UPC Threat

allybeagle

We sold our house last September and notified UPC with 1 months notice.
Have periodically called to new owner to pick up mail and they sent letters looking for full 2 month payment. Also, there were threats to pass to debt collector and now Bad debt notification. We do not want to pay as we did give 1 month payment (think terms are 2 though), however we have been left in the past for 1 month without any connection with no reimbursement. Want to ignore them, however, worried about the threat.
Anyone have this experience with them in the past or any advice. Much appreciated.

dub45

allybeagle wrote: »

We sold our house last September and notified UPC with 1 months notice.
Have periodically called to new owner to pick up mail and they sent letters looking for full 2 month payment. Also, there were threats to pass to debt collector and now Bad debt notification. We do not want to pay as we did give 1 month payment (think terms are 2 though), however we have been left in the past for 1 month without any connection with no reimbursement. Want to ignore them, however, worried about the threat.
Anyone have this experience with them in the past or any advice. Much appreciated.

Never ignore correspondence such as this it wont go away.

Can you confirm for us exactly how you notified them? Were you in a 12 month contract with them or had your minimum period expired. After the minimum period you are required to give a month's notice. And "thinking" isnt enough you need to be specific as to what exactly you did.

allybeagle

Thanks for reply.
Standard contract (not exactly sure of content as don't have it to hand), we were maybe 3 years into it and wanted to cancel as we were selling the house. We notified them in writing stating finish date of 1 month later, (contract was for 2 months notice).
They subsequently charged for an extra 2 month period on top of the months notice, we were also without the service during that period for > 1 month during our contract maybe 1 year earlier while we waited for repair. We felt agrieved that we may be liable for any extra costs.
The threatening letters came then re debt collect / bad debt etc so the concern arose.
We only periodically got the post as it was still directed to the sold house so did not have visibility on some of this.
Probably just going to pay but horrified by the treatment from UPC.

xp90

Theyre a bad shower. Me and my mate had to move from a house last year 4 months into contract, despite my attempt to notify them of change of address, they found it easier to get ****bags Legal and Credit to harass me via mobile. Pay them, **** them, get a freesat box!

Ceefax

I had the same experience. I DID ignore the threatning letters. They were from a debt collecting agency. I got two in total. All the same included, liable for legal expenses etcetera. My advice would be never to bow to these threats. I ignored all mine and never heard anything after the second letter. That was over a year ago now.
If anything did come to a head legally, pay them on the steps of the court i.e reach a deal just before going in. It wont come to that though. Don't be bullied.

STB

allybeagle wrote: »

Thanks for reply.
Standard contract (not exactly sure of content as don't have it to hand), we were maybe 3 years into it and wanted to cancel as we were selling the house. We notified them in writing stating finish date of 1 month later, (contract was for 2 months notice).
They subsequently charged for an extra 2 month period on top of the months notice, we were also without the service during that period for > 1 month during our contract maybe 1 year earlier while we waited for repair. We felt agrieved that we may be liable for any extra costs.
The threatening letters came then re debt collect / bad debt etc so the concern arose.
We only periodically got the post as it was still directed to the sold house so did not have visibility on some of this.
Probably just going to pay but horrified by the treatment from UPC.

Its 30 days notice.

Ring them, elevate the call, threaten to legally pursue it if they do not stop harassing you.

Furthermore copy the correspondence to the Consumers Association.

They must be sick of this shower of chancers.

okidoki987

It would be a bit hard for them to sue you if you didn't live there anymore?
If you weren't collecting the post they wouldn't be able to get in touch with you.
Ignore and forget about it, would be my advice.
Nothing to do with new owner so there's no problems there.

dub45

okidoki987 wrote: »

It would be a bit hard for them to sue you if you didn't live there anymore?
If you weren't collecting the post they wouldn't be able to get in touch with you.
Ignore and forget about it, would be my advice.
Nothing to do with new owner so there's no problems there.

That really is idiotic advice. You should never ignore a situation like this.

The op is in a position to get his sorted out. He behaved properly and should make sure it does not affect his credit record or even the fact that in the future he may need upc as a bb or tv supplier again.

Never "ignore and forget" about these type of problems.

icdg

You might be better off asking in Consumer or Legal Discussion (although in the latter there is a ban against giving legal advice and TBH though we have no such formal ban in this forum I'd caution against doing so here either).

TBH if you do get a solicitor's letter, you are best off going to a solicitor with it.

GerardKeating

allybeagle wrote: »

We sold our house last September and notified UPC with 1 months notice.
Have periodically called to new owner to pick up mail and they sent letters looking for full 2 month payment. Also, there were threats to pass to debt collector and now Bad debt notification. We do not want to pay as we did give 1 month payment (think terms are 2 though), however we have been left in the past for 1 month without any connection with no reimbursement. Want to ignore them, however, worried about the threat.
Anyone have this experience with them in the past or any advice. Much appreciated.

How did you give them notice, they only accept notice via post, If you phone to cancel, they should tell you to write a letter, but some times they 'forget'.

But assuming you did phone and write them, send them another polite letter.

• Cite the date when you posted the original letter, and mention if you also phoned.
  
• State that the letter you sent fulfilled their minimum notice requirements as per their terms and conditions.
  
• Mention the distress these threatening letters are causing to you.
  
• And finished with "Any further threats in relation to this fradulent change will result in legal action against you"