Ex Employer chasing me for overpayment - wrong amount

GDJTAM

I left Royal Mail (RM) in August 2014, my Manager received my letter of termination and I duly worked my notice. I was moving to another part of the country to start my new employment so gave my manager my new address and asked for mail to be redirected.


12 weeks after leaving I received a redirected very short letter from RM saying I had continued to be overpaid for 10 weeks and I owe £1700 pounds, I was given 7 days to repay else a debt agency would recover the money.


My payslips I later learned went to my old address so not only did HR fail to action my leaver form but RM also failed to change my address and submit a redirection request.


Having no payslips I sent RM a letter asking for a breakdown of the overpayment.


Letters went back and forth with me asking for a breakdown and RM refusing and threatening to pass the matter to a debt agency.


Eventually in late December 2014 I received my 10 weeks payslips. After checking the payslips I noticed that they included overtime in their calculation that I worked the week I left. I therefore sent them a letter advising them that their calculation was incorrect and that I would like a payment plan to repay to correct amount.


I received another short letter saying that as I refused (which I never did) the matter was now with a debt agency.


I sent another letter to RM asking why refer the matter to a debt agency when I have already agreed to repay the correct amount.


I heard nothing back from RM so sent another letter asking the same but again RM refuse to reply.


Where can I go with this? I have never refused to repay the money but disagree with RM's calculation. I have asked for a payment plan but again had no joy.


Before the debt agency come knocking on my door threatening me with action based on an incorrect figure, is there a body I can go to for help to resolve this amicably?

mgdavid

are you suggesting RM continued to pay you for 10 weeks after you had left, and you did not notice, or did nothing about it?
Seriously?

Poppie68

This would of all been avoided if you had contacted them after the first payment went into your bank. It's seems you may of been hoping to get away with these over payments, you must know what the over payment amounts too minus the overtime so just pay that and send a letter or email to RM letting them know you have made a payment in full as per money received into your account and provide proof in the way of bank statements.... Not everything has to be a fight.

GDJTAM

Thanks for the 2 replies, sadly, I never noticed the wages going in to the account because I had opened a business account for my new venture. As far as I was concerned any money that was in the 'RM wages' account was suspended when I left and was just left open for an alternative account.


As regards looking for a fight. I have tried to contact RM on several occasions without any replies. They insist on me paying them the wrong amount in full despite me proving that their calculation was incorrect. If I pay them what I think the amount should be then they are still threatening to involve a debt agency. Consequently, I am far from looking for a fight just fairness.
1)they failed to close my employment record 2) they failed to action my new address on their system 3) they failed to process my redirection 4) they failed to supply me with a breakdown of how they arrived at their figure 5) the amount due is disputed....Surely the issue besides me repaying what is correctly owed is reporting them for all their mistakes leading to this point? To whom I report to is where I am struggling and ask for help.

stevemLS

Surely then if you just left it in the account, you can prove how much you received and just pay it back.

Whilst the employer was Royal Mail surely it is up to you to arrange redirection, not your employer?

Johno100

GDJTAM wrote: »

Thanks for the 2 replies, sadly, I never noticed the wages going in to the account because I had opened a business account for my new venture. As far as I was concerned any money that was in the 'RM wages' account was suspended when I left and was just left open for an alternative account.

So if you hadn't noticed the monies going into the account, you wouldn't have known to have spent it? The money should still be in the account, so why do you need to agree a payment plan?

GDJTAM

I seem to be batting back points here that are irrelevant to my plea for who can I report RM to?


RM want me to pay them 10 weeks money which is fine, however in RM's figure there is an element of overtime that should not be included. That would involve a recalculation from Gross to net. RM will not acknowledge my calculation and insist on the ir incorrect calculation.


The matter of redirection is also a mute point. As I have already indicated. I put in writing to management that I was moving address and this should have been passed onto the HR department. IN ADDITION, I also completed a redirection form to get mail redirected and also gave this to my manager to action (that is the process for RM employees). However, RM also failed to action my redirection request.


I would like guidance from someone that could point me in the right direction to report the mistakes that led to this overpayment.

stevemLS

I know of no regulator to whom you can report this.

It should be a straightforward matter for you to demonstrate to them the amount you have actually been paid (and therefore need to repay).

GDJTAM

Thanks SteveMLs, I agree it should be straightforward but RM will not acknowledge what I believe to be the correct amount. Re my overtime, I calculated the TAX and NI to arrive at a net pay figure and deducted that from the 10 weeks net they calculated.


Although they have threatened to forward the debt to a debt collector if I don't pay them their calculated amount, I will just send them a cheque for the amount I calculated.


What happens then, who knows?

custardy

GDJTAM wrote: »

I seem to be batting back points here that are irrelevant to my plea for who can I report RM to?


RM want me to pay them 10 weeks money which is fine, however in RM's figure there is an element of overtime that should not be included. That would involve a recalculation from Gross to net. RM will not acknowledge my calculation and insist on the ir incorrect calculation.


The matter of redirection is also a mute point. As I have already indicated. I put in writing to management that I was moving address and this should have been passed onto the HR department. IN ADDITION, I also completed a redirection form to get mail redirected and also gave this to my manager to action (that is the process for RM employees). However, RM also failed to action my redirection request.


I would like guidance from someone that could point me in the right direction to report the mistakes that led to this overpayment.

To get your mail redirected as an RM employee. You(and the manager) are required to provide certain forms of ID. Did you do this?

GDJTAM

I was a postman working for RM, working in the postal industry. I know what the process is as already stated.


Please may I ask that if no one knows of a regulator to report RM to for their appalling administration leading to this financial fiasco, or if no one knows what I should do if the Debt agency comes knocking at my door requesting the wrong amount, then please don't reply.


Thank you