I purchased a bag for my Wife from Debenhams (through Amazon.co.uk) for an anniversary present. The bag arrived damaged, and I immediately informed Debenhams through the claims option of the Amazon portal. I was emailed back fairly quickly to say that because I had ordered through Amazon that they couldn't send a replacement and that all they could do was provide a refund. In light of this, I returned the bag, and ordered a replacement (directly from Debenhams.com this time). The bag was received by Debenhams on 9th May. Today, 14th May I got an email through Amazon to say that the refund was being processed and would be returned to my payment method within 10 business days! Add that on to the 3-4 business days that it has taken them to process the return in the first place, and we're looking at almost 3 weeks! I find it ludicrous and unfair that it should take this long. Someone somewhere is sitting on £125 that belongs back in my account. If payment from the account is authorised immediately then why don't refunds go back just as fast?

In May of this year, two searches of my Equifax credit file were made by the Lewis Group - supposedly a debt collection agency. I ignored the searches, and a couple of months later, the searches were removed. This evening, around 6pm, I received a phone call from a pleasant sounding lady asking for me by name. I asked who was calling, after confirming my first name only, she said she was from the Lewis Cabot (or something that sounded similar, but did not sound like Lewis Group - I only got Lewis Group from looking up the number that called me). She wanted me to confirm my address, and I said that since she wouldn't tell me what the call was about, that I wasn't prepared to divulge any of my personal information. She said that they had written letters to me - if they have, I've not received any, and I've lived at my current address for over 6 years! She insisted that it was important that I speak to them - she said that she would write to me again, and that I am to call the number. As far as I am aware, I have no outstanding debts - I have had a couple of CCJs in the past, but my credit file is clear and has been for a good few years. My concerns are:- 1) My number is ex-directory - how can they get it? 2) This is not the first time a debt collection agency has contacted me. Late last year, another debt collection agency (McKenzie something or other) called me, and I did get as far as finding out that they were looking for someone with my name, but one of the addresses they had for this person was totally unknown to me. 3) I lived in a town about 9 years ago where there was someone else with the same name as me - I only know this because we shared the same bank branch, a nd that bank screwed up and my account got emptied out! (It was rectified soon after) It may not of course be me that they are after, but nevertheless, I am not comfortable to divulge any information about myself to a company that I know nothing about. Is there anything I could or SHOULD do, or do I just ignore it?

I've asked BT to remove the 1571 service (since MH are the only people to leave me messages anyway), and I guess I'll reply to MH IF they ever write to me.

A company called MacKenzie hall have left at least half a dozen messages on my 1571 service since sometime in November. I rarely use my home phone, so I only noticed them yesterday. I looked up the number, and the company, and they look to be a debt recovery company. I signed up for a 30 day trial of the credit reference agencies, and can see that MacKenzie hall have made a trace search on me! I do have debts (who doesn't) but they are managed, and all in good shape - the reference agency information all appears correct with nothing untowards showing. So, this morning I phoned the number left by MacKenzie Hall, and after telling me that calls would be monitored, then conversation went like this:- MH: Do you have a reference number starting with M? Me: No MH: Have you received a letter in the post? Me: No MH: Have you received a telephone call? Me: Yes MH: What is the phone number? Me: MH: And your name? Me: MH: And the first line of your address and post code? Me: Er - you tell me - I don't know who you are, and I don't want to give you that information because you could be anybody MH: Well we need to confirm that we are speaking to the correct person Me: Well I don't know who YOU are, so I want you to confirm yourselves MH: Then we end the call here. And that was it! Am I in the wrong here? I honestly don't know what they want to speak to me about, but surely, if a compnay is wanting to speak to me about something personal, should they not have to pass some form of check as well? I'm not comfortable just dishing out my information...

A follow up. I've been in touch with the retailer. They have been in touch with the manufacturer for the history report. The manufacturer told them that there was no defect on the original fire (which is amazing since the power button melted and literally shot out). They have also informed me that I have to pay for an independant report on the manufacturing defects of this fire before they will even agree to a refund, and if the DO agree, it will be subject to a depreciation charge of 20% per year (pro rata) from the date of purchase - which to me sounds awful since it was first reported faulty within 5 months of the original purchase date, and also because the retailer has a policy of repair first, replace second, and refund third - this means that the retailer can take as long as they want to organise everything in order to reduce the refund amount! Plus, how much does an average independant report cost? I'm in the middle of the Highlands, and if I've got to pay costs for someone to visit as WELL as write the report, I may as well just give up and bin the whole darn thing because it will cost me more than the refund amount...

OK - but the retailer informed us to contact the manufacturer directly as it is outwith it's 1 year warranty

Just to confirm, I have found the original purchase details, and we ordered the fire on 17th October 2009, it was delivered in November 2009, so we've now had 3 faulty fires within 2 years and 2 months !!!

Hi - I've emailed the manufacturer this morning with the photo's, and I'll see what they have to say. In the meantime, I have contacted Consumer Direct to report this safety concern. It also concerns me to see that KandCo are STILL selling this fireplace despite having reviews on their website from other consumers who have faced the same issues!

