Phillips Collection Services

[skywalker8311]

On Advice from Big Boss Man, I'm starting my own thread about these truly wonderful individuals

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by skywalker8311

Hi Guys,

 

Any news? I'm just becoming "aquainted" with these guys!

 

 

Hope your not meaning Philips by aquainted !

Originally Posted by skywalker8311

Oh Hell Yeah!! Texts only to begin with, then after contacting them via the website, they took 10 days to reply. At least they don't text on weekends.

 

I called them after they told me what they would accept (£22 a week) and told them that was impossible (My case is exactly the same as this thread, unemployed, TV Licence, but no visits until last Friday, that was just a letter drop)

 

I asked them for a Means form, they said "we don't send them out!" I said no problem I'll get one myself, and send it in, can you please stop the texts, pending my form going in? "The text's won't stop" said she, "but get your details to us as soon as possible" Quite helpful really, compared to some cases I've seen on here.

 

I posted that out last Thursday (4th June), and the letter drop was last Friday. The "Nice" man that dropped it off stood with me on the doorstep (you ain't gettin in 'ere mate!) and said to just call the office, they're "Makin agreements everywhere at the minute". TBH, he wasn't any trouble. I explained I'd already been in touch and he said OK, and trotted off.

 

I've left it a week, and emailed them today, forearmed with the great advice from you guys on here, direct to old Nigel himself. Got a mail back fairly quick from the enquiries department, saying they wouldn't send it back to the magistrate until the whole thing had run it's course, and £22 was the lowest it would go. I've emailed back and said no go, the most I'll offer is £5 every fortninght, but no replies as yet.

 

I'm so much more comfortable knowing you guys and gals are here, could be in for the long haul!!

 

Pete

Sorry to hear of your problems - to save invading this thread could you possibly paste your comments above into a new thread, i would reccomend you title it starting with Philips Collection Services, you will get more replys that way, ill also comment on your thread too !

 

Speak soon - take care.

[skywalker8311]

Hi Folks, This is a long post, just to get you all up to speed, so apologies if it drags on a bit:D

 

Ok all here goes:-

 

Long story short, fell out of work, things get missed, TV licence guy at the door, yada yada, goes to court, and with everything else (Child Tax DIDN'T Help, long story another thread elsewhere) gets missed completely.

 

3 weeks ago, I start getting texts from our old friends Phillips Collection Services, so I contact them through the website, and wait ages for a reply:

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Due to guidelines set by our client for us collect the outstanding arrears, the

minimum we are able to set at this stage is £22.00 per week.

 

Should you wish for us to set this arrangement for you, please contact us as soon as

possible.

 

Regards,

 

Philips

 

Fair enough, I called them, explained my whole sorry current situation, and explained that there was no way I could manage that, and asked for a means form as in my initial post above.Posted it off last Thursday, and got a knock at the door on Friday, relatively nice guy for a bailiff, explained the situation (he didn't get in BTW) off he went.Fast forward to today, because surely a week is long enough to receive my form, and thanks to this site, I had the Big Bosses email address over there, todays exchange of mail is below:

 

Dear Mr Bradley

 

I am writing this email to you following advice and information gleaned from www.consumerforums.com.

 

My account is currently eliciting daily texts from yourselves, which are now becoming frankly, quite blunt, despite the fact that I have twice made contact with your company regarding this matter. Todays text reads "You have already incurred costs. Pay now before further fees of up to £200

are charged to your account"

 

I contacted yourselves on receipt of the email below, and explained the £22 per week was impossible for me to pay as I am currently unemployed and on benefits. I asked that I be sent a means form, so I could show my incomings and outgoings, and make a more affordable offer. Your operator told me that you do not send out these forms, and I would have to organise the form myself. However your operator was happy to accept this attemt to come to an agreement, but said that the texts to my mobile would continue.

 

I filled in and posted these details on 4th June, so they should be in your possession now. On 5th June, your bailiff delivered a "notice of attendance" and, unusually for a bailiff was polite, helpful and advised me to contact yourselves to make an agreement. As I had already done this, I have not contacted you again until today.

 

I am aware, via the website above, that many people have had dealings with yourselves, some owing considerably more than I do. With the benefit of other's experiences, I now respectfully request that:-

 

 

1. My debt be returned to the issuing court, because my circumstances make me a "Vulnerable Person", and it will be up the the court to decide if, and how much they can deduct from my benefits.
   
