brighthouse headache. please help

[grahamroo]

3 missed calls on my mobile in the last 20 mins as left my phone upstairs. do i get angry or just ignore

[grahamroo]

i am preparing two letters one to my local store and one to head office asking for no more phone calls and to accept my repayment plan and asking for OSC and DLC to be refunded to my account and i will contact the FCA to inform them of my problems and i was thinking of contacting the financial ombudsman? are they likely to be any assistance i think that is covering all bases if anything else i have missed please point me in the right direction.

 

Thanks to all for your advice so far

[renegadeimp]

Ignore, but keep a full log and get a written complaint to the head office. Make sure you seriously consider court action as it is obvious they are now crossing the line into harassment. If you have to, write to the store or head office, explain your situation and you want a repayment plan but NOT a rewrite. Make sure you also reclaim all the charges/insurances they have put on your account.

 

The sad thing is, and its something the reps here keep ignoring, is that you are clearly being harassed multiple times a day. NOTHING has been done to stop this harassment, and even the reps here are pushing you to do a rewrite, which will incorporate all the insurances as one total sum.

[veganite]

Hi grahamroo

 

I just wanted to touch on some previous comments made on this and other threads that have not been completely accurate.

 

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and have fallen behind with your payments, the store can offer you a 'Re-write' - this means that any arrears on your account will be placed on the back of your agreements; so that your account is back on track and you can continue by paying your regular payment.

 

All monies paid will be transferred onto the revised agreement/s.

 

Kind Regards

 

Ann-Marie

Web Relations Representative

 

Hello Brighthouse,

 

I am wondering whether you are able to answer some questions:

 

1. Concerning the option of a "re-write", does this mean that the new agreements you offer include your 'compulsory' insurances?

 

2. What (if any) are the benefits of a 're-write' to the customer?

 

3. A 're-write' would start the agreement again, unless the new agreement shows the previous agreement date... Then, in essence, it is just a repayment plan.

 

Thanks in advance for your explanation.

[grahamroo]

I have my letters done, as far as the store goes do i post it? hand in store? or give it to one of the goons who will no doubt come calling sometime today or tomorrow.

[renegadeimp]

Post it to them and get free proof of posting at a minimum

[Guest Ann-Marie at BrightHouse]

Hello Brighthouse,

 

I am wondering whether you are able to answer some questions:

 

1. Concerning the option of a "re-write", does this mean that the new agreements you offer include your 'compulsory' insurances?

 

2. What (if any) are the benefits of a 're-write' to the customer?

 

3. A 're-write' would start the agreement again, unless the new agreement shows the previous agreement date... Then, in essence, it is just a repayment plan.

 

Thanks in advance for your explanation.

 

Good Morning Veganite.

 

When you have a re-write, the terms of the agreements remain the same. The only change on this is that the weeks arrears are placed onto the back of the agreement.

 

The benefits are that the customer will not have to make a large payment to bring the account up to date, as we all know that is usually the main concern when customers fall into arrears.

 

Again, the re-write does NOT start the agreement again, no changes will be made to the agreement except for the the missed weeks going onto the back of the agreement.

 

If you have any further questions, please let me know and I will be happy to come back to you.

 

Kind Regards

 

Ann-Marie

Web Relations Representative

[veganite]

hello Ann-marie,

 

Thanks for your explanation. To me, it seems a lot of hassle in making a re-write rather than just coming to an arrangement to pay the arrears.

I wrongly assumed that the re-write would include your "insurances" therefore making them non optional.

 

Thanks again.

[renegadeimp]

Yet again the BH rep completely ignores the very serious issue of harassment. There is also ZERO need to rewrite an agreement. Just offer the person a simple repayment plan until their circumstances improve. Or would that be too logical?

[veganite]

Yet again the BH rep completely ignores the very serious issue of harassment. There is also ZERO need to rewrite an agreement. Just offer the person a simple repayment plan until their circumstances improve. Or would that be too logical?

 

My thoughts are the same. Is there any reason why Brighthouse seems so intent on a rewrite?

 

I had thought that the reason was to add their "insurances" into the newly rewritten agreement, but the explanation from Ann-marie shows thats not the case.

[veganite]

hi Brighthouse,

 

please can you confirm that "insurances" are not bundled into the newly rewritten agreement? there does seem to be conflicting information within this thread concerning this.

 

also, within the first post of the thread, it was stated that the op felt as if they were being harassed, receiving upto 10 phone calls a day?

your response to this is that it is from an automated dialler. an automated dialler does not circumvent your liability for harassment concerning the phone calls. even lately, the OP states that phone calls are still being received which is harassment! this was already pointed out to you within the first post of this thread.

 

the op stated that they felt they are being harassed in this instance and ideally you should remove their number from your system to prevent your customer being harassed further.

 

your clarification on whether or not "insurances" are automatically added onto the re-written agreement would be appreciated seeing as there is conflicting information concerning this within this thread.

 

again, thanks in advance for your clarification.

[renegadeimp]

You have it in writing here that they dont. It's been posted in an official capacity, even though there are reports from various BH customers that said they were forced into signing the rewrite along with various charges etc.

