Champion soccer debt

[CH1993]

Hi

 

Joined a 5 a side league with Champion Soccer a few months ago with a group of friends.

We played a few weeks

 

 

because of friends working shifts they would be called into work at short notice so was hard to always make the games.

I decided as I was the manager they were pestering, to inform them we would be leaving the league as I couldn't guarantee the teams commitment due to circumstances out of my control.

 

They told me we wouldn't be able to leave the league until they find a replacement team, which I find ridiculous as they can just not bother and send a massive bill to you by the end of the season!

 

I ticked an agreement at the start of the application to say I would pay the fixtures for the season, but have not signed nothing therefore cannot prove I ticked it.

 

I have recently looked at the league and noticed teams with different names to when we started which makes me think they have found replacements and not informing me.

 

I have recently received a letter insisting they will be going to the county court to claim the debt (£416) and it has me worried.

 

 

I have seen other posts on the website but none have came to a conclusion?

 

 

I'm tempted to try my luck and ignore them?

 

 

Anyone have any info, would be great.. or if you need to know more info I will share.

 

Thanks

[dx100uk]

yep guessed right

they never go anywhere near a court.....

if you read the letter carefully, they don't say will anywhere...

 

safe to say, even though we've never seen any DCA involvement...

 

if they do pass it to a DCA.

just remember a DCA has NO LEGAL POWERS whatsoever.

they are NOT BAILIFFS

[CH1993]

Thanks, that's what I needed some reassurance.

 

Have you heard from anybody on here that have had a similar issue with a conclusion/closure?

 

I have emailed the guy who we originally started with and gave him notice of us leaving, and also followed it up a few weeks later with another email stating I have not heard from you and tried calling so assume the issue has been resolved to which he didn't reply again.

 

Again, thanks for any help.

[dx100uk]

don't think any of these soccer threads they've ever bothered to comeback

9/10 that's means it simply died a death

they cant do anything to you

[dx100uk]

Anything come of this? I have received a letter saying they will take me to court.

 

Any help would be great, thanks

 

 

no you haven't read the letter PROPERLY

it does not say WILL anywhere!!

 

 

dx

[TJ1990]

I had a similar thing, hounded by letters and phone calls. I sent them the attached letter and never heard from them again.

 

 

They had said in the letters that I signed a legally binding contract but all I filled in was the application form with team name etc.

champion soccer(1).pdf

[CH1993]

You're right dx, I've looked at the letter again and it only says "you now leave us with no alternative but to make an application to the Northampton County Court"

 

The deadline is tomorrow, do you believe it is all just scarce tactics/load of tripe?

[CH1993]

Same, I ticked something along with my application "I accept full responsibility on behalf of my team to fulfil and pay for fixtures as required and agree to abide by the rules of the competition"

 

But on the form I also made a point of highlighting my friends work shifts and because it was summer we could be away and miss fixtures. If they wasn't happy with that then surely they should of told me.

 

Also, they didn't enforce the rules i.e teams would play with no shin pads, not correct footwear which is part of there "rules"

 

Thank you again for this, has really eased my mind from worry, with Christmas around the corner I could not afford £400+

[steampowered]

Hello and welcome to the CAG

 

If you would like to receive detailed input, it would be helpful if you could post a copy (or type out the main bits) of the letter you received from the club.

 

I think sending them a short formal response similar to TJ1990's letter is a very good idea. The key point is that you deny liability and ask them to prove it - ask them to provide a signed copy of the T&Cs they are relying on and ask them to provide a full explanation of the amount they are claiming. If they can't substantiate their claim they might go away.

 

I personally think responding is a better approach than ignoring them. Most of the DCAs rely on people simply rolling over, they might be more likely to issue a court claim if they think you won't bother defending it as that gives them an easy default judgment. Also it will look bad if they issue a claim without providing the reasonable evidence you have asked for - they might not be able to provide this evidence.

[CH1993]

The last letter I received reads..

 

"Despite written and verbal correspondence from champion soccer the above debt remains unpaid.

 

You now leave us with no alternative but to make an application to the Northampton County Court to recover the amount. Please be aware that in the likely event of our application being successful you will be liable for the court costs, in addition to your credit rating being negatively affected.

