Debt collection agencies

Persistent buggers aren't they?

About 10 years ago I had an insurance policy with MCE. I cancelled it half way through as bike was written off/stolen/can't remember. All fine. Except about a year (really, a year) later, they write to me and say "by the way, you owe us £80". "Really, why's that then?" I respond. "You owe us £80" they reply, no explanation.

And since then I've had a succession of debt collection agencies sending letters. The first letter I get, I naturally reply with "tell me why I owe this money, what payments were made, what payments were missed, what was the contract?". This request for information is ignored, followed only by more letters requesting money. Eventually I reply with "ok, let's take this to court, you're not able to tell me why I owe this money, so it's time we let the magistrate decide". And then they go silent. Until a year or so passes, and another debt collection agency gets the job and I go through the whole process all over again.

I've received the opening salvo from yet another agency (fourth, fifth one?) and will this time just go straight for the "let's take it to a magistrate, right here, right now", as I just fecked off with it.

If someone would actually tell me why I'm supposed to owe them any money I'd pay up. It's odd that the moment I say "ok, we're not getting anywhere here, I suggest we take it to the magistrates" they drop it.

It's been going on for TEN years now, anyway to force them to settle this one way or another or am I going to have to take them to court for harrasment?

Why don't you just pay it?.................... By the way you owe £50

Debt collection agencies aren't the brightest sparks in the box. However I'm not sure their always aware of the full picture, just given a job to collect it.

£80 after 10 years, Countries have been formed and lost in less time.

Could be a 5p debt with interest

I had a debt collection agency trying to find a previous tenant of mine.
Long story short is that they couldn't find him so where trying to claim it back from me. Many letters later I received one saying that they thought I was him because we shared the same first name.

As you can imagine, I hit the roof.

Sent a letter to them saying how dare they accuse me without evidence, court action, blah blah blah...........


...........Not heard a peep since.

Debt collection agencies go for the easy money.

If you owe little, and fight your corner, they stand the chance of paying your court fees for you. Not a prospect they relish.

Was the policy on an installment plan when you cancelled it? If so, I'd hazard a guess that you *do* owe them the balance. I seem to recall someone else hereabouts making a claim and being asked for the outstanding premium installments before the insurer would process it.

If when the bike was written off you made a claim them you do have to pay the full insurance premium.

That said, the fact this has gone on 10 years is crazy. Must have cost them a lot more chasing you with letters, man hours spent dealing with etc.

I would make sure you respond as you don't want them passing it to a bailiff who will not sympathise and add costs to it as well.

If you canceled the policy within the first year it will be the cancalation fee you owe them.

Even if that is the case the fact they couldn't or wouldn't tell him this in repsonse to his "Why do I owe you this money" query puts him in the right I say.

I mean it's a simple and fair enough request, if they don't respond then they can't exactly complain when he refuses to pay without clarification.

Er hang on.

Even if you did owe them the money, debt actions are statute-barred after 6 years. In other words, they lost the right to sue on it 4 years ago. It is now completely unenforceable.

Tell them to feck off and also tell them that you are reporting their menacing and intimidatory behaviour to the Trading Standards Department.

The insurer will know that the debt is statute-barred, so they have no right chasing you over it.

Originally Posted by Ed

In other words, they lost the right to sue on it 4 years ago. It is now completely unenforceable.

That's the legal beagle speaking (and he's right, btw )

Originally Posted by Ed

Tell them to feck off

That's Ed speaking

Originally Posted by Ed

Er hang on.

Even if you did owe them the money, debt actions are statute-barred after 6 years. In other words, they lost the right to sue on it 4 years ago. It is now completely unenforceable.

Tell them to feck off and also tell them that you are reporting their menacing and intimidatory behaviour to the Trading Standards Department.

The insurer will know that the debt is statute-barred, so they have no right chasing you over it.

Ha ha ha ha ha.
Score.
Fair play Ed.


I always hate to see those lovely insurers go down a few quid.