phone!!

They won't take you to court either......it's not the Brighthouse style.

Originally Posted by badboy09

indeed if they dont take me to court then i expect them to turn up at my door and stand there with dummy in mouth and throw a tantrum or even go get there parents to come ask for the stuff back hahaha
ty all for your answers they have been most helpfull ..

lol - thats the spirit. They is nothing they can do if they turn up at your house. Just keep a copy of that letter I posted above and hand it to them. If they won't go, phone the police (in front of them) and report intruders on your property.

Just to clarify - the charges are now £3.00 per agreement.

This is just one of those things that Brighthouse do - I have no idea why either. If you only have one weeks money then that's all you can pay. They will refuse and demand 2 weeks, so just tell them to put the payment into your yellow money. At least then you can show you paid, and they refused I've done this, and they don't like it BUT you can put money into the yellow money at anytime. Then, next Saturday, make your payment as normal and tell them to use the money from the yellow to pay the rest. If they call you in the meantime, tell them the money is sat there, but they obviously don't want it!!

Originally Posted by the grass is greener

Hi

I was due to pay my brighthouse account on saturday but unfortunately i was unable to go to the shop or call in.

so i will make payment today(monday) over the phone but i have heard from someone that they will also ask for the payment i will make on this saturday but i dont understand how they can do that.

i have checked the agreement and all it says about the late payment is i have to pay the late payment fee per agreement which is £2.70 but i have heard that has risen to £3.00.

Is this legal to demand next weeks payment too even thought its not written in the agreement and what if i dont have it to give over tomorrow.

Thanks
G

Hi G

Here's how I look at it...

If you know you cannot make your regular weekly payment on the day it is due, simply phone the store yourself and tell them... Don't offer (or agree to) come in on Monday, Tues (or whatever) - just make a double payment next week!

If BrightHouse absolutely insist on punishing their customers to the tune of £3.00 PER AGREEMENT for late payments (baring in mind that BrightHouse are a COMMUNITY retailer, and like to "give something back" to the communities they operate in) then so be it!

So, as you are being charged £3.00 per agreement for going late, at least get something in return for that money and make the buggers wait a FULL WEEK for your next payment!


Cheers
Lefty

Originally Posted by Lefty

So, as you are being charged £3.00 per agreement for going late, at least get something in return for that money and make the buggers wait a FULL WEEK for your next payment!