Can we CHARGE DCA for our time?

[datasafe]

This is a general question raised by a contact I received a couple of days ago.

 

Just a bit of background:

 

On 27th July 2006 I subscribed to Sky for one of their TV packages.

 

At 6pm on 21st April 2008 I telephoned Sky to cancel my subscription with immediate effect as money was tight.

 

I then start receiving letters from Sky saying I owed them £28 and this eventually ends up with Wescot Credit Services and in the last week with Response Credit Services.

 

The £28 for was for the period to the date when Sky cancelled the package 30th June 2008.

 

Wescot returned the file to Sky after I explained to them that I'd requested immediate cancellation of the service on 21st April 2008.

 

Months pass and this week I get a letter from Response Credit Management demanding payment of £28. I emailed Response and informed them that any further information required of me would result in a charge of £35 for my time in researching. This seems quite fair as why should my quality family time be used up answering these companies.

 

I asked Response for full details of the claim and this was their reply:

 

Information provided by SKY;

Service Address – ************

Service Enablement Date – 27/07/2006

Service Termination Date – 30/06/2008

 

 

I spent an hour or so searching for the info I required to rebut the claim and then emailed them back the following:

 

 

Information NOT provided by Sky

Service Termination requested Date – 21st April 2008 at 6pm

 

Please remind Sky they are breaking the rules laid down by The Office of Fair Trading by passing alleged debts to more than one recovery service i.e. Wescot Debt Recovery & Response.

 

NOTE:

 

Any further communications demanding payment will be considered harassment and I’m prepared to take action under the PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT1997 as this is clearly in dispute.

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

Sky are clearly trying it on in the hope that I'll just pay up to get them off my back, I'm sure the majority do as it's a pain having to keep records just in case one has to deal with these morons.

 

So back to my original question - can I claim for my time?

Cheers

John

[sploits]

Have a look round the forum. People have charged DCA's for writing letters to them and I'm sure 1 user actually billed 1 DCA for his time training their staff (because they had no idea of the law or what they where actually doing).

 

Sploits

[datasafe]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I did inform Response that I would charge them for my time for any reply demanded or required from me.

 

I've now sent them a bill for £35.

 

My guess is they'll just ignore it.

 

John

[sploits]

Hey it doesn't hurt to try. They charge us for crazy things so why can't we do the same back

[datasafe]

The issue that really annoys me these days is that we have to keep records of everything and keep them for years because these dreadful DCAs are purchasing debts from companies like Sky years after you think everything's sorted.

 

In this case, we're only looking at 12 months and fortunately, I recorded the date and time I rang Sky cancelling my subscription. But should Ihave recorded the phone call?

 

How much do we have to spend purchasing equipment and implementing systems simply to defend ourselves against events years into the future?

 

John

[twofoot]

I would have thought a good way to go would be to advise them of your charges and that your next letter will be a letter before action for harrasment when you will also be seeking compensation and the charges outlined as well as your legal charges. By the way I thought Sky T&C's specify a months notice to cancel.

[fuzzybobble]

A few months ago I billed Moorcroft for wasting my time for 6 months. It was all over a Argos card they could provide no paperwork for at all.

 

So I totalled up all the time and cost of letters, etc. Then sent them an invoice for £270

 

Of course they ignored it, as we all know Moorcroft only ever send out template letters. If they come across a situation where they don't have a suitable template, they just ignore it.

 

My dilemma is now, how the hell do I find a good DCA that can actually recover a debt for me these days?

[datasafe]

Twofoot, thanks for the info.

 

With regards to Sky's T&C, notice might well be one months. I rang Sky on 21st April 2008 instructing them to cancel with immediate effect. They are now trying to charge me up 'til 30th June 2008, that's 2 full months.

 

Fuzzybobble, can't you simply follow the usual legal process? Why do you need a DCA?

[DonkeyB]

I think I'll set up as a non-registered DCA, complete with hobnail boots, nasty manner and threatening doorstep presence. Would you chaps like to 'assign' those unpaid debts to me? I'll buy them at 0p in the £, then I'll issue the threatograms!

[fuzzybobble]

Fuzzybobble, can't you simply follow the usual legal process? Why do you need a DCA?

 

I thought about contacting Moorcroft saying I had a client who I were ignoring my letters asking for payment, then get Moorcroft to chase themselves for £270.

[datasafe]

I think I'll set up as a non-registered DCA, complete with hobnail boots, nasty manner and threatening doorstep presence. Would you chaps like to 'assign' those unpaid debts to me? I'll buy them at 0p in the £, then I'll issue the threatograms!

 

Sorry, being a bit 'blonde' this morning

[themagician]

A few months ago I billed Moorcroft for wasting my time for 6 months. It was all over a Argos card they could provide no paperwork for at all.

 

So I totalled up all the time and cost of letters, etc. Then sent them an invoice for £270

 

Of course they ignored it, as we all know Moorcroft only ever send out template letters. If they come across a situation where they don't have a suitable template, they just ignore it.

 

My dilemma is now, how the hell do I find a good DCA that can actually recover a debt for me these days?

the prob is have you the time and the b****s to take out a small claims action against them to recover the bill! go on you know you want to itonly costs about a tenner.

[harrassed senior]

the prob is have you the time and the b****s to take out a small claims action against them to recover the bill! go on you know you want to itonly costs about a tenner.

 

 

.....and, if you are on Benefits there is an exemption form where you pay NOTHING!!

[mr.ton]

We should charge DCA's a standard amount (call it a handling fee ) & add £12 charges on top for each specified time period that goes by without them paying up