2. All action on my account to be stopped, and no further charges be added.
   
3. All contact between Phillips and myself must be via email, or preferably letter.
   
4. All texts to my mobile number be suspended.
   

I look forward to hearing from you by return of email,

 

Yours Faithfully......etc, etc

 

They said:

 

I write in response to your email sent to Mr Bradley today.

 

Your comments have been noted onto your account however we are unable to hold action

on a Distress Warrant without the written authorisation of the Magsitrates Court.

 

As you will be aware the Court will have attempted to collect these arrears from you

prior to our involvement and only send the Warrant to us due to non payment or a

default on an arrangement.

 

When we receive a Distress Warrant we are instructed to execute it with immediate

effect and attempt to collect payment via a suitable arrangement or if this is not

possible by removal of goods where appropriate.

 

We are given a strict timescale by the Court in which we have to collect the Warrant

which dicates the installment amount of any agreement, the longer a Warrant remains

outstanding without an arrangement the higher the installment amount becomes as the

amount of time to collect the balance reduces.

 

At this present time the minimum installment we are able to accept from you is £22.00

per week. We are unable to return this Warrant to the Court until all recovery action

has taken place, part of the agreed collection process is to make contact via

telephone messaging. All action will continue on this account until payment is

received or a suitable arrangement is made, this inturn may incur further fees onto

the account.

 

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact our office.

 

Regards

 

Philips

 

Excellent! So I said:

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for swift reply, however I am concerned that Mr Bradley was unable to reply in person, as I emailed him directly.

 

 

As I stated to your representative when I contacted you previously, the amount you are requesting is far above anything I can afford at the present time. Can I assume from your reply that have not yet received my means form, or are you unwilling to take my current circumstances into account?

 

Please be advised that I am not refusing to make payment to you, as I am well aware of the debt owed, I am only seeking a more manageable payment schedule.

 

I am more than happy to make an offer of £5, payable fortnightly when I receive my Jobseekers allowance. As you may or may not be aware, unemployment benefits are not vast sums of money, and even the amount I'm offering is more than I can sensibly afford, however I am keen to bring this matter to an end as expeditiously as I can.

 

I have other creditors who have been more willing to accept this level of payment, and on a far larger amount of debt.

 

Please advise if this is acceptable,

 

Best Regards.....etc

 

 

No replies as yet, and that's where I'm up to so far!

[Big Boss Man]

Hi

 

Sorry to hear about your problems, having read through your many comments, bells are ringing in my head again, the points you have stated are repeated time and time again, its extremly worrying that this DCA continues to operate in this manner.

 

Speaking from personnal experience i would suggest the following:

 

Contact the original company regarding your debt, outline the problems your eperincing with Philips, see if they are willing to take the account back.

 

Continue to exhaust the Philips complaint route, you can write or ring, but i would suggest the Cheif Executive email, whilst it still works ! by the looks of what you have written your doing fine.

 

As Philips have been harasing you and not accepting reasonable payments, contact the Office of Fair Trading with your concerns, ive done this and recieved a reply from them - copy will be issued in separate thread shortly !

 

You could alslo contact your local MP, again, describe exactley what your going through with Philips, ive done this and my MP has asked some parlimentry questions with regard to this DCA, since my MP got involved i have received an in depth reply from Philips, basically appologising and enclosing a cheque, think this was to keep me quiet !

 

Here are some contact details:

 

Philips Collection Services Ltd

 

PO Box 152

Darlington

DL3 9WT

 

Contact: Mr N Bradley

 

Phone: 01325 387 400

Fax: 01325 383 887

 

Email: npb@philips.org.uk

 

Link: www.philips.org.uk

 

 

Office of Fair Trading contact details:

 

Philips Collection Services Limited - Licence Number 0491286

 

enquiries@oft.gov.uk

 

You can also find your MP and other info here:

www.theyworkforyou.com

I have also drafted a complaint for the Financial Service Ombudsman, this will be sent on the 24 June 2009 - DCA action day !

 

Hope you manage to get things sorted, keep us informed, take care.

