[Venka]

Hello,

I need to send a Letter before Action to Google to resolve a long-running issue.

We paid Google Adwords for our chandelier ads to be featured on highly-relevant, high-quality sites only to discover we paid for ads featured on sites with adult content with charming names like wannaf*ck etc. Google's own Terms and Conditions prohibit ads be featured on sites with mature adult or pornographic content however they have their own definition of what kind of content this is. The way I see it, this is breach of contract.

We have been trying to resolve this since 2006 and Google just won't budge.

I want to send a Letter before Action to their MD.

Can anybody offer any advice what to include in this document? Basically I just want to be reimbursed for the costs of the ads, plus reimbursement of the many telephone calls and small sum of compensation for the many hours it has taken for us to investigate and point out the many irregularities and mistakes in Google extensive 'investigations.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[James]

How big is your claim?

regards
James.

[Venka]

Hi,

I want to be reimbursed for £1600, cost of telephone calls £65.

I would also like a modest sum of my time, so far it has taken over 40 hours in order to try to get this resolved. I don;t know on what grounds I have to ask this for and for what amount.

Any advice much appreciated.

Best wishes,

Venka

[Maxine]

Hiya

Before you send an LBA you would normally send an invoice stating what you are requesting payment for perhaps with a covering letter. If the debt still remains unpaid then that would be an appropriate time to send an LBA in my opinion. The purpose of the letter before action would normally be to show that you have already requested payment and you are advising of further action because there has been no response to previous requests for payment.

The actual wording itself would contain a paragraph that would say something along the lines of "If payment is not received by us on or before <date> then we will take further action of <insert whatever action such as debt claim in county court>"

You might also state in your letter what interest you will charge and at what rate and any other recovery or administration charges you will levy as part of the claim as a condition of the contract.


Hope that helps.

[Daniel]

I would also say that you send an invoice first and see if they respond and send the LBA after two weeks if you don't hear from them. Good luck!