Superb Functions

Does anyone know much about Superb Functions…And, does anyone know much about the laws governing Entertainment Companies/Agencies?

Firstly I should say that I have only named this Manchester based company because everything I say about them is true and I have documentation to prove it.

They owe me £400 dating back to 20 June 2009 when I did my first ever job for them at the Crown Plaza in Manchester.

For about 2 or 3 years I have been getting text messages off them as if I was one of their DJs. The messages were pretty general like asking if I was available for certain dates, telling all the DJs to be on time and smart, asking if any of the DJs wanted to form a 5 aside football team and so on. Well I was cancelled for 20 June at short notice so I decided to reply to a text asking for DJs for that week-end, the job was offered to me at Crown Plaza and the money was excellent for an agency. I was told by Steve K of SF that it was normal for DJs to be paid within 90 days but as this was short notice and it was being paid for directly by the client I would be paid within 28 days. I thought it all sounded ok and the contract arrived by email and that appeared ok too so I accepted the booking. I did the job and it went very well, the client was chatting to me at the end of the night and he said something like…’that was excellent and we’re all square aren’t we as I have already paid the agency’. A couple of days later I got a thank you email off the client too. Whilst I was there the hotel staff also asked me about my prices as they weren’t happy with their current arrangements for DJs.

Anyway, you prob know the rest

The 28 days came and went with no payment, I had phone calls and emails ignored and basically felt I was being bullsh1tted. I was told that I had to talk to Haley who was the accountant…who I believe is also the Daughter of Steve M who is director/owner or whatever. I got to talk to this Haley once who said it would be sent out without delay…Still no payment to this day though.

2 weeks ago I sent a letter demanding payment within 14 days or the next thing they would hear from me would be notification of legal action…still no reply. What I intend to do now is send a recorded letter tomorrow stating in the avoidance of all doubt that on Friday 27 November it will be entered into the County Court for settlement if no payment is received in the meantime.

In recent weeks I have seen 3 copies of the same letter that has been sent to other DJs/Entertainers who have threatened legal action against SF over non-payment. The letter is appearing to be from a Solicitors called Coupland Cavendish, but they won’t confirm if the letter is from them or not. It is my personal opinion that the letter is suspicious, the thing that makes me think this is that the letter says that they do not have instructions to enter into any correspondence or answer any replies or act further in these matters…to me that is strange and together with the fact that they won’t confirm if the letter is from them or not doesn’t add up. Basically the letter is saying that if legal action is followed its unlikely any payment would be made as the company is suffering financially and the only hope of ever being paid is to support the company by keeping working for them and hope they will recover. It also says they have no assets.

I mean…how bloody stupid do they think people are? As if they think people will continue to work for them and sink further into their grasps.

I have heard all kinds of stuff in the past about these companies being legally obliged to hand over payments within so long of receiving them, but I don’t know what is actually true. To me it is like theft, it is my money, they have had the payment in advance of the job…I have no reason to doubt the client and lots of reasons to doubt SF.

If you are about Potty Pete can you spread further light on what’s the score with them now?...or anyone else of course.

Also…does anyone know who actually polices agencies, is it DWP?

I will not let this drop, I know it will cost me but I am prepared to pay to follow it to the end. I would also strongly suggest that any DJs that are booked for SF doing a Christmas run look for something else as you could end up doing a dozen or more jobs and not being paid and of course that would be a very large loss.

Hi Andy I've left you a message at home with my number theres a few things you need to know and it would be best to do it by phone for reasons I will explain.

Best wishes

Adam

Thanks Adam; I did get your message but it was too late when I got in to phone you. I was putting a wardrobe together at my Daughters new flat and discovered I had got the top board and bottom one the wrong way round so had to strip it down and start again I will phone you during sociable hours.

I had a text off Superb yesterday saying don't believe anything as they are still in business and looking for DJs for December...I get the feeling that come the new year there are going to be some very angry DJs.

I am due to start court action but need to talk to the court tomorrow to make sure that I have explored all the necessary avenues before starting legal action.

Hi Andy

We have tried all ways to try and get money owed to us from doing Player of the Year, I have had them in Court twice now, still no luck, I have received a solicitors letter?? from a solicitor acting on behalf of Superb saying that if I proceed with any action no one will get anything??

If anyone wants to get even with superb please mail me, They owe me over £1500 dating back to dec 2008.

I am looking for anyone thats owed money by this company.

Good luck guys

and they wonder why agencies get such a bad rap??

I guess any update from Andy?

Failing any direct legal attack, I'm sure their local trading standards will be aware if they are not paying contractors?
Has anyone tried that line of attack? Are any creditors members of the FSB? They can almost certainly help though their helpline.

If they are not paying out, then their threat of "no one will get anything" is an empty threat if DJ's are still unpaid!

I never took it any further because I didn't think I would get anywhere with it, pretty sure they would have just played the system and avoided paying, they were actually messing about changing the company name etc.

Funny enough they called me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I was available to work for them...I told them to get stuffed.