Hi

Brief history

- blind company insisted on fitting blinds I had told them I could no longer afford and that we would arrange payment in due course.

I struggled at the rate they wanted £50 a week (total debt £950).

I couldn't keep up, they started small claims but didn't continue with it

- would have been easier if they did as I could have given a lower amount.

The business owner then called round to my house for the money.

it was the night before I had a c - section

(which I was having earlier due to a heart condition) .

They continue to email me whilst I was in hospital (I was in for 2 weeks as I was very unwell).

He then called round about 8 weeks later.

They wanted £175 a month and no less.

I managed 2 payments but struggling with the final two.

They have now emailed to say they will be coming round again next week.

Can they do this?

They don't tell me when they are coming

Should I just make affordable payments?

Though they will call round anyway.

The woman is awful and she sends her husband round.

owe them the money and want to pay it just at an affordable level.

Thank you

Id be telling them to foxtrot Oscar.

Please will you tell us which company this is. Have you any evidence to support what you say that they visited you et cetera et cetera?

Have you kept all copies of the correspondence?

Have you told them in writing not to call you any more and that they are causing you distress?

Please have a look at the Administration of Justice Act – section 40 – 1a which I think applies to you https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1970/31/section/40

I hope you got a receipt for the payments you made - I would not answer the door next time - They are bullying you and forcing you in to payments you can not afford. Was there a contract that you signed with payment terms in the 1st place when you ordered the blinds?

Bankfodder -

I have todays email which says "XX will call next week to discuss payment as you have not paid as agreed"

I have other emails saying payment is due and has not been received - should I call over for the cash?

Another email saying "further to XX visit yesterday and this email , which I never received and cannot understand why? We have noted your comments and can only agree to a three month payment plan before taking final court action" (this was the day of my daughters birth and she was informed I was in hospital about to go to theatre but continued a thread of messages. )

I actually made a payment from high dependancy 4 days later as it was so stressful .

I think I owe them one more payment not 2. So £175 . i have evidence of bank transfers and confirmation emails.

They sent some kind of order contract when they took it to court but I wonder if it wasnt enforceable which is why they pulled out?

It might be why they stopped court proceedings as it might not be enforceable and or it would take ages to get the full amount from you this way (also I bet they did not follow pre-court action protocol). So they decided to bully you into paying instalments more than you can afford.

I would from now on, ONLY communicate with them in writing and hold off any more payments to them until you get further advice here on CAG on the best way forward.

The priority is you and your families health and well-being and to make sure your priority bills are paid (rent/mortgage, council tax etc)

I asked you to let us know which company this was but I see that you haven't done so yet. Are you trying to protect them?

Please will you post up the credit agreement which you agreed to.

Also, I think that you should set about compiling a log of all visits and telephone calls and any other communication you have received.

Go back as far as you can and as accurately as possible.

Do it in a spreadsheet form starting with the date and time and then what happened so that you have a nice concise list of contacts.

If they took legal action and then backed out - I wonder if they would be prevented from taking legal action again...

Please do name and shame...

Not protecting them worried about any implications of me naming them. Happy to message you details .

There definitely isn’t a credit agreement . At best a confirmed order contract but no credit agreement

Naming helps others to avoid rouge behavior...

If you wish to tell us the name only by PM that is fine however it isnt beneficial for others...

they have no powers at all to turn up on you doorstep

email them back and tell them they ARE NOT TO CALL

else you'll call police 101

if they do turn up

get your phone out and video them whilst telling them to leave.

wheres this agreement you signed?

please don't be scared of BULLIES..

why did they stop the court case?

TAKE CONTROL.

You have talked about this correspondence which you have received from them. Have you got any record of correspondence which you have sent to them? In particular, are they aware of your pregnancy and the operation you had? Is there anything in writing either from you or from them to show that they knew about it

Also, you say that you came under pressure to have the blinds installed. Please can you tell us more about that

YOU control who YOU open YOUR door to!

If they wish to act like thugs and intimidate you with threats of coming round, then IMO I would be informing the police ASAP!

