Flexi Pay Problem

[Midsomer Madness]

:devil: I purchased an item on 3 flexi pay in April. The first 2 payments were successfully taken. Unfortunately I lost my debit card whilst on holiday, came home and cancelled the card and received a new one. I had totally forgetten I had a flexi payment outstanding. Last week I received a really threatening letter from IW saying that despite their contacting me previously a second attempt to take the payment had failed and they were charging me £10 admin fee and would attempt to take the payment again on 3rd July (today) so I must update my payment details.

Firstly I had never received any previous correspondence from them about this problem, secondly I went to log on to my account so my payment details should be updated, only to find they had locked my account. I tried to ring CS but really take offence at calling a 10p a minute number only for nobody to answer and to forced to listen to music for an unspecified amount of time.

I therefore emailed them giving them my mobile number and asking them to either ring me, or unlock my account so that I could log in again to change the details, and advising that I would not be forced into running up a large phone bill and then having to repeat myself 15 times to a CS person who could not speak English! I apologised for the oversight and explained the situation to them.

We all I received from them was a standard email which was exactly the same as the letter I received, so they had obviously not even read the content of my email properly. I have fired off another email to them, reiterating that I will not call their expensive phone number. 3rd July is here and obviously the payment will not be taken, as I have been unable to update my details.

Their letter stated this outstanding amount would be placed in the hands of s debt collection agency after anothe r£10 admin fee had been added if payment was not taken today.

Absolutely disgraceful treatment by IW and even if this matter is sorted out, I will never buy another thing from them.:devil:

 

[madmax]

I am so glad that I wasn't the only one this has happened to.
I did exactly the same as you, why should any one be expected to ring a premium rate number when trying to get this sort of thing sorted.
I think that account blocking is their default reaction to any sort of problem with billing/ flexi pay.
I never did pay the £15.99 or any administration charges, once I failed to get a personal response to my many e mails I just forgot all about it.
It was only reading your post that has reminded me.
As far as I know my account it STILL blocked but as I wouldn't ever buy from them again it is no bother to me.
I hope you manage to get this sorted soon as it is not nice having this sort of thing hanging over you.
Good luck

 

[Haggismuncher]

Its a pretty shocking way to treat loyal customers. Thats just one of the reasons why i no longer shop with them.

 

[cheesecake]

To be fair to IW, it was your fault. As for refusing to ring their 10p a min line, well you decided to deal with them in the first place, so you should be prepared to use all their services the same, you knew the score when you ordered. When you enter into the flexi pay agreement you are entering a contract and IW have every right to be shitty with you if you dont take steps to ensure their payment and YOUR end of the contract is fulfilled, we all hear people bitching on here when THEY dont fulfill their end, time and time again.
I am the first to slag IW and I would never order from them, yes, their CS is frustrating and unfair and extremely bad to say the least, but you were given fair warning. I think you are lucky your bank didnt sting you as well for bouncing a payment. If you dont like their 10p a min call centre then take your business elsewhere to be frank. I know it wasnt a deliberate attempt to miss a flexi pay but how do they know that? They are a huge company with strict proceedures to follow. Refusing to pay and ring them and sort this out at your (minimal) expense will most likely cost you a bad credit mark. Sorry if that sounds harsh, IW get beaten enough for real reasons, this I dont feel is one of them.

 

[Midsomer Madness]

And you of course are entitled to your opinion..as I am to mine....they are quick enough to use my email address to contact me when they want to flog me their offers so why could they not have used it to contact me about this problem..much quicker and easier than using Royal Mail (2nd class of course)..their letter to me was threatening, when it was the first I had heard of the problem, if they want to ensure customers get their correspondence they should send things recorded delivery. Plus they told me to log on and change my card details, but when I attempted to do so they had blocked my account

 

[Swankypants]

I can understand the problem on this if it was a debit card. I only recently discovered that some payments are dependent on the long number across the middle of the card. So when you lose your card and they send you another with a different number on, this will affect payments on a 'recurring debit' theme [as opposed to a direct debit]. I always presumed that as long as my account number was the same on my debit card I would be ok but this is not the case.

I set up my car insurance online and discovered it was a 'recurring debit' when I, too, had to have a new card. Luckily I was with the Post Office and they explained this to me and I didn't lose out as a result.

