My underage son in debt

postingalwaysposting

seven-day-weekend wrote:

I didn't think he was supposed to sell on EBay anyway unless he was 18.

Make him pay his bills, I can't imagine why you are trying to grt him off the hook.

seven day there is know way of ebay to check the age of people, all they do is add a few years to there date of birth (my brother has done it to buy and 18 dvd online) the credit card was a sure indicator but sadly ebay has taken that factor away too, but saying that i know of a 16 year old buying and selling on ebay using his mothers credit card :rolleyes: begger belief

Toomuchdebt

I agree with everyone else-make him pay the money back.

Red_Fraggle_3

Sorry if it was my girl - i'd make her pay it back :-)

MinnieSpender

Emmzi is right here - legally he is not responsible for his debt.

However, I echo what everyone else is saying. Make him pay it and give him a good firm talking to about the dangers of debt. It's a slippery slope. A quick skim through the threads here are an education in that very subject.

CAFCGirl

MinnieSpender wrote:

Emmzi is right here - legally he is not responsible for his debt..

The legal part Im guessing is spot on, however at 15 yrs old, he knows what he's doing!

He knows enough to be selling on ebay and conducting himself there, so he KNEW that there would be fees payable.

When I was 15, I had a debit card which allowed me to go 20p overdrawn and I got charged £35 (Thanks HSBC) and I was told that at my age I was old enough to understand the terms and conditions of my account, and I shouldnt have entered into it if I couldnt adhere.

So fact is, he's going to learn a lesson (or is he?) Someone else mentionned its a tenner, not the greatest amount, and he must have made some money on ebay to incur £19 anyway.

I dont think he should be excused because x,y and z should have been put in place by ebay! Because at the end of the day, even if they did, he would probably have wormed his way around that too!

Make him pay the tenner, no more ebaying unless supervised, and give him a ruddy good talking to quite frankly!

M_Thomson

He should also make sure that the address is changed pronto. Why should the neighbours have to face the possiblity of their credit history being messed up?

CAFCGirl

good point Thomson.

I'd be really miffed if someone was using my address!

homersimpson_3

sorry to ask this but do you believe that he accidently put the incorrect address in - it may well be true because virtually everyone (including me) makes typing mistakes. has he been hiding letters or e mail from you? usually letters are issued before matter referred to debt collection agencies. if so not only has son committed the original act but more importantly deceived his parents and may (and only may) dragged the neighbours into it. you have to live next door to these people, one day may well need their help (e.g. taking a parcel in etc) and so should try not to upset them. get the address changed immediately before any damage is done to their credit rating. paying 10 is timid to what your son deserves. he has put you at risk, wasted everyone's time, put your neighbours at risk and you now have to deal with dca.

littlelily

I'm with everyone else here - if he is (legally or otherwise) old enough to sell on e-bay and receive the profits, then he's (legally or otherwise) old enough to pay the penalty for allowing debts to build.

Get him off the hook by using a loophole is a very misguided (and I'd say unethical) route to take.

Bambywamby

I believe if a debt belongs to a child under the age of 18 the responsibility of the debt lies with the parent/guardian....however he should pay the remaining fee.
Its a valuable lesson if life - you have to pay for what you use.