Edited June 11, 2009 by Big Boss Man
added MP Link

[skywalker8311]

Cheers Boss Man,

 

Will keep you informed!

 

Pete

[skywalker8311]

No response from yesterday's second email to Phillips, and right on time 10am, todays text, I could set my watch by them!

 

My evil plan is as follows, for every text, they get an email. I'm planning to chase my MP later today, and get him in the picture.

 

Now, for your reading pleasure, todays email:

 

Dear Sir,

 

In response to this morning's text which reads, "Your Account will shortly be issued to a bailiff to visit you at home, please contact, etc."

 

Please can you provide me with details of the issuing court, so I can make further enquiries to the nature of this fine.

 

With reference to the impeding visit from your bailiff, I would like to draw your attention to the text below:

 

 

Please be advised that I will only communicate with you in writing, or via email. I have noted your repeated attempts to contact me by text over the past few days 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 such 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 & Short Ltd [1959] 2 QB 384

. 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, you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance.

 

 

Regards...etc

 

Thanks for the support folks, will keep you posted. I love this site!!

Edited June 12, 2009 by skywalker8311

[skintflint]

hehe, I love the email you just wrote, just wish I thought of the idea of every text message that I got from Philips to send them emails like yours. Great post, keep up the good work.

[catalice]

lol wish i had thought of that

 

but:

does that still apply if it is a court fine? with a distress warrent?

 

 

oh good luck by the way and i will be watching this thread to help me with my own problems with philips

 

did the courts try to contact you before philips got involved?

as with mine i had no contact from HMCS at all

[skywalker8311]

Cheers Skint, I have my Dad to thank for my somewhat ascerbic tone!! He dealt with B&S for me a few years ago, I like to think I learned from a master.

 

Anyhoo, I've just had a missive back from Philips:

 

In response to your most recent email, the email address that you are attempting to

contact Mr Bradley via has been disbanded and therefore all mail directed here is

forward to another department, any queries regarding cases are dealt with by our

Administration Team.

 

Your comments have once again been noted however as we are executing a Distress

Warrant for Her Majesty's Court Service we do not need an appointment to attend your

property.

 

If you are in any doubt of our actions then please contact West Midlands Magistrates

Court direct for confirmation.

 

In the meantime, as previously advised action will continue on the account until such

a time that a suitable arrangement is agreed or payment is received.

 

Regards

 

Philips

Though not exactly what I had asked them for, I now know it's West Midlands Courts I have to deal with.

I've emailed my MP, just waiting on a reply.

Pete

[skywalker8311]

I've just rattled off another email to them:

 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you once again for your swift reply, I am aware of others in this situation that have not been so lucky as to get replies at all.

 

I shall be contacting West Midlands County Court regarding your conduct thus far, and your refusal to accept my offer of payment.

 

I apologise if my use of Mr Bradley's email address was troublesome for your team, and will conduct any future emails through the enquiries address, unless you can provide me with an alternative contact for your senior management.

 

I respectfully request once again that all contact between ourselves be conducted via email or letter, and not via the use of SMS.

With Best Regards.........Me

 

Refering back to their reply above, do they truly need an appointment or is this just another scare tactic?

 

Pete

[catalice]

I have no idea but i personally hope it is a scare tactic :-?

[skywalker8311]

I have no idea but i personally hope it is a scare tactic :-?

 

Me too cat, I'm acting as tough as I can over the email, but it's tough dealing with these cretins. I saw your update, just keep plugging away, they can't keep it up much longer!!

 

Pete

[catalice]

in my calculations my distress warrant ran out the other day being 180 days

 

have you been told when the distress warrant was issued against you?

 

find out and do a count down they wont return your case to court until it has

you can find out by ringing the courts what date it was issued

 

Good Luck

Cat xx

[skywalker8311]

Thats next on the list, there are several courts in the area, just trying to track down the issuing court. The email yesterday said that they wouldn't hand it back until they had written authaurisation from the magistrates, so that's what I'll push for, hope I can get a better response from them.

 

I'm hoping that Monday will bring some decent news from the Doctor regarding my OH and myself. It's possible that the diagnosis from the doctor will come up trumps in the fact that we both potentially have conditions made worse by stress, me with IBS, and the good lady with Fibromyalgia. Believe me, in her case at least, it's been a long and stressful 4 years.

