Ban from Marks and Spencer

[David555]

Can I please ask how many times they followed up for payment and how much did they demand? Did you keep ignoring the letters…did they eventually stop? What would you suggest I do when my letter comes?

[David555]

Hi , can I please check as same thing happened to me above. They did take a picture of me holding the letter on a phone and then when I left the room they asked me to look up at a camera in the store. But putting that aside I have a few questions :

1). they asked for ID and said if I didn’t provide they would call the police so I showed them a photo of my passport on my phone. They also wanted my address….I didn’t have any address ID but they demanded it so I gave my address registered on Google as have a company registered for the flat which I own a share of freehold, so they have my address for which is currently tenanted as I moved back with family for financial reasons and didn’t want to provide that address in case they open the letter. Given letters will go to my tenanted address, should I ignore the letters or just pay it to make the situation go away….in your view?

2). how much do they typically demand, bearing in mind they recovered the few goods which was not paid for which was not even £30.

3). if I ignore the letters, will it just go away or will they eventually sent it to a debt collector and have a debt collector coming to the flat for payment etc?

4). any other advice …I just want the situation to go away and move on, and yes was my fault but don’t want to it to expand further and worry about “signed for” or legal letters going to my tenants which are not the typical letters that they pass to me?

I really appreciate any help or advice on the above.

many thanks,
D

[des8]

The advice on this forum, and all the other forums, is clear.
Ignore the letters, which will likely be asking for an amount north of £150.
I have not seen any reports of them using "signed for" letters
.If you are concerned about the letters being opened consider having your post redirected to a Post Restante

[David555]

Many thanks for your prompt response. It’s appreciated. I’m that case I will just ignore the letters. I’m guessing from what I have read there will be around half a dozen chasers and then just stop communication?
Was I correct in understand after trying with the letters they send the bill to be managed / collected by a debt collection company?

lastly, even though I took details from my passport (name and date of birth) and have my address …as long as I don’t return, this won’t impact me in terms of employment checks, records etc, hence nothing shared outside of M&S and the company who will send the bills?

many thanks again, have a great evening

[des8]

Many thanks for your prompt response. It’s appreciated. I’m that case I will just ignore the letters. I’m guessing from what I have read there will be around half a dozen chasers and then just stop communication?
Was I correct in understand after trying with the letters they send the bill to be managed / collected by a debt collection company? Some companies have tried using debt collectors, but as there is no debt and DCAs have no more power than the man in the moon....

lastly, even though I took details from my passport (name and date of birth) and have my address …as long as I don’t return, this won’t impact me in terms of employment checks, records etc, hence nothing shared outside of M&S and the company who will send the bills? No impact at all

many thanks again, have a great evening

Comments in red

[David555]

Cheers, in that case I will just ask tenants to keep any letters aside for me and I will keep ignoring the letters / throw them away until they stop. I guess within a month or two they will just stop with chasers and it will all go away.

Thanks for all the help and insights, has surely put my mind to rest as was extremely stressed until you clarified.

[des8]

Might go on for longer than a couple of months.
These people can be persistent .... expect three or four letters over a period of 6 months

[David555]

Not to be repetitive …but if it was you, given as you say, the letters/chasers can span half a year , would you ignore too or just pay to avoid the hassle of all the letters over the long time frame?

cheers

[MIKE770]

Not to be repetitive …but if it was you, given as you say, the letters/chasers can span half a year , would you ignore too or just pay to avoid the hassle of all the letters over the long time frame?

cheers

Why! not legal? better use is flush them in appropriate place. speculative invoices no standing as proved in high court!. let them waste their stationery and stamps etc.

[des8]

I would ignore and not pay.
Besides not wanting to pay something not due, every payment made supports their mode of operation of pressurising the vulnerable.
They are little better than vigilantes who set up their own warped system of justice in which they act as judge, jury and lord high executioner.
I would not support such an operation, but it is your choice if want to pay to stop their stream of paper.

[David555]

I was thinking perhaps send the letters back with a “not known at this address” which is technically correct but probably won’t have an impact. Also, if there is a telephone number on the letter, could call and say “doesn’t live here” but probably suspect given you should only open a letter addressed to you.

im probably overthinking it, best for me to move on.

[des8]

I was thinking perhaps send the letters back with a “not known at this address” which is technically correct but probably won’t have an impact. Also, if there is a telephone number on the letter, could call and say “doesn’t live here” but probably suspect given you should only open a letter addressed to you.

im probably overthinking it, best for me to move on.

Not worth while
The problem with doing that is they might then use that address to issue court papers, as they will then be able to obtain a default judgement if you do not defend. Having a default judgement they will then trace your whereabouts to enforce it (unless you then apply to have it set aside and defend it).

[David555]

Wow, no idea it could, thanks. So in summary, best course of action is to ignore all the letters until they stop and by doing this they can’t and won’t take any further action but close the so called “debt” I owe to this company.

[des8]

Yes, just ignore.
All they want is your money with as little effort on their part as possible

[Amir1978]

Similar situation for me, if I ignore the letters would anyone come knocking on the door and would they sell the debt to a company who are likely to come to the address to demand payment with hefty interest / penalties for late payments?