5 1/2 years ago i bought a sofa from a catalogue company which turned out to be faulty after 3 months. They offered me a repair but i refused and told them to come and collect it, they refused so i stopped payments,I had made two payments totalling £120, i had to get a solicitor who they ignored and they kept on writing to me directly. They eventually sold the debt on and a collection agency contacted me, i told them the sofa was ready to collect anytime and after a couple more letters they left me alone. Now 2 1/2 years after that, another agency has contacted me wanting payment, i sent the first letter back and have just recieved another from them. The sofa is in the garage wrapped up, can i refuse to pay? Why should i pay for somrthing that is faulty. I'm a single mother on income support and this is starting to keep me awake at night. Can they take any of my possessions?
2007-01-29 01:35:41 · 22 answers · asked by cassiterid 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Sorry guys, i refused the repair as to me it just showed shoddy quality and sofas have to last a long time.
2007-01-29 02:15:25 · update #1
I have had similar problems and can sympathise. I contacted the Consumer Credit Counselling Service which is a free charity run website, they can advise you on how to deal with debts, what your rights are etc. I recommend them highly.
Website:
http://www.cccs.co.uk/
Good Luck, and don't let worrying about it ruin your life....I know it sounds stupid but it's only money. There are more important things to concern yourself with! Good Luck.
2007-01-29 01:52:36 · answer #1 · answered by lululaluau 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was your right to decide you didnt want the sofa if it was faulty, and you let them know that you wanted them to take the sofa back,so you are not in the wrong here.Debt collectors use scare tactics to worry people into paying up,so dont worry.Go to, or ring, citizens advice, take along all letter you have sent and letter recieved, and they should be able to sort this out for you.Good luck
2007-01-29 01:46:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you truly exhausted all other options? If your plans change in the future and you want to return to Canada, you'd face major issues. Also, if you have family still living in Canada, you could risk debt collectors harassing them as well. If the interest rates are exorbitant, you can try calling them and asking for lower rates. You can explain that you won't be able to pay them if they don't drastically lower the interest rates. They're usually somewhat flexible because they'd rather get something over nothing. As for your contact details...they have ways of tracking your information. I've even heard of some places going online to track down details. If you don't want them harassing you then don't get a landline phone, don't have any specific references to your prior life in Canada on any online profiles, and hopefully you haven't left a forwarding mail address when you left Canada. They don't have jurisdiction to come after you physically or charge you with any crimes in the country your currently living in (this is my personal understanding anyway) but it doesn't mean they won't try to find you and contact you via phone and mail if it's a lot of money.
2016-03-29 07:56:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The company i worked for has a debt collection area. One thing they hate is people ignoring their letters. Ring them up as soon as you recieve a letter and explain the sofa was faulty and explain the situation. Otherwise the citizens burea are really really good and they take it upon themselves to actually help you to sort it out.
2007-01-29 01:39:51 · answer #4 · answered by summer nights 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing they can take back is the sofa. If you've offered to surrender it and they refused to take it, they can't take anything else. Their only collateral is the sofa itself. I would suggest you go to a solicitor and tell them. Why did you refuse the original repair? That seems a bit odd. However, you should still be able to surrender the sofa.
2007-01-29 01:42:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You were within your rights to stop paying for the faulty goods. They are just trying it on by passing the 'bad debt' from one company to another. If they really thought they had a case then they would've gone to the small claims court. Don't pay them - just keep reminding them that the debt they've bought is invalid as the goods purchased are unsuitable for purpose. They'll get bored and sell your debt to someone else, and it'll all start again.
2007-01-29 01:39:27 · answer #6 · answered by mark 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The citizens advice bureau is the best agency to advise you. If you have all letters and bills/receipts etc then you shouldn't have a problem. They cannot come into your house either without a policeman being present. So if they arrive the policeman should prevent anything being taken if you have evidence and an explanation. Try not to worry as you haven't done anything wrong.
2007-01-29 01:42:46 · answer #7 · answered by Birdman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignore the Debt Collector, they are just in business to scare the life out of you. Contact the collections department of the catalogue and explain it to them. Then go to your local Citizens advice Bureau and also speak to the local Trading Standards Office at the council. Good luck!
2007-01-29 01:40:41 · answer #8 · answered by voodoobluesman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hopefully you have saved copies of your previous contact with them...what a bummer...
I live in the USA but here they could not come to get our stuff, I went through it with a medical bill once, they finally let it go. They have obviously switched companies and are bringing up all the old notes, I wouldn't pay it...you can just mark the next one no longer lives here...try that...
I actually ended up calling the collectionon peple and said I am not going to pay, I don't care if you try to mess up my credit, will never pay this so take me to court if you want your money, then we will both know you are not ever going to get it...it worked...let em know you would rather go to court than pay them, they won't waste the money....good luck...
2007-01-29 01:49:38 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no they cannot, you should have in the beginning gone to the trading standards office where you live, but you can still go there, but take all the correspondence you have received since you bought the item concerned, and explain the situation to them and they will look into it for you, also go back and see your solicitor for his advice, he may send another letter to them threatning them with court action if they keep on harrassing you,
PS: You can also apply for legal aid, as your on income support, so dont worry, but you must do this as soon as possible, dont delay do it today. Good luck
2007-01-29 02:20:24 · answer #10 · answered by truebrit 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