I've just been reading this story in the DM:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8065117/Virgin-Media-signed-dementia-sufferer-680-TV-package-watches-BBC-ITV.htmlVirgin Media has been branded 'unscrupulous' after selling a high-tech package to a 'confused' dementia-suffering pensioner who only watches two TV channels.
Apparently this happened when a pop up came on his tv offering a deal to purchase new channels, even though he only had a phone account with them. The way it was worded made the guy think he had to call VM to keep his existing setup. But during the call the VM people sold him a £681 fibre package even though he only watched 2 channels on freeview.. and VM had been told at least 5 times by his daughter that the guy has dementia.
VM admitted it hadn't updated its records and agreed to offer 6 months of the 12 month contract for free as a 'gesture of goodwill'. This as been accepted by the family.
But maybe excuse my own ignorance on this topic. But I thought a contract can't be legally binding when someone has dementia? How is the contract valid? VM admit they hadn't updated their information, so they must have acknowledged they were told about it. But even if nobody told them and it was proven he had dementia before he agreed to the contract, surely that's proof that the contract is invalid?
His daughter even has power of attorney over him. So again how is the contract valid?