Dealing with debt collector

belarus

Hi,

I had an account with a financial services business which took a direct debit from me every month, I finished up with them by giving the required notice and after some correspondence got an email from them stating when the final bill will be issued and the last direct debit date. Bill came and was paid but a month later another direct debit was taken, when I queried the extra direct debit saying I was instructing my bank to return it I was told they would escalate it to their management and get back to me. I never heard back from them so got my money back and still never heard from them until 7 months later from a debt collection agency.

It's only €60 and I would pay it if I owed it but I don't, so what is the best way to deal with this? I'm currently thinking to reply to the debt collectors disputing it and outlining why I don't owe it and won't be dealing with the debt collectors but I haven't got a clue if that would be the right thing to do or not.

Any help appreciated.

Mr. Incognito

Ignore it.

They prey on ignorance

They cannot affect your credit. Bin the demands and they give up after 3 letters

Victor

Write (copy by email) to the financial services business an tell them to sort it.

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

They cannot affect your credit.

You may have missed this piece.

belarus wrote: »

I had an account with a financial services business

belarus

Thanks, it was just a credit card terminal that I had which when I looked at what I was paying was charging horrific transaction fees. It was an extra monthly fee they tried to sneak in after the final bill was paid, despite me not having their terminal or using any of their services.

I tried to sort it with them directly at the time but it was a case of customer service person saying computer says you owe it, when I looked for someone higher they said they would get back to me, when they never did I assumed they figured they knew they overcharged and as I was taking my money back and that was the end of it until this letter nonsense.

NUTLEY BOY

I would be tempted to send the company - not the debt agency - an inertia letter.
Specifically, I would summarise the basic facts, assert that no debt is due and tell them that failing hearing from them it is agreed that the matter is closed.

This pushes the onus back on the other party to act or not as distinct from giving the cheeky beggars the chance to say that you failed to engage with them.

BTW the debt collectors have no better rights to extract payment from you than their clients where no proceedings have issued.

belarus

NUTLEY BOY wrote: »

I would be tempted to send the company - not the debt agency - an inertia letter.
Specifically, I would summarise the basic facts, assert that no debt is due and tell them that failing hearing from them it is agreed that the matter is closed.

This pushes the onus back on the other party to act or not as distinct from giving the cheeky beggars the chance to say that you failed to engage with them.

BTW the debt collectors have no better rights to extract payment from you than their clients where no proceedings have issued.

I'll send off the original company (I won't crap on them in public by naming them) an email and tell them pretty much that and ignore the debt collectors. If they try have another go I would be half tempted to send them a solicitors letter along with an invoice for €1.50 for the stamp and envelope I had to get to send my bank the direct debit refund form.

"Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute"

NUTLEY BOY

If, after proceeding as above, you suffer repeated communications from the debt agency you have the option of reporting both them and their principals to the Gardaí for the offence of harassment as per S. 10 NFOATP Act 1997.

LINK http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/act/26/section/10/enacted/en/html#sec10

jjmcclure

NUTLEY BOY wrote: »

If, after proceeding as above, you suffer repeated communications from the debt agency you have the option of reporting both them and their principals to the Gardaí for the offence of harassment as per S. 10 NFOATP Act 1997.

LINK http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/act/26/section/10/enacted/en/html#sec10

Having worked for credit management agency I can tell you this is nonsense.


IF you owe money, pay it!

ambro25

jjmcclure wrote: »

Having worked for credit management agency I can tell you this is nonsense.

IF you owe money, pay it!

The issue is when money is *not* owed, and yet pursued, per the OP.

Reminded me of this (digital archeology alert: thread is 16 years old).

SEPT 23 1989

the only debt collectors you worry about in this country is one of the Sheriffs

NUTLEY BOY

jjmcclure wrote: »

Having worked for credit management agency I can tell you this is nonsense.


IF you owe money, pay it!

Respectfully, I suggest you read the original post.

Samuel T. Cogley

ambro25 wrote: »

The issue is when money is *not* owed, and yet pursued, per the OP.

Reminded me of this (digital archeology alert: thread is 16 years old).

Even if money is owed imho it can fall within the ambit of harassment.