DCA Home Learning / BPO Collections

[Gadge_129]

Hi

 

Over a year ago my girlfriend signed up for a course with “DCA Home Learning” initially she paid a deposit of around £40 (by cheque) and received the starting materials.

 

The course material turned out to be less then expected so she cancelled the course within the initial month and no further payments have been taken as expected nor had she received any further material or sent any material off to be marked (she assumed she would loose the deposit which wasn’t a problem). Included in the materials were direct debit forms which she never bothered with after canceling the course and thought that was the end of it.

 

However after coming back from vacation we arrived home to find a letter from “Bpo Collections” dated 16th July which states:

 

Our Client: DCA Home Learning
 Ref No: -----
 Principle Sum: £303.34

 FORMAL NOTICE – DO NOT IGNORE (in nice pretty red writing)

 We refer to the above and give due notice that our Client has instructed ourselves to recover the outstanding amount of £303.34 owed to them. To avoid Legal Proceedings being taken against you, we require immediate repayment of this sum at our office no later than 23rd July 2008.

 Failure to receive this amount will leave no alternative but to recommend to our Client that legal action may be the only option we have to recover the balance due. Please be advised, such an action may seriously affect your ability to obtain credit in the future and may result in additional costs being levied against you.

 Tel number to phone: 

 For and on behalf of
 BPO Collections
 Recoveries Department

 ‘Giro Bank Slip Included at the bottom of the letter’ 

 

Both DCA home learning and BPO collections proved to be less then useful when both I and my girlfriend phoned them yesterday (BPO lady did nothing but repeat her self “you must pay in full even if you did not complete the course”)

 

She also never applied her signature to any documents relating to either of this companies or had any further contact after cancellation

I understand that if she did not sign any agreement that she shouldn’t be liable for this payment and not be able to taken to court.

 

I would be thankful for any further guidance

 

Thanks,

Gary

[mr.ton]

DCA home learning? so if ive got this right, is this a course set up by a DCA so you learn everything etc..?

They then chase you for any amounts outstanding?

[Gadge_129]

The course is offered by dclearn (i cant post urls but its .co.uk)

 

My girlfriend payed a deposit of £40 and was supposed to setup a direct debit to cover each month she carried on with the course (1 year I think), she canceled the course during the 1st month (even the lady on the phone said she had canceled it but that she still needed to pay the full sum)

 

Since the course was cancelled she disposed of the direct debit slip and thought nothing of it, nor heard anything from it till this letter.

 

She never received any other materials other then which the 1st monthly deposit covered, nor did she send of any materials.

 

So all in all she payed £40 for some very uninformative booklets which she could have got for a maximum of £20 else where and they are chasing her for a extra £303.34

 

Thanks

[mr.ton]

Like with every other DCA - its just a threatogram, designed & worded to look/sound scary.

Unless they ever go to a county court, they're just whisting in the wind

[Gadge_129]

Like with every other DCA - its just a threatogram, designed & worded to look/sound scary.

Unless they ever go to a county court, they're just whisting in the wind

 

Thanks, you have confirmed pretty much what I thought to begin with.

 

We don't intend to back down from them since we don't believe we owe any funds to the company, they have already gained £40 for doing next to nothing, she didn't receive any service which warranted paying for.

 

Good luck with them taking her to court! she's a uni student they would have better luck trying to get blood from a rock

 

Thanks

[Gadge_129]

Update:

 

Today we have received further correspondence from Bpo Collections:

 

Dated 8th August 

We have instructed our field agents to VISIT YOUR ADDRESS TO COLLECT THE ABOVE DEBT

You have made this action necessary as you have ignored all other requests to contact us and you have failed to pay this account. 

should you wish to avoid this course of action, you must contact our office within 72hours of receipt of this notice

failure to comply with this request may lead to the above action without further warning or notice. 

For and on behalf of
Bpo collections
Recoveries Department

 

I understand that I am not legally obliged to let them enter the property, are they able to tow any of the cars away?

