Great Universal Charging Goods Extended Terms Instead Of BNPL

[Laura Cooke]

I purchased a load of goods for my kitchen November 2009 from the catalogue on buy now pay later paid them off but noticed the cooker and freezer were not showing queried this eventually when they could make head or tale of it they said they had been put on extended terms and that they had already been charging me for them, I argued that I had asked for all goods to be on buy now pay later why would I choose not to place 2 of the items on this.

 

I signed no credit agreement but they are insistent that this stands they have sent me a statement and terms of these 2 items as required by law yet they sent them only when I queried everything by law it said i should have got the details every 12 months got them 14 months after

 

I have requested a copy of the signed credit agreement what will they do now as I never signed one as didn`t want terms wanted to pay them off when the buy now pay later date was due

 

Where do I stand as they have added no end of interest at 29.9% cooker was £959 cash added £439.04 and freezer was £223.50 interest added is £66.45 started paying these on 21st November 2010

 

Any advice appreciated as I`m so annoyed wanted to pay the cash prices along with all the other items they put my fridge on the buy now pay later but not the freezer!!!

[Laura Cooke]

bump

[Laura Cooke]

bump

[cheddar]

How did you place the order? If you have written confirmation of it that the BNPL applied to all items then you've got them by the short and danglies, although from my own recollection I think they force you to call if buying BNPL (how convenient for them eh?).

 

As for a CCA I believe that after a certain point in I think 2007 that ticking the box to say you agree to the T&C's online can stand as a valid CCA with a catalogue company.

 

Sorry I can't help much further but I hope you get some answers.

[IdaInFife]

re cca - 31/12/2004 for online agreements

[Laura Cooke]

ordered over phone statements have become complicated to be fair even the staff can`t explain things too well over the phone. I recall getting a cca to sign but never signed or sent it back as I didn`t intend to accept the 29% interest I always put money aside for the end of bnpl and pay it off

 

I have nothing in writing showing the 2 items were not on added with rest of items as what they do is they just list your order as a bulk order in value terms you have no idea what is what till nearer the end of bnpl when I rang up about the 2 items not showing on the list to pay goods off I were told they were placed on extended terms instead of bnpl I ordered them all together so cannot make head or tale why 2 items escaped the bnpl my fridge got put on bnpl but my freezer as been put on extended terms

 

I have requested a signed credit agreement for the extended term goods but no idea how I go about this as I know I have not signed for credit

[Laura Cooke]

re cca - 31/12/2004 for online agreements

 

Hi can I do anything about the interest being added to these 2 items without my knowledge? they won`t be able to show me any agreement signed as I have not signed for extended terms they had no rights to place these items on extended terms I never requested they did I wanted all items on bnpl so how thse 2 items were allocated different to rest of appliances I ordered as annoyed me

[cheddar]

I have requested a signed credit agreement for the extended term goods but no idea how I go about this as I know I have not signed for credit

 

As far as I know simply opening an account with these types of companies means that you have been given some form of credit, if you decide to use it or not. they have obviously been underhand if as you say they have decided to put items on credit terms rather then BNPL, possibly an error by the operator or maybe a way for them to make some commission I have no idea. Sorry I can't be of any more help, it seems they are a law unto themselves.

[Laura Cooke]

Going to ring trading standards ask their advice no idea if Great Universal are obliged to send me a copy of signed crdit agreement as I have requested one but I know for sure they will be unable to do this as I never signed one yes it doesn`t seem right that they can place 2 of the appliances on extended credit terms when I didn`t want to pay interest and have paid the other items off

[Laura Cooke]

Trading Standards put me onto Consumer Direct they said Great Universal is in breach of contract placing a couple of the goods ordered in a bulk order with interest added to them of which I did not agree to or sign a credit agreement for they said I should resend copies of letter sent requesting copy of the credit agreement I signed and state they have 14 days to do so they won`t be able to send it as never signed or agreed to interest being added be interesting to see what if anything happens as my last letter was nearly a month ago and of course I have had no response to it

[buzby]

I understand no signature is required. You were sent the form, received the goods and then starter to make repayments. They will rake this as an acceptance if the terms as you neither returned the form saying you rejected those terms, nor queried this until long after the goods were in use.

 

Now I agree this sucks, but the court will only look at the transaction as a whole, and your lack of rejection. Since you knew their APR, why did you not challenge or reject it? It is this you will fight hard to justify.

[Laura Cooke]

I never knew that the 2 items out the bulk order had escaped the BNPL till it came to pay them off the total they gave was wrong not one of the Indian callers who dealt with me could offer an explanation to this I`d had not received any credit agreement to reject?

