Angry!!!

[Ryanon]

Myself and the wife have been going through a tough patch financially which is taking a longer than expected to overcome. With our power suppliers putting up the prices, 4 kids to see too and myself being out of employment for a few months now its not ideal.

 

Something had to give and unfortunately BH was one of them while we see to the essential bills. Big mistake as I have been hounded!!

 

I am equally to blame for not notifying them sooner of my problems but you know what it is like....you try and scrape to make payments and fall way behind due to these charges.

 

Anyway.....I got a visit from the guy who works in the store, he pulled up in a transit van and asked what the story was. I explained fully and told him I was due to create an expenditure document from which I would then be trying to pay something to everyone at least. He then went on to say that my white goods (washing machine & Fridge) would not be chased after from head office but I could hand back my TV as they would not allow us to keep it?!?!?

 

Now, I fully understand that I may have to cut back but I have payed over £1300 towards the TV and not keen on just handing it back and losing all that. I asked him to leave it with me while I tried to reach a conclusion....

 

He then returned on Wednesday and asked us for £150 to catch up along with charges and advance payments. I told him that there was no way on earth I could pay that but would be willing to pop in and pay something...he said they needed the full amount or hand the TV back and reset the agreement...he said he was actually here to pick up to which I said no till I find out my legal standing and gather more information.

 

I completed my income/expenditure and was beginning to put together a letter of offer of reduced payments for a few weeks then back to full after this with a little extra. He came to the door again today and said to my wife he was here to get the TV, my wife asked him if he had a warrant to enter the house and he said no but you can invite me...my wife replied that under no circumstances are you welcome in the house at this stage...He then proceeded to say that he wont be back but the police will be as we have there items.........

 

I am utterly disgusted after being a customer who paid 100% for over 18 months and then get all this when I need them. I dont take kindly to be threated either and feel pressured to return an item I have paid a great deal of money for (More than it is selling for just now). I get the feeling they want it back so they can put it back out the door again at a big profit even though used!!

 

Can I not make a reasonable arrangment to pay an affordable amount without being stripped of equipment I have paid a great deal too??

 

I am actually considering request that they take me to court so I can present our side of the story. To fall behind on a £35 payment and then find yourself in £145 of debt is not right and caused by the company

 

Sorry for the rant...had to get it off my chest :-?

[DCA-KING]

Email there head of customer complaints healey.anne@brighthousestores.co.uk tell her what the guy has said and that you have it all recorded on your mobile phone and that you will take the matter further

Read my thread send a letter before court action to brighthouse and funny i had a letter today stating they closed my account

[Ryanon]

Huge thanks for the Email address, I think I will just do that.

 

I have been reading your thread too and following your progress!! I think you have done a fantastic job in ensuring that they are not going to walk over the top of everyone and that people like yourself will stand and fight back.

 

I hope they are ready for another one as I have no intention of letting this go, Do BH think we all have money to throw away? Most are struggling while these beggers are taking our money for mis sold policies, late payment fee's which I hear are illegal and then when we are bled dry they try and take back the equipment!!!!!!!! leaving us with nothing

 

I think the courts need to hear about these guys and maybe even a few newspapers nationally.

 

Huge thanks!!!

[havinastella]

Have a read here

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/brighthouse/130871-brighthouse-stores-formerly-crazy.html

 

JOgs

[DCA-KING]

I sent a letter off today to anne healey stating that i still will be pursuing them in the county court for the OSC and the payments i made on the laptop when it was being repaired (They state that they will leave you a loan product it does not say laptops are excluded) if they think by just writing off my account i will walk away HOW WRONG ARE THEY

PS the wifes uncle is a barrister who now works for CAB so i will get him help me on the way

Regards DK

[BoSBoY]

my mate had the same prob, he called the cops as the guy put his foot in the door and refused to leave without the PC he had got, the slammed the door in his foot...

 

anyway long story short the cops advise the store not to go back near him, they were instructed to go through legal channels..

 

my mate had hear nothing for 7 months now.. not even as much as a collection letter...

[Ryanon]

I sent this off today after more harassment on Friday

 

Dear Mrs Healey

 

I have recently been experiencing some financial difficulties and, as a result, have fallen behind with my weekly payments to BrightHouse. This is most regrettable, so please accept my apologies

 

I am receipt of a default notice for the items and have filed it for evidence on appearance at court in front of a sheriff

 

What I feel you will not be aware of is the harassment received from one of your staff members at the local ******* Office of Brighthouse - ********

 

I also have to make you aware that I have him on video from my CCTV door cam threatening my wife with unlawful actions of lifting goods without a court order, threatening with police who would come when this is untrue and also degrading us by saying our kids would be in dirty clothes and not fed and its our fault(We have a washing machine and Fridge freezer on agreement) all outside in ear shot of all our neighbors.

 

I went to the store after my wife told me and had viewed the footage and spoke with *******. His attitude was unacceptable with responses such as "I hope your CCTV has volume (which It does thankfully) "Pay Your Bills Then" further embarrassing me in front of a full shop of customers.

 

I have made him aware that putting pressure on debtors or third parties is considered to be oppressive. Pressurising debtors to pay in full, in unreasonably large instalments, or to increase payments when they are unable to do so and making threatening statements or gestures or taking actions which suggest harm to debtors is also against the OFT guidelines for debt collection.

 

I was met with "He was within his rights and I was wrong"...Please clarify your standing?

I would like to point out that this behaviour constitutes harassment under ss1&2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 –

 

1 Prohibition of harassment

(1) A person must not pursue a course of conduct—

(a) which amounts to harassment of another, and

(b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the person whose course of conduct is in question ought to know that it amounts to harassment of another if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amounted to harassment of the other…

 

2 Offence of harassment

(1) A person who pursues a course of conduct in breach of section 1 is guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both...

 

Due to the actions of ****** and on receiving further information from others who have had similar experiences, I am seriously considering calling the police and most certainly request that you begin preparation for taking this to a Scottish court where I can reveal all my evidence to the sheriff.

 

I am also preparing all information for a press release on a national basis, this will be executed if I feel my complaint is not treated in a serious fashion. I have all evidence to back up all claims also, this ensures I am protected legally.

 

I am deeply upset that it has come to this, I had hoped Brighthouse would aid me if me if In financial trouble...Unfortunately this has not been the case...we have been placed under severe pressure and harassment.

 

I would like to request suspension of all payments/threats until this complaint has been concluded satisfactory.

 

I await your reply

And got this very swiftly which I thanked them for

 

Dear Mr *********

Thank you for your e-mail received in our office today.

We are sorry to learn that you have been dissatisfied with the service we have provided and can confirm that we will be conducting a thorough investigation into your concerns. Once we have completed this we will write to you again.

Edited October 13, 2008 by Ryanon
Taking the advice of Lefty - Removed some details from spying eyes

[Lefty]

If I may just suggest a word of caution...

BrightHouse monitor these forums daily, so be careful of how much information you place in the public domain, OK.

Cheers

Lefty

 

[Ryanon]

Good Point Lefty

 

I have edited my post a little