Ooo the bailiffs are coming, how exciting ANOTHER UPDATE!

Mrs_Arkwright

Right, just done some digging around in my paperwork. I might be out of luck here, I may have to admit fault.

Bill from Britannia was received on Friday 21 July (how lucky that I datestamp everything!) - however the bill was dated 17 June (which I did not notice until now) - saying 'if we do not receive payment by return a late payment charge may be added blah blah blah, failure to respond will result in your account being passed to collection muppets'.

Cheque sent by return dated 22 July (the day after receiving bill).

According to DCA they were passed the account on 24 July.

Cheque cashed 2 August.

So - I could be in the wrong. They could have received the cheque after it was passed to the DCA. So should I give up, or fight?

gallygirl

PMSL at this - :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Why don't you sell tickets _ I'll chip in a few quid to watch you playing scary woman!!!!

Phone Britannia 1st thing Monday - get the name of the person you speak to!

And keep us updated!

Now go eat some fruit!

ZTD

Mrs_Arkwright wrote:

Right, just done some digging around in my paperwork. I might be out of luck here, I may have to admit fault.

Bill from Britannia was received on Friday 21 July (how lucky that I datestamp everything!) - however the bill was dated 17 June (which I did not notice until now) - saying 'if we do not receive payment by return a late payment charge may be added blah blah blah, failure to respond will result in your account being passed to collection muppets'.

So printed on the 17th, checked on the 18th, posted on 19th - received on the 21st (second class?). You sent the cheque back by return. Not your fault. Britannia are being too ambitious with the speed of the postal system and their own internal systems.

That's why most people say 14 days.

Mrs_Arkwright wrote:

Cheque sent by return dated 22 July (the day after receiving bill).

According to DCA they were passed the account on 24 July.

Cheque cashed 2 August.

So - I could be in the wrong. They could have received the cheque after it was passed to the DCA. So should I give up, or fight?

Fight.

MinnieSpender

Mrs_Arkwright wrote:

Bill from Britannia was received on Friday 21 July (how lucky that I datestamp everything!) - however the bill was dated 17 June (which I did not notice until now) - saying 'if we do not receive payment by return a late payment charge may be added blah blah blah, failure to respond will result in your account being passed to collection muppets'.

Cheque sent by return dated 22 July (the day after receiving bill).

According to DCA they were passed the account on 24 July.

Cheque cashed 2 August.

So should I give up, or fight?

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Time for a little righteous indignation, I feel!

Why did it take a MONTH from printing the bill to posting it to you? Hey? Hey?

If you don't want to ring them, I'll do it!

mrbadexample

Mrs_Arkwright wrote:

Bill from Britannia was received on Friday 21 July (how lucky that I datestamp everything!) - however the bill was dated 17 June (which I did not notice until now) - saying 'if we do not receive payment by return a late payment charge may be added blah blah blah, failure to respond will result in your account being passed to collection muppets'.

Received 21 July, bill date 17 JUNE? Was this the first time you'd seen the bill, or was it a reminder?

ZTD

mrbadexample wrote:

Received 21 July, bill date 17 JUNE? Was this the first time you'd seen the bill, or was it a reminder?

Hmm, yes - didn't notice it was a completely different month... :eek:

skylight

There will be no baliff or collector coming, so don't worry - you dont owe anything!

You need to write to the DCA (recorded) stating the debt to Britannia has been paid and as you do not owe them any more money, you do not expect to hear from them again.

They cannot take you to court for charges - as already mentioned they would be laughed out. That goes for any fees that they wish to add on - the debt is gone so they are adding (illegal!!) charges to a debt that doesn't exist!

I have done this with BT and Ebay - both their debt collectors wanted the £15 charge after I had paid the bill. The ebay one insisted they wanted to send me a paying in book for the charges. I commented that if they could prove in law that I owed them money, I would pay. I did add that such a law did not exisit so I did not expect to hear form them again.

I didn't. (and all was taken from advice from these boards!)

Mrs_Arkwright

mrbadexample wrote:

Received 21 July, bill date 17 JUNE? Was this the first time you'd seen the bill, or was it a reminder?

It was a final bill as I'd cancelled the account. I cancelled it online, and asked them to send me a final bill, and this was it, I assume.

Dear Mrs A

Mem no xxxxxxxxx

The above account has now been cancelled. However there is an outstanding balance of £20.64 and your payment by return would be appreciated. IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE PAYMENT BY RETURN A LATE PAYMENT CHARGE MAY BE ADDED TO YOUR ACCOUNT. Failure to respond will result in your account being passed to our collection division.

Yours sincerely

Blah de Blah

(Their capitals.)

So no, I don't see this as a reminder. I see it as the final bill.

I will write some recorded delivery letters. I just really do not want the charges to start adding up. You see it on the telly - someone gets a bill for 50p, does nothing and before you know it charges etc have made into a bill for 50 million.

SBF40

Bill from Britannia was received on Friday 21 July (how lucky that I datestamp everything!) - however the bill was dated 17 June (which I did not notice until now) - saying 'if we do not receive payment by return a late payment charge may be added blah blah blah, failure to respond will result in your account being passed to collection muppets'.

I think the date they wrote the letter (in this instance) is irrelevant - it's the date their post is sent and therefore received by their customers that is more relevant. You have date stamped your letter on the day you received it and responded promptly. It might be helpful to write to the companies with a copy of your letter (with date stamp) and the cheque with your arguement being it was dealt with as urgently when it was received

Cheque sent by return dated 22 July (the day after receiving bill)

. Your bank statement will only confirm what you and they already know, that the cheque was cashed on a certain date and that doesn't seem to be in dispute. You acted in good faith and these companies are trying to squeeze pennies out of you. Always keep a record of who you spoke to and what date and perhaps a summary of what was said (for your own records and to support what you've been told by them.

Mrs_Arkwright

Right, I've written this - do you want to pick over the bones and I'll fine tune it?

Dear Britannia.

Re Membership no XXX

I received a bill from you on 21 July for £20.64 after cancelling the above account. I sent a cheque by return dated 22 July for this amount, and this cheque was cashed on 2 August.

I was therefore surprised today to receive notice from a debt collection agency that the debt had been transferred to them and, not only did they want the £20.64, they also want an extra £15 in ‘charges’. Having spoken to the collection agency, they are insistent that I owe this money, even though I have proof that you have cashed my cheque in the form of my bank statement.

As I have already paid the original bill to you, and you have cashed the cheque, I am sure you will agree that I do not in fact owe you any money, and would be grateful if you would ensure that I do not receive any further contact from your collection service. Any further contact from them will be considered harassment, and I will not hesitate to seek legal advice.

A copy of this letter has also been sent to the debt collection agency, and to my solicitor.

Kind regards


Mrs A