 

I kept ringing back till eventually some one was able to tell me 2 of the items had been placed on extended terms

 

I have never had goods on interest added I put them on calendar when they due to be paid off and I pay them off with money set aside

 

Strange that you don`t have to be sent a credit agreement if your agreeing to credit

[buzby]

Historically (and I'm happy to be corrected) these 'catalogue clubs' were an exception and it has to be said, they were also the starting point for the main CRAs because they retained the payment status of their 'agents' to ensure they only used those who had an established track record.

[Laura Cooke]

I have to go on what people tell me as I don`t know any different but consumer direct said they have to send you a credit agreement which you sign and agree to which I haven`t so they say they are in breach of contract? I will wait and see what they do after I have given them 14 days to respond

[buzby]

Unfortunately CD often get it wrong more often than they get it right (from what we see on here). Nothing is black and White. You should have pushed for some additional answers, like - since they have no contract, can I stop paying? Will they be able to default me on my credit report? Will you assist me should they take me to court?

 

The answer to the last one will be "No".

[Laura Cooke]

Thanks for that strangeley enough CD suggested inmy last line of communication to GU that I say failure to respond within 14 days will result in legal action being taken I always find that CAB not much use so now I learn CD about the same I get more help and accurate advice on CAG that`s why I come on here thanks

[buzby]

They mean well, but CAG is better for real-world outcomes than theory. The requirement to respond in 14 days is unreasonable, and just what will the 'legal action' be, and whose paying for it? There is little point hurtling to the courts if you cannot afford to and and unsure of the risk of doing so!

 

Let them take 45 days to respond, it makes their treatment of your complaint look reprehensible, and without threats they might even agree to a suitable compromise without too much trouble. Take things easy, don't get riled or painted into a corner, but make them do all the running - that way, you're the one in control and never make false threats. Imply that you might take 'further action' no need to specify what that might be. If you decide the time is ripe to teach them a lesson, send an LBA stating your grievance, what you want done, and a timeframe to do it in (28 days is reasonable). If they don't, lodge the papers. Never threaten if you don't plan to follow it through!

[Laura Cooke]

All took on board however I never make a threat I`m not willing to carry out took a case on against HMRC for a relative it was a complex case help and advice was given on here was awarded compensation

[citizenB]

Would a Subject Access Request to GU, unearth any information regarding this ?

[Laura Cooke]

Worth a try I suppose

[Laura Cooke]

Trading Standards threatning action against Great Universal they supplied a credit card agreement eventually which does not have my account number on, date, address etc Great Universal state they should be allowed to charge me interest on goods despite me stating that I never ordered goods on extended terms nor signed a credit agreement, it was a bulk order 2 of the items they singled out and added interest I have been complaining about this for over a year.

 

I have gone to make an order this evening and it says my order as been declined I have a large available credit and have always paid the bill on time so looks like they declined me because I took them to the Trading Standards can they do this to me, I was within my rights to ask them to remove this interest they added to my goods why now decline me as a customer

Edited April 5, 2011 by Laura Cooke

[Laura Cooke]

Rang the catalogue today said all future orders are to be rejected off me for bringing an "Outside body in" to dispute my credit agreement she said I am regarded as I`m not paying for goods even though I have always paid on time have lots of credit left, only thing I`m disputing is having interest added to 2 items that were part of a bulk order. Woman on phone snotty and said interest would have only been added because I didn`t pay for goods at end of the buy now pay later told her I always pay goods off it`s just that 2 of the items were eliminated off the buy now and put on extended terms and I have said if I asked for this to happen where is the credit agreement that I signed agreeing to this. Of course they have been unable to produce my credit agreement as I never signed for goods on extended terms. They now choose to treat me as someone who intends not to pay for goods I have already had which is nonsense

[themadcap]

Have you paid the full amount for the fridge and cooker minus the interest?

[Laura Cooke]

I am still paying for them they put them on weekly from the day they arrived not known to me as the statements are not transparent rest of the order I paid for it when the buy now pay later ran out in October 2010 crazy as the fridge went through on the buy now but the freezer didn`t it was a bulk order of electrical appliances for the kitchen they probably think I am not going to finish paying for my goods now they have not been able to produce a credit agreement but nothing could be further from the truth I wouldn`t risk a very good credit record

[themadcap]

have you tried [email protected] he's the CEO for s/d, it will be passed to Simon Westhead who is head of customer excellence, its worth a try as the resat of them are useless