One other thing i have just noticed - Sky took over my line rental on 14th April 2010 but BT are charging me until April 30th. This is in addition to the cancellation charge. Do you think it's worth me trying to query this, or will BT just say they always do it to the end of the month.

Many thanks for that Buzby. I have now moved everything to Sky and don't want to risk my line being disconnected and having to sign up to another 12 month contract with BT, so i'm going to pay in full. I do think that BT have acted quite badly in all this - they sent me many threatening letters and final demands for differing amounts - i had to write to them to request an actual bill. When they finally sent me the bill they added a 'late payment' charge on even though they knew it was the first bill they had sent. They have been harrassing me on my mobile phone, constantly ringing me no matter how many times i cut the call off as i am not allowed to take personal calls whilst at work. Thanks again for your advice and letting me get it off my chest - i think i'll tell as many people as possible that Sky line rental is cheaper than BT - hit him where it hurts, in the pocket ;-) Kind regards.

Many thanks for your reply - was very comprehensive. One thing i forgot to mention - although i was originally on the free weekend calls package - i moved my calling plan to Sky months before i moved my line rental. BT continued to charge me for the calling plan, meaning i was paying both Sky & BT for this, i can never log on to my online account with BT so wasn't fully aware i was being double charged - was it my responsibility to notify them or Sky's? Does the date i moved my calling plan to Sky have any bearing on the contract or shall i just pay in full and get on with my life? I am going to complain either way - they have already ignored my first request for their complaints procedure. Many thanks again.

After months of poor service, overcharging and getting nowhere with BT i moved my line rental to Sky. BT are now harrassing me by phone and letter demanding advance charges as i was 'in contract' when i moved and threatening to pass on to their external debt collection agency even though i am trying to communicate with them. I argued that i wasn't in contract and finally got the response that the 12 month contract automatically renews unless cancelled. I thought that under contract law a contract could only be renewed by 'positive action' and that silence was not acceptable. My questions are: Is the contract enforceable meaning i have to pay these advance charges? Can the debt be passed to an external collection agency and be enforced? Many thanks in advance for help & advice.

Many thanks for your all of your replies. To update, in February I sent off the signed direct debit mandate to the council to take payment from my bank account. I received a letter in return saying it was too late in the year for them to take this years council tax in direct debits but that they would use the details for next years amount (first payment has come out of my bank account). I went into the council offices to pay some of the balance in cash and to ensure that any proposed further action was halted. The council officer and her supervisor told me to pay half of the o/s balance by 31st March and they would add the remainder onto this years instalments. I paid over half of the balance on the 24th March and confirmed with the council officer that the rest would be added to this years instalments. Surprise, surprise, yesterday i received a court summons for the o/s balance and court costs!! To make it worse it is at Fleetwood court which is miles away meaning i will have to take the afternoon off work. I am sending a strong letter to Blackpool council as complaint in the meantime. If i do have to attend court will i be able to claim for my loss of earnings, or at least for my travel / parking costs?

Hello all, just wanted to check something with you. My friend joined a gym on a 12 month membership, 3 months in he gave a month's notice as he was going abroad for 9 months. He has now come back to various letters demanding payment for the whole 12 months - the latest being from a 'firm of solicitors'. I have the template letter for 'not acknowledging debt to your company, enclosed is £1 for CCA...etc' Please could you tell me if this is the correct letter to use, or is it different as it is solicitors now involved. Many thanks in advance for advice.

Many thanks for your reply - i sent my last letter direct to the Chief Executives Office - it was them who failed to send the complaints procedure!

Hello all. In August 2009 i was sent an incorrect council tax bill (didn't take into account the property was unoccupied), i immediately queried the bill via email - when i heard nothing i assumed the council had realised their error. In November 2009 i was sent a reminder notice telling me i had to pay. I then wrote to Blackpool Council querying the bill again. They apologised for me not receiving their reply email (which wasn't sent to me!) and told me the bill was correct, though they gave no breakdown of how the charges were arrived at, or even enclosing the payment slip part. In December 2009 i received yet another reminder letter, so i again wrote to the council this time asking for a copy of their complaints procedure. They refused to send me their complaints procedure but said if it would help they would postpone payment until January. I was not asking for time to pay, merely a breakdown of how the charges were arrived at. I have now received a final notice giving me seven days to pay (again, no payment slips enclosed) before they commence legal action and add further costs on. I guess my questions are: 1) How can i get them to send a detailed bill 2) How can i get their complaints procedure 3) Can i charge the council for any legal costs incurred in a court date Any advice will be gratefully received as i cannot get any sense or help from the council. Many thanks in advance.

