big problem

[bigbootz]

Sorry if I am putting this in the wrong place I am searching the internet as I am quite worried about something I have done, does any one know if I can get put in prison or do they know what happens?
What happened is, I have got 6 things from the shop called bright house. well I only have 2 of them now as I sold the other 4 because I wanted money. So I am not sure what happens now.
Also this week I had so much to do with my money I couldn't make payment this week on the stuff, so I called today and explained that particular problem, unknown to them I don't have most of the stuff any more. But unfortunately I didn't get a satisfactory response, as they said if I did not pay the money today (Saturday) I Would have to pay an 80 pounds fine. Well I get a smaller amount of money on Wednesday but it is only 70 pounds and they said I would have to pay the 80 pounds fine before I paid the weeks money. But with the 70 pounds I get this week there are other things I NEED to do with is as well. So I won;t even have anywhere near 80 pounds to pay them, but the following Tuesday I will have a bit more money but with this fine and by then I will be behind 2 weeks so I can see right now, I am not going to be able to pay all this money, so I am really quite worried as to what is going to happen, because I think normally if you do not pay them they come to take the stuff back, but as I don''t have most of the stuff anymore, I am not sure what is going to happen to me. I have never stolen anything before but I know this is probably classed as stealing, also i read about bailiffs, which is also quite worrying, but it seems to me they do not do that in Scotland, is that right?..well I do not know what I am going to do as I can not pay anything to them until a week on Tuesday but by then I will owe them too much money and won't be able to pay it at all. On top of that I have to live as well. The best thing would be if I just told them and they just didn't give me any more stuff. But I think as I have probably broken the law, I could be in deep trouble here. I am also slightly worried about posting this on here as well, I hope i am doing the right thing but any advise or anyone who knows what happens to people in my situation would be very much appreciated thanks.

[stevense19]

Re: big problem

Hello
summary of problem:
1.Bought 6 things from Bright House.
2. sold 4 of them
3.can't pay weekly repayments as on low income.
4.Already owe 2 weeks money + fine of £80.00.

Firstly can you get the 4 items you sold back.
What is the total amount owed and how much per week do you have to pay
Ask the store to reduce your weekly payments to what you can afford.
How did you pay for the 6 items and what did you sign?

[bigbootz]

Re: big problem

Hi there , no I can't get the items back, they are well gone. I signed an agreement with Bright house. But I was paying 53 pounds a week, which I can usually afford but this week somethings came up and just because of that I am in a total mess and possibly at risk of being involved with the police, as I don;t have most of the stuff anymore, I don't know for sure but it seems like it could happen (the police) I will try and contact citizens advice on Monday but as it is the Easter weekend I doubt they will be open.
I am quite worried about it but I am trying to find out should I be as worried as I think I should be? Probably.

[wales01man]

Re: big problem

First DONT spend the next 2 days worrying on Tuesday with help from CA and on here you can find a way forward what you have done has probably been done by thousands of others .
Part of the problem lies with Brighthouse its not all your fault you were lead into a situation but there is help available .

[bigbootz]

Re: big problem

..also by the time I can pay them the money I owe them I will have 2 weeks fines of 80 pounds, so that will be 160 pounds plus 106..so in other words I will have to pay £266 by the time I have the money to pay them, I am not going to have that. Also the worst thing is they do not seem to be flexible at all, if you can;t pay by the Saturday you automatically get a hefty pay late fine. I am had it. There is no way I can pay that and I have exhausted every line where I can get a loan from, including friends. So there is pretty much nothing I can do but wait to see what happens after I tell them the situation.

[bigbootz]

Re: big problem

First DONT spend the next 2 days worrying on Tuesday with help from CA and on here you can find a way forward what you have done has probably been done by thousands of others .
Part of the problem lies with Brighthouse its not all your fault you were lead into a situation but there is help available .

That is a bit reassuring thanks, but they seem like a blank wall when you try and explain any payment problems, they don't say oh, we will wave the first weeks fine..or anything like that, they just want you to pay the money before closing time on Saturday, although I had already told them I couldn't.
I am quite worried as I am not sure exactly what kind of trouble I am going to be in when they find out I don't have most of the stuff anymore but I reckon other people have probably done the same thing (sold the stuff)..thanks for your reply and to the other person as well "Stevens".

