Ongoing harrassment re bills already paid

[bingojoe]

Hi,

I moved house in October 2005 and decided to use a different phone company other than the one I had at that time, Newtel. I cleared up fully with them but they kept sending me bills. I wrote to them about this a number of times but it was as if they never received these letters - they kept sending out increasingly threatening letters demanding payment. I emphatically owed them nothing. Eventually I contacted Comreg, but Comreg told me all they could really do is ask them to respond to my letters. This alone wasn't enough - to get the matter sorted I had to send a registered letter to the MD threatening legal action. He wrote a letter of apology and sent me a refund I was due in June 2006. I felt at the time the level of harrassment at the time was such that I might have been entitled to compenastion if I pushed it.
Lo and behold I get a letter last month from a Debt Collection Agency looking for the Newtel money ( there is no question of me owing them anything) . This has now been followed up with a solicitor's letter demanding payment in seven days.

I think the whole episode could have been described as "appalling" about 2 or 3 months into the saga - their latest carry on defies description. There is a fair bit of stress involved and it has taken up a lot of time writing letters.

Would I be entitled to anything beyond an apology at this stage ?

 

[mf1]

Look its an oversight - it should not happen but it did. Thats the way it goes.
Take all your letters, put them in order, copy them, keep a copy for ease of forwarding again, etc.,etc. Ask your own solicitor to send them off on their notepaper.

It would make me mad as hell but I'd prefer to get it sorted and finished than to be looking for compo.

mf

 

[z109]

Ask your own solicitor to send them off on their notepaper.

I know some solicitors will do things like that for nowt, but not all. The continuing mistake is causing stress, loss of time, and expense. Isn't that what compensation is supposed to cover?

 

[TreeTiger]

Two words: Joe Duffy!

 

[csirl]

I'd be inclined to write back (or get your solicitor) to the companies solicitor enclosing the proof that there is no debt and asking them (i) how your private details illigitimately got into the hands of a "Debt Collection Agency",[technically defamatory if the company has informed the Debt Collection agency that you are in debt when you arent] (ii) asking them to make an offer of compensation for the time, hastle, expense, defamation etc of having to go through with the ordeal which is their clients fault. Also point out to them that the company and/or any other third parties acting on their behalf are barred from you property (so if they do turn up at door, you can insist on them being arrested for tresspass).

In the meantime, I would also report the "Debt Collection Agency" to whatever the Government agency which regulates debt collection is (anyone know?).

 

[aaa1]

Not to cause you any more worry but if you have a debt registered against you doesn't that affect your credit rating? Although, if that is the case I'm sure it will be easy for you to prove that you were in the right all along

 

[bond-007]

Only bodies associated with the Irish Credit Bureau can damage your credit rating. These are usually only banks and finance houses.

A report to the local Gardaí for harassment might do the trick.

 

[Purple]

Look its an oversight - it should not happen but it did. Thats the way it goes.
Take all your letters, put them in order, copy them, keep a copy for ease of forwarding again, etc.,etc. Ask your own solicitor to send them off on their notepaper.

It would make me mad as hell but I'd prefer to get it sorted and finished than to be looking for compo.

mf

I think this is good advice but do make sure that they cover any costs you incur. Have you written to the same MD about what is happening now? The chances are that the file was given to the debt agency while they were screwing up before and while things are now in order at their end they forgot to call off the dogs.