PLEASE HELP! I purchased two tmobile premium numbers for a £1000 each for my parents and they were working fine for three months. We went abroad for a few months and on our return we found that the numbers no longer work. I have called tmob who simply say the numbers were lawfully transferred as the person who called to do the transfer gave my password. I did not authorise this and tmobile are refusing to even look into it! I want my numbers back but dont know where to start... has any one had any experience like this and can provide some assistance? I hear tmobile have employees who transfer premium numbers not being used for a while for a bit of money under the table! Please help!

I understand that you're busy but all I need is 5 - 10 minutes of your time to just state what argument I have to support my case - I wish I knew the law but I dont. I wish I could afford a solicitor but I cant. I wish I didnt have to keep embarrasing myself and annoying you by asking you the same question over and over again - so i guess this is my last attempt. I have three requests: 1. Please briefly whenever you have ten minutes to spare just quickly outline what you believe are the arguments to support my case. 2. I am going to try and adjourn the meeting to July - would you be able to commit to helping me then? 3. If you will not do either of the above can you recommend me a solicitor who I can talk to about this case who you know can win this case for me, I know nothing is definite. I am willing to travel. Please do not take me as being rude or annoying i am just stuck in a really bad situation and at the moment you seem to be the only one out there who can help me!

Hi Legal Pickle, I visited both solicitors today but they don’t seem particularly confident about the case and are estimating costs to be around £4000. I know you're busy - but you seem to have in your mind a path that we could go down that we would make this case work in our favour. I have a niece who is a trainee solicitor and would be willing to do the work for me but isn’t really sure on what line to take it as she is new to this. If you could kindly take out a while and just direct me on the path I should take then I would really appreciate that. I can also pay you for your time just to point me the right direction. I really need your advice, I just know if you took the case on I could win and if you are willing and out of the generosity of your heart would take my case on then I would pay you are asking fees as I know that I would win the case and the fees would be recovered. I really am in a terrible financial situation.

Thank you.

E17

Could you kindly recommend a solicitor, based in East london, who you think could win this case for me. Thanks for your help.

I understand. I live in east london, how much would a solicitor that you recommend charge to take on this case? Just for some peace of mind - how much do you think I would have to pay out to the college in the end if a good solicitor takes on the case?

visit my 80yr old mother*

Legal Pickle - I apolgise if im now beginning to bother you I dont mean to do this! The thing is im no longer in a financially secure position where I can afford to pay for legal costs - thats why Im here seeking help and advice and writing silly defence statements. The next hearing is an allocation hearing - if at that hearing I explain to the judge that I shall not be available until June (as i genuinely am going abroad to visit her as she has become really ill) would you be able to commit to helping me with this case? im stuck and I dont have anywhere else to turn....

So even if it was adjourned you wouldnt be able to help me? If not then do you think a part 36 offer would be a good step to take then? If so could you kindly tell me what arguments I could use to favour my case? Please, any help would be really appreciated. I know yu're busy but just some pointers as to what you're thinking that would help support my case I shall do the rest of the research and work the rest out my self I just need a lead.

Hi Legal Pickle, I appreciate that you are busy and I appreciate more so the help that you are providing me. Would it be possible for me to make a request to the court for the hearing date to be postponed?

Dear legal Pickle, I am sorry for not getting back to you sooner - I did check onthis link a few times but didnt see an answer, I checked today and see that you replied on the same day for which I am so grateful. I have received an order - which states that upon hearing the Defendant in person and the Claimant not attending, it is ordered that 1. The allocation hearing shall be adjourned to TUESDAY 23RD FEBRUARY 2010. 2.Costs of today are reserved. In answer to bigeggs questions - to whom Im grateful for a reply! Originally Posted by bigegg Did you receive a copy of any signed agreement with the claim form? I didnt receive any signed agreement with the claim form. Quote: Originally Posted by bigegg Do you have a statement of account? (What you paid, for what, and when?) Payment was made via cheque for the terms fees and the holiday trip which the college originally claimed wasnt paid for but later accepted was paid for - was paid in cash to the administrator. Unfortunately I have no record of these. But the cllege do these accept these payments were made. Originally Posted by bigegg Are the college claiming for two course fees, or three - This could form part of your defence. The college is claiming for three course fees. My son struggled with Psychology and as his teacher wasn’t very fond of him (he expressed this clearly at parents evening) no help was offered to him instead he was removed from sitting the examination. So my son only sat two examinations in his first term. In the second term my son was only studying two AS subjects per term. I then spoke to the college principal, to allow him to continue with psychology or otherwise only teach him two AS levels with him possibly doing a short course in the summer for his third subject. The Principal was extremely aggressive with me and refused to entertain my suggestion and decided to enrol him for ICT although my son absolutely dislikes this subject and finds it extremely challenging. my son was very behind and no attention was given to him to help him catch up, he was then removed from the subject within the first few lessons. The education he received was horrendous with me spending every waking hour I could muster after work to teach him to get him through his first set of exams. I hope this helps - once again i am so sorry forthe late response and I would be extremely grateful for your advice.

