Problem with old debt

Problem with old debt

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Discussion

elster

Original Poster:

17,517 posts

212 months

Monday 5th July 2010
quotequote all
Well I have a catalogue debt from 2008. Apparently I failed to pay £15 off it.

I have had no correspondence since then until today.

I got a text from a company called Fredrickson International saying to contact them urgently.

So I call and they say I owe over £300 to this company in interest and charges.

How can this be justified, and why such a delay?

I would quite happily have paid off the £15, but taking it up to over £300 is taking the michael a little bit.

Do I just have to suck it up and pay?

Soovy

35,829 posts

273 months

Monday 5th July 2010
quotequote all
elster said:
Well I have a catalogue debt from 2008. Apparently I failed to pay £15 off it.

I have had no correspondence since then until today.

I got a text from a company called Fredrickson International saying to contact them urgently.

So I call and they say I owe over £300 to this company in interest and charges.

How can this be justified, and why such a delay?

I would quite happily have paid off the £15, but taking it up to over £300 is taking the michael a little bit.

Do I just have to suck it up and pay?
Tell them you'll pay the debt plus interest.

To be honest, for the hassle it will save you it might be worth paying it.


rsv gone!

11,288 posts

243 months

Monday 5th July 2010
quotequote all
Work out the debt plus say 10% per year, compounded. Write a cheque for the amount marked 'in full and final settlement' and send that to them (keeping copies of everything).

Worth a punt.

Eric Mc

122,332 posts

267 months

Tuesday 6th July 2010
quotequote all
Do you really owe the original £15?

macca

508 posts

281 months

Tuesday 6th July 2010
quotequote all
Do not communicate with them until you have spoken to citizens advice. Offerring to pay them anything acknowledges the debt and the clock starts ticking all over again giving them longer to sit on it, rack up more charges and put you throught the mill again in a few years time.

supertouring

2,228 posts

235 months

Tuesday 6th July 2010
quotequote all
Got a text ?

Are you sure this is not a scam?


Eric Mc

122,332 posts

267 months

Tuesday 6th July 2010
quotequote all
It sounds extremely ropey to me. I would request that they send full details of the debt, including the full history of previous recovery attempts IN WRITING.

Dupont666

21,618 posts

194 months

Tuesday 6th July 2010
quotequote all
I had something similar with the council about its tax... they said we had paid it all on rented house, so final bill and we all move out leaving forward addresses for the council, council change its mind decide we still owe £40 and then mail the old address several times (dumb bastids) and then they eventually twig 6 months later to try a forwarding address, bu now the bill is £350 with charges, arears and interest...

I happily ring up and talk to a very nice women that confirms this is the first time they tried the forwarding address, I take her name and direct number and then inform her that I will pay the original amount of £40 but if they want the rest they can see me in court now that they know where to post the summons!!

She confirms that they probably wont come after me as its not worth it and will probably lose anyway...

happy days

elster

Original Poster:

17,517 posts

212 months

Wednesday 7th July 2010
quotequote all
I have asked to have a look at all the statements since the account opened.

I don't think I do owe any money on it.

Anthony Micallef

1,122 posts

197 months

Wednesday 7th July 2010
quotequote all
My advice for what its worth in the experience ive had with debt collection agencies is deal with everything in writing.

If they phone again then just politely say that you are not prepared to deal with the matter over the phone and could they please write to you.

nomisesor

983 posts

189 months

Wednesday 7th July 2010
quotequote all
Lots of stuff on the web about this company and the strategies to use with debt collectors in general.

Obviously a successful company - "Fredrickson International Collects Half a Billion Pounds!
Thursday, 01 July 2010
Fredrickson International surpassed the £500m (five hundred millions) in recoveries on the 23rd June 2010.

Group Managing Director, Simon Jones commented “When Roy and I set up Fredrickson International, we of course had high aspirations but neither of us thought we would collect half a billion pounds.”

Fredrickson International has always pioneered new technology and provides a wide variety of payment methods, it was the first DCA in the UK to offer a fully interactive debtor’s website – www.fredpay.com and is the only DCA currently offering Mobile Phone recycling as a payment method in addition to the multitude of other options available. Significant investment has been made into increasing Right Party Contact (RPC) rates with 10-15% of gross turnover being re-invested into Research & Development during the past 5 years.

Simon Jones continued “We have always tried to remove any barrier to payment and having more options available than other DCA’s does enable us to increase recoveries for our clients. We are delighted in how the business is moving forward and based on our current performance we fully expect to cross the billion pound recoveries mark within the next 5 years.”

(Source - Fredrickson International Press Release)

http://www.fredricksoninternational.co.uk/consumer...

bennyboydurham

1,617 posts

176 months

Saturday 10th July 2010
quotequote all
First off:

Don't talk to them on the phone - in writing only.

Ask for statements. They probably haven't got the paper trail, in which case tell them to sling their hook.

Is this on your credit file? Worth checking with all three big agencies. If it's not recorded on your credit file then I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Edited by bennyboydurham on Saturday 10th July 12:13