Debt Collectors

backfoot

One of the aspects of the PPN scam is the use of Debt Collection Agents in the process.I see a lot of concerned victims really worried about this aspect believing them to have various powers and authority.

They have no such powers even if they are genuine companies. In many of the PP cases the Debt collectors are just an extention of the Private Parking Company. They can't increase the invoice just because of their involvement, yet many of their letters claim to do so.

I thought I would relate a story about Debt Collectors. The previous occupiers of my property went bankrupt and lost their house.I don't know what happened to them.They had obviously built up a lot of debt because we started to receive letters addressed to them with one in particular requesting over £2,000. I phoned the DC company to explain helpfully that they had moved away but I did not have a forwarding address. I was told that I had committed an offence under the Post Office Act and to always return post to them unopened.

Now some 15 years later, we still get letters chasing this very same debt from various different Debt Collection companies,with posh double barrelled names, who have obviously sold the debt onto another outfit and they start the process all over again.I have a wonderful collection.

The point being that each of them has threatend all sorts of action,made counter offers for early settlement,threatened bailiffs,CCJ's, additional costs and all the sorts of things we see from the PPC muppets.

This despite the Statute of Limitations and the fact that no one ever replies anymore. To my eternal disappointment, no proceedings have ever been issued and I am still waiting for the weight of the Post Office Act to fall upon me.

Don't worry about Debt Collectors.:D Lots of hot air.

DaveF327

There's no such thing as the Post Office Act, but the Postal Services Act 2000 creates the following offence:

A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.

So it would have to be proved that you intended some form of malice in opening the letter. If you acted in good faith or the name wasn't quite visible through the window envelope, you can sleep easy.

It's good that you can put people's mind at ease regarding debt collection practices of PPCs who are less than honest to say the least, but I hope this thread does not discourage genuine business owners from employing legitimate practices to recover genuine debts from shirkers who are the bane of the self-employed worldwide.

backfoot

I totally take your point about genuine business claims.

I was trying to use a personal observation and experience to give some comfort and confidence to those hounded by PPC's and DCC's that they are not as menacing as they first appear.

In themselves, they have no legal authority yet by their name, ordinary people can become easily intimidated. Their legal speak only seeks to reinforce that impression upon the unwary.

I am sure you actually saw the point I was trying to make by me posting it here in this section?

As for the initial reference to the Post Office Act,that was their phrase and not mine. The comment would have been made prior to 2000 when all this started.Some other legislation would have been in force then I expect.

Again, I thank you for the facts about the law covering the postal system. I think, once again, my comment was taken largely out of context,as it was trying to illustrate that many legalistic words and phrases are thrown at us for which no action is generally forthcoming.

As you saw I did try and help them initially,as a good citizen,only to be rebuffed with some jobsworth stuff, so stuff them.;) After 15 years, I have learned to cope with the sleep deprivation, even if I have been a very naughty boy.