Katie Gilroy
New member
2 years ago I joined a start up company. I agreed to take 2 company phones out in my name due to a lack of credit. I did this with a signed contract between myself and the Chief Executive (lets call him Matthew). 18 months later things had got ugly with the CEO taking £20K a month (heavy on drugs) and not paying tax etc etc (not a nice guy in so many ways)
I handed in my notice. Matthew did not take this very well and was threatening not to accept my notice, instead he wanted to 'sack' me for gross misconduct - he never quite understood employment law! Lots of legal paperwork went back and forth, one issue being the phone. We agreed in numerous contracts that the phones would be signed over to him at no cost to me
I handed over the two blackberrys and signed a official Vodafone contract to hand ownership over to him
Fast forward 4 months and (as I had guessed), the tax man had caught up with Matthew and the company went into administration. I then get the shock of my life to receive a call from Vodafone saying that the phones I had signed over (and handed over) belonged to me- alongside a £1K phone bill. Matthew had never sent off the paperwork and cancelled the direct debit before running up large bills
I called the police to report either fraud or theft. The police gave me a crime reference number and assurance that I would not have to pay the bill as, because the direct debit came out of the company account for more than 6 months the phones belonged to them.
I wrote to Vodafone explaining this and enclosed 4 official pieces of documentation proving that the phones belonged to Matthew (this included the signed Vodafone contract Matthew ‘forgot’ to send off, the contract between me and Matthew stating his ownership and my final company agreement). Vodafone told me where to go- surprise surprise!
I cannot afford this bill at all and frustrates me that I do not even have them in my possession. Furthermore, I am a victim of a crime
I want advice- does anyone have the 'legislation' or 'guidance' that says that a DD of more than 6 months from an account not owned by the 'policy holder' belongs to the bill payer!?
Or any advice generally?
Before anyone suggests- I cannot do a civil claim against Matthew because he is on the run from the tax man. Furthermore, although the administrators of the company I worked for have written to Vodafone to tell them the bill belongs to them there is no money for me!
My only option is to get Vodafone to accept that I am a victim of crime, or accept that the company owns the phones and remove the debt.. I was a customer for more than 10 years and never missed a payment
I would be so grateful for help. I get married in 5 months so this bill has devastated me
Thanks!
Katie x
I handed in my notice. Matthew did not take this very well and was threatening not to accept my notice, instead he wanted to 'sack' me for gross misconduct - he never quite understood employment law! Lots of legal paperwork went back and forth, one issue being the phone. We agreed in numerous contracts that the phones would be signed over to him at no cost to me
I handed over the two blackberrys and signed a official Vodafone contract to hand ownership over to him
Fast forward 4 months and (as I had guessed), the tax man had caught up with Matthew and the company went into administration. I then get the shock of my life to receive a call from Vodafone saying that the phones I had signed over (and handed over) belonged to me- alongside a £1K phone bill. Matthew had never sent off the paperwork and cancelled the direct debit before running up large bills
I called the police to report either fraud or theft. The police gave me a crime reference number and assurance that I would not have to pay the bill as, because the direct debit came out of the company account for more than 6 months the phones belonged to them.
I wrote to Vodafone explaining this and enclosed 4 official pieces of documentation proving that the phones belonged to Matthew (this included the signed Vodafone contract Matthew ‘forgot’ to send off, the contract between me and Matthew stating his ownership and my final company agreement). Vodafone told me where to go- surprise surprise!
I cannot afford this bill at all and frustrates me that I do not even have them in my possession. Furthermore, I am a victim of a crime
I want advice- does anyone have the 'legislation' or 'guidance' that says that a DD of more than 6 months from an account not owned by the 'policy holder' belongs to the bill payer!?
Or any advice generally?
Before anyone suggests- I cannot do a civil claim against Matthew because he is on the run from the tax man. Furthermore, although the administrators of the company I worked for have written to Vodafone to tell them the bill belongs to them there is no money for me!
My only option is to get Vodafone to accept that I am a victim of crime, or accept that the company owns the phones and remove the debt.. I was a customer for more than 10 years and never missed a payment
I would be so grateful for help. I get married in 5 months so this bill has devastated me
Thanks!
Katie x