Debt collectors- it's all bluff

Plusnet continue to threaten it's customers with a mystery "3rd party debt collection agency".
I say to those customers; ride it out, they are trying to scare you into paying. Just ignore them (for now- one day you might need to write a nasty letter or 2 to state your case and put people in their place)
it is really not worth their time to hassle you for under

The post you linked to seemed to cover someone willing to pay some towards clearing the debt, which in my view is very different to the head in the sand ignore and ride it out approach you are suggesting.

If you want to dispute the amounts then people should do that, but ignoring debts even if not a real debt is not a good idea.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3489552.stm may give a more rounded view.

Andrew

I understand why you say that, sorry for confusion.

To clarify; the part in the link about paying what you can afford etc is not what I was getting at.

The point I am making is that no one can force you to hand over money, or take your goods or threaten you etc etc without following the lawful procedure.
Plusnet's threats to me and others are just that, threats

If they truely beleive they are right, have not put a foot wrong and have a watertight case then they should stand up and follow the court process, not try and scare and intimidate ex customers.

And it is worth getting a second opinion on the issue, what we as individuals can think as unfair may be found to be perfectly reasonable in a court. Working on the assumption that the court will ere on the individuals side is a dangerous game to play.

Also when posting things like "Plusnet's threats to me and others are just that, threats " it can sound very like you are almost suggesting its a case 'pay or we will through your PC out of the window' type stuff, or do you just mean repeated letters requesting payment for a sum of money, that is in dispute?

Andrew

The very term "pass the matter to a 3rd party agency" is designed to threaten and scare customers into paying whatever plusnet want.

It is stated matter of factly but to the average consumer who hasn't got time to understand the process and most people reactions is to think "it's not worth the hassle, I'll just pay", expecting large gentlemen to turn up at their house with a baseball bat

They know that, and that's why they say it.

IMO the truth is it's not worth the hassle for them to follow the legal process.

The link I posted explains some information on people's rights. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

In reply to:

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The very term "pass the matter to a 3rd party agency" is designed to threaten and scare customers into paying whatever plusnet want.

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Not quite how I would have phrased it, but isn't that the entire point of having a debt collection agency? Just to add further clarification on this. It's not about "whatever PlusNet want" it's about any outstanding payments due to us as per the terms and conditions which were agreed to.

Edited by deleted (Tue 04-Jul-06 11:17:56)

In reply to:

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The link I posted explains some information on people's rights. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

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Whereas I agree with you in principle, it can be a matter of opinion if something is owed or not.

I also agree that previous posters seem to have been subjected to the threat of debt collectors very early in the dispute process by PN. This is something they should look at.

I find it amusing that some people on here criticise posters who publicaly say they are taking PN to court, yet fail to comment on the PN debt collector threat.

The consumer rights you linked and referred to are not a way of avoiding responsibility, but a way to assist in discharging debts in a responsible manner.

I'll print that comment out so that i can use it if plusnet or one of their flunkies does take me to court.

I would expect the point of a debt colelction agency is to collect debts genuinely owed by devious dishonest customers and to take the burden of following through the correct legal process off the company whose core business is doing something else.

I edited my comment just before you replied

Well it's all a bit grey on the terms and conditions agreed to, if plusnet want to challenge my view (and all the evidence I have and am still accumulating [thanks to the previous poster for helping out with that ;-)]) then they can take me to court.