Demands for Debt Payment
By pumpkinjam
@pumpkinjam (8539)
United Kingdom
October 25, 2009 3:54am CST
I recently had a threatening letter demanding payment of a debt (you know, the kind where they tell you that if you don't pay, you'll have to pay more). There was no option to call the company in case of dispute, it seems it had already been decided that this demand was acceptable and the amount HAD to be paid. The only choices given were different ways to pay IN FULL. Not even an option of negotiating if you couldn't pay.
Anyway, this demand that I had was based on an ESTIMATED bill. So, the company who sent it already knew that it was not accurate. So my question is this: Is it even legal for a company to send a demand from a debt collection agency for a payment based on an inaccurate bill?
2 responses
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
25 Oct 09
I would challenge the demand and say that you want a proper meter reading or whatever the bill is for. They are within their rights to demand payment and in any form that they like - but only for the goods supplied. Buy time by getting them to re-calculate the bill and the amount owed. When you get that bill, if you can't afford to pay then request that they allow you to pay it off over a longer period. I'm not quite clear here though. Is it a debt collection agency that's demanding payment?
2 people like this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
26 Oct 09
I believe it is the company's internal collection agency. I have had a letter from them previously (last year I think) demanding payment for an amount I didn't owe. I have tried several times to contact the company. While I get someone human and English, they clearly don't actually understand the words I've said. I'm still waiting for an accurate bill (I have given them accurate readings and one of their own meter readers came to read it not long before they invented this estimated bill).
I know I owe some but the amount of the bill is ridiculous and I see no way that I could owe the amount they claim. I have also had conversations with them to try to resolve the matter and to try paying off what I actually do owe in smaller instalments but the company seem to think that what I am able to pay doesn't cover what I owe (but according to my calculations, it does so easily) and I don't know how they can decide what I can and can't owe when they keep on estimating my bills.
@RieRie (820)
•
25 Oct 09
I think they can send whatever they like, but if you dispute it, they have to check it's accuracy and they can't make you pay anything unless it's sorted out.
If you have enough to pay it, pay it and then try and get your money back, if not don't worry, just call the company (there's got to be a phone number somewhere, even if you have to check online for it.) and give them your meter reading.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
26 Oct 09
I can't afford to pay it but even if I could, I don't believe the company would pay it back anyway. I didn't think they could try and force me to pay anything if there was a dispute. I thought it was a bit stupid of them to send a debt demand for an amount they knew full well wasn't accurate. I've asked for an accurate bill but, unless they've decided that this estimated bill was accurate, I'm still waiting. There is a phone number on the letter but that's the number for paying the debt. As it's an internal agency, I think I would have to go through the company (which is pointless really) but they have had regular meter readings and still send me estimated bills and demands for amounts I couldn't possibly owe.
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
27 Oct 09
I've done all that before and got nowhere. Ofgen (and all the other "Of" companies aren't really interested. They are often as bad as the companies causing the problems and assume that the customer is wrong. I might try Watchdog again though.