I don't think it is entirely your fault. I agree that having a premium rate number staffed by people who don't understand you is underhand. Handing it to a debt agency appears to be a lazy default nowadays rather than talking to customers. However, remember: fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

 

[Midsomer Madness]

If IW want to farm out £30 to a DCA then they are more than welcome to..I'll happily send them a cheque...if only they'd let me have their address..however i have no intention of paying them an adminstration fee because I never received their original letter. My argument is I tried to contact them and was left on hold for ages on a premium rate number..I am unemployed now so can't afford to be running up huge phone bills..i emailed them contact details, they've chosen not to use them...ball is in their court! I have spent quite a lot of money with IW over the years, despite late deliveries, non deliveries, shoddy goods and rubbish CS! No more though!

 

[louise66]

I wouldn't patronise IW if it was the only tv shopping channel; the customer service is absolutely appalling, so you shouldn't be surprised at their treatment of you. The reason for the third flexi pay instalment not being taken was obviously your fault, but the way in which IW reacted to it was wrong. QVC certainly would not have behaved in the same way; most likely, they would have contacted you to inform you of their failure to obtain payment and you could sort it out. I would send them a cheque for the final instalment, and close the book on the experience of shopping with such a shambolic and amateurish business. I'm just surprised they are still in business.

 

[Midsomer Madness]

I sent them a cheque today..then this afternoon received an email from them saying they have passed it over to a debt collection agency! Hilarious really...but horses for courses..i've sent the cheque minus the admin fee as they probably owe me that amount in telephone charges!

 

[Haggismuncher]

Well done for sending the cheque Midsomer, im assusming that will be your final ever transaction with these charlatans :happy:

If you miss them, you can always give them a wee :call:

 

[Midsomer Madness]

well I sent the cheque off and its crossed in the post with a letter from them which advises the debt has been passed to a DCA and has gone up from just over £35 to almost £70 because of their charges and that the DCA will add 14% plus VAT to that until I pay it....where is Robin Hood when you need him..that is just plain daylight robbery...they've had what I owe them, will be interesting to see if they cash the cheque...but if they think they can add £30 of charges for sending 1 letter (after all I never received the first one) then they can jolly well sing for their supper as they won't be getting it off me! Take it to court I say..would be interesting to see what a judge says about their extoroniate phone charges and their failure to contact a customer who was willing to pay but couldn't afford the phone calls!

 

[StumpyBloke]

Cases like this absolutely need to go to court. In my opinion, IW are a shower of **** company and their CS is non-existent! They need to know they cannot treat people like this...you know as well as I that there is no way on earth the court would rule in their favour!


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[cheesecake]

I'm afraid, having studied law for years, you will find the courts will favour the company. As for not being able to afford a phone call? well you can afford to shop on a shopping channel for a start off, which as far as I remember don't sell essentials to life such as bread and electricity. If you'd like to play that card they will have you do a budget sheet where you will have to account for every single penny of your income before they will agree you couldnt afford the phone call to resolve the issue. You were warned it would pass to a DCA, you were warned to pay the Admin charges, again, this is all your fault.
When IW or QVC balls up, we are all the first to scream "contract" and "terms and conditions" at them, well, when you buy from them YOU are entering a contract and agree to be bound by their terms, even if that says you have to do XXX and you dont like it, you should have read the small print.

Im sorry to keep banging on with the negative, but people (and me) on here slag these companies for breaching their agreements with us, yet when we just dont LIKE their call charges, or feel its unfair what they did, then we all gang together and oooh and aaah. As for not recieving the letter, you would be advised to take it up with Royal Mail, its their responsibility not IWs to get the letter to you once it has left IW hands.

Just pay the fine, swear about them forever and learn a lesson? Sure take them to court if you like, and WHEN you walk out of there with THEIR costs as well to pay, then Im sure you'll feel a bit of a wally Im sorry to say, you dont have a leg to stand on

 

[StumpyBloke]

But...the OP never received any prior letter, email or phone call alerting her to the problem. Would the courts not take that into consideration for IW's Nazi style behaviour?


