TFG Markham

I am a student who opened a TFG account at the Markham store on West Street, Durban, last year. Initially, I opted for a 6-month payment plan to avoid monthly instalments, but the staff informed me that I needed to return to the store after 24 hours to finalize the plan change from 12 months to 6 months. I did so, and the staff member assured me that the account had been updated to the 6-month plan. Based on this assurance, I believed my account was set up correctly and didn't require immediate payments. However, I recently received an SMS stating that my account was in arrears due to non-payment. Confused, I visited the store to make payments for three consecutive months, but the outstanding balance remained unchanged. Upon further investigation at the Markham West Street store, I was shocked to learn that my account had remained on the 12-month plan since its inception. I disputed this, citing my previous visit to change the plan, but the staff explained that the person who assisted me must have failed to make the necessary changes. What puzzles me is that whenever I made payments or purchases in-store, the staff would ask about my account plan, and I would confidently confirm it was on the 6-month plan, based on the previous assurance. Now, TFG is demanding nearly R2000 to close the account, which is a significant burden for me as a student. I am concerned about the impact on my credit score and believe it's unfair for me to bear the financial responsibility for the store's error. I would like to resolve this matter amicably. Can you please assist me in finding a solution?