 

What i dont understand is why BH head office will not intervene and say it is up to the store to sort it out. Whats the point of a head office if thats the case?

[veganite]

the point? probably to pass the buck... pass the blame onto the store should things backfire.

 

If head office or indeed a CEO makes a mistake then it would look very bad on the business. Especially if the mistake/s were made on an open public forum for the world to read... forever...

 

So, now it has become a little more clearer to me regarding the rewrites since there are many posts showing that Brighthouse is intent on pushing rewrites onto people!

 

Ann-marie has IMO clarified above that no "insurances" are included in the rewrites. Having looked at Brighthouse and their change of policy to automatically include their worthless "insurances" onto all products they sell, then, using the clarification above people should maybe reclaim their money in respect of "insurances" if they have been automatically added to a newly rewritten agreement.

 

Brighthouse states that no "insurances" are added yet customers / website users state otherwise.

[Guest Ann-Marie at BrightHouse]

hi Brighthouse,

 

please can you confirm that "insurances" are not bundled into the newly rewritten agreement? there does seem to be conflicting information within this thread concerning this.

 

also, within the first post of the thread, it was stated that the op felt as if they were being harassed, receiving upto 10 phone calls a day?

your response to this is that it is from an automated dialler. an automated dialler does not circumvent your liability for harassment concerning the phone calls. even lately, the OP states that phone calls are still being received which is harassment! this was already pointed out to you within the first post of this thread.

 

the op stated that they felt they are being harassed in this instance and ideally you should remove their number from your system to prevent your customer being harassed further.

 

your clarification on whether or not "insurances" are automatically added onto the re-written agreement would be appreciated seeing as there is conflicting information concerning this within this thread.

 

again, thanks in advance for your clarification.

 

Good Afternoon All,

 

Yes I can clarify that the terms and conditions on an agreement do not change if a customer has a re-write. The re-write allows the arrears to be placed onto the back of the agreement.

 

In regards to the calls that our customers receive: These calls are not demands for payments, , they are attempts to discuss the account and assist with any difficulties the customer may be facing.

 

If the customer does not wish to receive these calls, all they need to do is contact us and we can opt them out.

 

Kind Regards

 

Ann-Marie

 

Web Relations Representative

[veganite]

Good Afternoon All,

 

Yes I can clarify that the terms and conditions on an agreement do not change if a customer has a re-write. The re-write allows the arrears to be placed onto the back of the agreement.

 

In regards to the calls that our customers receive: These calls are not demands for payments, , they are attempts to discuss the account and assist with any difficulties the customer may be facing.

 

If the customer does not wish to receive these calls, all they need to do is contact us and we can opt them out.

 

Kind Regards

 

Ann-Marie

 

Web Relations Representative

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for your response and clarification.

 

Now, turning to another matter: telephone calls / harassment.

 

Within the very first post of this thread, the OP / your customer stated that they felt the amount of phone calls they were receiving from yourselves was harassment.

 

You declined to do anything about this, ie - you did not remove the number from your system despite the fact that this is within your customers rights. Furthermore, your customer again complained about harassment and enquired where to send the letter to stop your phone calls.

 

IMHO, leading on from the very first post in this thread, you should have followed a course of action that prevented your customer from receiving any further phone calls and harassment. However, you did not. Furthermore, you did not do anything when the customer enquired as to where to send the letter requesting you stop telephoning them.

 

For your perusal, I have copied a basic judgement which is more or less the same scenario between you and your customer.

The judge said: "The existence of a debt did not give a lender the right to bombard the debtor with calls.

"In respect of the harassment appeal, the claimant had made it perfectly clear that she had not wanted to speak to the bank, and she had been perfectly entitled to do so.

"Once the bank had phoned a few times, it had been clear that no progress was to be made. Further calls had been futile and should have been stopped.

"The [original] judge had been right to characterise the calls as intimidation and they had been wholly unjustified."

 

In light of the above and the fact that Brighthouse has not followed a course of action in order to stop its customer feeling harassed, I am wondering for the sake of good customer relations whether you will make a compensatory payment / deduction of money from agreement, to your customer in respect of your failure to stop the harassment?

 

Ideally, you should have stopped telephone calls after your customer had stated it was harassment within the very first post in this thread. However, you did not do this. In addition to this, you again failed to do this despite the customer being more clearer in his wishes and asking where to send the letter.

 

IMHO, you have failed to meet the rights of your customer. For the sake of good customer relations it would be nice if Brighthouse take into account that they were wrong and offer money off the customers agreement in light of the lack of action followed by Brighthouse after the very first harassment complaint.

 

Regards.

[Guest Ann-Marie at BrightHouse]

Hello,

 

Thank you for your response and clarification.

 

Now, turning to another matter: telephone calls / harassment.

 

Within the very first post of this thread, the OP / your customer stated that they felt the amount of phone calls they were receiving from yourselves was harassment.

 

You declined to do anything about this, ie - you did not remove the number from your system despite the fact that this is within your customers rights. Furthermore, your customer again complained about harassment and enquired where to send the letter to stop your phone calls.

