They said this… · Services & contracts

“If it was not in the written contract, it does not count”

Generally incorrect

Oral statements can matter. The real question is whether the statement became a contractual term, representation or otherwise legally relevant promise.

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Why this answer

What actually matters

  • Consumer service law can make certain information binding where the consumer relied on it.
  • Proof can be harder without a written record, but difficulty proving something is not the same as it being legally irrelevant.
  • Call recordings, contemporaneous notes and follow-up emails may help.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Quote, order, specification or scope of work
  • Messages and call notes showing what was promised
  • Photos, reports or other evidence of defective performance
  • Terms relied on by the trader and when they were supplied

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Define the contractual promise or statutory service standard that you say was not met.
  2. Ask for the remedy that follows from that problem rather than simply demanding compensation.
  3. Use formal complaint, ADR or court routes according to the sector and amount involved.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.ServicesRead the full guide.Proving an agreementRead the full guide.Breach of contractRead the full guide.