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Please help We are the leaseholders for 2 properties in a Peabody trust housing association estate. There are 3 high rise buildings (contains 60 flats each) and 5 small buildings (contains 20 flats each) on the estate. We are currently charged approx £2000 pa per flat for service charges, please bare in mind that the esate is a social housing estate so the very basics are provided. Recently we have received a bill for £2000 per flat for the replacement of communal boilers and associated pipework. That means we have to find £4000 now without warning to pay for the work. I have spoken to Peabody and have been told there is no sink fund in place and that we just have to pay this bill. We have now also received notification that peabody are putting the works for the communal arial out to tender and that we should expect a bill in excess of £1500 per flat?? The question is are they allowed to just dump these bills onto us when they feel like it and shouldn't there be a sink fund in place to pay for this or at least part of it?? We are now looking at a total bill of £7000 with no warning or say in the matter....what can we do about this??

Hi Again I'm asking for anyone's help with this??

Please help We are the leaseholders for 2 properties in a Peabody trust housing association estate. There are 3 high rise buildings (contains 60 flats each) and 5 small buildings (contains 20 flats each) on the estate. We are currently charged approx £2000 pa per flat for service charges, please bare in mind that the esate is a social housing estate so the very basics are provided. Recently we have received a bill for £2000 per flat for the replacement of communal boilers and associated pipework. That means we have to find £4000 now without warning to pay for the work. I have spoken to Peabody and have been told there is no sink fund in place and that we just have to pay this bill. We have now also received notification that peabody are putting the works for the communal arial out to tender and that we should expect a bill in excess of £1500 per flat?? The question is are they allowed to just dump these bills onto us when they feel like it and shouldn't there be a sink fund in place to pay for this or at least part of it?? We are now looking at a total bill of £7000 with no warning or say in the matter....what can we do about this??

We parked our vehicle in a mobile phone bay in central London and paid via the mobile phone text system for the first 20 mins, this would then allow us a free 1hr extra with our blue badge displayed. My husband sent the text and received a return text with the opening line 'Thank you for your text...', he did not fully open the text. When we returned to the car there was a PCN on the windscreen. Recently my husband replaced his phone, he still had all the details for Westminster Parking in the new phone, but unfortunately the Westminster Mobile Phone Text service no longer recognised his phone. At the time we were unaware of this as the opening line on the return text message was exactly the same as for when you have correctly paid. Obviously on returning to the car we opened the text message to find it said 'Thank you for your text - to register for phone parking either call the phone number on signage or register online at verrus.com. Thank you!'. How crafty they are that they should have the same headings for a text that is paid correctly and one that is not. I wrote to Westminster Council explaining this but they have rejected my challenge, giving me 2 options Option 1 - Payment at discounted rate (14 days at reduced rate from the date of letter) Option 2 - Make a formal Representation?? Can anyone help as to what to do, how do I make a formal representation and what are the risks?? Is Westminster decriminalised?? I currently have a good credit score and don't want to jeopardise it? Are they actually able to get away with this?? Angel

Can anyone offer some advice?

Please can you advise me, went onto the computeach website and asked for a call back from a salesperson, when I spoke to the salesperson I described exactly the course I needed for my work, I was advised to take the CIW webmaster course. I told the salesperson that I wanted to start the course at a later date, however the salesperson advised me that the cost of the course would increase later, so I agreed to purchase the course at that time but start it later. I was given a payment plan with Clydesdale finance of no interest for the 1st year. I was told that I would receive the course shortly, however I did not receive them for 2 months. When I received the package I realised it was for a different course, after speaking to computeach they sent me the materials for the correct course, or so I thought. When looking at the materials I realised that I had been completely sold the wrong course, I originally explained to the salesperson how important it was for me to learn about 'flash' however this course does not cover this subject at all, most of the subjects are irrelevant to me. I called computeach before the course had started and explained that this was not the course I had been sold and therefore wanted to cancel the course and cancel the credit agreement, however they have told me that there was a two week get out clause from the booking date, but considering I didn't receive the course materials for 2 months how was I supposed to use this clause, I have never received any contracts and have never received any terms or conditions, the only documents I have received is the credit agreement, please help how do I get out of this contract?????

Can anyone help with my above question?

Ok just to clarify I now need to send another letter to my bank along with the spreadsheets of the amount claimed just as I did in the beginning giving them 14 days notice?? Even though they have replied and offered a ridiculous amount and I have written back stating my intention to move forward and claim the entire amount?? I just want to make sure I do this in the correct order!!

Hi does anyone know where I can find info on how to start court proceedings?

Ok as I've never taken anyone to court before, how do I proceed?

I have finally received a reply from woolwich withdrawing their offer, it reads: 'Thank you for your letter of 1 May. I am sorry you remain unhappy with our response to your complaint and note that whilst you are accepting the amount offered, you will be seeking the remaining balance in the County Court. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the amount offered was a gesture of goodwill in full and final settlement of your claim. I am therefore unwilling to adhere to your request to reimburse you with the amount offered, and it is with regret that you will now be proceeding to the County Court for the full amount. I appreciate this is not the response you were hoping for but trust I have explained the Bank's position. Yours sincerely Joanna Carney Customer Relations Manager' Ok what do you suggest I do next?

Dear Mr Voller Thank you for your letter dated 5th May 2006. Firstly I would like to accept your offer of £450 as part payment against my claim. I feel that as you may be in line with the banking code with your terms and conditions your tariffs are mostly certainly not. Therefore I will be pursuing my claim for the full balance and also to have the default removed from my credit file. This default would not have occured if your charges had been just and fair. Can you please notify me in writing when you will be transfering the funds to my account. I will wait until 7th June for your reply before moving forward with this case. Yours sincerely

Is there a template in your library that you can recomend, or would you think it better if I wrote my own specific to this case?

Could they withdraw the offer entirely? Also could they still close the account that I am still using?

Can someone advice me what to do next, just over 1 yr ago I lost my job, I managed to find another job but it took 5 mths, however in that time all my money had been eaten up and even though I was temping the bank charges were killing me. The charges were so high that I went way over my overdraft and was unable to keep up, it happened so quickly the bank then defaulted me. Luckily I had two accounts and only defaulted on one, however this is now on my credit file. I am now re-employed in my field I have repayed all the debt to the bank and received a letter of disasociation, the only reason I went into default was due to the bank charges. I have written to the bank (using template from this site) outlining all the unlawful charges which amount to £2048.54 on the defaulted account and £1089.45 on the other account. After what seemed an eternity Woolwich have written back stating that they disagree with my claims, however without any admissions they are willing to offer a sum of £450 and is intended as a gesture of goodwill. I have 4 weeks to comply. The accompanying letter for me to sign states I accept the sum in full and final settlement of my complaint. What should I do and how do I get the default removed from my credit file?