being charged twice

teadrinker_3

My son paid £12 to an internet company. They keep asking for an additional £12 because they can't find his payment. He hasn't paid and is now being threatened by a third party, a debt collection agency, who will charge him £90 if he doen't pay up now. They threatened to send the baliffs round in the letter before the last. He is going to pay the £12 this week just to stop it going any further.

How can he get his money back? This company I believe is renowned for double billing.

Any ideas? It's only £12 but how many others have paid it?

darich

Does he have a receipt?
A confirmation email?
a bank/debit card statement?
Did he have access to an area of the site that only paid members do and therefore at least some indication that he paid?

if you have evidence that you've paid the bill previously then don't pay it again. Send copies of your evidence to the company in question and request confirmation of receipt and an acknowledgement that the bill has been paid in full.

if you have no evidence of paying the bill first time around, then are you sure the transaction went through?
If you have no evidence and neither do they, then if you still refuse to pay, i think you'll have a hard job convincing bailiffs/judge that you paid already.

maninthestreet

How did he pay the original £12? Switch/Mastro, credit card, or some other way? Does he have some proof of payment?

teadrinker_3

He has proof of payment for himself but as his bank is an online account the only statements are online. Of course he could print a copy but they never look like genuine statements. His original payment was by debit card from his bank. My son doesn't want this third party seeing the other stuff on his statement. I suggested that he can make that so it is not readable.

I know from my own experience that once a company has passed an account to a debt collection agency it is difficult to call off the hounds. He cannot easily contact the original company (1and1) except by email. So far that has been fruitless.

When he has rung the debt collection agency (Smiths) they just ask how does he want to pay the outstanding alleged debt and do not wish to discuss anything else.

He's going to contact Smiths this week to arrange a payment, but it's not right is it?

MarkyMarkD

His privacy concern is stupid and he should just send them a copy statement rather than pay them £12 for nothing. How exciting are his other transactions going to be to them?

If he'd sent them proof of payment in the first place, it wouldn't have become a debt collection issue.

In any case, is it definitely the same £12 that they are chasing?

teadrinker_3

I'd agree about the privacy concern, and yes it is the same £12.

MarkyMarkD

Glad to hear that he's convinced it's the same £12. In which case, the statement copy should clear the matter.

dunstonh

Of course he could print a copy but they never look like genuine statements.

Doesnt matter. It is evidence and at this stage, that is all that matters. There will probably be some reference numbers with it and that may be enough.

My son doesn't want this third party seeing the other stuff on his statement. I suggested that he can make that so it is not readable.

Black them out then. However, as MMD says, the privacy concerns are misplaced.

When he has rung the debt collection agency (Smiths) they just ask how does he want to pay the outstanding alleged debt and do not wish to discuss anything else.

He's going to contact Smiths this week to arrange a payment, but it's not right is it?

He shouldnt pay.

I had a debt agency come after me a year or two back for an unpaid carphone warehouse bill. I had paid it and evidenced it to carphone warehouse who ignored it and they passed it on to a debt agency who phoned me up. They told me they wanted me to pay. I told them I had paid and could evidence it. They said they didnt care. So I said to them "what you are saying is that you want me to pay again for something I can prove was paid from my bank account" to which their response was yes. I refused and they said they would pursue it via the courts. I responded that a judge would love them for wasting his time and ignoring the fact that I had told them I had paid and had evidence. I never heard from them again.

That is all your son has to do. They cant just turn up and demand payment. They have to go to court. They have to provide evidence your son owes this money. Your son can then provide evidence he has paid for which a statement is fine. A letter from the bank confirming reference numbers on the transaction is even better (or copy cheque when cheques are involved). The court will then throw it out before it even gets that far.

He should not pay. They are using bullying tactics to get him to pay. They are not going to pursue £12 and even if they do, he has evidence which will kill it off at an early stage.