DCA Fees

Hot_Bring

Not sure if this is the correct forum but ....

.... I was out of work for six months last year and ended up behind across many bills. I've started to catch up but one I ignored / forgot ( yes, yes, I know ! ) was the water bill. I have now received a letter from a DCA demanding the £100 I owe to the water company but they have added £45. It's the first DCA letter.

I get I owe the water company and can now pay THEIR part of the bill but surely a charge of 45% for a single letter is extreme ?

Are there any rules on DCA charges ? Could I just pay the water company bit and tell the DCA to swivel for the £45 ( or maybe even offer to pay a reasonable admin free, say £12 like the banks charge for defaults ) ?

happy_bunny_2

Fees have to be reasonable.

Complain to the water company in writing that the DCA they are using are adding unreasonable fees and you have no issue paying £112, which is reasonable.

Copy in the DCA.

See what comes back.

rizla_king

Whats the name of the collector?

Hot_Bring

rizla_king wrote: »

Whats the name of the collector?

Advantis Credit

Hot_Bring

Well I've now written to the DCA and the water company offering £12 admin fee plus £3 for interest over the 3 months. I've also paid the £100. Lets see what happens.

Voyager2002

Hot_Bring wrote: »

Well I've now written to the DCA and the water company offering £12 admin fee plus £3 for interest over the 3 months. I've also paid the £100. Lets see what happens.

Did you pay the hundred pounds to the water company, or to the DCA? If the debt had been sold on then a payment to the water company would be credited against your next bill rather than doing anything about the debt...

And I am curious about your signature line: I love Dante's 'Inferno' but I don't remember any "neutral" characters in it. Could you give some clues please?

Hot_Bring

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Did you pay the hundred pounds to the water company, or to the DCA? If the debt had been sold on then a payment to the water company would be credited against your next bill rather than doing anything about the debt...

And I am curious about your signature line: I love Dante's 'Inferno' but I don't remember any "neutral" characters in it. Could you give some clues please?

Thank you for your reply. The letter says "we have been instructed by our client" so I don't believe the debt has actually been sold, just that the DCA has been engaged to get the money.

I read Dan Brown's book 'Dante's Inferno' over Christmas and was taken by the phrase. I can't vouch for it's authenticity.

Voyager2002

Hot_Bring wrote: »

Thank you for your reply. The letter says "we have been instructed by our client" so I don't believe the debt has actually been sold, just that the DCA has been engaged to get the money.

I read Dan Brown's book 'Dante's Inferno' over Christmas and was taken by the phrase. I can't vouch for it's authenticity.

DCAs are generally liars, so that phrase could mean anything.

Dan Brown is also an author of fiction. Try reading a modern translation of Dante and you will probably enjoy it more than the Brown book. I do agree that it is a good phrase...

happy_bunny_2

Sounds good.

They are unlikely to mislead you on who owns the debt, given the wording you quote.