Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

Has anyone here ever had to use a debt collector?

  • 03-02-2015 10:29PM
    #1
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭


    What was your experience and did they recover all your money? Ive tried letters and all the usual routes with someone who owes me money and nothing yet after a long time of trying.

    I realise this is After Hours so not all (if any) replies will be serious but Im not quite sure where else to post it on Boards.

    In general how successful are debt collectors?


«13

Comments

  • #2
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    Dep! wrote: »
    What was your experience and did they recover all your money? Ive tried letters and all the usual routes with someone who owes me money and nothing yet after a long time of trying.

    I realise this is After Hours so not all (if any) replies will be serious but Im not quite sure where else to post it on Boards.

    In general how successful are debt collectors?
    Unless it's a massive amount of money it's always more bother than it's worth. If it is a massive amount of money it's usually more bother than it's worth.


  • #3
    Menas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,318 ✭✭✭✭Menas


    Do the small claims court help here?


  • #4
    kneemos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,605 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    The old solicitors letter might be worth a try.


  • #5
    For Forks Sake
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,487 ✭✭✭✭For Forks Sake


    Dep! wrote: »
    What was your experience and did they recover all your money? Ive tried letters and all the usual routes with someone who owes me money and nothing yet after a long time of trying.

    I realise this is After Hours so not all (if any) replies will be serious but Im not quite sure where else to post it on Boards.

    In general how successful are debt collectors?

    You should employ a firm of attitude adjusters. Money back, no questions asked.


  • #6
    Zippie84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭Zippie84


    Dep! wrote: »
    What was your experience and did they recover all your money? Ive tried letters and all the usual routes with someone who owes me money and nothing yet after a long time of trying.

    I realise this is After Hours so not all (if any) replies will be serious but Im not quite sure where else to post it on Boards.

    In general how successful are debt collectors?

    Was there a written contract between you and the person?


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    The other fella
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 596 ✭✭✭The other fella


    sledge-hammer.jpg


  • #8
    The Backwards Man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,299 ✭✭✭✭The Backwards Man


    The other fella wrote: »
    sledge-hammer.jpg
    This would be just as useless at getting your dough back


  • #9
    dodderangler
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    The other fella wrote: »
    sledge-hammer.jpg

    Or have someone sing sledgehammer.
    They'd have to pay them to stop and there's your money back.


  • #10
    Desolation Of Smug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 760 ✭✭✭Desolation Of Smug


    Dep! wrote: »
    What was your experience and did they recover all your money? Ive tried letters and all the usual routes with someone who owes me money and nothing yet after a long time of trying.

    I realise this is After Hours so not all (if any) replies will be serious but Im not quite sure where else to post it on Boards.

    In general how successful are debt collectors?

    Depends on the debtor. You can't get blood out of a stone, even if you beat it. If they're not broke, the mere threat of being beaten like a stone can be very effective, but the smart ones run to the authorities and the authorities tend to beat the beater. Or you'll get a nice, smart judgement from a Court, promising €x per week/month/year/decade and the debtor pays you €0. Then you go back to court and do the dance again. Others fold at the sight of a solicitors letter. It's a complicated field.

    Frankly, if it is money you can manage without, forgetting it is easier, and if it is money you can't afford to live without, you probably can't afford to pursue it fully. Also, some people are bigger cnuts than the person/s you hire to "get" the money back. This happens too. That can get interesting as well.


  • #11
    professore
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,849 ✭✭✭professore


    I did once with a customer who got me to do work and then ignored me completely. It was a proper company, not some crowd of ex-cons. They took 30% but they did get the money out of them. I was delighted as I expected to get nothing - also felt good to soften their cough.


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭Dep!


    The Backwards Man wrote: »
    Unless it's a massive amount of money it's always more bother than it's worth. If it is a massive amount of money it's usually more bother than it's worth.

    Its in the thousands.
    Trigger Happy wrote: »
    Do the small claims court help here?

    Im not sure.
    kneemos wrote: »
    The old solicitors letter might be worth a try.

    Worth a try maybe.
    Zippie84 wrote: »
    Was there a written contract between you and the person?

    I was invoicing them and they sent cheques. All was grand until the cheques stopped coming.


  • #13
    The other fella
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 596 ✭✭✭The other fella


    If the sledgehammer method does fail, extreme times call for extreme measures... 51Fc4yr474L._SY300_.jpg


  • #14
    Zippie84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭Zippie84


    Dep! wrote: »

    I was invoicing them and they sent cheques. All was grand until the cheques stopped coming.

    Wasn't sure if it was just a mate that hadn't re-paid money you'd lent them or what.

    Definitely sounds worth pursuing, question, I guess is how. (BTW Think maximum claim at the small claims court is €2k)

    Out of interest, cheques stopped coming, but are they responding to communications chasing them / what are they saying?

    What were the terms under which you did business with them?

    I'm also thinking that may be worth asking in the business management forum if you think that applies, as guessing others there may have had experience of it.


  • #15
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭Dep!


    Zippie84 wrote: »

    Out of interest, cheques stopped coming, but are they responding to communications chasing them / what are they saying?

    .

    Phone numbers changed and no longer replying to my emails.


  • #16
    Zippie84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭Zippie84


    Dep! wrote: »
    Phone numbers changed and no longer replying to my emails.

    are they an organisation or just a person?


  • #17
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭Dep!


    Desolation Of Smug wrote: »
    Depends on the debtor. You can't get blood out of a stone, even if you beat it. If they're not broke, the mere threat of being beaten like a stone can be very effective, but the smart ones run to the authorities and the authorities tend to beat the beater. Or you'll get a nice, smart judgement from a Court, promising €x per week/month/year/decade and the debtor pays you €0. Then you go back to court and do the dance again. Others fold at the sight of a solicitors letter. It's a complicated field.

