ESB to take on a British thug firm to chase after 130.000 unpaid bills.

Run_to_da_hills

patwicklow wrote: »

Micheal Collins will be turning in his grave....

He has been rotating in his grave ever since Ireland Joined the EEC in 1973.

maximoose

Deleted User wrote: »

From reading this thread, it seems to me that debt collectors (not all, but working on behalf of some companies) have no power what so ever when it comes to forcing you to pay?

Vast majority of the time you are correct, yes. They can't force you to pay at all. What they are there for is to make face to face contact with people who are avoiding calls from the company, and to put more pressure/intimidate them to pay.

When the Debt Collectors don't work, the company will then probably go legal against the non paying customer, in a court that can force them to pay.

previous user

patwicklow wrote: »

Micheal Collins will be turning in his grave....

maybe we could harness that energy

SEPT 23 1989

The Wolfe Tones didn't die for this:(

Fratton Fred

steddyeddy wrote: »

Ever hear of poverty Fred?

Oh please.

If people are struggling then they should talk to the debt collection agencies and come to a deal, or better still talk to MABS, not just ignore their bills and tell everyone who wants their money repaid to **** off.

Its called taking responsibility for your own actions.

Blaming the Germans/French/British/Greeks/Fianns Fail or whoever is putting your head in the sand.

twinytwo

gremha wrote: »

People need to know that unless a debt collection agency own the debt, they have no power at all in Ireland (apart from intimidation), they are simply hired collectors.

Ireland is not like the UK where debt collectors can seize goods. The companies operating in Ireland rely on peoples ignorance of Irish law to frighten people into paying up - too many Irish people think that they have UK style powers. They have so little power that a debtor can simply verbally bar them from entering his/her property and call the Gardai to remove them for committing criminal trespass if they they do call.

even if they do own the debt, unless they have a guard with them you can tell them to Fcuk off

Dubit10

steddyeddy wrote: »

Ever hear of poverty Fred?

Everyone is loaded in Fredland.

Fratton Fred

Dubit10 wrote: »

Everyone is loaded in Fredland.

Insert roll eyes smiley here.

Doc Ruby

twinytwo wrote: »

even if they do own the debt, unless they have a guard with them you can tell them to Fcuk off

Even if they have a guard with them they need a bailiff and a court order as well.

prinz

Dubit10 wrote: »

Everyone is loaded in Fredland.

You don't have to be loaded to pay your basic energy bills for crying out loud.

sunflower27

Deleted User wrote: »

From reading this thread, it seems to me that debt collectors (not all, but working on behalf of some companies) have no power what so ever when it comes to forcing you to pay?

So, if you owe ESB money, and they hire debt collectors and the debt collectors come to your door, as said above, just to them to get of your land, or they will be charged?

Yes, I thought that, too. So they turn up and tell you to pay and say if you don't they will..................... what?

What can they actually do? Serious question.

Edit: I got my bill the other day.... tempted to hold off paying it just to see who comes around.


(joking!)

steddyeddy

Fratton Fred wrote: »

steddyeddy wrote: »

Ever hear of poverty Fred?

Oh please.

If people are struggling then they should talk to the debt collection agencies and come to a deal, or better still talk to MABS, not just ignore their bills and tell everyone who wants their money repaid to **** off.

Its called taking responsibility for your own actions.

Blaming the Germans/French/British/Greeks/Fianns Fail or whoever is putting your head in the sand.

Fred there are people who cannot pay bills through no fault of their own. Most people dont tell people to f off im not paying.

charlemont

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

In another anti ESB rant, the ESB are to take on heavy handed British debt collectors (IE, Thugs, Bouncers want to be cops etc ) to tackle the problem of unpaid bills, Most of these so called debt collectors are the same breed of people you find at the door at any city centre nightclub. Certainly not the type of heavy handed people you want banging at your hall door at 6AM looking for cash.

THE ESB promised last night that its customers would not be treated in a heavy-handed manner after it appointed a British debt-collection firm to chase down unpaid bills.

More than 310,000 cash-strapped families have agreed to payment plans where they pay their electricity bills weekly because they are unable to meet the normal bills every two months.

Of these, some 130,000 are in arrears on their ESB bills.

Now Electric Ireland, as the ESB has been renamed, has brought in UK debt-recovery specialists BCW to take over its payment-collection operations for its 1.3 million customers.

http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/latest-news/esb-uses-uk-debt-collectors-as-130000-in-arrears-on-bills-3029085.html

Ha, If they arrive at my door I'll fill a cooking pot with water and throw it out
the window at them, Threats and intimidation are just that these people won't cross the line in to violence so people should just ignore them.

Fratton Fred

steddyeddy wrote: »

Fred there are people who cannot pay bills through no fault of their own. Most people dont tell people to f off im not paying.

I know, I've been there.

Stiffler2

They should have hired Mickey Rourke - the irish gangster debt collector

humanji

charlemont wrote: »

Ha, If they arrive at my door I'll fill a cooking pot with water and throw it out
the window at them, Threats and intimidation are just that these people won't cross the line in to violence so people should just ignore them.