[Guest]

Re: big problem

HI BIgboots

Can I ask how many payments you have made on the articles you have sold(what proportion of the purchase price)?

I would try not to worry, CAB will give you hands on help, also I would not worry to much about any fines, they are more than likely unenforceable, although I know how unpleasant these people can be, they really have no power without an order of the court.

They certainly have no power to enter your property without your agreement.

[wales01man]

Re: big problem

STOP worrying its early on here yet others will come on line to help you are not no doubt the first in this situation Help will come along they will have to reach an agreement with you they will not want to take any action that will come back on them

[stevense19]

Re: big problem

Hello again
Speak to them again explain your situation and offer them what you can afford. Meanwhile add up what you owe on the 4 items and the 2 items you still have.
If you can still pay your £53.00 per week continue to do so.
Speak to a debt adviser or citizens advice bureau. What happened about the £80.00 fine
Did they say what is it for?

[bigbootz]

Re: big problem

Andy58, I have been paying it for about 7 months.
I was concerned they would send bailiffs but it seems like that they don't do that in Scotland.

[bigbootz]

Re: big problem

Stevens, the 80 pounds is a total for late payment on each item, you have to pay by Saturday or you have to pay that as well.

[Guest]

Re: big problem

Andy58, I have been paying it for about 7 months.
I was concerned they would send bailiffs but it seems like that they don't do that in Scotland.

They cannot send bailiffs anyway without getting a court order(you going to court and them getting a judgment).
If you have paid less than 1/3 of the purchase price of the goods they can demand their return, but they cannot enter your property without your say so.

I would not say anything about selling the goods, tell them you are having financial problems and offer to pay what you can afford, without affecting your essential expenses(food rent heating etc.). I would use the time over the weekend to prepare an income and expenditure list, which the CAB will undoubtedly ask you about.

I suspect that you will be advised to take the information together with your repayment proposals to the store(or send them), they will undoubtedly make a fuss, but at the end of the day there is little they can do without taking you to court, and to be frank they are such robbing b****rds, they are reluctant to have their practice to closely scrutinized by the judiciary, mostly they depend on threats and intimidation.

[wales01man]

Re: big problem

Andy is correct these type of companies rely on fear putting the customer through hell to get their money they will huff and puff but they will have to take what is available they will be reluctant to take any action that will give them bad publicity .

Like payday lenders they will be forced to change at some point sooner the better

[bigbootz]

Re: big problem

Well the problem is I will have to tell them I do not have the stuff, after a couple of weeks of missed payments they come to your door and take the stuff back and say they will put a freeze on your account and hold the stuff until you have caught up..I know because I had a problem once before but I got a loan of some money. BUt I can;t very well go back to the same person and say it is happened again, I will need to try and get out of this completely, I would be happy if I could just pay half of what I am paying a week. But they would have to accept that kind of arrangement first..
Actually I know this isn't the proper way to think but I think they rob everyone else, so it is about time someone go them back hehe! But I know I probably shouldn't think that way, I am just agreeing that they are robbing B's. Should never have gone to a place like that in the first place..the sad thing is I did not need to, I just wanted stuff, now it turns out I haven't even got the stuff and can't keep up with the payments..actually I could if I could do something about this couple of weeks and get to normal I could probably pay although I could end up in problems again, if something else comes up like happened this time. All I have of the items is my bedroom furniture, if they take that away I will have to put my clothes into black bags until I can get a couple of chest of drawers. But I will get that eventually but to be honest I would have been better doing that in the first place than paying through the nose for stuff like that.

[meellis]

Re: big problem

This does highlight a problem, why did brighthouse lend in the first place. I have to be frank bigbootz you have to stop convincing yourself you can afford this stuff. If you could have afforded it in the first place then you wouldn't have needed to sell it to survive. Do not tell brighthouse you have sold it and like has been posted they have no rights to enter your home without either a court order or your permission. Go to CAB with the attitude that you are in a situation that you need to get on top of, do not borrow money off of the other people you have mentioned because that only makes the problem worse. Just start facing up to the fact that you need to get on top of things and treat this scare as a wake up call before things do get serious.