Scary man at my door wanting money

mrs1978

Hi, yesterday the hugest man i've ever seen knocked my door yesterday asking for £3000 + something pounds tax credit overpayment back. He shoved an income and expenditure form in my hand and will return tomorrow to agree a payment plan. He has IR Id, but said he was from a debt recovery agency?

I have had no post, phonecalls as he suggested and wonder where this has come from! Do i arrange will Tax credits via phone....and what do i do about scary man, am i in my rights to tell him to go away? ignore him?

Please help!!

robpw2

tell him to do one !! dont open door to , him close all windows and just tell him that he has too put proof of the debt through letterbox and that you will write to the company concerned before agreeing to any payment plan

jay11_2

Might be worth calling your local police for a chat/reassurance too, sounds scary and intimidating. I'm sure you only have to open doors to police and no-one else, but they will confirm, poor you!

Tax credits are usually repaid by reducing what they pay you, can't you argue 'hardship' if they demand it, they're not allowed to put your househiold into hardship. Get CRB or similar advice ASAP.

cw18

First I'd phone Tax Credits. They should be able to confirm if there is an overpayment on your account, and whether it is being pursued in this manner.

If there is, then even getting in touch with them and opening discussions there should mean the "bully boy" can be called off. If not, then you need to contact the police. If you explain the situation to them now, then they can hopefully get someone out to you ASAP when he arrives. As mentioned, keep doors etc locked, ask for ID, if he passes something in (through the letter box only) say you're just checking it and call the police immediately. If he's come by car and you can see the registration plate from a window, then make a note of that too.

Masquerade_2

A friend of mine has had a similar experience in respect of outstanding council tax.

It appears that local councils and the Inland Revenue do employ outside agencies to deal with their debt collecting.

I agree though, it's not pleasant.

robpw2

you only have to open the door if they have a court warrant and thats even too the police , its your property and any unauthorised access would be trespassing and therefore illegal, also , could constitute harrassment.

you do not have to deal with anyone at the door ,

SweetPea23

Tax credits always write if there's been an overpayment and give you until a certain date to either pay it back or arrange repayment, have you not had any of these OP? I find it shocking that they send scary people round to try to intimidate people, shout through the letter box that they have to take you to court first or at least write to you to let you know who they are. Try not to worry, you can't give what you haven't got and you need to sit down and work out what you can afford to repay and that only, then you can contact whoever to tell them you can afford X amount per month. Definitely phone tax credits and get a figure from them that you owe, see if you can sort something out with them rather than a bully boy company.

mrs1978

Thanku, I stupidly opened the door, but won't be doin that again. I wasn't until after that I realised i had no proof or request

mrs1978

Thankyou all, i won't be opening the door to him tomorrow. Going to call tax credits and find out if it really exists.

I haven't received any letters or calls from TCreds or any outside agency at all.

SweetPea23

mrs1978 wrote: »

Thanku, I stupidly opened the door, but won't be doin that again. I wasn't until after that I realised i had no proof or request

I have just realised by your username your a woman too (didn't pay much attention before) I find this even more sickening that companies send out scary men to the doors of women :mad: Just ignore the door, noone can force you to answer, let this company write to you.

SweetPea23

mrs1978 wrote: »

Thankyou all, i won't be opening the door to him tomorrow. Going to call tax credits and find out if it really exists.

I haven't received any letters or calls from TCreds or any outside agency at all.

All sounds a bit strange to me, I got 2 letters I believe from Tax Credits about my overpayment so I knew I had one and sorted it out so you should definitely have had something if you owe them, my friend also had the letters, forgot about them and then got letters from debt collectors but never had anyone round.