German debt collectors

luke-mate

Hello,

First of all I'm not sure if this is the right section, if so please move this.

Today I received 2 letters from a german debt collection called mediafinanz.

I contacted the company (server4you) that is asking for the outstanding payments.

I contacted their (server4you) support and found that I had sent a cancellation for the server about a week or two before it expired.
Despite this they continued to bill me and keep the server active.

I had received no reminders to pay these 2 invoices not by phone, email or ticket.

Server4you support were no help and said it's out of their hands now. They are also going to terminate my other server with them because of the payments, despite all the invoices being paid for that server...

The letter is quite threatning and I'm quite worried.

A few others have said that mediafinanz will do nothing but send one last letter as I'm in the UK and their in Germany.

The amount isn't big for them but to me it is (university student).
Outstanding: 120 euros (excluding debt fees)
The debt fees equate to more than the outstanding amount...

What should I do? :mad:

Thank you

halibut2209

Do you have proof that you asked to cancel?

luke-mate

halibut2209 wrote: »

Do you have proof that you asked to cancel?

Yes, I have the request I sent to them at the time.

[Deleted User]

luke-mate wrote: »

Hello,

First of all I'm not sure if this is the right section, if so please move this.

Today I received 2 letters from a german debt collection called mediafinanz.

I contacted the company (server4you) that is asking for the outstanding payments.

I contacted their (server4you) support and found that I had sent a cancellation for the server about a week or two before it expired.
Despite this they continued to bill me and keep the server active.

I had received no reminders to pay these 2 invoices not by phone, email or ticket.

Server4you support were no help and said it's out of their hands now. They are also going to terminate my other server with them because of the payments, despite all the invoices being paid for that server...

The letter is quite threatning and I'm quite worried.

A few others have said that mediafinanz will do nothing but send one last letter as I'm in the UK and their in Germany.

The amount isn't big for them but to me it is (university student).
Outstanding: 120 euros (excluding debt fees)
The debt fees equate to more than the outstanding amount...

What should I do? :mad:

Thank you

First off, debts rarely just disappear.

When server4you said "it's out of their hands" that's a polite why of telling you they don't agree the money is not owed - they maintain it still is owed.

The difficulty arises in Server4you are based in Germany (hence presumably why they have used a German debt collection agency) and that that you agreed to a contract that is "governed exclusively by German law to the exclusion of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods as well as reference to the legal conventions of other countries."

I've no idea what the laws in Germany are, sorry. You probably need to seek independent legal advice from someone that specialises in German Law.

It's also not really clear whether mediafinanz have bought the debt or whether they are simply providing debt collection services on behalf of Server4you.

If Server4you have sold the debt, then mediafinanz can sell it too (perhaps to an English company?)
If Server4you have not sold the debt, it would be for them to pursue you for it according to German law.

If you dispute the claim, there's not much you can do other than advise whoever comes chasing you that you have disputed the debt with Server4you.

Then sit back, wait for a court summons, (you might want to brush up on your German in the meantime ) and defend it if/when it arrives.

hollydays

How did you originally pay?

luke-mate

I paid using my card.
Originally they charged me after I had cancelled the server in which I did a chargeback through my bank.
That I think is the payment they are after.
I sent mediafinanz a email so hopefully they'll help sort this out.

luke-mate

The german debt collection agency letter has the original invoice amount plus fees added by the debt agency.
If I don't pay the debt and they pass the loan onto a UK debt collection agency will the german debt agency fees still apply or would I just have to pay the invoice plus UK debt fees?
Basically what I'm saying is if they sell to UK debt agency and I know they will be able to come knocking I would just have to pay.
But seeing as they are in germany they can't exactly come knocking at my door. But if they do sell then I have no choice.
Thoughts?

Also if german debt agency sets up a court date I can't exactly travel to germany.

The letter does say I have 10 days to pay until something about a court date. So if I don't and they sell it on then I should have 10 days by the new company...

pendragon_arther

Zay hav vays of making you pay,