Debt collector knocking on door

amanda221

I beleive i had a debt collector knock on the door whilst i was out, the note left said the time and date of call and to call a mobile phone number urgently and informed me it was not a sales call.

I believe the debt collector is collecting a debt for an old hospital bill which is 3 years old, i have received no comminication from the hospital at all.
At the time i dealt with the bill it was going through my private medical insurance but it seems to me that it may not have been the case. I know the bill was for only £200, how should i deal with this matter, and what does the debt collector do.

Can he barge into my home? I have the funds to pay, but think this should have been dealt with and if not the hospital should have told me? I have no paperwork on this matter now to prove my case.

What do you think

Larumbelle

No, they cannot 'barge in to your house'. They cannot legally do much except politely knock on the door and see if you answer.

Whether or not to answer is up to you, but I wouldn't. If the debt collector was lucky I might speak to them throught the letterbox.

I'd tell them: to send written detains showing what I owed, to whom, from when, and let them prove that they are collecting a legitimate debt before I even speak to them. I would tell them that I know my legal rights and their legal obligations. Otherwise you might as well hand cash over to any random person who knocked on the door and asked.


Then they'll sod off, because they won't have anything like that and nothing scares debt collectors like people who know their rights do

Larumbelle

And whatever you do, DO NOT confirm any of your personal details, and DO NOT phone that number, even for the sake of curiosity.

Also do not panic. That is what they want you to do.

Take a look at the forums here. Loads of people here are in a similar boat and there is a great wealth of information regarding this on the boards. I would find some links for you but the site is slooooooooow tonight it would be as quick for you to find them.

Zebedee69

Hey Amanda,

Here is a handy link

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10034289

Whatever you do just dont talk to them unless your just asking them to provide proof of the debt and ask them to mail it to you.

amanda221

Thanks

Zeebedee and silver charming for your help, i have also found some links, and have been into the link zeebeedee gave me which was very helpful, also the consumer action group is another link i found which is very interesting.

Im not worried now, i have no reason to be, i was just bothered if they knocked on the door whilst my childminder was here for instance and put her in an awkard position. which i now know they cant

Thanks alot

Larumbelle

consumer action group are great, but do bear in mind that some of them are a little, um, militant. There's nobody better to help you stick up for your rights, though!

k1mmie

Funny I had the same experience a few years ago. My daughter received treatment under a BUPA scheme we paid for. About 2 years later, we got a bill and then DCA letters. I just wrote to them telling them this was covered under the scheme at the time and that they should contact the insurance company direct not me. I also told them that as far as the matter was concerned on my behalf it was dealt with and over. Left it at that! I never had any problems after that.