No matter what I say I seem to have brought out anger in some posters on here who appear to have enjoyed using me as a scapegoat for their internal private frustrations. I wonder how many of these posters are in fact the same one? My crime? To try and get a twisted leaflet (that I was delivering as a favour to a loved one) through a stiff letterbox - I admit this and I had no training of how to go about such a business but why I have been treated so poorly by my own species on here is beyond me. My punishment? Loosing a part of my finger very frighteningly and with much pain. I simply asked for a little advice over the legalities of the issues and received hate, scorn, mockery and abuse from those who’s motives and agendas I seriously question. Give me dogs any day!

pin1onu;2645449 - many thanks that is all fascinating advice, which I shall ponder over. The "employer" thing won't work though as I was delivering for someone on a voluntary basis. Possibly therefoer a no goer - but worth seeing what others say.

Quite so!

So you can guarantee that no child will ever push a thin, twisted sheet through any still letter box that gets stuck half-way ever again can you? Your utopia of perfection and self-assuredness must be incredibly comforting. Some of us lesser mortals slip on banana skins, eat food that is past its sell by date and occasioning get hospitalised by less than friendly animals they we don’t hear.

Ah - size (and now presumption) again. But you ignored the question.

Thanks WM One question to the pro bite/anti-wire guard-supporters. What do you say to the parents of a potential child victim of such an animal when fingers are totally bitten off?

Welshmam - thanks for your valuable logic and common sense herein. Much appreciated. I may not persue this matter - I just wanted advice, nothing more. I do not think my terrible experience warrented such abusive posts from others. I can only imagine that these flamers have hidden agendas on this site, which are aimed at creating chaos. I can als think of several aggressive banks/DCAs that would dearly welcome such abuse on this site for obvious reasons....... End of!

No - your argument is unsound. The vast majority of owners have safe dogs yet a few have ones that are dangereous. The dangerous ones should have wires guards inside just in case such events happen as they often do. Protecting our species against potential injury by another species in logical and resonable.

Its a bit hazy in fact and the officer was very sympathetic. He could see I was in great pain and my cloths were covered in blood. Allegation? Well yes - I did suggest to the officer that the animal was dangerous. In fact I dont think he really needed to be told this due to the mess I was making on his floor. We both agreed though that it could have been a small child .

Kindly show me were I have mentioned such a sign relating to "nuts". Small pets? What has size got to do with this particular issue? Do please explain as I am not sure where you are going in this instance. Incidently, some like to keep highly toxic spiders as pets but these are even smaller than small dogs. One for you to think one perhaps? My concern is that no other deliverers get bitten, and especially children. You however seem to be quite happy to accept this situation in a comical and rather dismissive light. I really cannot see why you are so very angry at me. If you are frustrated about oppressive political correctness then I can share such sentiments. However, this issue is not about this - its about people having aggressive animals that can and DO damage other people. This owner was taken to task by the warden as he apperently knew what the dog and like and he was made to erect a warning sign. If I had an aninal that was prone is bite I would attach a wire guard to the letterbox so that no one ever got injured. Such a move would seem logical as a precaution.

I have had many kinds of large dogs and this includes Rotties and Dobbies . I have found that these allegedly dangerous breeds are wonderful with kids and the best when it comes to conduct. I am not even convinced that it was a rottie that took a piece of my finger off. The letter box was one of those very low ones that was very stiff. I happened suddenly, savagely and without any warning. Yes, with hindsight one can say “oh, I should have left the leaflet stuck halfway out.” Life aint always that straightforward though at times (regardless of what some perfect letterbox experts claim) when you are tired, hungry, and just want to get the job finished. If you find it amusing or comical entertainment that a person gets badly injured and requires several weeks of hospital attention by such an event then ok, fair enough. That is no bother to me. I simply wanted a little bit of constructive legal advice and nothing more. I also was concerned that some other person such as a child would be attacked and possibly end up bleeding to death after such an incident. Would you also find that so humorous?

You know nothing about me and I find that comment very offensive. I was NOT wafting my hand inside the letterbox - it was juts an inch of my finger to push the twisted leaflet in.

Thanks for your comments guys. I had delivered thousands of leaflets that day and was nearly finished. The letterbox was one of those stiff ones and the leaflet had just got twisted. All I had done was push in the last inch of my finger to get it through and wham - the hound grabbed the very tip of my finger and would not let go. It was horrific as I had heard no sound and figured the house was possibly empty. If I had heard a dog perhaps I would not have been so eager to get in though the flap. I saw no warning signs. The owner said that he had two dogs and that one was a rottie but that it had been another one than nailed me. He was very eager to blame his smaller dog but I never got to find out which one got me. I love dogs myself and told the cops that I did not blame the dog but that the owner must have known that this animal was dangerous and could have bitten a paperboy etc.. It is ok being critical of people would have to deliver leaflets but this genuinely can happen to anyone and I have since spoken to several postmen who have also been bitten. In light of the above comments it seems best to just write back to the solicitor who took on the case and finalise the issue. I still have trouble with my finger but I wont waste time chasing this if folks on here think its a no win issue.

Hi CB Although I have not used that letter - yes, I have complained to OFT about the outrageous activies, many times, that I have been subject to by this awful company. They have not provided any signed agreements for either of the accounts yet been happy to hunt me at will. I may have to invest in one of those bog - off phone thingies too as the thought of them and Mercers etc abusing my phone line for yeras is not a nice prospect. BC tell you that they are so sorry that one is not happy about their activities and the next moment mercers ring once again to pester and abuse. It is unacceptable and outrageous.

