[Carpet Dawg]

I have been advertising in yellowpages for many years and this year the salesman managed to get me to sign up to a special offer of a yp advert (in the book) and a listing on thier pants website. Total price £1,969. It was only an extrta £169 for the yell listing so i thought why not.

They where both due to come out/go live on the 1st of December 2010. But the yell listing to this day has not apreared live!

Long story short, I have paid £1,800 but i am still due them £169 which i dont want to pay as i have not recieved that service/product. Infact no god damn way am i paying those twats extra!!  

The problem is that a debt recover agancy is pursuing it. Four demands letters and one stating that i need to pay within 7 days or they'll take me to a small cllaims court. Oh and  they have added an extra £70 to the bill  

So should i tell them to:

a. suck it? and just see if they do take me to court for a little amount?
or
b. pay it. and be very bitter, feel ripped off.

many thanks
Tony

[davep]

They haven't got a clue. I should have £90 a month taken for yell. No money taken for 3 months and then with no notice they took £270.

Called bank and got my money back 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I would contact them via email then through trading standards, just emails so shouldn't take much time up, you could also send them £1 as part payment to get rid of the dogs for now!

Shaun

[Neil Williams]

I take it you're on one of those pay x amount per month for 10 months schemes, and so to date you've paid £1800 of it.
As I read it if you've got paperwork to show that your web listing should have showed up in December but still hasn't then their going to look a bit stupid in court invoicing/charging for a service that has only been part honored.
Do you belong to any trade organisations, FSB etc because they'll provide expert help on this.

Or you could try this
http://www.justanswer.com/sip/UK-Law?r=ppc|ga|5|Law+%2D+England+and+Wales|Court&JPKW=help%20court&JPDC=S&JPST=&JPAD=7959883968&JPAF=txt&JPRC=1&JPMT=b&JPNW=g&JPCD=20110519&JPOP=Cass_SpecificAnswers_Token&gclid=CI31paPTpKkCFdFX4QoddxMJtw

[Paul Heath]

If they issue court procedings the first thing to do is to fill out the form explaining that you will be defending this.
The Court will then transfer it to a court near you, as you are the defendant.
If it goes that far, go to court and expalin that they have not completed on there side of the contract nad that is the reason you have witheld payment.
After paying £1800 i can't see how a court in the land would expect you to pay more.
Keep records of everything concerning this matter and only deal it in writing.

[Carpet Dawg]

Shaun

Really? Making a small payment get them off my back for the time being?

I'm going to call trading standards tomorrow regarding this matter.

Dave

I know, they are a bunch of tools. They never called me to mention the debt just handed it straight over to the reocvery agency!  

I spoke to a manger from yell today for about 30min on the phone. She pretty much says the advert did go live for two months (I must be blind or not able to use the search function on yell.com!!) and that I have to pay the outstanding amount!

They really are cutting thier noses off despite thier face. I'll be pulling out the book next year. I told her that on the phone. Its gone down hill anyways.

[Neil Williams]

She pretty much says the advert did go live for two months (I must be blind or not able to use the search function on yell.com!!)

Contact them and request documentary proof of this happening ie a screen print or whatever with date stamp.
It's called 'discloser' and anything they are going to use against you has to be disclosed to the defendant before the court date NOT ON THE DAY.

[Ian Rochester]

I phoned up and told yell.com/yellow pages this year that I did not want anyone coming around to sell me advertising, if I want it I would do it all on line.  That's what I did, no contact from reps this year! 

[Carpet Dawg]

No Neil, I paid it as a lump sum. Just gets it out the way really, I do the same with my car and van insurance. But I held off as long as i could before I paid this year. Then the debt collection letter came after that for the £169.

cheers for the link!

Unfortunatly I dont belong to any organisations like that but I'm considering it after all this hassle.

I'm not tight but £169 (+ £70) for no product what so ever! Er dont think so!!

Paul, Thats what i'm thinking mate!

[Carpet Dawg]

Good idea, but i think i better stick it in a letter or email as our convo on the phone today didn't end too well.. 

Ian, If i see another yell rep i'll brain em!

[markpowell]

email the complaints dept explaining your position, then wait and see.
It could well cost you more than £169 if you have to take time off work to attend court hearings.
It could cost you more than £169 to defend the matter and end up with credit defaults etc.
Are you wanting to go in the book again? If so and it pays then dont cut your nose off to spite your face i know its annoying but for such a small amount is it worth the hassle, stress and costs incurred defending it?
Mark

[Bob Robertson]

You could e-mail Mike Pocock the CEO of Yell. His email is on here under Telecommunications and Internet.

http://www.ceoemail.com/

Bob

[Paul Heath]

As yell never gave you anything in writing about them sending this to a"debt collection agency" that part (£70) is not enforcable.....they have not gone to court and got this rubber stamped...so how can they inforce it ??
If they do take to court they will only put down the original amount, so i reckon they are trying there luck.

[Carpet Dawg]

I know what your saying Mark. Can i be bothered going through that! But then again paying for something and not getting!

Wont be advertising in thier book again.

[Carpet Dawg]

Exactly, how can they inforce that.

And i never got any form of correspondence from yell! Just an invoice that the rep left me, another invoice sent in the post and ad proof proof's. Thats ts.

[Peter Sweeney]

Try john.condron@yellgroup.com

He is the CEO and thats his email address. If anyone complains to this you will get a returned call very quickly 

Pete

[The Great One]

Hi

Had an issue with YP some years back, 1 payment got missed by the bank, either not rnough in account in time or whatever, they immediately sent a baliff letter threatening allsorts, ended up paying them half what they wanted as the debt was settled with the company they sold it too, so got the ad 1/2 price and have never used them again.

Martin

[Carpet Dawg]

Cheers Peter and Bob. I'll draw up an emsil tomorrow night. Might aswell try ah  

[Carpet Dawg]

Hi

Had an issue with YP some years back, 1 payment got missed by the bank, either not rnough in account in time or whatever, they immediately sent a baliff letter threatening allsorts, ended up paying them half what they wanted as the debt was settled with the company they sold it too, so got the ad 1/2 price and have never used them again.

Martin

They really dont do themselves any favours do they!

I've been giving them thousands per year for years and always paid in full upfront within weeks of getting the invoice and now they are chasing me for 169 quid! Its a joke.

[KLEENAWAY]

First thing id do mate is find out if you did actually appear on yell, i dont know the what the website is called but i know for a fact you can check the history of websites.

Second thing i would do is get intouch with the debt collection company (im not sure if you know but debt collection companies are different from court bailiffs and have alot less powers so dont be afraid of them turning up at your house or anything like that)and tell them you are disputing the debt and tell them if them get intouch with you again that you will get them done for harassment.

Thirdly, if you CAN prove or they CANT prove that they put your bussines on yell.com and they decide to take you to court anyway then you can still counter claim for your time and loss of earnings aslong as it is reasonable. Hope that helps mate, im no legal advisor but i know bits and bats through past unsavoury jobs 

Danny