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[StumpyBloke]

Im sorry to keep banging on with the negative, but people (and me) on here slag these companies for breaching their agreements with us, yet Sure take them to court if you like, and WHEN you walk out of there with THEIR costs as well to pay, then Im sure you'll feel a bit of a wally Im sorry to say, you dont have a leg to stand on

I respectfully disagree...I don't think it's that clean-cut! Too many reports of shody companies like IW treating customers like something they trod in for the courts to not listen to the customer's side.


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[Midsomer Madness]

I didn't say I'd take them to court! I said let them take it to court and I'd defend it because as the above poster mentioned above and I have mentioned earlier I never received their first letter...had I received it, I would have sent a cheque off immediately...however their threatening letter annoyed me and was out of order. I'm well aware of their terms and conditions, but banks have been put to task for the over excessive charges therefore so should other companies..it does not cost £10 to send a pre-printed letter..and they could have contacted me by email as they have done in the past and I would have rectified the problem as soon as I was aware of it. I know it was my error thank you..and as for your remark about being able to afford something in the first place..have you ever heard of losing your job after you have purchased something and not being entitled to any benefits? A court would rule I would have to pay 1p a week I would think in those circumstances..and those are my circumstances at the present time!

 

[stuartf]

What an unfortunate situation. You now have two problems to deal with IW and the Dept collection company

IW seem to have sold your debt to a collection company. In return the debt collection company will have passed a payment as a % of that debt to IW.

The debt company is a completely separate entity and will not give a damn about any of the circumstances surrounding the debt and unfortunately you will have little choice but to pay them or spend a lot in legal fees and certainly lose. The only exception to this would be if you could prove the debt company used threatening behaviour but that would be a you said/they said situation. The debt company is allowed to add reasonable expenses. What may seem reasonable to you and me is not unreasonable to a business where the costs of sending a letter or making a phone call can easily be argued to be higher than £50 due to staff costs and overheads.

In your position I would settle the amount with the debt collection company or make an offer explaining your situation, either for a reduced amount or a monthly payment plan. Whatever you do act quickly or the expenses added will escalate quickly and quite legally. At this point there is little to be gained by pursuing IW. I really don't think they would recall the action from the debt company. That transaction appears to be done. Unless IW was bluffing. Unlikely

I would then explore options to make a small claims against Ideal World for the amount you have had to pay the collection company (minus the amount you owe). Build a case file with all of the attempts to contact IW. The fact you have sent payment by cheque as soon as you realised, postage costs etc etc. Compile all costs. If you can prove IW acted unreasonably. E.g. Not giving you enough time to remedy the situation then you may have a case

If you proceed there is a reasonable chance that IW will pay up and never let this go to a session in a small claims court. Worst case they will fight you, so be prepared to lose and have more cost. Best case IW will reach a compromise agreement and offer to settle as their costs will be high to attend any proceeding.

Before starting any of this. Check any Terms and Conditions regarding your Flexi Pay purchase on the IW site. I suspect IW have this nicely tied up as they have been in this business for a long time, but you never know. To be perfectly honest and I know you don't want to hear this I think you would lose from a legal standpoint and you may well be advised this professionally (not just by us amateurs!). Your best hope is the compromise agreement on the threat of legal action as I mentioned

On your side is the fact that IW have terrible customer service and you could support this (not prove) with the many comments from this site

If IW cash your cheque that puts you in a very strong position. It says they still have a relationship with you. They cannot do this and pass the debt on. Fingers crossed on this one!

Whatever you do. Take proper advise. Start at the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Hope this helps

Stuart

 

[StumpyBloke]

If IW cash your cheque that puts you in a very strong position. It says they still have a relationship with you. They cannot do this and pass the debt on. Fingers crossed on this one!

This is the clincher! Here's hoping they cash it in then you are back on legal terms with IW!


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[Midsomer Madness]

This is the clincher! Here's hoping they cash it in then you are back on legal terms with IW!


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This is what I'm hoping for...the DCA's introduction letter was super threatening which I know it should not be..I do know how to deal with the numpties that are DCA's and dont' worry about them at all the DCA will be reported to the OFT for their introduction letter as well I will wait and see what IW next move is...

 

[Midsomer Madness]

And I would add as an afterthought..that i don't believe IW have sold the debt, I think the DCA are acting on their behalf..however i will ask them for a Notice of Assignment because I know for a fact they won't have one...but that will make them work for their money a little harder!