Hello all. I received a parking fine today for parking in a marked bay in the street over the allotted time. The plate said two hours - i was ticketed for being ten minutes over. The penalty notice had all the correct details, registration, tax disc etc, but next to colour it said 'other' I drive a Ford Focus, which is a very popular car, and it's a standard factory colour. My question is, is it worth contesting on this minor point or shall i just bite the bullet and hand payment over to them? Many thanks in advance for any advice / suggestions.

Hello all. Sent the CCA request to dlc with a £1 cheque, got the following reply today: "Thank you for your letter dated 30 July 2008 regarding the above account. I can confirm and advise the following: 1. Hillesden Securities T/A direct legal & collections are an agency collecting on behalf of our client, Orange Personal Communications Limited. 2. Your request for information under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is required to be made to the original client - Orange PC Ltd. 3. Please note that mobile phones are not covered under the Consumer Credit Act 1974; therefore there will be no contract available for this account. 4. We have removed your contact telephone number from our records and will continue to pursue you through written communication only. 5. Please note that if you do not keep a regular dialogue with us regarding this account and update us accordingly, our guidance from the Information Commissioner states that we are entitled to re-instate your contact telephone number to continue collection activity on the account when required. Further to the above, please find enclosed the £1 cheque received for your Consumer Credit Act 1974 request. ================================================== How should i respond to this letter? All advice greatfully received, many thanks in advance.

Hello again. Sent above letter to dlc. Received reply on 10th July enclosing internal complaints procedure, and stating "I have also referred to our client for the information you require and will contact you again on receipt of their reply". Received another threatening letter in the meantime, threatening to send an agent to my address to collect payment. Today received another reply dated 10th July referring to letter dated 10th July! quoting Orange as saying "We are unable to provide copies of the agreement as Orange contracts are paperless". "Please forward payment of £424.84 within the next seven days or we may have no alternative but to take further action against you for recovery of the same". They are also ringing constantly, but thanks to caller ID i know it's them. As always all comments greatfully received, many thanks in advance.

Hiya guys. Sent the above letter recorded delivery, received this reply from dlc today: Date: 30 June 2008 Client: Orange Personal Communications Ltd Blanace Outstanding: £428.84 You have failed to make payment or respond to our letters. Whilst our client, Orange..., has every right under your contract to commence legal action, we are able to offer you a final opportunity to settle this matter. We can accept £321.63 to settle your account in full. This offer is available providing that payment is made within 7 days from the date of this letter. To take advantage of this offer, you should contact us on 0870 7469048 today. You should be aware that unless this balance is paid, this debt will remain on your credit file for 6 years. Yours sincerely, Jason Reeve Team Leader ============================================ As always, many thanks in advance for advice given

Well hello all, i am back again! I thought Orange had seen sense, but have now received a letter from direct legal & collections: "We have been instructed by our client to obtain immediate payment of the balance outstanding. A default may have been registered against your credit file with a credit reference agency. This could affect your ability to obtain future credit if payment is not made. You must telephone us immediately on 0870 7469048 to make payment of £428.84. Failure to respond to this letter may result in legal action." Moorcroft were chasing a balance of £166.70 - not sure where the other £260 has come from. Do i have to start all over again, sending dlc a £1 cheque requesting a CCA, and go through the same procedure, or is there any way i can put a halt to this? I keep getting missed calls on my phone from a witheld number, as well as these threatening letters. I do not owe Orange any money and this is getting ridiculous. As before all advice is gratefully received. Many thanks in advance.

Result - Moorcroft have finally seen sense! Got two letters today, both saying they are unable to provide signed CCA, so are closing the account & passing it back to Orange. A big thank you to everyone who gave advice. Another victory for the forum

Unbelievable - this is Moorcroft's response: "I am disappointed to note that despite our letters and attempted personal calls by our local representative no satisfactory agreement has been reached regarding the balance outstanding of £166.70 on the above account. In one last effort to come to an arrangement to prevent more serious action being taken we will be prepared to accept repayment by instalments of £10.00 per month. A Post Office paying in slip is attached to enable you to make your first payment. On receipt of this payment we will forward further slips to you. Unless a payment is received by 10.00am on 06/03/2008 we may recommend court proceedings to be commenced against you without further notice. Such action could incur you in further costs and may also affect your future credit rating. It is therefore in your best interests to give this matter your immediate attention. Alternatively you can pay using a debit or credit card by telephoning the above number." I now want to report moorcroft to the relevant authorities, if anyone has a template i could use, or advice on wording, i would be very grateful. Many thanks in advance.