Yeah - OFT's most recent guidlines on NOT midsleasding folks about unenforcable agreements seem to have simply passed Barclaycard by. So of course I have to do my duty as a good consumer and tell OFT about them and their trained playmates in Liverpool Mercers.... If any kind soul can think of other bodies I should alert about such commercial activities them I am listening.

BC write to say they are sorry that I am unhappy and are investigating my complaint which they hope to resolve by xmas meanwhile folks Mercers start ringing me to pay up or else...... I intend to make a little fuss.. all with NO agreement too..... Cant wait to get started on the PPI hit list with these clowns.

"They even sent a copy of the letter from Barcard saying that that they now own the debt and its there responsiblity to deal with it." So if they 'own' it have you seen any valid DN off BC - before it was terminated? If BC failed on this point you may have to think about raising the issue of unlawful rescission of contract, which would mean the 1st crudites had bought a dodgy account... Just a tiny thought! They like to play about with illegible application forms too pretending that they are enforcable agreements.......... Dont forget to utilise this too BBC News - Lenders warned not to mislead customers over debts And remind the crudites about the stipulations placed on them by OFT last spring - i.e. be nice or we fine you are take away your trading licence. They are appalling I know but easy to manage when you realise that have nothing! Basically they are very silly but pushy. Do make CERTAIN you report them to OFT especially. The Office of Fair Trading: OFT imposes requirements on 1st Credit over debt collection practices "That is why I want to see what they have to see who I do owe the money too." Unless they can produce an enforcable agreement holding all prescribed terms etc - you owe nothing!

Capone sent one of the accounts in dispute to CapQuest. OFT got interested after I reported it and next I got a note of CQ apologising profusly. I next get a letter off CAPONE tellin me that it was no longer being managed by a DCA and that payments should continue to CAPONE. Plonkers! THEY HAVE NOT HAD A PENNY SINCE SUMMER.........I dont give to such charities ALL THIS BALONEY ON THE BACK OF AN ILLEGIBLE APP FORM AND AN DODGY DN THAT INVALIDATED THE ALLEGED ACCOUNT SOME TIME BACK....... I shall be furnishing CAPONE with one of my slightly altered template letters to tell them what to do.... Oh and they have failed to honour my SAR in the allotted time frame - even though they have cashed the cheque.

Yes - this news will be put to VERY good use! So who is going to upset the luvvies at FOS who think a scribble on a bog roll amounts to a fair and enforcable agreement that permits a shark to hunt one to the depths of despair then? These are the apathetic bank puppets who need waking up and we have also recently heard that whistlblowers in the FOS have grassed up the issue so.... Pressure needed where it will help most!

Seeing as GE flogged it to CL with a dodgey DN attached, it would seem that CL have a case against GE....or does being stupid not count as a defence under law in rescission of contract...... DO SHARKS EVER BITE EACH OTHER...... Started with HBOS Taken on by GE Flogged to CL...

Dog attack Date – Spring 08 I was bitten on a finger of my right hand by a dog. I later went to my police station to report this and also visited hospital for treatment. On the date in question I was delivering leaflets. I pushed a leaflet into the letterbox and the tip of my finger was instantly savaged by an unseen dog that refused to let go. I heard no warning noise before the attack and only heard a dog after the event. After several seconds I managed to pull my finger free from the dog and I was bleeding badly and in great pain. Clutching the wound I staggered out of the pathway and made my way towards my car. As I reached my vehicle I sat down for a while to gather my thoughts. I had also wrapped a towel from my car around the wound in an attempt to halt the bleeding. I was angry, dizzy and in a lot of pain. I noticed what I thought was a piece of blooded wood or glass in my wound; I pulled it out and left it on the floor of the passenger foot well. I later discovered that it was a severed piece of the flesh off my finger. I then got out of my car with the towel wrapped around my hand and went back to the owner’s house. I knocked on the door and the man opened it. I said to him “Just look what your dog has done to my hand”. He responded by saying “Oh they are b*****ds aren’t they” and garbled that he was “sorry” about it. He then closed the door on me. I went back to my car and drove as best I could. On reaching my area I stopped at the Police Station and reported the attack. The officer on the desk told me that it was not really a police matter and that the Council would be the ones to contact. He was however sympathetic to my injury, which was still bleeding badly. I went home and my wife was shocked see the state I was in with blood on my hand, arm and clothing. I was then driven by her to hospital where I was treated by the staff. The dog owner also unexpectedly arrived at the hospital to see my injury and he enquired if I had reported him for this attack. I told him that I had to the police. He was obviously now worried about ramifications. Since this event I have had to visit the hospital several times for treatment and X-ray and I also informed the Dog Warden – who has since spoken to the owner and I believe warned him to keep his dog under proper control. I still have some discomfort/numbness and my finger is a little misshaped and scared due to the attack. The attack has left me most anxious about posting leaflets and entering driveways also. There were no warning signs in place to say that a dangerous animal was at this address. I have graphic close – up pictures of the injury to my finger. I later contacted a no win no fee company who sent the file to a solicitor. The solicitor finally wrote to say that he could not help me due to the fact the owner had no insurance. He also stated that I could take private action against the owner but it may fail if the owner was skint. I have three years to make a decision about this. I still have odd sensation in my finger. Any advice would be nice.

Alan - lovely thanks a lot. I will study it in detail as soon as I have attended to more pressing shark attacks on other threads, which have rolled in today. The PPI thing is proactive and great but I have to watch my defensive back too.

I will use courts as a last resort but yes - I have SAR'ed them and am still awating a reply. They have cashed the tenner. One would think they could at least get the number right eh. I will have to think what to say to them next...

So what next?

BC have never given anything but illegible terms for this account. I complained to them and this is their response........ What really is the point is writing anything this this lot? The law clearly matter not a jote to them!