my partner opened the door to a TV licensing official and answered his questions: do you live here?? yes Cautioned by him: yes unaware of issues with direct debit thought it was setup by last visitor. May i come in and inspect the set? No not convenient When was set installed/obtained?? 1 year ago When did you last use the set to watch live tv programmes here?? Today Do you have satellite etc??? SKY TV Well she certainly landed us in it.... We have an Apple TV box so as far as im concerned everything is streamed via the internet so i dont think we need a licence. But as per these answers i dont think there is a way out is there???? Thanks in advance

Still no reply some 21 days later anyone any advice as to the next step. Thanks

Well folks I sent this letter out to my Manager at my old work address and still to date I have received nothing. Any advice as to what route to take now please. Also I have a photograph of my screen when I worked there proving that I was top and won it.!! Thanks again 30th March 2012 Dear Mr xxxxx xxxxxxxx With reference to my wage slip dated 30/04/12. I have today received my wage slip for the month end March 2012. On inspection it appears that my payment of £500 for me winning the CSI for the third time has been omitted. This is a payment in respect of achievement of top CSI whilst in my employment with xxxxx xxxxxx and for all work prior to my resignation. This payment has always been paid to previous employees therefore I would appreciate this matter being resolved as soon as possible and a reply explaining the reason why this has not been paid in writing within 7 days from date of this letter. Please forward all correspondence to the above address. Yours xxxxxxxxxx

yes all edited well thanks HB

PS how do I remove [edit] from the original title heading as per advice up top??

Reason I am asking about the Tribunal route is that if they want to shaft me ill try shafting them back. I was not allowed to take days off without giving at least 6 weeks notice!!!!!, they were fining myself and other colleagues(but marking it down as commission deductions as they have been taken to court before for this) and generally making life uneasy on a "like it or leave basis!" not just for myself but for others, one other left at same time as me as he'd had enough too.

Thanks for all the advice - I am going to phone the head office on Monday I was wondering do I say "look if this is not paid I am taking it further -legally!" or just ask the question politely?? . Also how do i go down the Employment tribunal route ... Thanks again

I worked for [edit] (for my sins!) for approx 11 months. For the last week in employment I was off sick (sick note provided to them!) and resignation letter sent in giving one weeks notice.! Having just checked my bank this morning I have been paid approx £400 short. I have been paid my monthly commission but not a bonus payment for achieving complete customer satisfaction over the previous quarter - so for work I had already done/achieved. This is paid via a payment of £500 which after tax probably equates to approx £400. Can someone give me advice on what I should put in a letter regarding this. Obviously this needs to be done as soon as possible. Many thanks in advance

great, thanks for the advice.

Oh I am hoping this time next week, at the moment I have been there for under 12 months so I am sure that only 1 weeks notice will suffice. I am just thinking how shall I go about putting about my payment for bonus in the letter to ensure that I do get paid otherwise if they dont pay it I will have to start a battle to receive it. Due to the fact it is for work I have already done I cant really see why they would not want to pay it other than the manager being pedantic(which he sure can be) Thanks

Sorry I have omitted the main point (with rushing and looking after the kids) - I have actually been offered a job that I can start as soon as I feel better and have another job offer on the table also. Thankyou again

Hi I am currently off work as my back has completely gone(torn muscles). I work for a large vehicle sales company and I am currently looking for another job - I have actually been offered a job that I can start as soon as I feel better and have another job offer on the table also. I will also be owed last months commission (approx £1k) and also a bonus of £700 for winning the customer satisfaction competition. This entails all my previous customers receiving email questionnaires to say how satisfied they were - out of all the salesmen i received the most 100% satisfied surveys back and hence win the money. Only thing is now I have heard off another salesman that they may refuse to pay this money to me. Shall I write a letter handing my notice in and also include in the letter that I look forward to receiving all monies owing including the bonus owing for the customer satisfaction. I need to get this in the post today so any response would be received with thanks.

