Unreasonable Companies During COVID19

[FiddleOnTheRoof]

I have been literally at my ends wits dealing with NEXT. I am self employed and have no income at this time. My utility companies have all been reasonable due to the unprecedented times we are all in... but not NEXT

Demanding payment or they will pass the matter onto a collection agency and add notes to my credit history.

Have asked for a freeze until the lockdown is predicted to be over june?july. Is this unreasonable?

Anyone else dealing with an unreasonable company?

When I log in to my account it says that they are doing payment plans where you pay £1 a month but you'll be unable to order on your account. It also says it won't affect your credit rating.

The email I received today clearing stated whichever payment plan you picked, it would be noted on your credit history and this I deem to be unreasonable

Here.

Try again

see attached!

When you make contact, these are the options you are given. Clearly impacting your credit score should you accept either

Well I've just selected the covid 19 option on the contact us form and it says it will not affect your credit rating.

Would be great to get a list of companies on here behaving in the same way. May get them to reconsider.

Please do add your experiences.

Likewise, if you have had a great experience with a company, please do list them here also. When this is all over I'll deffo be making a number of changes and building new loyalties

@thighmageddon I have literally screenshot my email. The facts are clear to read. I highlighted the disturbing elements which indicate my credit history will be affected.

What they advertise on their website is clearly different to what is actually offered when you make contact to agree something.

Fiddle this looks suspicious. It doesnt read like official information from Next. Just like someone typed in something on MS Word...right down to informal language, grammar errors etc (which Word has highlighted in green!)

Who did you get this email from?

I honestly received it from NEXT this morning. I did copy and past the email into a word doc to remove my details but will happily black out my details and send a complete screen shot from my email

Original email

Not suspicious at all @Amrapaali

and definitely the line NEXT is taking with their online customers who seek financial assistance during lockdown.

Well assuming you clicked the Covid19 drop down box then surely you can email back pointing out that it contradicts what it says on their website.

Have they requested any financial evidence from you?

Have asked for a freeze until the lockdown is predicted to be over june?july. Is this unreasonable?

Well that's pretty much up to them, isn't it? Will depend on how much you owe and how much of a risk they perceive you to be. They don't HAVE to allow you to stop paying. They need to pay their staff too. Of course having debt will be noted on your credit file. That's what a credit file is for!

Without giving my whole credit life history - I have an unblemished history until this. And I must add this is for no more than £100. But that’s not the point really. More about how one company will treat its loyal customers in extreme times of need in comparison to another.

Not all about the worse companies, which I’d categorise NEXt in this, but as I said, also about naming the companies that have gone far and beyond to get us all through these hard times.

I nominate EDF energy and Abel and Cole!

Speaks volumes in my opinion!

I would reply to Next and remind them of the new measures that the FCA introduced earlier this month, which they do not appear to be applying.

www.fca.org.uk/consumers/coronavirus-information-personal-loans-credit-cards-overdrafts

Personal loans and credit cards
If you have a personal loan, credit card, store card or catalogue credit, you can ask for a freeze on repayments for 3 months. Personal loans also include guarantor loans, logbook loans and home collected credit.

What this means for you

You may be able to make no (or small token) payments for 3 months.

This won’t affect your credit file for the period of the payment freeze. However, interest will continue to build during this period, meaning you pay higher costs in the longer term.