Like many it seems, I'm having an issue over a demand for payment for an  
amount of less than £5.00 for hosting fees from an ISP company called 1&1  
in the UK.  Their first and only letter of demand to me, follows their  
failed attempt at automatically debiting my credit card. Their letter also  
threatens me with a referal to a collection agency, solicitors and  
additional costs, if I do not pay within 13 days.  Unfortunately this 13  
day period has elapsed because of the Christmas break and my late return  
to work where the letter was sent.  From comments found by others on the  
Internet, it seems this company is routinely sending demands for payment  
with threats of legal action, as well as automatically debiting payments  
 from customer credit card accounts without a prior letter of notice.

Two links to a dedicated website and forum may help illustrate the  
concerns of others regarding this companies accounting practices.

http://www.thebleedingobvious.com/

http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/vt.php?t=1242&subj=complaints+1%26amp%3B1+Internet+Ltd+-+what+terrible+servce.+complaint


I've learned that contacting this company by telephone has huge  
frustrations as many of the telephone operaters are foreign workers and  
language can often be a problem. Letters are lost and many replies can be  
standard computer generated printouts refering to their Terms &  
Condition.  They have requested my new credit card details again to place  
on record to allow them to automatically deduct this and future payment, I  
am not prepared to do this and wonder how I shall deal with this issue.

Could this be a loophole? They have addressed their demand letter to (Dear  
sir/Madam) at my business address with my company name on the letter only.  
My personal name is not included anywhere in their letter and my address  
was incomplete as it was missing the building number.  Can they act  
further if they have not specified my details correctly?

Their letter of demand requested payment for a "GB Additional Domain  
co.uk/org.uk/.me.uk" which I haven't ordered and it concerns me that if I  
contact with them directly to discuss this issue, I will be confirming  
receipt of their letter and allow them to proceed further. Some have said  
if one ignores these demands they will eventually give up, but the  
possible threats of accruing costs and legal action has concerns for me.  
Can someone advise me please.


-- 
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

Following on from Alan's message. . .
>Like many it seems, I'm having an issue over a demand for payment for an
>amount of less than £5.00 for hosting fees from an ISP company called 1&1
>in the UK.  Their first and only letter of demand to me, follows their
>failed attempt at automatically debiting my credit card. Their letter also
>threatens me with a referal to a collection agency, solicitors and
>additional costs, if I do not pay within 13 days.  Unfortunately this 13
>day period has elapsed because of the Christmas break and my late return
>to work where the letter was sent.  From comments found by others on the
>Internet, it seems this company is routinely sending demands for payment
>with threats of legal action, as well as automatically debiting payments
>from customer credit card accounts without a prior letter of notice.
(1) If they are actually taking money from an account without your 
permission then
(a) Inform whatever bank etc runs the account to prevent further abuse. 
(Immediately first with follow-up in writing) Don't take - "There's 
nothing we can do as an answer - Use the word FRAUD.
(b) Inform the police.

(2) If they are threatening to do this that and the other then you 
should
(a) Let them take you to court - nothing bad will happen - You can 
ignore all letters except from a court.
(b) If you want send an email to them pointing out very simply you owe 
them nothing.

(3) In conjunction with others (which you seem to have located) collect 
a dossier of people and what is being claimed and why it is 
fraudulent/completely out of control and pass that to the police for 
investigation as either fraud, harassment[1] or both.


[1] Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

-- 
PETER FOX Not the same since the pancake business flopped
peterfox@eminent.demon.co.uk.not.this.bit.no.html
2 Tees Close, Witham, Essex.
Gravity beer in Essex  <http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk>

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 09:17:35 -0000, Peter Fox  
 wrote:


> (1) If they are actually taking money from an account without your  
> permission then
> (a) Inform whatever bank etc runs the account to prevent further abuse.  
> (Immediately first with follow-up in writing) Don't take - "There's  
> nothing we can do as an answer - Use the word FRAUD.
> (b) Inform the police.
>


Thanks for the advice Peter, I'll study your comments closer this evening,  
after work.

Kind regards
Alan

In article <op.s22lwihn5d0jsb@alan-0omdc01xmy.belkin>, Alan
 wrote:

> Like many it seems, I'm having an issue over a demand for payment for an  
> amount of less than £5.00 for hosting fees from an ISP company called 1&1  
> in the UK.  

Alan, i have no connection with that company but I thought I would add
a few "mini-facts" for you.

When I was living in Hamburg I was a customer of Schlund & Partner,  a
leading ISP and web host based in Karlsruhe in Southern Germany
<http://www1.schlund.de/index.php?>

As far as I know, either Schlund is a subsiadiary of Einz und Einz or
the other way around.

According to my then-recent wife, a German woman with a long history in
internet matters, Schlund used to have a Germany-wide reputation for
excellence but, by the time I got to them in 2000, they had grown so
big and so fast, their customer service was no longer "excellent" but
was still, nonetheless, "ok". In five years with them i had very few
complaints.

By coincidence, I've had their corporate head office pointed out to me
as I drove past. If you can judge from a building's appearance, they
are no fly-by-night outfit.

For example, one of their directors is also, I believe, a member of
ICANN

I just think there has been a hiccup somewhere in the UK office rather
than them being up to something nefarious. Why not try to communicate
with their German office? Ironically, they speak good English there.

-- 
Surfport

> By coincidence, I've had their corporate head office pointed out to me
> as I drove past. If you can judge from a building's appearance, they
> are no fly-by-night outfit.
>
> For example, one of their directors is also, I believe, a member of
> ICANN
>
> I just think there has been a hiccup somewhere in the UK office rather
> than them being up to something nefarious. Why not try to communicate
> with their German office? Ironically, they speak good English there.

************************************************************************
I'm glad to hear you comments and had already decided to ignore comments  
I'd read elsewhere until I had personally experienced contact with this  
company.  So with these positive thoughts, I telephoned their office in  
the UK earlier.  The telephone was answered by a young lady who was very  
polite and helpful.  She freely gave me advice and later emailed me with  
further options to cancel my membership. My immediate thoughts were how  
pleasant.  However as I progress, I'm finding that I must pay the next two  
year subscription even though I will be leaving them shortly and I have  
read, that from this point on, things may become a little tricky, when  
trying to cancel my membership.

I note that already this ISP's control panel has locked me out, so I  
cannot gain access to the cancellation documents within there.  The only  
way around this is to re-register my credit card with them again, but as I  
intend leaving this ISP very shortly, I won't be doing this, and it seems  
this may be a sticking point.

I have sent them a recorded cheque today where a signature will be  
required as proof of receipt. If they cash this, I can see little in the  
way of grounds for them refusing to unlock the panel and give me access to  
the cancellation documents.  If they do not cash my cheque, I guess my  
debt continues and they will add interest for none payment and pass it on  
to their collection agents where more costs are added over a protracted  
period.  We shall see, I am more positive about this company now, but  
still have to overcome a few stumbling blocks yet.  I much appreciate you  
advice, thank you.

Alan