Whoever this outfit is that you won't name is clearly a rogue outfit, have you reported them to trading standards also?

If you can name names, then the most correct accurate advice can be given.

If they arrive on your doorstep in future, then tell them ''THROUGH THE LETTERBOX'' that they are to leave or you WILL call the police.

I don’t have evidence of the pressure to install bar a few emails pushing for a date .

She refers to numerous phone calls to arrange installation.

She replies to my email which says I was in hospital waiting to go down to theatre for my c section saying “I didn’t realise you were pregnant again” .

I then said I’d be in touch with the court to check proceedings myself when I was out of hospital.

She emailed whilst I was still in hospital to ask how I was proceeding at which point .

I hadn’t been in touch with the court as I was very unwell.

I ended up making a bank transfer (evidenced) from high dependancy as I was worried he’d turn up at home again whilst I was in hospital

(I had children at home with my mum) .

When he comes to the door he isn’t unpleasant but clearly it’s pressure.

He asks “what I’m going to do about it?” Etc

but I wouldn’t say he is threatening bar the fact he’s come to my home.

It’s pointless as the pressure makes you agree to the impossible.

Yes, you might owe money to this company

- but the way they go about it is WRONG

- NAME & SHAME them!

Lets say all was paid up on date of fitting

- but a few weeks later you had an issue with the blinds,

I bet they would NOT help you & would give you the run around.

Don't protect this company and let others fall pray to them.

Don't be scared by them,

if they do come calling at your home (use your mobile to film and/or just voice record them)

and if you feel threatened (and more so if you have young children in the house) call 999

agreement you signed?

you did sign one didn't you?

agreement you signed?

you did sign one didn't you?

The only agreement I would have signed is the day he quoted and I ordered which at best would of been a commitment to going ahead with the order . Certainly no agreement to credit .

I do wonder if it’s totally non enforceable

I bet it was and folded over so you thought diff.

usual game with these people

exactly the same has been on watchdog etc several times

I think that you will need to begin by writing a firm letter to them and put them on notice that you are not prepared to accept any more visits for any more telephone calls and that everything must be done strictly in writing.

You will need to work out how much you can reasonably afford and stop paying that to them regardless of what they say.

Please have a careful think about how much you can afford and let us know. don't try to stretch things. Make sure that you are completely comfortable about the payments you make and stick by your guns.

We will be here to support you and advise you if they start becoming silly.

Please monitor this thread tomorrow for a response after you have posted up the figure that you think you can manage without causing any difficulties for yourself or your family.

We will help you draught a letter which you should then send them with an initial installment by cheque. You should send the whole lot recorded delivery. If you have their bank details then you should set up a standing order for all the future installments so that there are no mistakes

Do not agreed to setting up any direct debits.

We will sort out the letter tomorrow.

Please try to put together the log which I suggested above

Id be telling them to foxtrot Oscar.

How Rude:- Did you mean "Go Forward & Multiply"??

My interpretation is that OP ordered £950 blinds without ability to pay in full, so agreed to a repayment Agreement which was not met. OP now expects to pay min/affordable payment.

The only agreement I would have signed is the day he quoted and I ordered which at best would of been a commitment to going ahead with the order . Certainly no agreement to credit .

 

I do wonder if it’s totally non enforceable

and ofcourse they gave you a copy?

if not its totally unenforceable whatever it was.....

and ofcourse they gave you a copy?

 

if not its totally unenforceable whatever it was.....

I'm not so sure about this.

I think in reality I’d like to pay £20 a week but not sure that’s going to kee them away.

Thank you

£20 a week – let's say that's £80 a month. I think that is very substantial.

Are you sure you can afford it easily? One thing you don't want to do is to commit yourself to paying a certain level of instalments and then down the road find that you can't make it. That would be very much more difficult to deal with.

Also, you don't seem to be sure as to how much money is outstanding. Is there no way that you can ascertain this? Have you received proper receipts for the money paid over and do you have a written invoice from them?