I work as a salesman and have worked there for just under 12 months. When I started work I had a tattoo on each lower arm(childrens name only). I wore short sleeved shirts last summer - i was ribbed at first by the managers but then nothing said. Now the weather has changed for the better it was mentioned yesterday that short sleeves are not allowed if tattoos are on show. I have looked in my company handbook (employment) and it is NOT stated anywhere that they are not allowed. I know that some staff north of the borders are allowed to work with tattoos on show. PS The company I work for are very very large(mainly in Scotland).. Please advise asap

ok have done thanks sorry for intruding on this one regards

Also on the date of the eviction ascendum contacted us by phone call. The time of eviction was at 11am and they called at 9.58am to say that if a payment was made the eviction could be stoppped. Obviously by this time we had made arrangements for somewere else to live and scraped and borrowed for the months rent and months deposit so this was not an option. We explained to the mo. co represenattive that if we had been offered this help months ago we would have taken it and that he was the 1st person to have listened to our circumstances. We couldnt afford it so we just went at 11 am and handed our keys to the lady sat outside our old house. Gutted isnt the word. The amount of arguments in our house that were caused by the noose put around our necks by ascendum or whatever they call themselves was unbelievable. Thankfully home life is a little better without the noose but still its not our own home. Thanks to these cowboys who change there name more than anything - I would strongly urge any new prospective homeowners STAY AWAY from this company at all costs.

Can anyone advise please. We have just had our house reposessed by Ascendum/Capstone/SPML/COWBOYS - just last month (Its now up for sale at a ridiculously low price). Too cut a long story short the mo. co was chasing me for 3 months arrears. We were going through a bad patch with work etc (oh and the csa)!. We had got into arrears last year with the mortgage and that was paid up then we got into arrears again. They were threatening eviction etc and when we made phone calls to try to make an offer we were told (FULL PAYMENT TO CLEAR ARREARS ONLY!). Anyway we moved out and rented a property as we were sick of the bullying tactics and that of the csa also(who were also trying to force a sale via charging order on the property). We have just read about all the charges people have been charged and realise that we have been charged all of the same and in fact if we hadnt we probably wouldnt have been in the situation(TOO LATE NOW WE REALISE!!). Is it too late to claim any charges or fees??? The outstanding mortgage was £116000 house is up for sale with an agent for £135K. The csa have a charging order for £20k - (long story). Also house in sole name - partner of 9 years not on it. 2 small children also. If we could recoup some monies it would be a great help as because of the situation we are finding it hard to make ends meet. Also wether right or wrong as we have moved we have had no contact with the mortgage company since and hence they dont know were we live (and csa also)

Can anyone advise please. We have just had our house reposessed by Ascendum/Capstone/SPML/COWBOYS - just last month (Its now up for sale at a ridiculously low price). Too cut a long story short the mo. co was chasing me for 3 months arrears. We were going through a bad patch with work etc (oh and the csa)!. We had got into arrears last year with the mortgage and that was paid up then we got into arrears again. They were threatening eviction etc and when we made phone calls to try to make an offer we were told (FULL PAYMENT TO CLEAR ARREARS ONLY!). Anyway we moved out and rented a property as we were sick of the bullying tactics and that of the csa also(who were also trying to force a sale via charging order on the property). We have just read about all the charges people have been charged and realise that we have been charged all of the same and in fact if we hadnt we probably wouldnt have been in the situation(TOO LATE NOW WE REALISE!!). Is it too late to claim any charges or fees??? The outstanding mortgage was £116000 house is up for sale with an agent for £135K. The csa have a charging order for £20k - (long story). Also house in sole name - partner of 9 years not on it. 2 small children also. If we could recoup some monies it would be a great help as because of the situation we are finding it hard to make ends meet. Also wether right or wrong as we have moved we have had no contact with the mortgage company since and hence they dont know were we live (and csa also)

We are in a rented house and have been since late last year with 2 small children. Since we moved in the gas fire in the loung has never worked and is (condemned) so currently disconnected. We have contacted the estate agents on a number of occasions to find out whats going on and when a new fire will be installed, as the lounge is rather large and has just a small radiator in. The problem(the estate agents say is - the landlord lives in switzerland and only point of contact is email). We have made numerous telephone calls and nothing is getting done after almost 2 months. Also the floorboards upstairs in the property (2 are loose - 1 of which is rubbing on a pipe in the bathroom). We can dodge the board but obviously kids may walk on it. We have expressed our concern that if its not fixed then it may cause a pipe to burst hence causing major damage. What can we do to make them(the estate agents who are acting on behalf of the landlord) to get the fire sorted soon and the floorboards. Have we any rights or anything as the main room is freezing and we have the boiler on constant just to heat it up Thankyou in anticipation

