DCBL collection letter received - disputed amount - isn't due

number9

Hi,
I received a letter from DCBL today for debt collection of £109.11 on behalf of Horizon Fuels. They did not include any reference to the actual debt or how this sum was calculated. I'm assuming it may relate to a Fuelpecker fuel discount card I had as a member of the Caravan and Motorhome Club.
I had a long drawn out issue with Fuelpecker but I'll try and give the short version. I purchased fuel at the local garage, I entered the incorrect PIN for the Fuelpecker card, asked the cashier to cancel the transaction and I presented my Halifax debit card for payment. Both retailer and myself thought the transaction was complete and I left the garage. Whichever way you look at it, either my Fuelpecker card with its direct debit mandate to my Halifax account, or my Halifax debit card, should've taken payment. Fuelpecker advised me I hadn't paid. I said this wasn't possible. I initially advised I didn't owe anything but, after further contact, I checked all bank statements, realised nothing had been deducted for either card and asked Fuelpecker how I could pay them the £35. They did not reply to this request nor to my formal complaint about the process and poor customer service.
Today I received the debt letter. I waited 40min to get through and DCBL couldn't clarify that it was related to the Fuelpecker account, only their client was Horizon. They told me that Horizon had passed the debt to them and I had to deal with them but they weren't interested in the facts and my dispute. 
I've never had a debt letter before and am very distressed. Do I pay then complain and recoup costs? I'm at a loss on how I resolve this. It shouldn't have gone to DCBL and originated from a point of sale error outside my control. Email seems to be the only contact for Fuelpecker and I've addressed my complaint to Customer Services Manager, Finance, Managing Director in a hope that someone sees sense. HELP!

sourcrates

DCBL are a firm of High Court bailiff`s (as seen on TV) but they also act as debt collectors as well.

In your case, assuming this hasn`t been to court, you haven`t had a CCJ awarded against you, and you have failed to pay it, then DCBL will just be acting on behalf of their client, as a collector, so don`t panic, they are not contacting you in the guise of a bailiff, just a collection agent.

How do I know that ? well any debt passed to a High Court Enforcement Agent, has to be of a value over £600, and this isn`t.

In a nutshell, stay off the phone, you should only contact them in writing from now on, if you dispute the debt, then put your dispute in writing, and send it to DCBL, you should also send a copy to Horizon as well, once you pay the debt, its unlikely any complaint would be entertained, as this situation is not governed by any particular agreement, for example, if it were a credit card debt, then the consumer credit act would apply, that would give both of you certain rights, you don`t have that protection with a fuel transaction, so, under these particular circumstances, I would suggest its always best to dispute the matter, before you pay it.

cjtykes

Hmm, did you get this sorted in the end? Ive used fuelpecker for a few years now and never had an issue, interesting that you entered an incorrect pin yet the transaction still went through onto the fuelpecker card, thats the odd bit as it shoulnt had been an autorised transaction

sourcrates

User was last active in November 2021.