No mercy from eFlow?

alank-47

So I have foolishly built up 16 unpaid toll charges on the M50. My family has been quite broke for some time and I recognise I shouldn't have used the M50 if I didn't have the ability to pay. I am 100% acknowledging my mistake here but am now in an impossible position with eFlow. I have contacted both eFlow and the solicitors but they are only able to slightly reduce the requested amount to 534, but only if we pay before Christmas week. The problem is we do not have that kind of money and are already in debt, very much struggling to get by week to week with a new baby. I am already indebted to family so they won't be able to help us either.

I guess I thought I could just pay it off in dribs and drabs and eventually catch up with it when we had money coming into the house again. My wife and I had our fist baby in May and our baby was kept in the hospital for quite some time after being born. The doctors told us that constantly breastfeeding her would keep part of her bowel from dying so my wife did not return to work after her maternity leave finished up, so she could continue to breastfeed our daughter. She had to take maternity leave early due to stress at work. As she had already miscarried two babies, we did not want her to take the risk of staying in a stressful environment so she took maternity leave in February.

This meant by the time August rolled around we only had one income and found ourselves unable to pay many bills. We still owe Temple St children's hospital money as well as several other places but thankfully they have been very understanding. I also suffered a temporary pay cut at work that has been restored again recently. We are moving to a smaller house as we can no longer afford where we are. We are seriously struggling for money and especially at this time of year, people will give gifts and expect some back so there is a lot of financial pressure on us. My wife has recently managed to secure a babysitting job starting in January, though she may do a few days before then.

We are now in a position to start trying to work through our bills and try to take some of the pressure off, so I contacted eflow. In terms of a long term payment plan they wwant around 300 up front and then another 450/500 in a payment plan. The other option is to pay a more reduced amount of 534 in one go but only have two weeks to get that together. It's just not possible. I am willing to pay what I owe but I can't see what is realistic about asking someone is willing to pay over an extended period of time to pay it all upfront. I have asked for a video account and they said that cant be done until I pay the whole amount. I just can't get it so all I can see is this going to court, getting a huge fine I can't pay (They said it would be 150*16 journeys =2400 plus any legal costs) and if I can't pay that then going to jail. For a matter I am willing to settle.

Not sure what to do here. Most people here said they are very understanding but I they have not made it possible to reach a realistic settlement.

thanks

rex-x

They are normally understanding, with one or two unpaid tolls, but 16 is taking the mickey a little bit!

alank-47

rex-x wrote: »

They are normally understanding, with one or two unpaid tolls, but 16 is taking the mickey a little bit!

It is. I shouldnt have let it get to this stage. Though I am trying to work it out. The problem is it is impossible unless they can reduce it to a reasonable amount, I will be unable to pay. I am currently about to pay off the original cost of the tolls through their website.

rex-x

Get together whatever you can for a payment plan deposit, then make them the offer in writing and offer to pay a reasonable amount each week in addition, they will likely accept it rather than court. But stay off the M50 in the meantime as it would reflect very poorly on you to go through the toll again before its paid off.

davo2001

1 or 2 i could understand, maybe even 5, but 16. Come'on!

Your only option will be to arrange a payment plan with eFlow. Say that you can pay x amount (maybe €50) every month for 11 months and see what they say.

biko

alank-47 wrote: »

I am currently about to pay off the original cost of the tolls through their website.

Ring them instead and make arrangements first.

R.O.R

If the solicitors are involved, you need to deal with them as it's already gone from eFlow's hands.

No idea if they will be reasonable, but if it were to end up in court, you'd hope a judge would allow a payment plan, but probably best to try and arrange something with Pierce Fitzgibbon before it gets to that stage.

magicmushroom

I work in credit control and speaking from experience, if you start sending in what you can afford on a regular basis, they are very unlikely to take further action.

Paying regularly is the key here though - if I see someone is paying me an amount of say €10, every Friday without fail, I will leave it at that and spend my time chasing others that aren't paying anything.

Also if they wanted to take you to court, I very much doubt a judge will do anything in their favour once they see regular payments for a consistent amount are being paid.

Obtain their bank details, set up a standing order for €10/€15/€20 per week - whatever you can afford - and try not to worry about it.

To put your mind at ease further, maybe have a read of other threads on here about eFlow toll charges and what happened to people that didn't pay...not a lot.

Jayop

Sorry to hear about your situation and hopefully you'll get it sorted. You've already admitted you're in the wrong so hopefully the usual brigade don't come in now saying you've only yourself to blame etc/

Have you tried MABS? They may be able to offer some advice to you.

https://www.mabs.ie/

Jayop

magicmushroom wrote: »

I work in credit control and speaking from experience, if you start sending in what you can afford on a regular basis, they are very unlikely to take further action.

Paying regularly is the key here though - if I see someone is paying me an amount of say €10, every Friday without fail, I will leave it at that and spend my time chasing others that aren't paying anything.

Also if they wanted to take you to court, I very much doubt a judge will do anything in their favour once they see regular payments for a consistent amount are being paid.

Obtain their bank details, set up a standing order for €10/€15/€20 per week - whatever you can afford - and try not to worry about it.

To put your mind at ease further, maybe have a read of other threads on here about eFlow toll charges and what happened to people that didn't pay...not a lot.

What's your thoughts on them offering a reduced settlement but only if he pays it before Christmas. Seems a bit cruel to dangle a solution like that in front of him that realistically isn't possible for 99% of people in that situation.

alank-47

Jayop wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your situation and hopefully you'll get it sorted. You've already admitted you're in the wrong so hopefully the usual brigade don't come in now saying you've only yourself to blame etc/

Have you tried MABS? They may be able to offer some advice to you.



On the phone to them now, thanks folks. Will give this a go.

mickdw

I would write to them with a brief explanation of circumstances and offer upfront payment of an amount equal to 16 toll payments then offer to pay the outstanding fines over a 1 year period which should amount to something like 10 quid per week.

ZENER

I had a debt of almost 400 euro with them about 8 years ago due to one unpaid fee. I missed one toll and continued to pay the single toll on subsequent trips but the missed one built up. When I rang them they suggested if I signed up to a video account they would waive the arrears. Worth a try if it's not already too late?

Ken

alank-47

ZENER wrote: »

I had a debt of almost 400 euro with them about 8 years ago due to one unpaid fee. I missed one toll and continued to pay the single toll on subsequent trips but the missed one built up. When I rang them they suggested if I signed up to a video account they would waive the arrears. Worth a try if it's not already too late?

Ken

Tried this, and read about other people who have had the same experience, but when I asked if I could sign up for a video account and pay it off slowly they said no I had to pay it all off before they would even give me a tag/video account.

Redser87

Could you contact the SVP for Christmas help if money is really tight? They wouldn't pay the toll but they'd be able to put food on the table.