Isn't that technically assault?

charlemont

humanji wrote: »

Isn't that technically assault?

Well, Yes, I suppose it would be but I'll only throw the water at them not the pot !!! Although I'll be smoking pot...;)


They can deduct the cost of the water from my bill...:p

the_syco

smash wrote: »

And a UK company will change this how?

They have yet to learn that they can do SFA in Ireland.

charlemont wrote: »

Ha, If they arrive at my door I'll fill a cooking pot with water and throw it out the window at them,

I'd say they could file a claim of assault against you, and if you can pay, they'll know you have money and keep pestering you, and if you can't pay, you goto jail.

charlemont

the_syco wrote: »

They have yet to learn that they can do SFA in Ireland.


I'd say they could file a claim of assault against you, and if you can pay, they'll know you have money and keep pestering you, and if you can't pay, you goto jail.

I'm not serious anyway, I wouldn't do that to people that are only doing a day's work, But I won't be answering my apartment door, Not a hope..If I bumped into them on the stairwell and they asked for me I'd put on a blank stare, Raise my hands and say "Naa Inglish" and walk on..;)

Extinction

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

In another anti ESB rant, the ESB are to take on heavy handed British debt collectors (IE, Thugs, Bouncers want to be cops etc ) to tackle the problem of unpaid bills, Most of these so called debt collectors are the same breed of people you find at the door at any city centre nightclub. Certainly not the type of heavy handed people you want banging at your hall door at 6AM looking for cash.

THE ESB promised last night that its customers would not be treated in a heavy-handed manner after it appointed a British debt-collection firm to chase down unpaid bills.

More than 310,000 cash-strapped families have agreed to payment plans where they pay their electricity bills weekly because they are unable to meet the normal bills every two months.

Of these, some 130,000 are in arrears on their ESB bills.

Now Electric Ireland, as the ESB has been renamed, has brought in UK debt-recovery specialists BCW to take over its payment-collection operations for its 1.3 million customers.

http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/latest-news/esb-uses-uk-debt-collectors-as-130000-in-arrears-on-bills-3029085.html

A state body using heavy handed tactics to collect money from people already under pressure? ''A certain element of state terrorism'' is how a coroner described bailiffs in this link

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/troubled-trader-shot-himself-hours-after-bailiff-visit-1843626.html

steddyeddy

Extinction wrote: »

A state body using heavy handed tactics to collect money from people already under pressure? ''A certain element of state terrorism'' is how a coroner described bailiffs in this link

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/troubled-trader-shot-himself-hours-after-bailiff-visit-1843626.html

You see thats a major problem people are choosing to ignore. In Ireland and in other countries people have commit suicide over financial pressure and in particular pressure from debt collectors or constant pressure from banks. Some people are dragged through the courts and humiliated when the companys involved know those in question cant pay. All this is not good enough to me and most honest people. No one who wants to pay but cant should be intimidated. I dont care if their british, french or mexican no one will get away with intimidating anyone I know.

Fulton Crown

token101 wrote: »

FFS the fat scary man isn't going to show up at the door because you haven't paid the electricity bill. And if they do call the Gardai.

I have an easy way out of all this ..just pay your fuckin bills / live within your means.

If you are making a genuine effort to pay you have nothin to be concerned about...

Eric Cartman

they're stepping up the debt game because they wont be semi-state for long. all energy supply will be 100% private in a year.

Run_to_da_hills

Eric Cartman wrote: »

they're stepping up the debt game because they wont be semi-state for long. all energy supply will be 100% private in a year.

Its a like a dying wasp trying to have its last fling, someone should stand on it and put it out of its misery..

Fulton Crown

Eric Cartman wrote: »

they're stepping up the debt game because they wont be semi-state for long. all energy supply will be 100% private in a year.

No man...that's utter rubbish and you know it...think before you post pal.

The supply of power is of national Strategic importance and would never be allowed out of State hands...even the backwoods imbeciles in the previous Govt realised that.

Take a cold shower pal and regroup...:rolleyes:

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Fulton Crown

Aquila wrote: »

I think hes right,wait and see,the short slightness of successive Irish governments is astounding.
Privatization is already here for many local authority areas in relation to parking control,refuse etc

ummmmm.....yes... but these are hardly strategic pal..in the way that power supply is.

He ain't right pal...not right by any stretch...trust me !

steddyeddy

Fulton Crown wrote: »

I have an easy way out of all this ..just pay your fuckin bills / live within your means.

If you are making a genuine effort to pay you have nothin to be concerned about...

People often find themselves unable to live within their means its one of the definitions of poverty. If your so convinced of the truth of your statement you should pass it on to the st.vincent de paul so they can spread the word to the growing number of people in need of their help.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

token101

Fulton Crown wrote: »

I have an easy way out of all this ..just pay your fuckin bills / live within your means.

If you are making a genuine effort to pay you have nothin to be concerned about...

Yeah that's kind of what I said!!