Is there a worse way of buying than hire purchase

When you hire a car, do you own it? No, the car hire firm owns it, you are just borrowing it in return for a fee. It is exactly the same when you buy a sofa, laptop or fridge on hire purchase. Even though you now “possess” the item you do not own it, the store still does. Ownership only passes to you when you have made the final payment in your repayment plan, often two or more years after it was delivered to your house.

This is one of the reasons why if there is the slightest problem with your repayments, the store can just come round and recover the item from you with no extra paperwork. It belongs to them, not you. What is more when you signed the HP agreement you probably did not notice the clause in the agreement that said they can enter your property to recover your goods without a court order, but with the specific permission you granted them. It is a licence to invade your home.