Hi
I am seeking some comment or advice on my current predicament.
I had engaged Sensis (Yellow Pages) for advertising in 2010 for my plumbing business. In 2012 I had a workplace accident and fractured a vertebra in my spine which resulted me being hospitalised and off work for 12 months.
At the time of the accident my wife and I tried repeatedly to have my advertising contract cancelled as I had to shut down my business and no longer required the advertising. We wrote Sensis a letter explaining our situation and even supplied medical certificates and doctors reports. Sensis still sent out invoices that we could not pay.
It got to the point where the debt was registered with Dunn and Bradstreet for collection and I entered a payment arrangement to try and pay off the debt. We initially paid instalments totalling several hundred dollars towards the outstanding amount and we finally could no longer afford to make any payments. We then sought legal advice from Caxton house in Brisbane. They looked through the contract and it stated that if we had supplied Sensis with a letter and sufficient evidence they had to cancel the contract.
At this point in time (approx. 2013) I contacted Dunn and Bradstreet and advised them that we had sent the written request (2012) to cancel the contract along with the medical certificates and doctors reports and Dunn and Bradstreet advised me that they would no longer pursue the debt.
So this is where it gets interesting.
On Tuesday 22-08-2017 we received a letter from Collection House, dated 17-08-2017, saying I had to pay my oustanding debt in 7 days or further action will be taken.
What I can't understand is why has it taken Sensis 4 years to engage another collection agency to try and collect the money and do they have to right to try and collect a debt that another agency has declined to take any further action.
I have registered a complaint with the telecommunications ombudsman just before posting this thread but I am not sure whether Sensis is regulated by that authority.
I am struggling financially as it is and this is just adding to my stress and frustration. Any suggestions or advice would be most appreciated.
Regards
I am seeking some comment or advice on my current predicament.
I had engaged Sensis (Yellow Pages) for advertising in 2010 for my plumbing business. In 2012 I had a workplace accident and fractured a vertebra in my spine which resulted me being hospitalised and off work for 12 months.
At the time of the accident my wife and I tried repeatedly to have my advertising contract cancelled as I had to shut down my business and no longer required the advertising. We wrote Sensis a letter explaining our situation and even supplied medical certificates and doctors reports. Sensis still sent out invoices that we could not pay.
It got to the point where the debt was registered with Dunn and Bradstreet for collection and I entered a payment arrangement to try and pay off the debt. We initially paid instalments totalling several hundred dollars towards the outstanding amount and we finally could no longer afford to make any payments. We then sought legal advice from Caxton house in Brisbane. They looked through the contract and it stated that if we had supplied Sensis with a letter and sufficient evidence they had to cancel the contract.
At this point in time (approx. 2013) I contacted Dunn and Bradstreet and advised them that we had sent the written request (2012) to cancel the contract along with the medical certificates and doctors reports and Dunn and Bradstreet advised me that they would no longer pursue the debt.
So this is where it gets interesting.
On Tuesday 22-08-2017 we received a letter from Collection House, dated 17-08-2017, saying I had to pay my oustanding debt in 7 days or further action will be taken.
What I can't understand is why has it taken Sensis 4 years to engage another collection agency to try and collect the money and do they have to right to try and collect a debt that another agency has declined to take any further action.
I have registered a complaint with the telecommunications ombudsman just before posting this thread but I am not sure whether Sensis is regulated by that authority.
I am struggling financially as it is and this is just adding to my stress and frustration. Any suggestions or advice would be most appreciated.
Regards
