Hi

[Jethryk]

Hello,

I've been advised to join this forum following a debt collection letter from Roxburghe Debt Collectors for £59.93 that I received today. I realise this is a relatively small amount but I am still concerned.

I have been living away from my normal home address for a few months and returned today to find that I have this letter, together with 2 messages on my phone for an unpaid debt.

The debt relates to a regular quarterly phone bill of £41.93 with The Post Offiice, because my trips home had been intermitent the bill which was requesting payment by 19 December 2012 was firstly overlooked and then mislaid. I was intending to wait for a further 'red' bill but this never came.

I eventually found my original bill and paid this over the counter on 1 February 2013. I have a receipt.

The letter I opened today was dated on 8 February 2013 and is demanding immediate payment of £59.93 (orginal debt and £18.00 admin fee).


What action should I take? I've been advised not to contact Roxburghe by phone but should I contact the Post Office first? They accepted my payment so if I have to pay this debt they are holding my money unnecessarily.


Any advice would be gratefully received.
If I should have written this in a specfic forum please point me in the right direction. I'm a bit new to this type of thing.


Many thanks

[MissFM]

Re: Hi

Hello Jethryk!

There are some very knowledgeable people here and you have come to the right place

[labman]

Re: Hi

Hi Jethryk and welcome to Legal Beagles.

Personally I would file the receipt with the original bill somewhere very safe - you have proof you have paid it. I would ignore everything for now and assume the debt is settled in full. If they send you any further letters about the admin fee, post up again, and we'll sort out a letter asking them to prove their right to this when you have proof the bill was already settled in full.

I certainly wouldn't worry about it.

[Jethryk]

Re: Hi

Thanks MissFM and Labman for the welcome and replies.
I will hold tight for now then and await the next letter. Maybe the Post Office will return my payment as this will surely now be seen as an overpayment.

Either way I expect I will post again shortly.
Thanks

[Jethryk]

Re: Hi

Hello again,

I have now received my 2nd letter from Roxburghe.
Dated 21 February 2013. It reads:-

I am surprised to note that you have failed to respond in a satisfactory manner to our previous letter.

Your failure to take action indicates to me that you do not intend to settle your liability and therefore I shall pass this matter to our analysts, who will review your case.

Should litigation commence and in the event of Judgment or Decree being entered against you, it may affect your credit rating and you will be liable for all fixed legal fees and any statutory interest, which will be added to the debt.

Alternatively, we may instruct local external field representatives to call at your premises to collect the full outstanding balance.

Contact this office immediately to arrange payment and avoid any further action.

It is signed by the Debt Recovery Manager

-------------------------------------------------------------

What do you guys think my next action should be? I could write, as I said previously I have a receipt I could send them a copy of it.

What do you think?

Thanks

[CleverClogs]

Re: Hi

Email the Post Office "Managing" Director, paula.vennells@postoffice.co.uk

[labman]

Re: Hi

This will never have seen a human - it will be a computer generated letter and should be ignored. A well worded email, as per CC's advice, could well resolve this for you.

[Jethryk]

Re: Hi

Thanks CleverClogs & Labman. Will do as suggested.

[Jethryk]

Re: Hi

Hello again,

Just wanted to say that I sent an e-mail to Paula Vennells yesterday afternoon. I had an acknowledgement e-mail and a message on my answer phone when I returned home this afternoon asking me to call them. They have now confirmed that they have received my payment and have contacted Roxburghe to advise them and have also taken my name off their list. I won't receive any more phone calls and unless there's another letter already on its way I won't hear anymore from Roxburghe on this matter. They apologised for the inconvenience I have been caused.

So I would just like to say thank you to everyone here, but in particular to Labman and Cleverclogs for their good advice and for helping me out.

Thanks again.

[labman]

Re: Hi

Glad you got it sorted out.