Hi Mooreda, yes. Basically - I modified my motorbike so rang Bennett's Ins Brokers to inform them. They told me that my present insurer: Equity Red Star wouldn't insure modified bikes, and I'd have to cancel my policy and take out a new one. I was also informed that there would be a £30 cancellation fee on old the old policy and that they woudn't refund anything for its remaining 4 months. I thought it was bit much and told them so, I felt I was being conned and after some discussion and realising I was going to have to pay this £30 cancellation fee, I told them to go ahead and cancel the policy, but I wouldn't be re- insuring with them. I found another company to insure my bike with and when they were reading out the terms and conditions of the policy they mentioned that the insurer would be:.... Equity Red Star! That more or less confirmed to me that Bennetts had tried to con me into taking out a new policy, or getting £30 out of me for cancellation by giving misleading and false information. The following day a letter arrived demanding the £30 cancellation fee. It was at that point I decided to fight this and not just stump up. I had so obviously been conned by them. I've written to them explaining that I'm contesting the charge and the reasons why, but I'm concerned that they will pass the "debt" to a collection company. I just need to know if they can do that while a fee is being investigated / disputed? Dave

Hi, quick question. I have started a complaint procedure against Bennet's insurance, regarding an unjustifiable cancellation fee. They have sent me an invoice for the money, with threats of giving sending the "debt" on to a collection company. My question is, can they do that whislt the issue is in dispute? Thank for any replaies. Dave

I've just had a similar problem, I did post it on here last night but it seems to have disappeared! I have a motorbike policy with Bennetts. After I'd done some mods on it I rang to inform them, and was told that the insurance co (they said it was Equity red star but I'm sure it was AXA) didn't cover modified bikes, and I'd have to cancel the policy and take out a new one. I asked how much that was going to cost me and they quoted £135 F/C plus a £30 transfer fee. I asked how much I'd get refunded on my previous policy as it still has 4 months to run, and the girl told me that they didn't refund on cancelled policies with so little time left to run. I pointed out that 4 months is 1/3 of the policy duration remaining, so it's not unreasonable to expect something back to offset the cost of tranfering to another company She said no - they had to charge the £30 admin fee and there would definately be no refund on the remaining policy. I told her that was disgusting and after being a customer for over 10 years expected better, and if that was the case I'd just cancel the policy with them straight away and go somewhere else to insure my bike. Which I did! I told her to cancel the policy but said I wouldn't be paying for the pleasure, and she had to cancel it because it's illegal to have 2 seperate policies running on the same vehicle. If I was later pulled by the police and found the there were still 2 policies running ion the bike I'd hold them fully responsible as they had been told to cancel the present policy. She said no probelm we'll just bill you anyway I found a new policy with a broker that deals with modified motorbikes, and I'm quite happy with that, but when the guy was running trough all the details he mentioned that the insurer was Equity Red Star! So, now i'm going to get a bill for the cancellation of my insurance with Benntts, which I'm very disinclined to pay. It just seems all very unfair to me and I was hoping for some advice here. Would a word to trading standards be worthwhile? Dave

Ozzy thanks very much for your help - a voice of reason in sea of beaurocratic confusion. All is now sorted, cant' thank you enough. Also thanks ever so much to everyone else who replied with words of help. It just illustrates how easily an innocent person can be held responisble for something for which they have no blame Very best respects to everyone Derv

Arachnae, the problem is that I have already proved to them that I've lived at this address for 30 years by sending them a copy of my original mortgage agreement. I've also sent them proof that they don't even supply my gas, yet they still hound me. I really don't know what else to but go to a solicitor. I know nothing of debt matters having never been there so I'm not famillar with the workings of what will happen now, for all I know the next knock on my door will be the bailiffs! Derv

