Right a quick update is we're trying the playing dumb trick and asking to move to the new place but they are quoting the stupid £60 installation fee whether they can do it or not. Surely they can't do that if they can't provide an installation? Will be going down the lines of the managers and cancellation teams to see if anymore joy from them. On a slight side note, does anyone know if sky have a database of all houses capable of having sky (e.g had it previously or flats have the communal dish). Silly first line support say they don't (then again they are usually idiots from experience!) but i don't believe that for a second. Cheers, Nick

Hiya, Hopefully a quick question/answer for you lovely people in here. My friend currently has sky and is within his first 12 months contract. However he is due to move soon and the new place he will be renting cannot have sky due to a dish not allowed to be installed (the block of flats have virgin and not sky installed communally). How does he stand with regard to cancelling and not being screwed over the remaining period of the contract? Not seen the t&cs myself but surely they have to cancel with just the 30 days notice due to no service able to be provided at the new place? Just seeing what people have done before with regard to this. Cheers, Nick

Hiya, Ok my story is this. Last year i was on holiday and got hurt and went to hospital and put it against my travel insurance and paid the excess. Came home next day as was end of holiday and told travel insurance people (Insure and Go). A few weeks/month(s) later got a letter from hospital saying bill is still outstanding. Phoned/emailed Insure & Go and said they were dealing with it (got case reference details and all the standard things) and heard nothing more of it until yesterday. Yesterday got a letter through the door from a DCA (Legal Recoveries & Collections) demanding payment and the usual rubbish they write in their letters about court proceedings etc etc. My question is what should i do now to both deal with Insure & Go and the DCA? No idea really myself as not use to this kind of situation. As always the DCA is giving me until Friday to pay up/sort it out. Very long deadline as always! Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers, Nick

Yeah i hate the "fair usage policy". Currently with Pipex Homecall and their fair usage policy is you are only allowed 1GB during peak times per week (6-11pm) and if you go over that you get switched to a service which is near enough unusable. When my 12 months are up i will be moving to a proper unlimited service that is slightly more expensive.

Happened in Bristol earlier in the month this is bristol - news, entertainment, jobs, homes and cars

Hiya, Hope everyone has had a good Xmas. I like idea of going direct to British Gas and paying them off at the source. I have found out through Barclays the account and stuff to pay into for British Gas. My only concern is what do i put in the letter to the DCA? Has this worked for other people? Not really done anything like this before myself. Cheers, Nick

Thanks for the reply. I am not the best on letter writing (god i hated English at school!), so what do people think of this letter? Any corrections/additions will be much appreciated. If people have anymore advice other than seminole's, then feel free to add it. Re: Ref XXXX Dear Sir/Madam, Enclosed is a cheque for £231.61 for the debt owed to the pursuer ‘British Gas Trading’. I am however not prepared to pay your ‘administration fee’ of £57.90, as I believe this is an unlawful penalty charge levied by you. Regards, Nick Morris

Hiya, Was wondering if the people on the forum could help me a bit. Here is a little bit about my situation: * Friend signed up for British Gas as we were living together, however they set it up under my name without my knowledge. * Left British Gas in June. Bill comes 14th June with £231.61 being owed. As setup with direct debit from friends account, this was to be taken out on 26th June. * Final statement comes 4th July for £2.45, which is paid over phone a week or so later and told that was all that was oweing and my account would be closed. * Another final statement comes on 1st August saying final balance is £0.00 * Come end of September i get a DCA (debt collection agency) letter saying i owe £289.51 (£57.90 "Admin" fee added on). I was a bit confused by this and called them asking what was going on. They ask me to fax through paperwork proving my final statement and so forth and it would be put on hold and they will contact me next. * Heard nothing for a while and then another threatening letter saying i owe this amount again. Called up again and explained it all and they said they would speak to British Gas about it. * Nothing else heard for a while till i get a letter threatening court action if this is not paid. So i ring up British Gas themselves to find out what had happened. It turns out the direct debit was sent back for some unknown reason. Which i have managed since to confirm with my friend since. Now here is where i am stuck. My friend is willing to pay this £231.61, however i don't know where to turn. British Gas say it is in the DCAs hands and the DCAs won't accept the £231.61 as final payment for obvious reasons as they want their £57.90 fee. My main issues is British Gas never even tried to contact anyone to say that the direct debit got returned and ask for a final payment or red letter bill or anything at all. British Gas confirmed that nothing was sent out after the final statement. Then a couple of months later send out to the DCA. Surely this is not common practice or right? Secondly, can they just have put this account in my name without my permission? That seems wrong too. I never signed anything or agreed to any of this. This was my friend who signed up to this in the beginning under his name. My only flaw really is i called these people and not put it in writing. Learning that now though. Any advice is much appreciated on what to do or where to turn to next. Merry Xmas everyone Nick