Wescot/Sky debt - any advice please?

[moonwoman]

Hi,

I have an outstanding debt with Sky for £46. We have practically no money coming in at the moment and are in the process of applying for Housing and Council Tax benefits. Wescot are chasing for the debt. I have informed them that I have no income at the moment and have applied for benefits, and that I am not prepared to make an agreement with them to pay, that I know I cannot keep at the moment. I do not dispute the debt and will pay it as soon as I can.

My question is how do I stand with this - they are sending the 'pay up or this may result in legal action/ a home visit' letters, (the italics and bold are mine. not theirs!) I have learned a bit about how to deal with DCAs trying to collect for credit card debt from this forum, but I'm not sure how I stand with a debt to Sky.

I want to send Westcot a letter including that they cannot visit or send a representative to visit unless they make an appointment etc., - I have the template for that from the site, and presumably including the immortal line 'I do not acknowledge any debt to your company' - I'm a bit unsure of what else I can say though - does the CCA letter apply for this kind of debt? I don't really know whether this monthly payment to Sky falls into a 'credit agreement' - I kind of think it doesn't. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Moonwoman

[drob]

Have you tried to talk to Sky regarding your £46?

[The GodMother]

they cabt get blood out of a stone.

If they take this to court theu will look stupid as u have already made ur situation clear.

btw they cant take u to court unless they have brought the debt.

CCA no good

[moonwoman]

Hi drob, - no I haven't spoken to Sky - I suppose I could try that, as I did manage to get Yellow Pages to take a debt back from NCO a few months ago - just by throwing a few snippets of info I picked up here at the poor Yellow Pages bloke!

Hi Godmother - no, I thought CCA wasn't applicable - I did point out to her that no judge in the land would issue a judgement for me to pay money I haven't got. She went down the 'oh well, as you are refusing to pay, I have to advise you that the account will be left open for further action' I replied that I was not refusing to pay, I was courteously informing her, and therefore Westcot, that I intended to pay the outstanding Sky amount when I had the money, but at this stage I could not confirm when that would be, although I hoped to be able to give them some more definite information next week, and that I was not prepared to agree to an arrangement that I knew I could not meet. She replied, 'well we may have to take you to court and that could incur extra costs!' (well blow me down - wasn't expecting her to say that - much!) I sweetly replied that 'we would have to cross that bridge if we legally reached it, and that I would be following up my conversation with a letter shortly. Bye Bye!'

I broke my rule of not speaking to them by phone, because I had been away for a month, and thought I would just inform them of my situation quickly. The irony of it is that I have just had a late post, after I spoke to them, with a standard demand stating that I have until August 11th to pay up, or they may add costs etc., etc., blah, blah. You'd think she would know they had sent that, and would just have said - 'well as the account stands at the moment you have until 11th August anyway.' No, on second thoughts you wouldn't think she would, would you - as that would be sensible and efficient!!!

I always feel so much better after coming on this site.

Thanks both for your replies

Moonwoman

[forgottenone]

Sky. Are on one of my most hated ... companies right now ... amongst other ones. Had trouble with them years ago ... they aren't interested in customer loyalty and their billing system was crazy back then ... object to paying £4 for invoice payments as well! That's another matter, though.

Hi Godmother - no, I thought CCA wasn't applicable -

Just a quick quesiton, I may have missed it in your posts so, if so, I apologize in advance. But are you outside your 12 month initial period with them?

[moonwoman]

Hi Forgottenone

Yes, well outside the 12 months.

Moonwoman

[forgottenone]

Well, thought it might be. Just wondered. Still hate Sky, though. They got a 'granny sounding lady' on the phone a few times a while ago, when I tried to complain about their *lack of* customer service, sounded like she'd just wandered out of a Celia Imrie with Victoria Wood sketch, it was that sort of voice ... and I thought DCA's were bad.

[moonwoman]

Have received a letter yesterday from Nelson Guest & Partners Solicitors..... details as follows.....

'We are instructed by Westcot Credit Services Ltd on behalf of the above named client in connection with the sum outstanding shown above.

You may consider this debt as too small to warrant legal proceedings. However we are firmly instructed to commence proceedings for recovery unless paymnet is made to Westcot Credit Services Ltd within 7 days of the date of this letter.

In the event of a judgement being obtained we shall seek all fixed costs and fees together with statutory interest.

The sum currently owed by yourself is relatively small and we would reasonably advise you to settle this issue forthwith without further expense and cost to yourself.'

Is this just another 'frightener' - I wouldn't have thought they could pursue it - as Wescot are obviously acting for Sky, not purchased the debt.

What really p**s me off is that every few days I get a 'come back to Sky promo' from Sky.

I can probably afford to send them a few quid next week (as I've written earlier in the post I have already told Wescot that I do not contest the amount, and will pay it when I can) Any suggestions on wording for an accompanying letter? Many thanks

Moonwoman