Advice - repaying overpaid wages?

TheNonAdmin

Hi everyone,

I left my old company as it became necessary that I move house. Unfortunately they paid me for the month after I left and I didn't notice (my old landlord owed me money, I assumed the money came from him, yes I know I was stupid).

I got a letter saying I had to repay £900. I got in touch with them and agreed to pay £300 that I had left, and £100 a month thereafter. However I am now a full time apprentice who has just been emergency taxed, I thought I could keep up with this repayment but I can't, no matter how well I budget.

My question is, if I phone them and ask to pay £50 a month until my wage increases (in 5 months time) would they be likely to take legal action to try and get the money back faster? I have paid back over half of it now, and will not need to pay any less than £50 a month. With any luck when I get emergency tax back, I can pay it off in a lump sum.

Any advice on their rights and mine would be appreciated!

Issuma

Hi, I'm no expert on the companies rights I can only speak from my own experience as this happened to one of my family a while back, as far as I'm aware because this is their mistake they should allow you to pay this back monthly as you have been doing, moving forwards as this is still your intention there shouldn't be a problem it's not as if your now saying you can't pay at all, they may not be overjoyed about the amount you can afford at the moment but you are still paying it back, until you ring them you're not going to know how they react, you may be surprised they may be very understanding about it.

Maybe you could have a look on the internet first there's lots of info on employment rights which may be helpful.

Fingers crossed you get it sorted soon.

McKneff

and do everything in writing and keep copies.

Kate_fixing_it

Is it still being dealt with in house? I'd imagine so in which case it will take them time to pass it on for legal collections. I've seen this a few times at work and depending on the size of the company I doubt a longer repayment term will affect them. And if £600 is going to make a company go under you are the least of their problems!

Contact them (as McKneff says, in writing) and make an offer. If they do take the legal route it'll cost them so this way at least they're getting something. You can't give what you don't have. They are unlikely to be happy about a longer term but you are making an effort, no sensible legal team is going to chase you for £600 when you have made an offer.

If it's any consolation I've seen much bigger sums than this paid back over much longer terms.

good luck

Kate x

SRT81

A couple of years ago my wife was overpaid on her last pay from a job she left. They wanted nearly £600 in one go.

She just rang the HR Dept. and told them she'd pay it off monthly.

At the end of the day it's their mistake. Not down to you to make their lives easier. Pay only what you can afford.