I posted here back in May and so far since I dropped a note re: contacting the DMA I’ve not heard a word from them since (touch wood).

All the best

The case to be answered is that Mathew Brown libelled Dr Notley, in that Mr Brown alleged that Dr Notley lied to members about receiving money for advertising. These allegations are false, and extremely damaging to Dr Notley, an honest businessman, and Mr Brown will fail in his defence because the truth of these matters is capable of independent audit.

However, while sharing your views about the importance of retaining an independent voice, you do not need to be concerned in this instance. The removal of the offending article(s) will have no effect on any bloggers’ right to express their views about businesses or governments, so long as they refrain from defamatory falsehoods, which has always been the case, and I hope will always remain so. I assume you would not support anyone’s right to publicly defame you, me or anyone else with false allegations.

You may publish these remarks if you publish them in full and without editing or interjections.

Thank you my Lord, though, for the warning.

Despite regular communications to the director of customer service they invoiced me for the books, added late payment charges and were unable to explain why the items were not delivered to me in the 3 months of the sorry saga.

I had been a fairly satisfied customer since the early nineties but noted a decline when the TSP became part of the BCA stable a few years back. Since then service has deteriorated and the amount of junk in the monthly mailing increased.

The last e-mail regarding my membership is as follows:

Dear Mr Ball,

Please accept my sincere apologies for the continued problems you have been experiencing with the non delivery of your April order.

I note that you have still not received ON CHESIL BEACH and that although ZIGZAG has been returned to us by our Courier, this item was never delivered to your address. I can only assume that it was returned by our Courier as an undelivered item and that ON CHESIL BEACH has been lost in transit.

In the circumstance, I have cleared your account of all charges relating to this order. I have also reluctantly, cancelled your membership, as requested.

I am sorry that your association with The Softback Preview is ending in this way.

Regards
Jasmin Moody
Customer Service Manager
Telephone 01793 747110
E.mail:jmoody@bca.co.uk

Bit alarming, if I was supposed to buy more books, why didn’t they say so after the year was up instead of waiting for now? Clearly I misread the bit that said “no commitment”…

Alastair

I’ve since been receiving payment demands I called after the first one and they wanted proof that I had returned the outstanding books. When I said I had none I was told that a form would come out to me - I got nothing and so I called again and again nothing the payment demands keeping coming and on Friday I came home to a new letter from Computerised Debt collection agency informing me that their clients have instructed them to take whatever action is necessary to recover the o/s balance. I called the debt agency they told me that i would have to talk to ESTP - well they closed at 5pm. I’m now having nightmares of bailiffs breaking into my house. This is blackmail can they send bailiffs to my house? and the outstanding amount keeps going I’ve even been tempted to pay it just to get rid of the stress before I end up with a bill for £000’s. Will this effect my clean credit record? I hate this company.