Friend owes me money

lisa_75

To cut a long story short my friend ordered some things out of my catalogue (about £400) and has not paid me £150 of it back. I have been making the payments out of my own pocket.

She is avoiding my phone calls, texts and not answering her door. She is a good friend and I am so upset that it has come to this. I even sent her a text saying that even if she can only afford £2 a week it is fine. There was no reply. She has just been away for a fortnight (her sister in law told me) and has just had a conservatory done so it is not as if she is struggling.

I am trying to get debt free and £150 would pay off one of my credit cards. My husband says just to forget her and the money as it is not worth me chasing her and getting upset. It is not just the money. I have known this woman for 10 years and for her to treat me like this is upsetting.

What would you do?

AGB863

In respect to how you are being treated, is there any outstanding balance due to the catalgue company in for the items she ordered? If so do not make any more payments and pass her details to the company concerned and ask them to chase for the remaining payments as she is refusing to make payments.

If not there is not a lot you can due about it except take her to the small claims court.

rog2

When my wife ran a catalogue she often came up against the same situation, and had to inform the catalogue (Littlewoods) about two 'friends'. The catalogue took over responsibility for collection. One friend got a bit funny, but the other was really good and apologised for the trouble it had caused my wife.
The catalogue were not heavy handed about collecting on these accounts - they sent a letter and asked that future payments were made direct to them. Mind you, this was over 10 years ago and things may well have changed, but you can not afford to put yourself deeper in debt when it is not your fault.

angeluk69_2

I had similar prob, if there is a balance outstanding and the catalogue is in your name you take full responsibilty for the whole order. It is the OP's name on the account then it is the OP's debt. Sorry.

With regard to OP, you need to speak to your 'friend', she might just be embarrasssed at how far it has gone, your husband is being a bit silly to say forget about it, because I am sure if the boot was on the other foot and you owed her money she would be hounding you for it.

Kepp on at her and explain that she is now causing you upset (even write her a letter) and that all you want to do is discuss it and come to an arrangement to get it sorted. Explain that you cannot afford to cover her debt and your own.

HTH

bikerqueen

go to her front door

dottyanne

I too had a similar experience about 10 years ago, a so called friend who i worked with ordered quite a bit of expensive bedding etc..she paid the first few payments ok then i spent weeks chasing her for the rest.....got it eventually but it was stressful, unpleasant and learnt me a lesson not to do that again!

dotty x

meerustar

I'd pass on her details to the catalogue company.

Work out how much she owes, phone the catalogue, give her details and they will take it off your hands.

The other problem could be that you have already paid for her goods and she owes you the money. I would contact her again and ask for the money or you can say you'll file a claim with the small claim courts. I know this is a bit extreme and she is your friend, but she is the one not being very friendly leaving you with her debt.

I hope you get it sorted. £150 is a lot of money, especially when you are trying to be debt free ... Good Luck

angeluk69_2

Make sure you read the T+C's for the catalogue (which one is it?) as you don't want a wasted phonecall.

KatieKins

Personally I would still try and chase it. Our of experience I lent a friend £50 some years back and after about fifteen times of asking, took the advice of someone who said just leave it, put it down to experience and at least you have saved the friendship. But now I don't even see or speak to this 'friend' aside from the odd yearly e-mail - after she moved in with her bf we drifted apart - so I wish I had got it back! Good luck just keep trying :cool:

rog2

angeluk69 wrote:

Make sure you read the T+C's for the catalogue (which one is it?) as you don't want a wasted phonecall.

Yes, you are right - 10 - 15 years ago, when my wife ran her catalogue, each customer was given a separate account, and credit limit. The catalogue would contact my wife if they were worried about a particular customer's payment record, and would take over collection in extreme cases, only after consultation with my wife. Now, it would seem, if everything goes under one account, that you, the agent, are taking all the risk, and that it is your personal a*se on the line. Doesn't seem very fair to me.

lynsayjane

KatieKins wrote:

Personally I would still try and chase it. Our of experience I lent a friend £50 some years back and after about fifteen times of asking, took the advice of someone who said just leave it, put it down to experience and at least you have saved the friendship. But now I don't even see or speak to this 'friend' aside from the odd yearly e-mail - after she moved in with her bf we drifted apart - so I wish I had got it back! Good luck just keep trying :cool:

why would you want to stay friends with someone who stole from you though? even if you had been friends for years, for her to treat you as such is blatently showing the quality of the friendship.