Hi legalpickle. I went to the hearing and the other party didnt show up - the finance officer of the college called in ten minutes before the hearing to say he was unwell and wouldnt be attending. When talking to the judge - he seemed clear in his understanding of the case which was that we owed two terms fees for two AS subjects and we should pay that since as matters stood at the moment we were on the wrong side. The judge said the other party rightfuly refused to give a reference as they werent paid their fees. Do you think I do have a case or should I just cough up before the costs begin to build? I appreciate today is your sabbath - but I would be most grateful for your reply when you get a chance tomorrow. Thank you.

I have made a complete shambles of this. I shall go to court tomorrow and request I am allowed time to file a new defence and counterclaim. I thank you for your time and shall let you know what happens tomorrow. Thank you so much for all your advice.

Hi, please find attached a typed version of the claim form in a word document. Thank you once again. claim form.doc

Thanks. I have removed all personal details.

Hi. I have attached the original claim form unfortunately i cannot seem to find the copy of the defence document i sent but i did have a word copy of what i wrote in the defence. Please find both of these documents attached. I really appreciate your help and apologise for asking for help so late. defence.doc

Hi.Thank you so much for your quick reply. I have made a counter claim claiming back the fees I have already paid the college. Is there a reason why i should urge the track to be the small claims track and not the fast track? As i thought the judge wouldnt allow small claims track if the amount in dispute was over £5,000. Also I dont think the collees Ombudsman or ADR scheme woukd help me in fact i genuinely believe they would find against me. But if you think this is still advisable then I shall request this at the hearing tomorrow. Sorry for all the questions but you say explain to the judge that I am seeking advice - do i say I am seeking legal advice from a lawyer or just generally seeking advice? I cannot thank you enouh for taking time out to advice me on this - thank you so much..

Hi, my case is regarding unapid college fees. I sent my 17 year old son to a private college last year where I WAS PAYING 15K per year. My son initially started with three A levels - he started having problem with one of the subject teachers and they removed him from the subject in the second term so they then were only teaching him two AS subjects per term - they did put him in for a third AS subject but he was very behind and no attention was given to him to help him catch up. I did speak to the school to allow him to continue with his initial subject or otherwise only teach him two AS levels with him possibly doing a short course in the summer for his third subject thy didn’t allow this but registered him for a third subject but then removed him from this within the third term. The education he received was horrendous with me spending every waking hour I could muster after work to teach him to get him through his first set of exams. I didn’t pay the final terms fees as I was arguing I was only liable to pay for two subjects (its £1665 per subject per term) and as it turned out my cheque for the second term wasn’t received by the college either (which they never mentioned until sending me a court summons for a debt of £10,000). I don’t know what to do! I filed a defence and now am set for an allocation hearing on the 5th of January. The college are lying and saying I didn’t pay for his college trip fee when I did (which they accepted orally over the phone that they were wrong to make a claim for this) they're claiming for three subjects per term when my son was only taught and entered in exams for two AS subjects! What can I do? I don’t want to pay any of the fees now as they refused to release his results and give a reference to another college which I wanted to put him in this yr leading to my son not being in any college for this year. He’s in essence lost out on two years education as they have refused to release his first yr results and he has lost out on an academic year. Please help me - I can’t afford to go to the solicitors either. I just wanted a bright future for my son and now he is so disillusioned by the whole education process that he no longer wants to pursue his education. Please any advice would be most appreciated.

I have an alloction hearing tomorrow for a case in which I am a defendant. I have no idea how to prepare for the hearing or what im meant to do there.. on the notice it just says that the hearing is expected to last 30 min with the claimant bing expected to file andserve a statement o issues (i havent recieved a copy of thes) and the judge has ordered that both parties should be prepared to explain their stance as to mediation. Please please give me some advice on what i need to do - i am very nervous about this.

Thank you Palomino for your response. I realy do hope other reply soon.. im so wrried about he hearing tomorrow.

really hope some one can help me. I’m an extremely stressed out parent and have no where to turn. I sent my 17 year old son to a private college last year where I WAS PAYING 15K per year. My son initially started with three A levels - he started having problem with one of the subject teachers and they removed him from the subject in the second term so they then were only teaching him two AS subjects per term - they did put him in for a third AS subject but he was very behind and no attention was given to him to help him catch up. I did speak to the school to allow him to continue with his initial subject or otherwise only teach him two AS levels with him possibly doing a short course in the summer for his third subject thy didn’t allow this but registered him for a third subject but then removed him from this within the third term. The education he received was horrendous with me spending every waking hour I could muster after work to teach him to get him through his first set of exams. I didn’t pay the final terms fees as I was arguing I was only liable to pay for two subjects (its £1665 per subject per term) and as it turned out my cheque for the second term wasn’t received by the college either (which they never mentioned until sending me a court summons for a debt of £10,000). I don’t know what to do! I filed a defence and now am set for an allocation hearing on the 5th of January. The college are lying and saying I didn’t pay for his college trip fee when I did (which they accepted orally over the phone that they were wrong to make a claim for this) they're claiming for three subjects per term when my son was only taught and entered in exams for two AS subjects! What can I do? I don’t want to pay any of the fees now as they refused to release his results and give a reference to another college which I wanted to put him in this yr leading to my son not being in any college for this year. He’s in essence lost out on two years education as they have refused to release his first yr results and he has lost out on an academic year. Please help me - I can’t afford to go to the solicitors either. I just wanted a bright future for my son and now he is so disillusioned by the whole education process that he no longer wants to pursue his education. Please any advice would be most appreciated.