The story. We purchased a "BeModern" electric fire and surrond through what was Great Universal and is now K&Co. Within the first year, the fire broke - the power switch, which is right near the heating element, got so hot, it melted and the whole rocker switch literally one evening shot out of the fire! Great Universal contacted BeModern and arranged an identical replacement. In May 2011, this second fire had to go back because it started arcing across the heating element! We got a third identical model. Now, 8 months later, this third fireplace has suffered almost the same fate as the first. The power button is now hanging out, there is a smell of burning "circuit board", and only about 1 inch of the element heats up. Needless to say, I've photographed the problem, and have taken the plug out of the wall so that no one uses it. So my question, bearing in mind I've had to have this replaced twice, and it is obviously unsafe and to my mind has manufacturing defects, would I be eligible to demand a refund. If so, what "act" and "sections" do I quote if necessary, and if I can't demand a refund, what am I entitled to do? Thanks.

OK, I am going to apply for an SAR. I have spoken to the ICO and they cannot help me because I cannot prove that the default is incorrect. I've kept all of my old bank statements, but because I haven't kept the old mobile phone bills and because neither 3 nor Lowell can provide them, I cannot prove my point. So where now? I think that this is HIGHLY unfair that I can have a default based on what is essentially non-existent information!

In March 2009, I received a letter for Lowell's telling me that I owed £114 for a Three mobile account - the debt dated back to 2005 (Lowell bought the debt). I queried this with Lowell, and they basically told me that if I didn't pay it that legal proceedings would commence. I paid the amount in full within a couple of days as I didn't want any financial / credit problems. I now have a default (satisfied) showing on my credit file. To date, neither Three or Lowell have been able to provide me with evidence that I owe any money. I have requested copies of the last 6 months of bills from Three so that I could reconcile them against my bank statements, but all I got was a letter stating a final bill of £114 - no invoices / bills etc... Lowell also haven't been able to provide proof. I have asked Lowell to remove the default, and they told me that they cannot do that as the default would have been authorised by Three (even though Lowell's name is what shows on the file) and that I should phone Three. I phoned Three and spoke to their collections department located somewere in a remote call center outside of the UK. They told me that they could not remove the default as Lowell own the account... So I now have a (satisfied) default on my account, for an "alleged" debt that was just over 4 years old at the time of getting the demand for payment. Admittedly, I moved house in January 2006, but even so, Three never wrote to me in the last 7 or 8 months that I lived at the billing address to tell me that I owed them any money. On top of that, I had mail forwarding for 2 years after moving, and even then - no letters from Three telling me that I owed anything. So where do I go from here? Is it justified to have this default on my account if no one can provide evidence of what they claim I owe? I paid with a view to "pay now, query after" so that I wouldn't get into trouble. This is the only adverse thing on my file, and although I have put in a notice of correction, I don't believe that it should be there in the first place.

Well here goes. I rejected Barclays "generous" goodwill offer of £1000 and have decided to try court action to regain the £6k+ that they owe me! I admit that I am dead nervous about the whole process - especially since £1000 is well over a months wages - I must be mad! Anyway, I have taken the plunge. The N1 is complete, the cheque is written and it goes in the post today!

OK, I sent a letter to Barclays stating that I would only accept £1000 as an interim payment. They have since written back saying that their offer was a goodwill gesture and was offered as full and final payment. They are still offering me the £1000 but say that they will not increase their offer. Obviously, £1000 is not peanuts, but it does not compare to the £5000 I am trying to reclaim. Is this a standard response? Do you suggest I take the £1000 and "run" or would I benefit from continuing? If so, what steps do I take next? Many thanks Chris

Hi - sorry for my "vagueness". Here's the history so far. Having read the article on the Motley Fool website, I requested copies of all of my statements for the previous 6 years, which Barclays sent me. I worked out that all of the fees came to over £4800 (without interest added). I wrote to Barclays using the preliminary letter template, asking them to pay back the money that I felt they owed. They initially responded with a letter saying it was being looked into, and they enclosed a complaints proceedure leaflet. Next, I received a letter stating that they are "sorry to learn that you feel that the bank charges are unfair..." and saying that I was given a copy of the T's & C's when I opened the account. They then go on to say "I am willing to offer the sum of £1000.00 towards the total amount you are seeking. This is with the cost and inconvenience inherent in a further dispute in mind and is intended as a gesture of goodwill. If you would like to accept my offer please sign and return the enclosed form in the pre-paid envelope provided. I will arrange for the payment to be credited direct to your account within seven working days of receipt of your acceptance." Now, £1000.00 is tempting considering I'm on minimum wage, but I also think "in for a penny, in for a pound" - I don't feel that I should settle, and it would appear that they obviously know they are in the wrong even though they don't admit it. So what I want to know is how to word my reply declining their offer and ensure that I get what I feel I am owed. One final thing though, I DON'T want to ask for the interest as this would take me over the £5k threshold for a small-claim! Your help is appreciated.

I apologise in advance if this has already been answered, but I'm accessing the net via a mobile phone and it's horrendously slow and expensive! I've had a letter back from Barclays offering me £1000.00 as a "goodwill gesture" - this is much less than my calculation. I want to decline this offer and try and get the full amount. Is there a letter template for my next step? I couldn't see one in the template library. Also, do I enclose a copy of an N1 form (before I file it obviously)? Your guidance would be appreciated. Thank you.