Final Demand paid can they send Debt collection Agency

stcatherine

I really hope someone can help with this as I'm going insane trying to get any response from the company involved.

The short version -

I received a final bill from a company which I paid ( and have proof of on my bank statement )

The letter clearly states Final bill and the amount.

after which they continued to send me letters first claiming they owed me money then asking for a large amount from me.

I have written 4 times to them as the call centre would no longer discuss the matter with me, each time I attached each letter they sent, the final bill and the bank statement.

I have requested that they cease and desist but they have TOTALLY ignored any letters or phone calls from myself.

Now today I have received a letter from a debt collection agency saying I have 10 days to pay this amount.

I have tried and tried and tried to get this company to tell me why they think I owe the money.

I have proof of 3 registered letters sent to them, I have kept copies of every communication.

If they wouldnt tell me how or why they think I owe the money how can I prove that I don't ?

is my final bill and proof of payment going to be enough with this collection agency ??

this is beyond ridiculous now !

FreudianSlippers

I had a similar problem recently with a company that does collections for FedEx Europe.
Essentially they sent me a collection letter for duty and VAT that I supposedly owed (although this "final warning" was the first I had heard of it).

I investigated and at first they were helpful and quick to reply but once I figured out what it was for I had a dispute with them over it.
This is when they totally stopped being helpful. I sent emails and letters stating my case and asking questions - they would reply but totally ignore large portions of my letters (essentially my defence to the claim).

Persistence is the only way I made it end (and it's not even TOTALLY gone away yet). Try to get in touch with a manager and discuss it with them.
Other than that I'm afraid your only real option is to take your file of correspondence to a solicitor and have them deal with it on your behalf.

stcatherine

I should just add/amend that this wasn't even a Final demand ... rather the company told me I had closed my account when they terminated my service without warning ( and in breach od their own contract ).

I phoned to enquire why the service was terminated and was told They would be in contact.

The only contact I had was a letter saying they were sorry I was leaving and that in order to close my account they needed me to call and make the final payment for the last months service.

Which I did !

Our man in Havana

Ignore debt collectors, deal with the principal only.

axer

You can tell both the debt collectors (whom you do not even have to deal with) and the original company that they are in breach of data protection regulations by refusing to update records relating to you which you have shown to be false.

stcatherine

I have never had to deal with a debt collection agency before, so I'm wondering how it is I can ignore them ?

They are threatening to turn up at my house if this amount is not paid.

I cannot afford to employ a solictor and this is really really annoying me now because I have written to 3 different people at this company ( including the head of customer services ) , each time including every single correspondance and paying for the letters to be delivered by registered post.

I have given up trying to contact them by phone as the call centre refuse to help saying that is all they are a call centre employed by this company.

I have begged and pleaded for an explanation on the phone and was told they would be in contact with me, that my account was being investigated and they would be in contact.

I have heard NOTHING.

I have asked for them to cease and desist with their attempts to recover this money until they have completed their investigations and shown us how or why we owe them this money.

I know in the UK if you make this request the company have to comply, and this company are based in the UK.

Does this request not apply in Ireland ?

axer

stcatherine wrote: »

I have never had to deal with a debt collection agency before, so I'm wondering how it is I can ignore them ?

I dealt with one about 6 months ago in a situation where a debt was wrongly attributed to me by the ESB. They can be persistent and refused to go back to the ESB to confirm the debt was not mine. I told them I was going to report them to the Data Protection Commissioner if they did not update the data they had on me to the correct information. Haven't heard from them since.

stcatherine wrote: »

They are threatening to turn up at my house if this amount is not paid.

You can ask them to leave and call the Gardai if they do not.

stcatherine wrote: »

I cannot afford to employ a solictor and this is really really annoying me now because I have written to 3 different people at this company ( including the head of customer services ) , each time including every single correspondance and paying for the letters to be delivered by registered post.

I have given up trying to contact them by phone as the call centre refuse to help saying that is all they are a call centre employed by this company.

I have begged and pleaded for an explanation on the phone and was told they would be in contact with me, that my account was being investigated and they would be in contact.

I have heard NOTHING.

I have asked for them to cease and desist with their attempts to recover this money until they have completed their investigations and shown us how or why we owe them this money.

I know in the UK if you make this request the company have to comply, and this company are based in the UK.

Does this request not apply in Ireland ?

Go down the data protection route as they are holding incorrect information on you and are refusing to update it.

Wolfe Tone

You can ignore the debt collection lads. If they turn up tell them to leave you alone.

Our man in Havana

Debt collectors have no legal standing above that of a normal citizen. It is something that is totally unregulated.

They are threatening to turn up at my house if this amount is not paid.

It is an empty threat. It won't happen, even if it did you can slam the door in their faces.

and this company are based in the UK.

NCO Europe? The infamous postcard from P Brown?

Don't waste your breath trying to reason with this shower of vultures.

stcatherine

specifically they are based in Scotland

Our man in Havana

Makes no odds anyways, you can ignore them and their threatening letters.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

MagicSean

I've previously had debt collectors onto me on behalf of NTL and 3mobile after closing accounts with them. It's not an unusual occurence these days. If you are sure you owe no money phone them and inform them of this. Then inform them that if they continue to demand money from you you will be reporting the to the Gardaí and their regulatory body as well as instituting civil proceedings against them. Usually shuts them up.