Can I charge an Admin Fee.
Discussion
I keep getting letters for someone that has never lived at my address. I usually send them back saying that said person doesn't live here RTS. However they are started coming once a week and its doing my head in so I opened one to see what its about. Its from a rather well know debt collection agency. I phoned them up and told them that the person they are writting to doesn't live here so please stop. The letters stopped for about 3 weeks however they have now started arriving again. I phoned them up again and said that if they carry on coming I will charge a 50 admin fee for sending them back. The letters still keep coming. My question is can I legally charge them a 50 admin fee and enforce it?
Does it cost a bank 25.00 to return a direct debit? Probably not but they get away with it. But to answer your question no it doesn't, it involves me walking all of 20yrds to the post box. Its just getting annoying and I am pretty sure somewhere along the line this could effect my credit rating.
carl carlson said:
Does it cost a bank 25.00 to return a direct debit? Probably not but they get away with it. But to answer your question no it doesn't, it involves me walking all of 20yrds to the post box. Its just getting annoying and I am pretty sure somewhere along the line this could effect my credit rating.
No but you have contractually agreed to it in advance. You can't invoice them.carl carlson said:
Does it cost a bank 25.00 to return a direct debit? Probably not but they get away with it. But to answer your question no it doesn't, it involves me walking all of 20yrds to the post box. Its just getting annoying and I am pretty sure somewhere along the line this could effect my credit rating.
It probably does actually. 
Depends on who you are dealing with. They sound like they would be more likely to tell you to p
s off.
However, I do this at times. Never had much luck (ie a cheque) but I have warned it on the 'phone when a company is being an arse and trying to get me to write to them or confirm stuff which they already know.
I just tell them that as a training consultant I charge £1K a day and that is my minimum charge. So, if they wish me to do this work for them I will charge them my daily rate. For that they will get my time for 8 hours.
Most places back off, or withdraw their line of "It is our policy to make an admin charge in this matter." I got of a silly bank charge like this. Credit card with abotu 3 quid on it and I missed a payment. They wanted to charge me for this and that even though they had screwed up the DD. I refused and did the "It will cost you a grand for my time line." Charge dropped. Three quid paid off card by me.
Depends on how much fun you want to have chancing your arm. Put together a bill, with dates etc. Itemise it and send it in. You might get lucky....I doubt it though.
s off.However, I do this at times. Never had much luck (ie a cheque) but I have warned it on the 'phone when a company is being an arse and trying to get me to write to them or confirm stuff which they already know.
I just tell them that as a training consultant I charge £1K a day and that is my minimum charge. So, if they wish me to do this work for them I will charge them my daily rate. For that they will get my time for 8 hours.
Most places back off, or withdraw their line of "It is our policy to make an admin charge in this matter." I got of a silly bank charge like this. Credit card with abotu 3 quid on it and I missed a payment. They wanted to charge me for this and that even though they had screwed up the DD. I refused and did the "It will cost you a grand for my time line." Charge dropped. Three quid paid off card by me.
Depends on how much fun you want to have chancing your arm. Put together a bill, with dates etc. Itemise it and send it in. You might get lucky....I doubt it though.
You can write to them and tell them what you will charge for the service they are expecting you to provide. Tell them that by continuing to send letters you will assume they agree with your terms. Invoice them monthly and then start charging debt interest at the legal rate when they don't pay on time. Send them statements of account regularly. They will have to pay in the end when you take them to small claims court for your unpaid invoices. If they don't pay the court will send a baliff to take away their goods. Quite fitting fate for a company of debt sharks.
£25 or £30 per letter seems reasonable. Courts have held that to be reasonable when banks charge that to write to you.
£25 or £30 per letter seems reasonable. Courts have held that to be reasonable when banks charge that to write to you.
Do what I did (in this case, to my ex, and the people chasing her)...
Firstly, stop ringing them. Just let them send more and more ste through the post. They will eventually stop once it's on it's way to court. Continue to disregard all the way past all the summons letters, notifications from the court etc, judgement against the person who's address they have mistaken.
So now my ex has a CCJ against her. Cool.
Then they started sending debt collection letters about the amount owed in the CCJ. Then a bailiff. Oh the fun I had with him... (leaving him shut in the security corridor while I went for a st, holding a pretend conversation (telling her I'd say when the bailiff had gone) with her on the phone, all sorts of things. I'm expecting him back any day...
Firstly, stop ringing them. Just let them send more and more s
te through the post. They will eventually stop once it's on it's way to court. Continue to disregard all the way past all the summons letters, notifications from the court etc, judgement against the person who's address they have mistaken.So now my ex has a CCJ against her. Cool.
Then they started sending debt collection letters about the amount owed in the CCJ. Then a bailiff. Oh the fun I had with him... (leaving him shut in the security corridor while I went for a s
t, holding a pretend conversation (telling her I'd say when the bailiff had gone) with her on the phone, all sorts of things. I'm expecting him back any day...Opulent said:
Do what I did (in this case, to my ex, and the people chasing her)...
Firstly, stop ringing them. Just let them send more and more ste through the post. They will eventually stop once it's on it's way to court. Continue to disregard all the way past all the summons letters, notifications from the court etc, judgement against the person who's address they have mistaken.
So now my ex has a CCJ against her. Cool.
