Debt Charity Took Payment But Showing Wrong Account Ref

Ayresome1

Hello, 

I had a Notice of Enforcement from Equita on behalf of Notts City Council. (I got a parking ticket and, because my brain isn't great at these things, forgot about it to the point where this landed.)

The notice was for £160. I called them to arrange a payment plan and Equita said they could only do a plan for 2 x £80 payments... and the first had to be before 5:30pm the next working day.

I made the payment, logging in with my name, address, DOB, as well as their reference and the client reference. I've got a receipt for that payment. 

A week later I had a text saying I still owed £160. I called them and they said I'd entered the wrong reference and, whist they could see I had made a payment of £80, they said it had paid of someone else's debt on another account. 

They said they couldn't move the money as it was going through the next Thursday. (This call was on the Saturday.) The man on the phone asked me to call back on the Monday and his manager had agreed with the claim they can't move it to show I had made payment. 

The "wrong" number is showing as a 2 instead of an 8. I paid on my laptop which only has number keys along the top, so it's not as if I hit the number next to 8 by accident; it's at the other end.

I have since tried to login as I did previously but with the wrong account, and it won't let me do it. So it isn't actually possible to login with an account ref that isn't mine; yet it's showing as a wrong one on the receipt. 

I've paid the second £80 which they've registered and they've put my account on hold until the 30th to rectify this. They've told me to email, which I have done, but I haven't heard anything back.

I'm just wondering what the next steps would be if I don't hear back. Where do I go from here? I can't keep paying £80 if they can just show it's gone to another account. (That's unlikely... but it's clearly happened once already.

Thanks for your help.

Al

Brie

Keep screen shots of your bank account where it shows the payment was made.  If they continue to pursue you then you have proof that you have paid.  If necessary go back to the council to complain and if that doesn't work try your MP.  

Brie

fyi - Equita is not a debt charity.  Think you mean debt collector.

Ayresome1

Thank you @Brie. I was tempted to go back to the council before now, but as the 30th is the end of the week I think I should do that anyway.

Also, I don't know why I put "charity". They'd be a rubbish charity if they behaved this way. :-) 

Thank you.