A Wolverhampton Carpet firm has been ordered to pay compensation to an homeowner following damage to his house during carpet fitting. Wolverhampton Carpets Ltd, trading as United Carpets Ltd. and Beds, were ordered by the County Court of Wolverhampton, sitting on 25 April 2007, to pay damages of £2097.38 plus costs, after their defence was struck out. The firm employed a subcontractor to fit carpets ordered in store in early 2006. However, the fitter, a Mr D. Jolley, caused extensive damage to the newly decorated property of the customer, who wishes to remain anonymous. When he was then refused payment of the fitting charge until the damage was rectified, Mr Jolley became aggressive and shouted racial abuse at the customer. United Carpets sought to deny responsibility, arguing that the carpet fitter's insurance needed to meet the cost of the repairs. However, Mr Jolley failed after several months to file a claim to his insurance. The claim of the homeowner was filed to the County Court of Wolverhampton under the common law of privity of contract. The contract between United Carpets and the customer included carpet fitting charges and the customer did not contract directly with the fitter. United Carpets, like many other carpet retailers, employ subcontracted fitters for a fixed fee. The court ordered that United Carpets should pay the repair costs claimed by the homeowner. In the past, other news of a United Carpets employee harassing customers has hit headlines in Manchester (Mum's fury after shop abuse - News - Manchester Evening News). --------------- Very abused but satisfied for these news. Please disseminate as all major carpet retailers work with subcontractors.

Jamesrap, Louis Wu many thanks for your support and indications. Will move the post asap. Sal.

Just wanted to write about some recent experiences with HFC Bank/Beneficial Finance. Having had 2 accounts for credit taken through Curry's superstore recently, I continue to be harassed by these people despite always paying on time and paying off within the interest free period (no dount to their displeasure). Today I have recorded a telephone conversation. After receiving a worrying letter saying they needed to talk to me about the account (without any account number) I started the call stating that I didn't want to participate in a marketing call. A woman from Wolverhampton branch of Beneficial Finance (HFC bank) promised it was not a marketing call and saind that she was an Account Manager. During the call it soon became evident that: - she knew nothing of my account including the amount of payments I was making. - It was a marketing call: She was interested only in selling me another loan that was not interest free. - She would not send me information in writing about the payments made after claiming I was paying less than I actually am. Most worring about all this is that when I recently reached the final interest free month of another account for the same store and same bank, Beneficial Finance/HFC started sending out incorrect statments claiming I was in arrears and also reporting payments I had never made and retracted payments that did not exist, threatening exorbitant charges if I did not pay up, despite not being in arrears at all. The excuses each time are impressive and misleading ("need to discuss something in relation to your account", "probelms with your account" etc etc). I always just tell them to write but find the phone calls and letters harassing and distressful. Clearly this interest-free account sold by Currys from HFC is just a cover for selling consolidation loans for people who cannot keep up payments on their store purchases. But having had confirmation of this too late, my main question is: Can anyone advise of legal action that can be taken in this instance for the mismanagement of my account records and harassing behaviour of the bank? Regards Salvatore Fiore