Just checked it. It says that I may be required to work in excess of my normal working hours. I suppose I'm screwed then, but that wasn't what was told to me in the interview.

Hi everyone, I'm hoping all you knowledgable folk on here can offer your assistance . I started a part time job last year. During the interview, I explained that I was looking for part time hours to enable me to pursue a hobby, which I also get paid for, not much but I do it because I love it. I don't claim any credits or anything like that, money isn't everything to me. They were receptive to this and liked hearing about it. They also explained to me that sometimes they may ask that I do some overtime during heavy workload periods, not often, just an hour or so here and there, which I was fine with. I was also told that it is optional, so if I am busy with my hobby then it's not a problem as long as it doesn't interfere with my normal working hours, which it doesn't. But the overtime is constant, not occasional. If they ask me if I can come in an hour early or stay for an extra hour, I will if I don't have plans. Even then, if my own workload takes me over my finish time, I will stay until I've finished to make sure it's done so it doesn't delay other departments. For example, last week they asked if I could come in an hour early, which I did, and I also stayed an hour later without being asked due to my own work, as mentioned above. I should also say that all overtime is paid. However, it seems that the optional aspect may not be entirely true. For example, I was told that I have to stay for an hour longer due to the workload. It was inconvenient and I missed out on earning a few pennies from my hobby that evening due to it, but it didn't matter to them. I have also overheard little comments and tuts from other team members when I'm leaving for the day and they're staying behind, but they haven't been asked to, they're doing it off of their own backs. I don't see how them staying behind is my problem if my workload has been finished and theirs has not. So really, I'm not happy that this overtime doesn't appear to be optional in most circumstances, despite what I was told in the interview and what it says in my contract, and I'm not happy with the other team member's attitude towards me. I realise that I probably can't do much about the latter, it's the most two-faced place I've worked to be honest. Where do I stand? As the overtime is optional then I have every right to turn it down if I'm unable to do it, right? It's really getting me down, I can't make plans anymore and the attitude stinks. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Ok. A) The LA told us to contact the maintenence man, as the LA is only run by one man and he's told us that it isn't his first job and spends all his time abroad. B) Clearly, the LA said that they will blame us for the boiler wearing out and take the money for it, I have it in writing from them, so I'm unsure why you think they don't need to make things up when they already have. C) My wife's text message clearly stated "Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, I would like to negotiate a reduction in the rent for this month due to not having heating or hot water." NEGOTIATE, as in "let's talk". We weren't trying to withold a week worth of money. As we've been without heating or water for almost a week with no end in sight, I don't think we were being unreasonable at all. Also, if they don't replace or carry out repairs, they are also in breach of contract. D) By law they have to give us the landlord's details if we request them. They clearly did not give the details to us.

Hello All, Last weekend, our boiler broke down, late on the Sunday night. I called the maintenence man who deals with these issues for the letting agency first thing on Monday morning. He came over on Monday night and found that the transformer on the circuit board had burned out and killed the boiler. He said it would be a full boiler replacement and he will sort it with the letting agency as soon as possible. In the maintenence man's defence, he is really good, it is the agency who are slow at everything. So, we've spent all week without heating or hot water. My wife sent a text to the letting agency to negotiate a rent reduction, as we haven't had use of these utilities. Here is the text conversation: LA = Letting Agency Wife: Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, I would like to negotiate a reduction in the rent for this month due to not having heating or hot water. LA: Sorry, we can't accept that. We will hold you responsible for damaging the boiler and we will remove the cost of the boiler from your deposit. Any deductions made by yourselves are down to you taking too long to inform us of the problem, which has caused a delay in getting a new boiler. Wife: Excuse me, we did not damage the boiler, the transformer on the circuit board burned out. We have done your job for you by contacting the maintenence man first thing the following morning. We are in a house with no hot water or heating in mid-October. I'm sorry, but it should not take this long to sort out. Please send me our landlord's details. LA: Why? Wife: Because I do not feel that you are doing your job and we would like to contact the landlord. Please send me his details. LA: We have been doing our job. To say that you are deducting rent because the process is taking too long is very wrong. Wife: Please send us our landlord's details. LA (seconds later): I have made him aware of your complaint. Goodbye. Now, for one thing I do not believe for a second that he made the landlord aware of our complaint. Another is I cannot believe he actually put in a text that he will say that we broke the boiler. The third is they seem to think that a boiler breaking late on a Sunday night and then informing the maintenence man at 8am the following morning is "taking too long." We do know somebody who knows the landlord and we have asking him to give us the details, as the letting agency is refusing, we are justing waiting for him to message us with his details. My question is, what can my wife and I do? We are concerned that the LA will now make up a pack of lies to tell the landlord. However, we do have evidence against them where they admit that they will say things if we withhold the rent. I do believe we are within our rights to negotiate a small reduction in the rent under these circumstances. Thoughts?

Yes, a while ago. I received a letter early February which thanked me for the SAR request and they were gathering the information. I've just received the very little bit of information today and I sent a letter on 13th December reminding them. It's been 66 days since then.

Hi, I have finally received the SAR request from Shop Direct today. I have to say, I expected it to be bigger, it's fit into a standard A4 window envelope. It does not contain most of the things I requested in the SAR. I have a few pages of screenshots, which don't seem to date back to the entire history of the account but do show some letter fees (£12 per letter) and late £12 charges. There are also some printouts of what I'm assuming must be excel spreadsheets pasted into Word and not set to landscape and not aligned. I can't make heads or tails of it. There are no statements, no CCAs, no transcripts of telephone conversations, no default notices and so forth. It also says, at the bottom of the letter, "Full details on how we use your data and who it is passed to is contained within the data protection policy pages in our catalogue." Basically, look it up yourself. What are the next steps? They haven't followed up properly. Is there a letter to send back? Thanks.

I don't suppose there's any harm in telling them that I know their game?

I appreciate your advice but how will ignoring them help? It feels like I'm walking straight to court. How about I send Fredrickson a letter asking to see the notice of assignment? If they haven't got one, which they haven't, I can tell them that they are a third party interloper trespassing on private matters. Also, tell them that I am already paying Capital One.

Hi, I have now received the letter from Bryan Carter Solicitors. It says that I must contact Fredricksons within the next 14 days to arrange payment, failing which they will recommend that proceedings be issued against me. It also lists court fees and solicitors costs. The balance on the letter is incorrect and does not reflect the most recent payments made to Capital One via my standing order. What should I do next?

What was the outcome of this?

I've been doing some research myself and I wondered if someone could help clarify? If SD have defaulted me because their penalty charges pushed me into the red, then the default can be removed?

Forgive me dx, I'm a natural worrier.

They've only put it in with one statement though, not the others. I don't get it. If I've not paid anything on this one then I must've on the others, except I have paid on all!

Hi, Need some help ASAP. I have received my usual summary from Shop Direct and it has all the latest payment of £1 on it. Inside is another letter, a 'Notice Of Sums In Arrears' stating that I have failed to make the payments! What the heck is going on? This is for the account that they mysteriously defaulted but not the others. Oh and they've added on £44 in missed payment charges from last month to this month! What do I do now. I'm still waiting on a response from my SAR. I know I've paid the £1 per account and can prove it, so what should I do!?

Ok. I did think it to be odd. So, just carry on ignoring Fredrickson and continue to pay Capital One as I have been doing?