the amount of people who use Next online and don't bother to read the small print is astonishing. It is just like Very etc. It is a catalogue yes it may be part of the Next brand but it is a catalogue it wasn't until recent years you could get stuff delivered or returned to store. It's a separate branch of Next. It also states that you enter a credit agreement. Also I would never ignore stuff just because you think it's junk mail, do you not shred it so that your personal details aren't just chucked in the bin?
Why? They've not sent any heavies around or broken any legs, have they?
No they have not.
But, this is now TWICE we have had letters about a debt that doesn't exist, one of which from a debt collection agency, the other threatening to sell the debt to an agency. Wife has also had finance rejected recently (although to be fair, she has never had credit cards or anything to of built up a credit rating).
We have proof now that the money was paid, although as I said from the start, wife was 99% sure it was and as us guys know, wives do tend to have better memories than us ;-)
Yeah, our record keeping could of been better but where companies as large as Next are concerned I **was** trusting enough to take their word over the phone that there was no money outstanding and the account was closed (which it couldnt of been if there was money outstanding). They sent a letter to this effect.
So, ok our record keeping isnt up to scratch, but it would seem that Next's isnt either. They obviously dont have a record of the money been paid, nor do they have a record of us calling about it a few months ago and nor do they have a record of them sending us a letter to say its cleared.
Lesson learnt though, dont trust any company!!
Next want the 'proof' sent to them, from their point of you I can see why.... but from our point of view, they should have their own proof....
Also I would never ignore stuff just because you think it's junk mail, do you not shred it so that your personal details aren't just chucked in the bin?
To be fair, the invoices came in the same style of envelope as their marketing, as the wife thought she had paid when ordering the goods, she (wrongly) assumed that it was junk and binned it.
When we first spoke to Next, the lady said they get many many comments about this, their invoices look like marketing junk. We werent alone in thinking this.
Thinking it was junk, it wasnt shredded.... why bother shredding a marketing letter when it only has your name and address on it....info easily attainable anyway.
But we do shred anything that could be used for financial gain.... bank statements/credit card bills/council tax etc etc. (ie the things that people have to show to provide proof of residence etc)
You could have nipped this in the bud with better record keeping though. From your own admission you still don't know if you paid or not!
my OH has trained me to keep records of every transaction made on accounts, its a bind sometimes but, By having a record it does make life alot easier.
I've got a Next account and I'm pretty sure the statement envelopes are marked clearly that there is important statement account information enclosed. They are also a different colour to the regular "junk" type mail envelopes.
To be fair, the invoices came in the same style of envelope as their marketing, as the wife thought she had paid when ordering the goods, she (wrongly) assumed that it was junk and binned it.
When we first spoke to Next, the lady said they get many many comments about this, their invoices look like marketing junk. We werent alone in thinking this.
Thinking it was junk, it wasnt shredded.... why bother shredding a marketing letter when it only has your name and address on it....info easily attainable anyway.
But we do shred anything that could be used for financial gain.... bank statements/credit card bills/council tax etc etc. (ie the things that people have to show to provide proof of residence etc)
So your name and address is not something you shred just because it's junk mail. Someone going through your bins may not know who you are or your address but they would do if you just chuck your personal details in the bin. And the statements are in different envelopes to their marketing stuff always have been. You can tell the difference straight away.
my OH has trained me to keep records of every transaction made on accounts, its a bind sometimes but, By having a record it does make life alot easier.
I've got a Next account and I'm pretty sure the statement envelopes are marked clearly that there is important statement account information enclosed. They are also a different colour to the regular "junk" type mail envelopes.
they come in matt black envelopes, marketing stuff comes in glossy envelopes with pictures etc on. I do all mine online now but I keep every email that I get sent about statements and payments so I have something to check back on. I also keep the name of anyone that I have spoken to about anything with the time and date and the subject and as many notes as possible. That way I have something to refer back to if I need to.
But, this is now TWICE we have had letters about a debt that doesn't exist, one of which from a debt collection agency, the other threatening to sell the debt to an agency. Wife has also had finance rejected recently (although to be fair, she has never had credit cards or anything to of built up a credit rating).
We have proof now that the money was paid, although as I said from the start, wife was 99% sure it was and as us guys know, wives do tend to have better memories than us ;-)
Yeah, our record keeping could of been better but where companies as large as Next are concerned I **was** trusting enough to take their word over the phone that there was no money outstanding and the account was closed (which it couldnt of been if there was money outstanding). They sent a letter to this effect.
So, ok our record keeping isnt up to scratch, but it would seem that Next's isnt either. They obviously dont have a record of the money been paid, nor do they have a record of us calling about it a few months ago and nor do they have a record of them sending us a letter to say its cleared.
Lesson learnt though, dont trust any company!!
Next want the 'proof' sent to them, from their point of you I can see why.... but from our point of view, they should have their own proof....
If that's the only lesson you have learnt from this then I'm afraid you will probably find yourselves in a similar situation again.
Comments
True enough. The letter from Next saying we dont owe them anything was misplaced. Im sure its not just me that has misplaced a letter?
No?
You appear to have misplaced a bit more than just that one letter, though, yes?
However, yes, it's easy to misplace a single letter.
Not just that, If you'd had your bank statements to hand you could have sorted this in 10 minutes!
Or online pass for the bank account... Or old Next Directory statements...
No they have not.
But, this is now TWICE we have had letters about a debt that doesn't exist, one of which from a debt collection agency, the other threatening to sell the debt to an agency. Wife has also had finance rejected recently (although to be fair, she has never had credit cards or anything to of built up a credit rating).
We have proof now that the money was paid, although as I said from the start, wife was 99% sure it was and as us guys know, wives do tend to have better memories than us ;-)
Yeah, our record keeping could of been better but where companies as large as Next are concerned I **was** trusting enough to take their word over the phone that there was no money outstanding and the account was closed (which it couldnt of been if there was money outstanding). They sent a letter to this effect.
So, ok our record keeping isnt up to scratch, but it would seem that Next's isnt either. They obviously dont have a record of the money been paid, nor do they have a record of us calling about it a few months ago and nor do they have a record of them sending us a letter to say its cleared.
Lesson learnt though, dont trust any company!!
Next want the 'proof' sent to them, from their point of you I can see why.... but from our point of view, they should have their own proof....
To be fair, the invoices came in the same style of envelope as their marketing, as the wife thought she had paid when ordering the goods, she (wrongly) assumed that it was junk and binned it.
When we first spoke to Next, the lady said they get many many comments about this, their invoices look like marketing junk. We werent alone in thinking this.
Thinking it was junk, it wasnt shredded.... why bother shredding a marketing letter when it only has your name and address on it....info easily attainable anyway.
But we do shred anything that could be used for financial gain.... bank statements/credit card bills/council tax etc etc. (ie the things that people have to show to provide proof of residence etc)
my OH has trained me to keep records of every transaction made on accounts, its a bind sometimes but, By having a record it does make life alot easier.
So your name and address is not something you shred just because it's junk mail. Someone going through your bins may not know who you are or your address but they would do if you just chuck your personal details in the bin. And the statements are in different envelopes to their marketing stuff always have been. You can tell the difference straight away.
they come in matt black envelopes, marketing stuff comes in glossy envelopes with pictures etc on. I do all mine online now but I keep every email that I get sent about statements and payments so I have something to check back on. I also keep the name of anyone that I have spoken to about anything with the time and date and the subject and as many notes as possible. That way I have something to refer back to if I need to.
If that's the only lesson you have learnt from this then I'm afraid you will probably find yourselves in a similar situation again.
For those that have been sanctimonious... hope you enjoy it up there looking down on others.