 

IMHO, leading on from the very first post in this thread, you should have followed a course of action that prevented your customer from receiving any further phone calls and harassment. However, you did not. Furthermore, you did not do anything when the customer enquired as to where to send the letter requesting you stop telephoning them.

 

For your perusal, I have copied a basic judgement which is more or less the same scenario between you and your customer.

 

 

In light of the above and the fact that Brighthouse has not followed a course of action in order to stop its customer feeling harassed, I am wondering for the sake of good customer relations whether you will make a compensatory payment / deduction of money from agreement, to your customer in respect of your failure to stop the harassment?

 

Ideally, you should have stopped telephone calls after your customer had stated it was harassment within the very first post in this thread. However, you did not do this. In addition to this, you again failed to do this despite the customer being more clearer in his wishes and asking where to send the letter.

 

IMHO, you have failed to meet the rights of your customer. For the sake of good customer relations it would be nice if Brighthouse take into account that they were wrong and offer money off the customers agreement in light of the lack of action followed by Brighthouse after the very first harassment complaint.

 

Regards.

 

Good Afternoon

 

Thank you for responding to my post.

 

As I am sure you can appreciate, if the customer has not been in contact with us, we are unable to make any amendments to the account.

 

As mentioned in the first post, If grahamroo contacts our Customer Relations Department on 0800 526069 quoting reference F0701171, we will have this done for him.

 

Kind Regards

 

Ann-Marie

 

Web Relations Representative

[veganite]

Hello,

 

Thank you again for your response. Apologies, my mistake, I wrongly assumed that the customer had contacted yourselves.

 

Nevertheless, the calls should simply not have been made in the first instance. The number of calls made is totally unacceptable and shows a disregard for the customers rights. It should not take a customer to notify yourselves that your phone calls are tantamount to that of harassment. That in itself is obvious.

 

In light of that, I feel that Brighthouse should offer its customer here money off their agreement in respect of the amount of calls the customer has received. Whether the customer had contacted you or not, the calls should simply not have been made in the first place.

 

The customer should not have received the amount of phone calls they have already received and I feel that Brighthouse needs to make amends to their failings in this area - possibly money off the agreement. It is irrelevant that the customer has not contacted you and therefore you can not remove their number, what is relevant is that this problem should not have happened in the first instance.

 

In light of the failure by Brighthouse, I am wondering whether Brighthouse will provide its customer with money off the agreement for the sake of good customer relations, since the amount of phone calls should never have happened in the first place.

 

Regards

[geoffthechef]

People would do well to notice the avoidance of well founded questions on this thread by the company representatives.. Do not engage with these people until you know your rights...

[grahamroo]

letters have been sent to my local branch and head office regarding complaints and the way that i want to move forward, and i have requested a subject access request as far as the opening step to reclaiming OSC goes. the level of calls i have had borderline ridiculous and in any other walk of life a person making that level of unwanted phone calls would get a visit from the police.

 

I have been able to arrange replacing my sofa by the end of this week so they can collect at a time which is convenient to me, then all i have left is 2 items which will be paid by the end of December. Its a shame it has taken me this long to see what a crooked regime is run by BH and the way they try manipulate people.

 

Thanks to all posters for the advice so far, this time last week i had no clue of how to try to tackle BH, the battle isn't over yet but a least i feel better equipped in fighting my corner. Il post any responses i get in the coming days.

[renegadeimp]

Graham, as weve said before, please log all contact with them, and also read up on the 2 court cases regarding the harassment side of things.

[grahamroo]

everything i have logged since last Thursday. 5 calls Thursday and one visit, 6 calls Friday and a whopping 9 calls Saturday which one was taken by my wife and reduced her to tears. Today unplugged house phone and switched off mobile all day so dreading the missed call count when i switch back on.

[renegadeimp]

Make sure you read up on those court cases. i would also advise you contact their head office and record the call as well, just so the BH rep cant try and shrug you off as you never contacted them.

[veganite]

hi geoff, in all fairness to Brighthouse, their rep Ann-marie has taken time to answer questions posed in this thread.

 

grahamroo - i hope that things get sorted out for you quickly. renegadeimp has given you good advice.

[grahamroo]

progress report so far..

 

I sent a letter to my local store Monday where i offered a payment plan of 20 pound a week

to pay into the arrears less Dlc OLc until my first benefit payment next Saturday 14th June

then i can pay fortnightly amounts plus the 20 towards my arrears,

 

i thought that was a reasonable offer. and asked for no more phone calls

and to remove my telephone number from database and asked for written communication only

and asked for confirmation of that.

 

Now i stand at Friday,

10 missed mobile phone calls on Thursday, a

nd a NOTE posted through my letter box today whilst i was out at my childrens school

telling me to ring before 1pm today? and no written communication from BH at all.

 

kind of at a loss to be honest,

 

do i just stick to my original plan or ring and probably get wound up again?

[dx100uk]

no you don't phone them

 

pay what you say and stick to it.

 

they cant get blood out of a stone.

 

you don't NEED their permission to start the plan

 

dx