Advice about a Business Payment….

September 3rd, 2013

Hi, im wondering whether anyone on here knows any legal advice about Payments etc?
Thing is my Girlfriend pays £60 a Month, which is a Years contract, to New ID Studios which is Photoshoot Company.
Anyway, she started that in January 2011 and ends January 2012, she’s never had any problems at all with payments over the Months, but then o2 took out an absurd £700 from her Bank which she had no clue about at first, but then o2 contacted her about it and apologised and said it shouldn’t of happened etc, but that £700 made her Overdrawn.
Luckly her main payments got taken out just before o2’s £700 so they got paid, but the one to New ID Studios didnt get paid, my Girlfriend didnt know about this at first and because of the other payments getting paid she thought the £60 did aswell and as she had no phonecall or email saying otherwise, but then awhile after her Sister rang her saying she had a Letter sent out saying a payment was missed and that she owed £450 because of it, well because my Girlfriend doesnt live at that address anymore she emailed New ID and stated for them to change the address on there systems to her new address, but she had no reply from them, she also emailed them again stating about the payment, but again no reply.
Anyway, shes 19 years old, all the money she makes from working crazy hours every day goes towards her bills, she has no life at 19 now so you can understand how she found it a little hard to get £450 just like that!
Then she received yet another call from her Sister saying yet another Letter was sent out (to her previous address which she asked to have changed) saying that the payment now went to £750!!!
All of this because of o2’s mistake of taking out £700 when they shouldn’t of, causing her to be Overdrawn and causing the payment not to be paid, and because she couldn’t get the £450 in such a short amount of time, they upped it to £750, which I personally think is ridiculous!
Basically we’d like to know if she has to pay that £750, and if o2 has to help in any way regarding this as it is all there fault in the first place…
and to make it clear that New ID actually had my Girlfriends number and email address, so I dont see why they couldnt of rang or emailed her to make it more faster and direct, instead of sending a Letter, twice, to the wrong address!
The Payment was missed in October but she only found out about it at the end of October because for 1) they sent a Letter instead of calling/emailing, and 2) is the fact that she dont get on with her family, which the Letter was sent to in the first place, hence why she emailed asking to change the address, which they ignored the email and didnt change the address.
She then tried getting £450 but as she only had a couple of Weeks… it wasnt happening! then it bumped to £750 at the end of November, and it isn’t even the ‘Xmas Crunch’ thats causing her not to have the money, its the fact that she pays £590 a Month for Rent (which she cant get out of until January until she finds a more cheaper place), £73 a Month for her Mobile, £12 a Fortnight for a TV Licence even though she havent got a TV anymore as she had to sell it to get money for Bills but cant get out of it, plus £50 a Month to o2 to pay off an old Contract, plus she has to pay for Food, plus the £60 a Month to New ID Studios… all this by working in a H&M Store sorting stock and serving people, so as you can imagine, it isn’t easy to get hundreds of pounds that easy!!
If anyone on this Website can advice us on anything then it would be greatly appreciated! she’s even had to go to the Doctors because of stress which aint good! just want to know whether she HAS to pay that crazy amount just because of o2, and whether o2 has to help in any way regarding it, or whether New ID are in any way to blame also for taking the ‘long way’ around things and not replying to emails, and to state aswell that I emailed them myself and have still had no reply, I emailed 3-4 different New ID Studios email address and have had no reply from any of them!!
I seriously think they are trying to mess with people, sending Letters to wrong addresses, not calling or emailing which would of been alot faster and direct, ignoring emails, bumping money up to crazy amounts, the £450 just for a missed payment was mad, it wouldnt of even been MISSED if they had contacted her straight away, if they did ring/email her straight away then she could of easily went to her Bank and sorted it straight away! but they didnt, they sent a Letter out awhile after saying she owed £450, and now only a few Weeks after its gone to £750!
So yes, any info/advice would be great!!
thanks alot.

Answer #1
It’s O2’s fault.
She should be covered under the Direct Debit mandate. They are legally obliged to make good any sufferance caused, although this won’t affect any negative comments on her credit file.
Contact O2 and the bank. Send any creditors letters explaining what is happening, and for them to freeze any interest that is accruing. It happens all the time.
Do not send e-mails, send letters, and use the phone. Go to the bank in person.
Answer #2
Ok wicked!! so SHE hasn’t got to fork out the £750 to pay New ID Studios?
i’ve told her to go to the o2 Store and ask to talk to someone about this, and told her to go into her Bank and tell them aswell,
also told her to get any Statements from the Bank showing that o2 took out the £700 (as proof obviously)
I did contact o2 myself aswell via the Online Chat and they said to ring them and I asked whether they’d do anything regarding ‘helping out’ because of there mistake,
and the guy said ‘they might be able to help’ which didnt sound to reassuring really.
But thanks alot for the reply, she’s just read it now so hopefully tomorrow (if she isn’t working ALL day) she can start and get it sorted.

 

| Sitemap |