 

I need some help on how to deal with this further please.

[palomino]

Field agents have no more rights than I do. They can't tow cars away.

 

This letter is merely a toothless threat.

[babybear39]

They cannot take anything.

 

Print this off and hand it to them if they show up:

 

Dear xxxx

 

Account Ref xxxx

 

Please be advised that I will only communicate with you in writing. I have noted your repeated attempts to contact me by telephone over the past few weeks/months and these have been duly logged by time and date.

 

Furthermore, should it be your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you.

 

There is only an implied license under English Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.). Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance.

 

Yours faithfully/sincerely

 

Amend to suit, do not sign and send another copy to BPO recorded delivery.

[Gadge_129]

Thanks you very much.

 

if either the bailiffs or field agents happen to turn up are they able to just climb through a window / walk through an unlocked door without a court order being issued?

 

I will mail the letter and have one ready in hand

[babybear39]

They cannot enter your property uninvited. They are not court appointed bailiffs and have no powers at all. If they try anything, call the police immediately.

[Gadge_129]

Thanks,

 

We are also a little unsure on how to deal with this long term.

 

The people at Bpo Collection / Home learning are nothing more than broken records repeating over and over that the sum must be paid. No service by the company has been provided, it is even noted by DCA learning that the course was cancelled so I have no idea on why they wish to pursuit payment.

 

There has been no correspondence between my girlfriend and DCA home learning during the past year. We only know anything about this now that Bpo collections is trying to force money from us which we don't have (students live poor lives ) and won’t be paying.

 

Thanks, Gary.

 

p.s This may be a silly question but should we type our name on the bottom / include the address to the template as if it was a normal letter?

[PGH7447]

If you cancelled and the learning provider (DCA) acknowledge this tell BPO to prove the debt exists, ie where in all there b*ll**** does it state that you have had the course material and services provided. as per the original courseware information.

 

Nothing provided no debt

[Gadge_129]

If you cancelled and the learning provider (DCA) acknowledge this tell BPO to prove the debt exists, ie where in all there b*ll**** does it state that you have had the course material and services provided. as per the original courseware information.

 

Nothing provided no debt

 

 

I asked them this previously on the phone however she could say nothing more than "the sum must be paid".

 

I will add this in to the letter I am sending.

[PGH7447]

Phone drones only follow a script,

 

"pay us now, pay us now, or else we will call down all the furies of hell on your heads, pay us now"

[Gadge_129]

Could any one please look over this for me

Dear Sir/Madam

Account Ref: -

NOTICE

Please be advised that I will only communicate with you in writing. I have noted your repeated attempts to contact me by telephone over the past few weeks/months and these have been duly logged by time and date.

 

Furthermore, should it be your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you.

 

There is only an implied license under English Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.). Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance.

 

Additionally I wish for you to send me any and all proof that this debt exists as I cancelled the course in its initial first month with DCA Home learning. I received no further correspondence or materials from DCA Home learning until Bpo collections demanded and threatened me for this payment.

 

You are notified that you are obliged to supply these documents, whether you are the original creditor or not under S189 of the CCA 1974.

 

Non-compliance with my request is a criminal offence under the above Act and will result in a report being submitted to the relevant statutory authorities, therefore if I do not receive evidence that I owe your company any monies by 9th September 2008, I will have no hesitation in passing your details to the Office of Fair Trading.

 

Yours faithfully/sincerely

[PGH7447]

Could any one please look over this for me

 

 

 

Dear Sir/Madam

Account Ref: -

 

NOTICE

I do not recognise any debt to your company

 

 

Please be advised that I will only communicate with you in writing. I have noted your repeated attempts to contact me by telephone over the past few weeks/months and these have been duly logged by time and date.

 

Furthermore, should it be your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you.

 

There is only an implied license under English Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.). Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance.