Well, err, yes. But since you didn't forward the post to her, she can just apply to the court to have it set aside. At which point all your efforts are for nought.Firstly, stop ringing them. Just let them send more and more s
te through the post. They will eventually stop once it's on it's way to court. Continue to disregard all the way past all the summons letters, notifications from the court etc, judgement against the person who's address they have mistaken.So now my ex has a CCJ against her. Cool.
Opulent said:
Then they started sending debt collection letters about the amount owed in the CCJ. Then a bailiff. Oh the fun I had with him... (leaving him shut in the security corridor while I went for a st, holding a pretend conversation (telling her I'd say when the bailiff had gone) with her on the phone, all sorts of things. I'm expecting him back any day...
So, your address now has CCJ(s) and default(s) against it, which you've done nothing about, for a person still presumed to be living there (and financially connected with you). This will cause you problems if you want credit, which will take you time and energy to sort out. Meanwhile it sounds like you've also been lying to bailiffs (who might be officers of the court and, if so, who might be able to get an order to come in with a locksmith when you're not there), amongst other things.t, holding a pretend conversation (telling her I'd say when the bailiff had gone) with her on the phone, all sorts of things. I'm expecting him back any day...I know I sound like a killjoy, but your life would be much easier if you dealt with this properly; your ex's inconvenience (re CCJ) is easily fixed with a simple court application, and your actions have proved that she didn't receive the summons so that's open-and-shut for her. Your issues may take a lot longer to resolve
fatjon said:
You can write to them and tell them what you will charge for the service they are expecting you to provide. Tell them that by continuing to send letters you will assume they agree with your terms. Invoice them monthly and then start charging debt interest at the legal rate when they don't pay on time. Send them statements of account regularly. They will have to pay in the end when you take them to small claims court for your unpaid invoices. If they don't pay the court will send a baliff to take away their goods. Quite fitting fate for a company of debt sharks.
£25 or £30 per letter seems reasonable. Courts have held that to be reasonable when banks charge that to write to you.
^ It's this. You send a letter advising that future communications will be returned at X amount per letter. Any further letters are then deemed to be in accordance with your terms and you can recover the costs as they have "entered into a contract" with you.£25 or £30 per letter seems reasonable. Courts have held that to be reasonable when banks charge that to write to you.
I tend to find that companies stop pretty quickly when you inform them you are charging for it....
They keep coming because you keep taking notice of them. When that happened to me last year I sent the second back with a letter saying that the person doesn't live at this address, I don't know where he does live and any further letters would just be chucked in the bin. They didn't send any more but even if they had, how much time does it take you to chuck a letter in the bin?
Hudson said:
do they include freepost envolopes? if so, fill them with other junk mail and send them back - viola! they have just paid for the postage for your crap.
Well, if you want that sort of fun, you don't even bother with any Freepost envelope. Any envelope without a stamp will cost them rather far more money and - better still - time to pay the excess postage.
skwdenyer said:
So, your address now has CCJ(s) and default(s) against it, which you've done nothing about, for a person still presumed to be living there (and financially connected with you). This will cause you problems if you want credit, which will take you time and energy to sort out. Meanwhile it sounds like you've also been lying to bailiffs (who might be officers of the court and, if so, who might be able to get an order to come in with a locksmith when you're not there), amongst other things.
I know I sound like a killjoy, but your life would be much easier if you dealt with this properly; your ex's inconvenience (re CCJ) is easily fixed with a simple court application, and your actions have proved that she didn't receive the summons so that's open-and-shut for her. Your issues may take a lot longer to resolve
Hasn't made a single bean of difference to my credit rating. I had a score of 999.9 when I applied for my mortgage about 4 months ago and my application was approved with no questions. I'm no credit expert and I admit I don't know all the ins and outs but it really has made zero difference to my life. I know I sound like a killjoy, but your life would be much easier if you dealt with this properly; your ex's inconvenience (re CCJ) is easily fixed with a simple court application, and your actions have proved that she didn't receive the summons so that's open-and-shut for her. Your issues may take a lot longer to resolve
The guy didn't say anything about being an officer of the court, and the paperwork he put through my door made no mention of it. I guess I'll take my chances!
ETA I'd been ringing her debtors, telling them her new address for about 2 years previously to my becoming silent, and she knew full well they were after her.
Edited by Opulent on Tuesday 22 March 17:48
skwdenyer said:
So, your address now has CCJ(s) and default(s) against it, which you've done nothing about, for a person still presumed to be living there (and financially connected with you). This will cause you problems if you want credit, which will take you time and energy to sort out. Meanwhile it sounds like you've also been lying to bailiffs (who might be officers of the court and, if so, who might be able to get an order to come in with a locksmith when you're not there), amongst other things.
I know I sound like a killjoy, but your life would be much easier if you dealt with this properly; your ex's inconvenience (re CCJ) is easily fixed with a simple court application, and your actions have proved that she didn't receive the summons so that's open-and-shut for her. Your issues may take a lot longer to resolve
CCJs are logged against the person and not the address, it hasn't been an address issue since the early 1990sI know I sound like a killjoy, but your life would be much easier if you dealt with this properly; your ex's inconvenience (re CCJ) is easily fixed with a simple court application, and your actions have proved that she didn't receive the summons so that's open-and-shut for her. Your issues may take a lot longer to resolve
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