debt recovery agency

festering_plates

I would really appreciate some advice. I moved from my flat little over two years ago with everything paid. I rang all my utilitie providers and made them aware that I was moving home. Last week I received a letter from a debt recovery agency asking for £280 for a unpaid water bill. I looked for conformation of paying this bill but can not find anything in relation to it. I rang Seven trent water who were very unhelpful in providing any information and contained to say my old account was in debt. I remember paying this bill by a paypal card at the carner shop just before I moved. I'm really worried as the debt company as threatened to take my goods if I don't pay up but I don't have that sort of money on my. What are such companys allowed to do? Can they enter my home forceable if I don't pay them? Thanks

Wayne3765

Debt collectors have far less powers than bailiffs do and even they cannot force entry into your home unless you have previously let them in , more info here I'm sure someone more clued up will come and offer more help soon

burbs_2

festering_plates wrote:

I would really appreciate some advice. I moved from my flat little over two years ago with everything paid. I rang all my utilitie providers and made them aware that I was moving home. Last week I received a letter from a debt recovery agency asking for £280 for a unpaid water bill. I looked for conformation of paying this bill but can not find anything in relation to it. I rang Seven trent water who were very unhelpful in providing any information and contained to say my old account was in debt. I remember paying this bill by a paypal card at the carner shop just before I moved. I'm really worried as the debt company as threatened to take my goods if I don't pay up but I don't have that sort of money on my. What are such companys allowed to do? Can they enter my home forceable if I don't pay them? Thanks

Firstly a debt collector can only ask you to pay the debt, they cannot do anything more. What company is it that are after you, i can give you more info if we know that?

Secondly a bailiff can only force his way into your home if he has been invited in on a previous visit. EG. if a bailiff was to turn up tommorrow and you allowed him in then he can come back the following day and gain entry through open windows etc. DO NOT LET THEM IN, once you do this you lose a huge amount of your rights. If you do not let them in then they will be much nicer as you are in control, let them in and you are in serious trouble. If you open the door to them then this can be seen as an invitation to enter and they will push in. CHECK WHO IT IS. I cannot stress enough to you that you musnt let them in.

You are not at this stage at the moment. We need to try and prove this has been paid. Have you not got the receipt anywhere? Im not too clued up on Paypal Cards, do they have a number you can ring to ask them if they have proof you have paid? You have a rough date you can ask Seven Trent to look at?

festering_plates

Thanks so much Burbs. I would of most likey let them in. The company is called Wescot credit services ltd. The date run out yesterday. I got the letter last week but put it away because I was worried. Out of sight out of mind. Just read it again tonight and its making me unable to sleep. I chucked the paypal card in the bin as I did not need it anymore. I should have a letter saying all the dates I paid at the shop somewhere but can't find it for the life of me. Its around but have not seen it for about 18 months.

chris.holland

Do you guys mean PayPOINT or payPAL?

cos payPAL is the email payment thingy

burbs_2

As TS said, Westcot are a large company on try to panic people such as yourself into a state by sending demanding letters etc. They are not nice people to deal with on the phone or in person and they will not let up, they keep on and on.

I cannot really add to what TS said with regard to the letter. Throw in a few statements that show you know what you are talking about and that you will not lie down and take it (they hate that!).

And as i said DO NOT LET ANYONE IN and there will be no problems. In the meantime search and search and search again for some proof that this has been paid as if it hasnt then the money will have to be paid in the end.

Jamz

I used to work for Severn Trent Credit Management and i can tell you that they only usually sell debts to Collection agencies when the account has gone to court and we are unable to get any info. It's possible you could also have a CCJ so check it out.

As for Severn Trent, they have an account that all un-accounted for monies go into, you will need to provide them with several things for them to track the monies down.

1. The Date
2. The Amount
3. Even more ideal is the paypoint card number.

They then should be able to find your payment but only with the above info. Un-fortunately it sounds like you didn't inform STW of your new address when you moved as they would have wrote to you extensively before sending the debt to Westcott.

fishy107

ive recently had a similar problem with debt collectors and need advice. i have a £700+ phone bill from my contract when it was stolen, from someone downloading stupid wallpapers and things. now after a dispute T-mobile has sent debt collectors after me and they say they will be arriving next next monday. Although according to OFT this is still against their powers AKA illegal as the dispute is still on going and my dad wants to goto court about the bill, as my dad has offered £200, but T-mobile rejected the offer, which is precisely what the deadlock is defined as, which goes against OFTs regulations

"2.12f: Visiting or threatening to visit debtors without prior agreement when the
debt is deadlocked or disputed.
By 'deadlocked' we mean where a debtor (or debtor’s adviser) agrees there is a debt and
has offered a repayment programme which has not been agreed by the creditor or debt
collector. We are not saying that any offer must be accepted but we have seen cases
where offers are disregarded and a debtor is told that 'we are sending field agents'. Many
debtors are unlikely to understand this term and are likely to view the visit as a threat
designed to make them offer more money when they can pay no more. Some letters appear
to be designed to give this impression.
By 'disputed' we mean genuinely disputed. We are not seeking to protect 'won’t pays' but
those who are being pursued for a debt they do not owe or genuinely believe they do not
owe. Debt collectors who can show that the debt is due and that any dispute has been
looked into and the debt confirmed will not be in breach of this provision."


i understand that they cannot enter the house unless i give permission to (so im not even going to open the door, as once they have been given permission they can enter as they wish without permission.) but will they be able to take the car parked outside on my driveway? or vandalise anything? do you think i should print out the oft guidelines,highlight them and stick them on the outter see-through porch door? (and btw are they allowed to open my porch door which leads to my main door?)

please any help would be much appreciated

diddlydum

Debt collectors are not bailiffs, and basically have the power to come to your door and ask you very nicely to cough up. You can tell them to get bent, and that's the end of that.

Bailiffs can only be sent if there is a CCJ, and this is in default, and only then they can only seize things that can be reached through peaceable means. A bailiff could seize your car by putting it on a truck if he can get to it without breaking and entering, but curiously enough it is not lawful for a bailiff to clamp a car.

If you have any proof of paying the debt then you need to find it, even the vaguest proof, and find it soon. You should also write to Westcot and tell them that you have paid it. Also ask for a full breakdown of the amount being claimed, because a lot of debt collectors like adding fees for nothing.

bladedancer1962

Hi PPl,

My first time here and some good valid advice. Like festering-plates above i too have a concern with which i hope you can re assure me with. Here goes.

My father is in dispute with T-Mobile over a contract which their agents have not honured. In a nutshell the agents sold a contract to my father in which he would be paid certain amounts of cashback. He recieved two cashbacks and then the agent did a runner. My father has not signed a contract with T-Mobile verbally or in any written form, but only with the agent who have now bankrupted themselves. T-Mobile are being asses and threatning him with debt collectors. My father is 72 years old. He has told his solicitor who is in communication with T-Mobile to resolve things and to reach an amicable outcome. My father is at the moment out of the country and wont be back until End of April . He left all this information with his solicitor, T-Mobile and the debt collection agency( Buchanan Clarke and Wells) and told them he would be back at this time and they would begin to resolve things. In the last couple of days my Mother has been getting forceful calls from the Debt collectors. She is a 66 year old woman and has ben frightened by these calls. Yesterday i called these animals and asked them their problem. And just as burbs said somewhere in the posting above, these people are so insensitive, rude and just don't want to listen to what you have to say. At one point i told the guy i was speaking to that i was recording the conversation, he blatantly replied i dont give a s***t and put the phone down. I wish i had been recording.
Sorry for the long ramble. What do you guys advise ???