Thanks for the replies so far - much appreciated. I've been to see my sister tonight and we've been thorugh all of the paperwork involved with giving up Mum's house. We have acknowlegement of the final bills from Powergen at the end of December 2005. We have however found another bill which was overlooked, dated May 2006 for the amount that Robinson Way say I owe. This reinforces the fact that it's neither Mum's debt nor mine as it's well after the date she ceased to live at the address, and also well after all the outstanding payments had been settled. It looking more like someone moved into the house after she left and amassed the debt. Unable to track the person responsible, Powergen have kicked it back to the landlords who in turn have shafted me with it. I rang Powergen earlier tonight in an attempt to make them see reason but to no avail - I received the same stone wall attitude as did from Robinson way. This thing now has me quite worried. After discussion with my sister I've decided to seek professional legal advice before they send the bailiffs knocking on my door! Although, why I should have to stump up to protect myself from these people when I've already told them and proved it isn't my debt mystifies me - I thought we were all innocent until proven guilty......apparently not. Kind of destroys your faith in the law that is supposed to protect us. Thanks anyway guys Derv

Hello People - my first post here so please be gentle! I was searching the internet for information regarding a DC company called Robinson Way, when I found this forum and hoped someone could offer me advice Whilst away on holiday a couple of months ago during a phone call home, my son informed me that someone called Robinson Way had been trying to contact me. He said they seemed "very keen" to speak to me, but wouldn't disclose what it was about. Upon arriving home there was a letter from said company waiting for me They informed me that they had been authorised by Powergen to collect an outstanding debt from me, for gas used at my previous address in Lytham St Annes. I was a little confused by this, because I've lived at my present house in Wigan for 30 years, and have never been to Lytham St Annes in my life! Also powergen do not supply my gas - British Gas do. I rang Robinson Way to inform them that a mistake had been made, and the attitude of the girl I spoke to was dreadful. She made me feel like ****, intimated that was lying and said, "We get people like you ringing us every day" I was quite worried about what would happen next so I thought the best thing to do would be to send proof of my length of tenacy at this address and also that of my gas supplier. I did this by photocopying the relevant pages of my mortgage agreement dated 1976 and recent Gas bills from British Gas. I also enclosed a letter infoprming them of the mistake and hoping that the situation would now be resolved. I never heard anything from them for a few weeks, so I assumed the matter was now closed. However, yesterday I received yet another letter from them, informing me that the debt was still outstanding and that, "Despite several letters, telephone calls and visits from our representives", they'd been unable to contact me. I think the fact that I work from home and I'm here all day every day illustrates what liars they are! As soon as I read the letter I became very angry and rang them immediately, which in retrospect wasn't a good thing to do, I wish now I'd waited until I'd calmed down a bit and was thinking more clearly. The chap I spoke to hadn't even looked at the letter and photocpoies I'd sent before ringing me, and he did't seem to care. During the conversation he asked me where my mother lived, to which I asked what the hell has she got to do with this - he never answered. For his information I told him that my mother had been very ill and now lived in a home where she'd resided for 12 months. After his reference to my Mum I became quite upset and ended the conversation, telling him that it appeared no matter what I told them, they were going to continue with the pursuit of this debt so if it terminated in a court case so be it. After the call, I began to wonder why he'd referred to my Mother and what the connection may be, so I got out some of the paperwork my sister and I had amassed after we gave up her house and paid all of the outstanding bills to powergen & BT etc. My sister and I took care of all the affairs and the keys to her house in Liverpool were sent back to the landlord. And that was when it struck me, her ex-landlord's office is in Lytham St Annes and that is where the connection is. The landlord took the keys to the house back in November 2005, the debt in question is for a period around May 2006. It seems to me that a subsequent tenant has been a bit naughty about paying their bills, so Powergen have sent the bill to the landlord, who in turn have told them that my mum was the last tenant. My name and address has obviously arisen due to dealings when we wound up mums affairs and the house. I'm getting really quite worried about this now, I've never been in debt in my life and really hate the thought of ending up on some debtors list due to no fault of my own. I have thought of legal advice, but that costs, so thought I'd ask here for advice first. Anything anyone can offer would be extremely welcome and appreciated. Sorry it's such a long one for my first post ! Derv