HELP -Moorcroft Debt - Just when I thought I was home and dry....

samtoby

Run of events this morning to Moorcroft Debt Recovery 18/02/2012

I received two letters to the address I am now living at, regarding a gas and electric account which I was not aware of. I called immediately on my mobile phone. at 11:11am to clear the accounts.
The first account was for £588 and after some data protection the lady stated that I could pay it all in one or over a few months. I asked how much this would be and she explained if I paid it in full today she could offer a short settlement of £488 to close the account. I asked her to hold to ask my mother if she could pay it for me and I would pay her back on payday at the end of the month. She agreed and we paid the £488. She stated she would e-mail confirmation stating the account was closed. Lovely I thought. I went to give her the other reference and the line cleared. So I called back on my mother’s landline at approx 11:25. I spoke to a different lady explained the call had hung up and that I wanted to clear the other account. I paid this and it was confirmed the account would be closed on the 5th March 2012 providing the other payment was collected successfully by direct debit. I then asked if she could check the other account was closed. She said she couldn’t see one and that she would have a look and placed me on hold. She then came back and stated a payment of £488 had been paid but £100 was still outstanding.. I stated that I had paid £488 as a settlement and that this was incorrect. The lady advised me this account had no option for a short settlement. So I then was placed on hold again.....then a lot of noise in the back ground saying she could not transfer on her phone and eventually I was placed through to a shift manager.

The shift manager was very polite to be fair and kind. She stated an error was made and that I would still be pursued for the other £100.00. It would need to be paid. I explained £488 had been paid as a settlement offered and she stated it was their error but unfortunately I would still have to pay it as I was liable. I tried to explain that if she was offered a settlement and only through asking it to be re-checked did she find out it was not indeed closed that she would be a tad upset but she said no – if you owe money you owe that amount!

I stated that I wanted to know the names of all the people I had spoken to which she provided and a copy of the call; the first one offering me the settlement. The manager stated I needed to do a Subject Access Request at £10 cost but she could only hold that £100 payment I apparently owed for 14 days from today which may not be enough time for them to do the subject access request! I went mad. How can that be fair....I said surely under FSA if an investigation is raised with a complaint that is wrong and she then placed me on hold and then said she had raised all of this on an official complaint and this would be investigated to the outcome of the £100. I would not need to pay that until they completed their investigation.

Regarding the recorded call – she said only select calls are recorded and she could not gaurentee that any of my calls had been recorded and could only go on what I had said and ask the adviser who may have offered the settlement....but she was apologising at the beginning of the call?!

I have now just phoned back three times to different advisers asking if their calls are recorded....they all said yes.....funny that?!
Questions have to be raised to how often this happens! It was only because I asked the other adviser that I found out the account still owed £100. If I hadn’t I could have ended up with a default and maybe even a CCJ for the £100?! I wonder how many settlements are offered and then they chase the other remaining bit they supposedly wrote off!
Its misrepresentation to say calls are recorded if they are not?!
HELP!!

billybear1

I hope you get this sorted, it is a disgusting way for a company to act. I hope you get this sorted, someone with more experience will be able to help you out I am sure but the way you have highlighted seems to be your best way to proceed.

fatbelly

You highlight why the basic rule for dealing with debt collection agencies is 'everything in writing - do not phone them'

The Golden Rule

Was this actually your debt? And did you agree with the amount they said you owed?

samtoby

Yes I have checked that all with British Gas. That was fine. It is my debt.

The lady offered the settlement to clear which I thought was a good deal and it all went downhill.x