payment arrangements???

sportbeth

I've been communicating with a collector regarding an arrangement, and had agreed on a payment agreement for 6 months.

They've backpeddled constantly about standing orders, and last time I gave them my card details they took more money than I authorised, and to this date haven't answered why they did that (I have asked them to explain in writing 3 times!)

I don't have a cheque book so I asked if I could set up a standing order with them, they've now said "Give us your bank details and we'll set up a direct debit. By the way can you phone us now with your card details to take the most recent payment" (the girl I've been dealing with has been very slow in communicating with me so it's overdue now)

I'm not happy about giving them my card details as they still haven't explained taking whatever sum they fancy, can I insist that they give me their details and I will make a payment today online and set up a standing order from there?

Debt_Free_Chick

sportbeth wrote:

I'm not happy about giving them my card details as they still haven't explained taking whatever sum they fancy, can I insist that they give me their details and I will make a payment today online and set up a standing order from there?

You're right to be cautious. Don't give them your card details and don't do a direct debit. With a DD they decide how to much to collect and just call the money from your bank!

Are you putting everything in writing? If not, do so from now on. Simply write and tell them that you are willing to come to a payment arrangement; that you will only do so in writing; and that you require a standing order to pay a fixed regular amount.

HTH

HelenR_3

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

You're right to be cautious. Don't give them your card details and don't do a direct debit. With a DD they decide how to much to collect and just call the money from your bank!

Are you putting everything in writing? If not, do so from now on. Simply write and tell them that you are willing to come to a payment arrangement; that you will only do so in writing; and that you require a standing order to pay a fixed regular amount.

HTH

DFC Is right

debt collection agencies HATE standing orders and will do all they can to not agree to set one up , they wont even send you payment books or the like if they can help it ,i told them back in the days that i didnt have a cheque book nor a debit card , so if they want money they will have to go the SO route , they agreed..

sportbeth

Thanks for this. i had told them a couple of weeks ago that I didn't have a cheque book and would have to do a standing order.... then they didn't come back to me at all. Do they want the money or what?

Have been communicating via e-mail so I have copies of everything, have now sent them one saying it's S/O or nothing as I'm not giving them my debit card details again! Will keep you posted...

sportbeth

HelenR wrote:

DFC Is right

debt collection agencies HATE standing orders and will do all they can to not agree to set one up , they wont even send you payment books or the like if they can help it ,i told them back in the days that i didnt have a cheque book nor a debit card , so if they want money they will have to go the SO route , they agreed..

They've just told me that the additional fee they charged me last time was for a 5% card processing charge. They then repeated that they want my card details. or a cheque from me.

I replied that I wasn't informed of this fee previously (very annoying!) and there is no way they will be processing another 6 payments at 5% per payment.

I've said for the third time that I don't have a cheque book and I don't understand what the difference is between a standing order and a Direct Debit "Perhaps you could explain this to me"

Debt_Free_Chick

sportbeth wrote:

I've said for the third time that I don't have a cheque book and I don't understand what the difference is between a standing order and a Direct Debit "Perhaps you could explain this to me"

A standing order is an instruction you give to your bank, to pay a stated amount, at stated intervals e.g. £20 each month, on the 20th day of each month.

A Direct Debit is your consent to a company (the debt collector) taking money from your account. Under the banking code, they are supposed to inform you, 10 days in advance, of the amount they will be taking. However, they decide how much to take. There is nothing to stop them asking your bank for the full repayment! If you have sufficient funds, your bank will pay them, there and then!

You have complete control over a Standing Order. You have - effectively - no (or very little) control over a Direct Debit. So you can see, now, why THEY want and direct debit and why YOU want a standing order

HTH

sportbeth

Well that just seems really sneaky to me!

Will stick to my guns then and wait for them to come back with a Standing order option

sportbeth

They've now said it's a postal order then or nothing. Humph. They offered me a payment banking book originally, are they just being difficult now?

Debt_Free_Chick

sportbeth wrote:

They've now said it's a postal order then or nothing. Humph. They offered me a payment banking book originally, are they just being difficult now?

Yep

They're trying to get you around to the idea that their idea (DD) is better than yours.

Why not play the game with them? Reply and tell them that you prefer a regular arrangement to pay a fixed amount and you would really like to pay by standing order. Tell them that you only need their Account name, account number and sort code and you will sort it all out with your bank (This the information that probably appears on the repayment book!)

To be really cheeky, you could point out that this would benefit them as they would receive regular repayments against the amount you owe.

They are trying to wear you out - this is the name of the game. You simply need to wear them out first - ha!

If you have the energy for this, keep going. I'll bet they'll give in .... eventually.

Fun, innit?

sportbeth

Aha! Now that you say that, yes it will be fun!

I should have known that was what they were up to, It took me long enough to get them to agree to installments. They were all "pay up or else" and I was saying "or else what?" I asked them to outline the consequences of not hitting their deadline and they came back saying "On reflection and considering your circumstances, we are going to grant you installments"

Might just be downright obstonate and pig-headed now then. There's no way I'm off to the post office every month to pay more for postal orders, and if the Woolwich hadn't screwed up so badly I could have sent them a cheque by now, I can be very bitter when I want to be!

sportbeth

Hmmmmm They've come back with this

"I can organise a payment book to be sent to you to be paid in the post office
but this will not get to you to make your first payment within 7 days. The post
office do also make a charge for using their facility approx £1.65 to £2.00.

As stated previously there is no standing order facility that can be arranged."

I had said send me the book and I will pay it directly into that account online.

Is there any difference between the post office doing this and paying it via my bank?