No idea what to do?!

tazsp

Hi there, i am hoping some of you might have some useful advice for me re a mess with my previous car insurers. When my policy came up for renewal in march, i found i was suddenly being charged double following five years of pretty much the same rate. So obviously, i shopped around, got a better deal, and duly informed my soon-to-be previous insurers.

When i cancelled they asked me why, i explained, and they said no probs, paperwork is in the post. I asked was that all, and they said yep. I was already into the policy by a few days as I had been away and hadn't had a chance to deal with it earlier. I didn't cancel the direct debit, thinking any surplus charges would just be taken at source.

However, yesterday sorting through a mountain of stockpiled junk mail i found a letter from them, dated end march, saying i owed 37 quid. So i called, credit card in hand, to settle. To be told, too late, the debt had been paid by a debt collection agency and i had to take it up with them!!! They insist that on "the system" it states i was sent three letters. And we all know we can't fight the system. I know i wasn't sent those last two letters, i am positive. And said so. After a bit of argy bargy, they put me straight through to the agency - so i assume they are in league - to be told my account hadn't been set up yet and until then there was nothing they could do either. Just keep calling them, or wait for a letter to arrive.

So what am I going to do? I don't want to be on some debt agency's books. That has got to be a bad thing even if you pay them straight away. Does anybody know? What about their charges, i assume they're extortionate. Also, while i accept the missing first letter is my fault, aren't the insurers still somewhat at fault for not informing me when i cancelled my policy?

I sent the cheque to the insurers yesterday and am half hoping they cash it so i can say by the time i get the other lot's letter that they're too !!!!!!! late and will have to take it up with insurers! I'd say it's a fat chance though. I have a friend who is a solicitor, should i get them involved? Do i have a leg to stand on? I've been so, so careful never to have any outstanding debts and now this drama.

Can anyone give me some useful advice, or least let me know if they've been in a similar situation?

Thanks a mill, t

sammy115

In a similar situation, so I would be interested to read of any advice given. I have asked that a debt be removed from a debt collection agency today, as it hasn't been set up yet.

They are probably connected as you rightly state. I think you have done the right thing by sending a cheque, you may just confuse them. However, I would follow it up with a complaint stating what had happened and that you feel you have been treated unfairly and that you didn't get letters. I would also check your credit file to see if they have put any adverse info on there, and if they have i would demand that it is removed.

MrsM_4

Surely, your agreement with them was to pay by direct debit. Presumably, they were requesting payment by some other means, can you not fall back on the idea that THEY should have taken payment by direct debit, as per ORIGINAL agreement?

Can you not call their bluff, so to speak?

good luck, other than that - out of my league - sorry x

mm