A bunch of shysters

[Over The Hill]

My broadband provider TOPLETTER.COM recently sent me a letter saying they had a computer error and had not taken 11 of the last 12 monthly payments and I owed them £186.89.

I was made redundant six months ago and get nothing in the way of support. I wrote back and offered to double the monthly rate they take until it is clear. In my circumstances I thought this was reasonable. They phoned me up and said "cant I do it over a shorter period". I explained my situation and that I have no money and they said they would get back to me.

Today I have just had a Notice Before Proceedings to take me to court unless I pay it all within seven days.

Is it me or are they being unreasonable?

I am now stuck with a dilemma that they probably can suspend my service which will lose me my email address (which I cant allow as it may lose me a job offer or something).

So I am really stuck with having to find the money and paying it.

Any other suggistions?

 

[snakehips]

As it was their error this seems rather unreasonable.
Could you not access your email from a local library ?

 

[dellzeqq]

Well, in reverse order, I'd set up a yahoo account, and forward any e-mail that you want to keep to that e-mail account. Then I'd e-mail all the people on your address book, or any (such as prospective employers) and say something like 'my Topletter address is subject to spam attack, and I've taken refuge in this yahoo address'. There is, by the way, no reason why you shouldn't have a number of yahoo addresses - and you can log in to them from anywhere.

I'd then go to BT and get a combined phone and broadband deal.

And then I'd zip (and I mean zip) down to the CAB with the letter. There are other people on this forum with far more expertise than me, but I believe that if you've made a reasonable offer then the people pursuing you take you to court at their risk. But don't take that as gospel - get down to the CAB today, because getting a CCJ doesn't look good on your credit history.

 

[Bollo]

B^&stards!

Go to the Citizens' Advice. They're usually pretty good on this type of thing.

Good luck with it.

 

[swee'pea99]

+1 to BASTARDS!, & +1 to Citizens Advice.

CAB are the people who can tell you where you really stand, but I'd have thought Topletter would get pretty short shrift from the average magistrate, especially when a) you've already made what most would view as a reasonable offer, and it was their error that brought about this situation in the first place.

 

[Headgardener]

As far as I can see it's their mistake and you don't owe them anything but by offering to try and resolve the problem you haven't been seen as ignoring the issue. As others have already mentioned the best option is to go to your local CAB and have a word with them. Good luck, some companys will try and blame anybody but themselves for their cockups.

 

[coco2]

Stick it out. OTH..it sounds like they're a bunch of chancers.....

 

[oxbob]

Try leaving AOHELL, took 5 months to stop them taking a DD from my bank account!

 

[another_dave_b]

Sounds like your ISP is being unreasonable.

Other than the CAB, it might be worthwhile contacting OfCom, and telling your ISP that you will be contacting OfCom.

(I had a friend who was being stalled on a holiday insurance claim. Once he told them he was going to report them to the Insurance Ombudsman, the story changed.)

But if it comes to court, I'd expect the magistrate to side with you. You've been as reasonable as anyone could expect.

 

[Over The Hill]

Thanks for all the advice.
I phoned them up again and got onto the boss who has agreed to my offer to spread it over a longer period. Still can believe how shi**y they were.
Shout from the rooftops - Dont use topletter.