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In April 2010, I took out a contract for a Pay-Monthly Sim Only with Tesco. This was for my son, then 13. The deal was, £15.00 per month, 500 mins, free texts bundle etc - which seemed ample for him. However, I had perhaps been a bit hasty and have learned a lesson and with heindsight, maybe it was not the right time for giving him the responsibility of a contract phone.
He landed me a bill for £150.00, which I was not happy about and his phone disconnnected. To his credit though, I have to say that part of his defense had been, him not being aware that he could not call almost any number (0900, 0845 and others) he assumed it just came out of his minutes ??? (hmmm?). I dont know if this is him pulling a fast one or not, but he may have a point, as I did not actually say to him - you can only phone mobiles numbers and landlines. (benefit of the doubt, but no doubt about him ever having a contract phone again!!)
Anyway, I sent Tesco Mobile an email, offering to pay £15.00 per month, until the debt cleared. I received a reply today, in which they say: "We are unable to take monthly payments from you as once an account has an outstanding balance, the payments are required within a specific timescale.
If full payment not received within 40 days of balance outstanding, it is automatically passed to DCA.
You would therefore have to come to some agreement with the DCA" unquote.
Now I obviously do not want to be dealing with any DCA if at all possible. The DCA they have used is called : Frederickson - I have not actually spoken with them or made any communication at all. In fact, I have totally avoiding communicating with them altogether.
I was a little annoyed with their means of making contact, as apart from writing to me repeatedly, demanding payment within 7 days etc, they were also calling me on my mobile, and they kept sending me text messages to contact me. The texts went on for several days, and were always marked urgent. The calls were random, every couple of days over the course of about 2 weeks. I totally ignored the calls and made no reply to any of the texts they sent me, just deleted as I received them.
I dont know how I stand in respect of this debt, but if at all possible I would like the matter to go back to source and for them to accept payments in instalments, as I suggested (all I can really afford right now). But it would not take too long to repay at that rate (8 months), maybe sooner if I could pay a little extra now and then.
But anyway, the first thing is to get the DCA off my case and the debt returned to Tesco mobile?? Is there a way I can do that?? avoiding any additional costs? The second obstacle, is in their refusing to accept instalments to repay debt, this seems ridiculous?? Incidentally, I noticed that in November 2010 they had actually taken £15.00 as part payment, using my debit card details, without my knowledge?? Very strange. But despite this, they claim not to accept instalments???
Any help / advice, would be very much appreciated. I am not after having the phone/sim re-connected, I just want to clear the debt so it doesnt affect my credit record!
Hope somebody can see a way out for me???
Thanks byeeeeeeeeeeeee!
He landed me a bill for £150.00, which I was not happy about and his phone disconnnected. To his credit though, I have to say that part of his defense had been, him not being aware that he could not call almost any number (0900, 0845 and others) he assumed it just came out of his minutes ??? (hmmm?). I dont know if this is him pulling a fast one or not, but he may have a point, as I did not actually say to him - you can only phone mobiles numbers and landlines. (benefit of the doubt, but no doubt about him ever having a contract phone again!!)
Anyway, I sent Tesco Mobile an email, offering to pay £15.00 per month, until the debt cleared. I received a reply today, in which they say: "We are unable to take monthly payments from you as once an account has an outstanding balance, the payments are required within a specific timescale.
If full payment not received within 40 days of balance outstanding, it is automatically passed to DCA.
You would therefore have to come to some agreement with the DCA" unquote.
Now I obviously do not want to be dealing with any DCA if at all possible. The DCA they have used is called : Frederickson - I have not actually spoken with them or made any communication at all. In fact, I have totally avoiding communicating with them altogether.
I was a little annoyed with their means of making contact, as apart from writing to me repeatedly, demanding payment within 7 days etc, they were also calling me on my mobile, and they kept sending me text messages to contact me. The texts went on for several days, and were always marked urgent. The calls were random, every couple of days over the course of about 2 weeks. I totally ignored the calls and made no reply to any of the texts they sent me, just deleted as I received them.
I dont know how I stand in respect of this debt, but if at all possible I would like the matter to go back to source and for them to accept payments in instalments, as I suggested (all I can really afford right now). But it would not take too long to repay at that rate (8 months), maybe sooner if I could pay a little extra now and then.
But anyway, the first thing is to get the DCA off my case and the debt returned to Tesco mobile?? Is there a way I can do that?? avoiding any additional costs? The second obstacle, is in their refusing to accept instalments to repay debt, this seems ridiculous?? Incidentally, I noticed that in November 2010 they had actually taken £15.00 as part payment, using my debit card details, without my knowledge?? Very strange. But despite this, they claim not to accept instalments???
Any help / advice, would be very much appreciated. I am not after having the phone/sim re-connected, I just want to clear the debt so it doesnt affect my credit record!
Hope somebody can see a way out for me???
Thanks byeeeeeeeeeeeee!
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