 

Additionally I wish for you to send me any and all proof that this debt exists as I cancelled the course in its initial first month with DCA Home learning. I received no further correspondence or materials from DCA Home learning until Bpo collections demanded and threatened me for this payment.

 

You are notified that I now require you to supply any and all documentation, to support your continuing demands for monies you deem to be owed, but which I dispute, whether you are the original providor or not.

 

If I do not receive evidence to support your ridiculas claims that I owe your company any monies within 14 days of receipt of this letter, I will deem the matter to be closed, and any further demands for payment of this non existant debt will be activley defended, and I will have no other option than to report your company to the relevant authorities that will include but not limited to the OFT and TS

 

Yours faithfully/sincerely

 

saves you a £1

[Gadge_129]

Thought I would give an update on this situation and say thanks to the users that have posted in reply to me, you have all been a great help

 

We have received a new letter from BPO collections after sending them the above letter to both them and DCA Home learning:

 

With regards to the correspondence received regarding the above debt. Please be advised we have placed a hold on the above account and request confirmation from our client DCA Home Learning.

 

The account will remain on hold until we have received an update and/or relevant documents from our client.

 

If you have any further queries please don't hesitate to contact one of our legal advisors on ......

[/qUOTE]

 

None of the words are in bold, or bright red funny enough! and even seems to be personally written, best of all is the use of the word "please" for once rather then threatening us with the wrath of oblivion!!

 

Lets see if this is the end of it

[Gadge_129]

Update:

 

We received a letter from DCA collections, it turns out my girlfriend has paid them a deposit of £39.00 + 86.66 2x Months membership (via cheque) which she forgotten about from an old bank account till we checked.

 

 

So in total DCA learning have taken £125.66 - Does this now put them in a higher standing to be able to demand the money or are we even able to collect the funds back? - I find it weird that the lady on the phone even said that the account had been canclled.

 

 

We requested that they forwarded us proof that money is owed to them, they instead forwarded us terms and conditions from a “sample student” which shows nothing to do with us, not even the correct payments!

 

 

 

DCA Home Learning Letter:

 

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/5732/dcahomelearn1rs6.jpg

 

Terms and Conditions (3 pages):

 

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/4949/dcahomelearnpg1pm4.jpg

 

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/5180/dcahomelearnpg2wn1.jpg

 

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/3154/dcahomelearnpg3vv1.jpg

 

 

 

I assume the next step is to mail them again and ask for further proof? any other ideas and where we take it from here, please?

 

 

 

Thanks.

[Gadge_129]

Bump - Any help please?

[Gadge_129]

Bump - Any help please?

[PriorityOne]

Hi Gadge....

 

Did you cancel this course in writing with DCA Home Learning ? If so, then do you have a copy of anything from them confirming this ?

 

If you did not cancel the course in writing, then it sounds as if they've continued to collect funds from your gf's bank account, before realising that it was cancelled.... which was when the payments must have stopped.

 

Under the circumstances, I would write a formal letter of complaint to DCA Home Learning basically asking them what they're playing at.... that the course was cancelled on xx/xx/xx, but depsite this... they have helped themselves to £xx from your gf's bank account... and then referred an imaginary balance to BPO Collections, who are now demanding an inflated figure of their own. Send by recorded delivery and keep the receipt.

 

You can't deal with anything like this over the 'phone... it's a totally unreliable means of communicating and boils down to your word against theirs at the end of the day. Please do not 'phone anyone any more... put everything in writing from now on and start by asking DCA HL to explain themselves to you. BPO are only after your money and have no interest in any circumstances surrounding that.... that's why they're so obnoxious. The debt collecting industry is like that.

 

BPO now need to provide proof that a debt is actually owed, including a full breakdown of the balance they're asking for... However, it looks as if they've now calmed themselves down a tad anyway, going by that last letter.... and have toddled off to find something.

 

If they come back with anyything, please let us know.

 

[Willson]

Is the course was useful for the girls then go with the guidelines studies.