 

Our application will be made on Tuesday 18th October 2016 without any further warning, unless we hear from you before 4pm on this date"

 

This is from the company champion soccer, not from any DCA's

[steampowered]

Thanks for posting that up. In that case I would definitely suggest sending a short response along the lines suggested in my previous post, before tomorrow. That way they know you are going to fight it and that they won't be handed an easy win through a default undefended judgment, that might be enough to put them off.

[ninja88uk]

Did you hear back from them after sending that letter? I've had the same letter (smaller amount however)

[dx100uk]

IGNORE THEM

 

 

start a new thread

of your OWN

 

 

dx

[CH1993]

Like DX states I have chosen to ignore them. I was getting the general impression that what everyone else was doing.

 

I thought if I sent them a letter it's sort of acknowledging the debt to them, and admitting where you live and name and so on.

 

When was you in the league with champion soccer? What letters have you received?

 

It is still early days but I'm hoping to never hear from them again!!!

[ninja88uk]

Hello.

 

Yeah, I took DX's advice and just ignored them.

 

I've received exactly the same letter as you but for an amount under £100 and my 'deadline' was recently up. So time will tell if I hear any more - I'll let you know if I do. If you could let me know if you hear anything further that would be great.

 

Cheers.

[CH1993]

When was you part of the league? Ours was this summer, I think it ended last month (October)

 

Does anybody know how long it takes to process a county court claim i.e how long is it likely to take to receive a letter from them, if it was to happen?

 

I'll keep you posted if anything happens, as I said it's still early days.

[ninja88uk]

Ours finished in September I think.

[earthzebra3]

I got a

 

"Despite written and verbal correspondence from champion soccer the above debt remains unpaid.

 

You now leave us with no alternative but to make an application to the Northampton county courticon to recover the amount. Please be aware that in the likely event of our application being successful you will be liable for the court costs, in addition to your credit rating being negatively affected.

 

Our application will be made on xxx 2016 without any further warning, unless we hear from you before 4pm on this date"

 

letter today.

 

Has this ever gone anywhere with anyone?

 

Thanks

[ninja88uk]

I got a

 

"Despite written and verbal correspondence from champion soccer the above debt remains unpaid.

 

You now leave us with no alternative but to make an application to the Northampton county courticon to recover the amount. Please be aware that in the likely event of our application being successful you will be liable for the court costs, in addition to your credit rating being negatively affected.

 

Our application will be made on xxx 2016 without any further warning, unless we hear from you before 4pm on this date"

 

letter today.

 

Has this ever gone anywhere with anyone?

 

Thanks

 

Nope. Heard nothing since mine.

[dx100uk]

I got a

 

"Despite written and verbal correspondence from champion soccer the above debt remains unpaid.

 

You now leave us with no alternative but to make an application to the Northampton county courticon to recover the amount. Please be aware that in the likely event of our application being successful you will be liable for the court costs, in addition to your credit rating being negatively affected.

 

Our application will be made on xxx 2016 without any further warning, unless we hear from you before 4pm on this date"

 

letter today.

 

Has this ever gone anywhere with anyone?

 

Thanks

 

 

can you scan it up please to PDF?

[ericsbrother]

another question to consider would be were the variations of the contract enough to allow either side perform to original contract? i would suggest not. If they cant enforce certain things like safety elements then the whole thing isnt being done and they cant now claim that you have to pay them for your breaches when they have broken it.

[jason452]

Like DX states I have chosen to ignore them. I was getting the general impression that what everyone else was doing.

 

I thought if I sent them a letter it's sort of acknowledging the debt to them, and admitting where you live and name and so on.

 

When was you in the league with champion soccer? What letters have you received?

 

It is still early days but I'm hoping to never hear from them again!!!

 

Hi mate have you heard anything since choosing to ignore them? I am in a similar situation.

[dx100uk]

always best to start a new thread?

of you own too.

 

 

but yes ignore

[CH1993]

Hi, sorry for the late..ish reply.

 

I have not heard anything back from them since starting this thread in October.

 

When did your leagues start and finish?

[jason452]

It started in October and is finishing in March. My team have played the first 10 games and cannot carry on. They are charging me for the remaining fixtures as i let them know i could not play due to players having work commitments etc. I have not received a letter saying about making an application to county court yet but i was just curious to find out what will happen if I ignore the letters i have already received. They have already sent me fines and i am yet to reply as i am choosing to ignore them. How can they prove who i am? Personally i think its a scare tactic?

 

thanks