    Frankly, if it is money you can manage without, forgetting it is easier, and if it is money you can't afford to live without, you probably can't afford to pursue it fully. Also, some people are bigger cnuts than the person/s you hire to "get" the money back. This happens too. That can get interesting as well.


    Great feedback thanks.

    Its the principle of the matter for me, their sheer arrogance is staggering. If it was hundreds Id let it go, but not thousands.

    You seem to have a lot of experience in this field. Based on what Ive bolded above, did the debt collector end up turning on you?


  • #18
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭Dep!


    Zippie84 wrote: »
    are they an organisation or just a person?

    A limited company that I think has since changed to Sole Trader.


  • #19
    Banjo String
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,380 ✭✭✭✭Banjo String


    Op seriously, pm me, I'll get your cash back.

    Well discuss my commission in the pm.


  • #20
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭Dep!


    For Forks Sake wrote: »
    You should employ a firm of attitude adjusters. Money back, no questions asked.

    Wasnt that why Martin "The Viper" Foley's company was so successful?


  • #21
    CruelCoin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,463 ✭✭✭CruelCoin


    Dep! wrote: »
    What was your experience and did they recover all your money? Ive tried letters and all the usual routes with someone who owes me money and nothing yet after a long time of trying.

    I realise this is After Hours so not all (if any) replies will be serious but Im not quite sure where else to post it on Boards.

    In general how successful are debt collectors?

    Yes, we've used them.

    Once a group we used was quite.....strong??. Effective, but ensured no ongoing business.
    New guy we use from time to time, has the worlds most epic gift of the gab, and talks his way into getting us our money.

    Both usually got us everything we were owed. There is always the question of "but what if the collectors come across too strong and ruin future busines for you with this customer?". Then again, if they've not paid in over a year, they're not the customers you want anyway.


  • Advertisement
  • #22
    Desolation Of Smug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 760 ✭✭✭Desolation Of Smug


    Dep! wrote: »
    Great feedback thanks.

    Its the principle of the matter for me, their sheer arrogance is staggering. If it was hundreds Id let it go, but not thousands.

    You seem to have a lot of experience in this field. Based on what Ive bolded above, did the debt collector end up turning on you?

    Not at all. My Daughter used to run a collections service for unpaid debts, generally inter-business. I used to hear all about the travails. There's more rules about what the collection agency can't do than what the debtor has to do. I understand your frustration, it is pretty soul destroying when people refuse to pay for work you have done. There's a lot of it out there.


  • #23
    BeerWolf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,122 ✭✭✭BeerWolf


    My mother once got a friend of hers, a really big fella (used to be a contractor[merc]), to accompany her while demanding a tenant to pay [hasn't paid for a number of months... and the place became an absolute state]. Got the message across quick and said tenant left while my mother kept the deposit... which didn't come close to repairing the place.


  • #24
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,808 ✭✭✭✭smash


    Debt collectors are scumbags, and legally they don't really have much remit. Threatening behaviour from a debt collector will cause more damage to your business reputation then anything else. If a client isn't paying you, you cut their service and peruse your losses through solicitors and the small claims court. Not by hiring thugs.


  • #25
    listermint
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 35,677 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    smash wrote: »
    Debt collectors are scumbags, and legally they don't really have much remit. Threatening behaviour from a debt collector will cause more damage to your business reputation then anything else. If a client isn't paying you, you cut their service and peruse your losses through solicitors and the small claims court. Not by hiring thugs.



    Not paying your bills are we Smash ?


  • #26
    smash
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,808 ✭✭✭✭smash


    listermint wrote: »
    Not paying your bills are we Smash ?

    No, I pay my bills. I had dealing with debt collectors once after switching mobile networks. I was out of contract, paid my final bill and moved network. Then I got a letter from my old network stating that I owed them just over €100. I called and queried it, they noted that I had paid my bill upon moving network, also that I was out of contract when I moved, but they didn't cancel my account until 3 months after I had moved. They pushed to get the money and I told them to f*ck off. Debt collects called me and I told them to f*ck off too. I'll never return to the network.


  • #27
    Valetta
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,611 ✭✭✭Valetta


    Dep! wrote: »
    A limited company that I think has since changed to Sole Trader.

    Can you establish whether the limited company is still in existence?

    If not, then you don't really have a chance.

    Going after the individual could land you in serious trouble.


  • #28
    Dep!
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭Dep!


    smash wrote: »
    Debt collectors are scumbags, and legally they don't really have much remit. Peruse your losses through solicitors and the small claims court. Not by hiring thugs.

    Not all debt collectors are scumbags. Im sure 70% of them in this day and age use methods within the law.
    smash wrote: »
    No, I pay my bills. I had dealing with debt collectors once after switching mobile networks.

    So a major phone company sent heavies to your door over a 100 euro bill? That doesnt really add up to me.


  • #29
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    The other fella wrote: »
    sledge-hammer.jpg

    I was expecting this...


  • #30
    sh1tstirrer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,485 ✭✭✭sh1tstirrer


    circadian wrote: »
    I was expecting this...
    :D trust me, I know what I'm doing


  • Advertisement
  • #31
    listermint
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 35,677 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    smash wrote: »
    No, I pay my bills. I had dealing with debt collectors once after switching mobile networks. I was out of contract, paid my final bill and moved network. Then I got a letter from my old network stating that I owed them just over €100. I called and queried it, they noted that I had paid my bill upon moving network, also that I was out of contract when I moved, but they didn't cancel my account until 3 months after I had moved. They pushed to get the money and I told them to f*ck off. Debt collects called me and I told them to f*ck off too. I'll never return to the network.

    You were never going back anyway.

    I dont see your point....


Advertisement
Advertisement