Well the claimants solicitors started to get nasty in the end and decided they wanted £400 month for the Advantage Finance debt then an extra £150 month for the CSA. This just isnt possible and we are now in arrears on the mortgage by 3 months. So we decided enough is enough as the rope was just getting tighter around our necks. The mortgage company threatened reposession and then the court order came through for reposession. So we decided to move out. Result = house gone, possible bankruptcy etc. Thanks CAPSTONE MORTGAGE COMPANY for not listening always threatening etc Thanks CSA for threatening and pursuing me. Well you can now fight between yourselves over the house we are past bothering or caring, we have been hounded out of our home

Bailiff came round this morning and said we owe £781 in unpaid business rates and £1300 in unpaid council tax. Business Rates - I rent a small unit and we started a small business from there 2 years ago. Approx 12 months ago we packed it in and I just use it to store the odd car in and all my tools are there also. It does have a ramp fitted and wheel balancer in it also from the previous business. Do you need to pay if used as storage?? Council Tax - well if they say we owe it we cant say we dont - so this ones our own fault. The bailiff called and said he wanted all the money in one and he would be back at 8am tomorrow. Also he must have waited until myself and my girlfriend went out then put another note through saying they were taking both vehicles with the reg nos noted, that were parked on the drive and outside the house. The only thing is neither vehicle is in our name so can he do this??? Thanks for all your help..

Well finally got a solicitor acting for us and a genuinely clever guy he seems too. At the moment its looking like a possible forced sale. We just do not know what to do at the moment. There is not enough equity in the property to pay off the debts if and when sold. Ive just made a offer of paying 400 per month to try to pay the debt off although this will take a number of years. If they do not accept this offer then we can wave bye to the family home and bankruptcy and even custodial looks a possibility due to the debt not being covered. At our wits end and wondering wether to just give up and go and get somewhere to rent at the moment. Court is next week just sitting here with fingers crossed and not even eating properly with worry.

Thankyou!! Phew just managed to get it to the post office and sent it so guaranteed to get there before 1pm tomorrow. District Judge allowed me until 4pm tomorrow to send it in by. Im going to hand deliver the statement to the court tomorrow so I get a receipt to show its submitted. Just need to find a solicitor now that will take the case on as most wont touch it! Thankyou again

Hi all and thanks again for all your help/input. Today i am trying to prepare a witness statement as I need to get it to the Courts and the opposition solicitors by tomorrow(1st class recorded signed for). Has anyone any examples of a witness statement ie how i set it out etc etc please. Many Thanks again

Well the date has come through for the 5th October 2010. I am still struggling to get a solicitor to help me with this in my area (preston, Lancs). I have just spoke with one who has basically said unless I come up with the total amount of money then its game over - back to sleepless nights again. Also she has said that as I do owe CSA money I cant fight it and get Legal Aid to help me do so. When we went to court the other week I found the CSA amount to be £10K approx and the finance company "Advantage Finance" are saying I owe them £19K - I have never had a car on finance over £4 or 5K so were this figure comes from I dont know. Oh I really dont know what to do - give up & post the keys to our family home and go and rent somewere - that we we save the mortgage payments etc I really do feel that this is it and most of all I feel so sorry for my 2 little lads and my partner as due to me they may be homeless...

Hi yes sorry only just got in from boys swimming lessons. I spoke with the oppositions solicitor beforehand and said that i was willing to pay £40 to £50 per week to pay this debt off. She went away to make a phone call and came back with the reply i expected her to say. They (Advantage Finance & CSA) had said no and to continue with the proceedings. When we got in to see the D Judge he asked if I had anything to say and I said well I have 2 options. The first is to ask for an adjournement and th 2nd was that I was willing to pay weekly but the offer had been declined. The solicitor replied that she objected to the adjournement but the DJ granted it. The DJ said I have 28 days from today to send in a signed witness statement from myself and the court date will probable be within 28 days from that also. I have a lady apparently calling me tomorrow with some solicitors that deal with CSA, as upto now I have had no luck whatsoever with solicitors wanting to take my case. Hopefully one will be able to help me with Legal Aid also. So upto now I have a little bit more time and I really would like to thanks you all for your input and help in this matter so far.