Overpaid - attempting to return the money

elsien

I do think you're overthinking it a little, especially if it's been on your mind all weekend.
You've tried to phone once - that's not exactly exerting yourself.
If you don't have a payslip what about a P60 or a P45? Or an old pre-online payslip. The payroll number is likely still the same.
Or phone your old boss. Or send a letter. Which leaves a trail and takes 5 minutes. Put the money safe. Wait for them to request it back. I honestly don't understand why it's such a big deal. Irritating perhaps, but that's all.

And for future reference you might want to download your payslips etc. You never know when you might need them to prove something or other.

custardy

Mulder00 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking about it last night and I wonder if the theft act really applies. Is it a wrongful credit if the money was actually intended for my account - that sounds more like it should apply when I transfer money to someone and type the account number incorrectly, not sure.

I want to know what is the least amount that I can do to still be on the safe side of the law. I'll probably go buy some envelopes and a stamp tonight and then write them a letter, but happy to hear opinions as this has been playing on my mind all long weekend! I honestly thought I could just phone them yesterday and it would be gone.

I don't have previous payslips as they tried make us all go paperless. I haven't had a printed payslip for about 3 years now (and as it's all online and I don't have access any more, I could not check my February payslip details). I'll try and find the ones I printed off for my mortgage 3 years ago - it might be on there.

My previous manager is 100% not the person to contact. He made a huge fuss when I put his name down for a company reference saying that it should go to HR (knowing that they insist on going the snail mail route) - he was very happy though to provide a personal reference, so it wasn't anything personal.

If it sets your mind at ease,send a letter.
however send by normal post and obtain a proof of posting at the Post Office. retain this as proof of notification

Samsung_Note2

Mulder00 wrote: »

I think the Theft Act applies if I do nothing::

24A Dishonestly retaining a wrongful credit.
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if!!!8212;
(a)a wrongful credit has been made to an account kept by him or in respect of which he has any right or interest;
(b)he knows or believes that the credit is wrongful; and
(c)he dishonestly fails to take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to secure that the credit is cancelled

Trust me its not theft...people will disagree and quote this that and the other.
I can only say from personal experience (not much short of £20,000) its not theft,the fly squad dont kick your door down,Cant pay we will take it away dont come knocking on your door and The sheriffs are coming sadly dont come.

Its all quite slow and pain free in agreeing a repayment amount.:o

Mulder00

Thanks all - I just wanted to check if my thinking was generally on track and I'm not inadvertently breaking the law or something (for something which I haven't done and isn't my fault).

I'll go dig out a payslip (if I remember, my employee number isn't on my P60, but not 100% sure) and then try and phone them again at some point.

Of course it's not a huge stress in my life, I haven't exactly lost sleep over it, but I have had the "what if they contact me on Tuesday and I haven't tried to return the money" go through my mind a few times, but just wanted to make sure that I can take a relaxed approach to it.

The money has been parked out of sight and out of mind, I'll make another effort to contact them when I remember, otherwise I'll just wait for them to contact me.

Definitely my previous manager will not have those details - I know the system and I would no longer be accessible to him at all and he definitely will not contact payroll or HR on my behalf. (Maybe that's a reason to actually contact him as I know he will do nothing - if I just wanted to keep the money!!)

Ja7188

What did the 'notification' you received consist of - were you sent an actual payslip? The thought occurs that whilst they let you go early, they may have paid you for your full notice period - perhaps a PILON arrangement which someone somewhere (quite possibly your manager) somehow forgot to tell you about...

Do you have a P45 and if so, does it include the value of the payment you think was in error?

Savvy_Sue

elsien wrote: »

And for future reference you might want to download your payslips etc. You never know when you might need them to prove something or other.

This. I can never understand my colleagues who just don't bother to check their online payslips, and I suggest they ALL download them and either print, or email them to their personal email address, or save somewhere they'll be able to access after they've left.

I know some companies have hugely restrictive policies about what you can and can't save / download / email, but honestly if I could not GUARANTEE access to my previous payslips I'd be a tad upset.

Ja7188 wrote: »

Do you have a P45 and if so, does it include the value of the payment you think was in error?

This, plus is the payroll reference number on it.

BTW, what happens when you put in a fictitious payroll number?

Mulder00

Ok, just received a letter in the post dated two days ago saying that my resignation has been accepted and my last day of service would be the one back in February. They also kindly calculated my leave for me. It just gives some generic details about giving passes back to my manager, my P45 will be posted to me and confirmation that requests for references have to be done by post etc.

(It's just a very standard letter with nothing untoward in it other than the acceptance of resignation being so long after last day of service!).

It also gives me a reference number for the letter and phone number if I want to discuss it.

Detroit

Seriously, how hard can it be to write a letter asking them how they would like you to return the money, make a copy, and post it?

Surely easier than thinking all weekend and researching the theft act.

I get that you're irritated that you have to put yourself out for their error and that it would be nice not to bother; but you are obliged to repay it, so what's the point in prolonging it?

Although the theft act won't be used against you, it's possible they could engage debt collectors if you don't respond, which is better avoided.

Just write to them, pay up, and get on with your life.

jobbingmusician

Personally, I'd just find an email address for the company and email them. I wouldn't particularly care if it went to the right department. I'd then have proof that I had tried to contact the company, without incurring any cost in doing so. I'd then put the money somewhere safe and wait for them to chase me.

maybe try admin@companyname.com

(I might panic a bit more if I got another payslip at the end of April!)

Mulder00

Finally received a very apologetic letter from them with a calculation of the exact overpayment. And of course, now they want repayment to be done by cheque! What century are we in? Weren't cheques meant to be phased out already? I don't own a cheque book, the same as I don't have stationery for posting letters lying around. We are in 2018, people use emails, people do electronic bank transfers. I should have just bought a bunch of stamps, because now I'm going to have to write another letter! I feel like I'm living in the 1900's with all these letters!!