"Debt Collection" thieves!
Discussion
I registered a couple a domain names three years ago for a project that never reached fruition. Then in February, I got a snotty letter demanding payment for renewal (£15.13). I would have probably maintained the domains, but the snotty tone of the letter made me want to cancel my account. On the 11th Feb, I phoned the registrar and gave them my credit card details to settle the balance, and I sent them a form to cancel the registration. Guess which Asian nation the callcentre was in :rolleyes:
Anyway, imagine my surprise when yesterday I had a letter from a debt collection agency demanding £30.13 for the unpaid bill, plus their £15 collection charge. A furious call later and it turns out they "didn't receive" my cancellation (yeah, right!) and I need to "speak to the billing department" about the payment.
So where do I stand? If I speak to their billing department on Monday and they insist I have to pay the collection agency, what are my rights? Can I pay the agency and then reclaim the £15 somehow?
I don't mind paying what I owe, but I resent paying administration fees, and it sticks in my craw that I've had a letter from a debt collection agency, when my life's mantra is "debt free, worry free".
Anyway, imagine my surprise when yesterday I had a letter from a debt collection agency demanding £30.13 for the unpaid bill, plus their £15 collection charge. A furious call later and it turns out they "didn't receive" my cancellation (yeah, right!) and I need to "speak to the billing department" about the payment.
So where do I stand? If I speak to their billing department on Monday and they insist I have to pay the collection agency, what are my rights? Can I pay the agency and then reclaim the £15 somehow?
I don't mind paying what I owe, but I resent paying administration fees, and it sticks in my craw that I've had a letter from a debt collection agency, when my life's mantra is "debt free, worry free".
parrot of doom said:
Correct, the domain just becomes available again, and you're under no compunction to renew it.
Apparently, the terms and conditions I agreed to when I registered say otherwise. As I said, I don't mind paying the £15.13 if that's what I signed up to. I owe it, I should pay. I object to paying a debt collection agency though!
k themselves, can't imagine them pursuing you for £15. 
Its very simple.
You make the case grey. Debt collection agencies don't like it when it goes grey. They want black or white, you either owe the money or you don't.
Because the cancellation has gone missing, and you phoned up trying to pay the original balance - things are now grey. You have evidence you called them as you have access to your itemised phone bill.
Anyway, once you make the case grey debt collection agenices throw it back to their client. If they pursue you for their £15 through the small claims court it is also you right to transfer the case to a court that is local to you.
That means that to recover their £15 they may have to travel hundreds of miles and send a director of the firm to recover the cash. All in all - an awful lot of hassle with no guaranteed return.
You make the case grey. Debt collection agencies don't like it when it goes grey. They want black or white, you either owe the money or you don't.
Because the cancellation has gone missing, and you phoned up trying to pay the original balance - things are now grey. You have evidence you called them as you have access to your itemised phone bill.
Anyway, once you make the case grey debt collection agenices throw it back to their client. If they pursue you for their £15 through the small claims court it is also you right to transfer the case to a court that is local to you.
That means that to recover their £15 they may have to travel hundreds of miles and send a director of the firm to recover the cash. All in all - an awful lot of hassle with no guaranteed return.
seconded my mobile contract cancellation didnt get actioned, i had paid my 12 months and cancelled a contract. 2 years later i got a £150 bill from a dept collectors, even got as far as sending someone round. I explained to the chap that i had cancelled, i never received an itemised description of what i owed, simply a demand for the money. I told him to show me evidence of what i owed his company or p&%s off. Not heard a thing since
Common technique used my many companies nowadays. I have been caught out a couple of times, but usually a couple of phone calls sorts the issue out - but its a hassle and uncalled for.
But, increasingly this is a doubious tactic which is adopted by the less customer focused organisations. An ominous turn for the worst given that so much these days is "contract" based.
Edited to add : And now I have taken to sending letters of cancellation and the like via recorded or special delivery. Almost all companies cant deny this and cave in at the first hurdle.
>> Edited by off_again on Monday 18th July 09:02
But, increasingly this is a doubious tactic which is adopted by the less customer focused organisations. An ominous turn for the worst given that so much these days is "contract" based.
Edited to add : And now I have taken to sending letters of cancellation and the like via recorded or special delivery. Almost all companies cant deny this and cave in at the first hurdle.
>> Edited by off_again on Monday 18th July 09:02
I have had experience of these sorts of things, always for trivial amounts which I didnt in fact owe and could prove so. The alleged debt gets put in the hands of an agency whos only aim is to get the money from you. Wether you actually owe it or not is an irrelevance to them, proving to them that you do not owe the money makes no odds. I have found after several phone calls and letters with documented evidence (actual receipts!) still nothing happens, they refuse to acknowledge that you are not a scrote, in fact one agency sells it onto another and then you start all over again.
My tactic now is to either ignore it, or just send one letter saying issue your summons and I will see you in court. Nothing happens. I still get the odd letter with demands relating to a mobile phone contract from 1992. Each fresh agency will have absolutely no comprehension that the account was settled and I have never owed the monies, despite having proved it to the previous agencies involved.
The bottom line is that it is all computer generated crap, and they dont appear to have any mechanism to cancel it when they get the real facts and you can demonstrate that they are wrong. The mantra is pay up or go to court, they are the only options.
My tactic now is to either ignore it, or just send one letter saying issue your summons and I will see you in court. Nothing happens. I still get the odd letter with demands relating to a mobile phone contract from 1992. Each fresh agency will have absolutely no comprehension that the account was settled and I have never owed the monies, despite having proved it to the previous agencies involved.
The bottom line is that it is all computer generated crap, and they dont appear to have any mechanism to cancel it when they get the real facts and you can demonstrate that they are wrong. The mantra is pay up or go to court, they are the only options.
It's always good to write a letter to cancel anything. Naturally the company will lose/ignore it and try to keep billing you.
When eventually the debt collection agaency writes to you, refer them to the letter you sent to their employers (don't send a copy) and suggest they go back to them for new instructions. This has always worked for me. As omeone said, it greys the issue.
Having that letter as back-up also means that if you wish, you can let them take you to court, whereupon you produce the letter, win the case and claim costs. However, I htink it is very unlikely they would pursue you for such a small sum. Debt collection leters are often just frighteners I think - don't be frightened or intimidated; they are simply lowlife muppets out for an easy percentage.
When eventually the debt collection agaency writes to you, refer them to the letter you sent to their employers (don't send a copy) and suggest they go back to them for new instructions. This has always worked for me. As omeone said, it greys the issue.
Having that letter as back-up also means that if you wish, you can let them take you to court, whereupon you produce the letter, win the case and claim costs. However, I htink it is very unlikely they would pursue you for such a small sum. Debt collection leters are often just frighteners I think - don't be frightened or intimidated; they are simply lowlife muppets out for an easy percentage.
Witchfinder said:
My problem is that technically, I haven't paid. Despite phoning up and giving my card details, it turns out that they never billed my card.
Surely that's their problem, not yours? As has been suggested, make suer you keep your phone records from the time in question.
pdV6 said:
Surely that's their problem, not yours? As has been suggested, make suer you keep your phone records from the time in question.
Correct. I phoned them ealier and managed to speak to someone with some sense. They've cancelled the fee, I just need to pay the outstanding £15.13 (if I can ever get through to the incompetent collection agency)
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