 

We've never been the type to play on anything, but it's all more leverage on the "Vulnerable Person" angle.

[catalice]

you may find out that the courts will NOT take it back due to there being a distess warrant issued on your case ( this is what happened to me)

i cant even get them to take it back on the vulnerable person issue

 

I hope that you have better luck with them than i have had

 

Good Luck xx

[Big Boss Man]

Cheers Skint, I have my Dad to thank for my somewhat ascerbic tone!! He dealt with B&S for me a few years ago, I like to think I learned from a master.

 

Anyhoo, I've just had a missive back from Philips:

 

In response to your most recent email, the email address that you are attempting to

contact Mr Bradley via has been disbanded and therefore all mail directed here is

forward to another department, any queries regarding cases are dealt with by our

Administration Team.

 

Your comments have once again been noted however as we are executing a Distress

Warrant for Her Majesty's Court Service we do not need an appointment to attend your

property.

 

If you are in any doubt of our actions then please contact West Midlands Magistrates

Court direct for confirmation.

 

In the meantime, as previously advised action will continue on the account until such

a time that a suitable arrangement is agreed or payment is received.

 

Regards

 

Philips

Though not exactly what I had asked them for, I now know it's West Midlands Courts I have to deal with.

 

I've emailed my MP, just waiting on a reply.

 

Pete

 

Keep up the great work harasing this DCA, its time for a taste of there own medicine, i was intersted to read that the Cheif Executive email has been disbanded, think there just trying to put you and other people off emailing him direct !

[skywalker8311]

Well, I'm an IT technician by trade, although currently not working, and I've never known an inactive email address still receive mail. It would normally bounce back as undeliverable. Besides isn't disbanded what happened to the Beatles:D

 

 

Definitions of disband on the Web:

• cause to break up or cease to function; "the principal disbanded the political student organization"
  
• stop functioning or cohering as a unit; "The political wing of the party dissolved after much internal fighting"
  

Hopefully, if we all get our way Philips will get "disbanded" at some point in the future, but I doubt it. Hey, I've just realised why Philips' e-mails are full of grammatical errors and typo's.....it's that unlicensed software!!

 

OK Sarcasm over, I've managed to chase the courts this afternoon, It's amazing the sharp intake of breath that occurs when you mention CAG, and the lack of surprise when you explain who you're calling about. I ended up speaking to Birmigham's Central Finace Unit, the individual courts I spoke to (Walsall, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton) couldn't be sure who actually oversaw the case. I've got to ring back on Monday when the appropriate staff are there, but progress will probably be slow.

 

Interestingly enough, the Clerk at the first Court I contacted, Walsall Magistrates Court, said that any offer I made should be accepted, given my financial situation. Maybe there's hope here.

Edited June 12, 2009 by skywalker8311

[Big Boss Man]

Well, I'm an IT technician by trade, although currently not working, and I've never known an inactive email address still receive mail. It would normally bounce back as undeliverable. Besides isn't disbanded what happened to the Beatles:D

 

 

 

Definitions of disband on the Web:

• cause to break up or cease to function; "the principal disbanded the political student organization"
  
• stop functioning or cohering as a unit; "The political wing of the party dissolved after much internal fighting"
  

Hopefully, if we all get our way Philips will get "disbanded" at some point in the future, but I doubt it. Hey, I've just realised why Philips' e-mails are full of grammatical errors and typo's.....it's that unlicensed software!!

 

OK Sarcasm over, I've managed to chase the courts this afternoon, It's amazing the sharp intake of breath that occurs when you mention CAG, and the lack of surprise when you explain who you're calling about. I ended up speaking to Birmigham's Central Finace Unit, the individual courts I spoke to (Walsall, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton) couldn't be sure who actually oversaw the case. I've got to ring back on Monday when the appropriate staff are there, but progress will probably be slow.

 

Interestingly enough, the Clerk at the first Court I contacted, Walsall Magistrates Court, said that any offer I made should be accepted, given my financial situation. Maybe there's hope here.

 

Great info, and you never know they might just get disbanded one day not to soon, my MP has asked a number of questions with regard to what Government Departments use Philips, with a view that there contracts be withdrawn !

 

With regard to your comment when you mention CAG, ive noticed a similar thing, you seem to be listened more and taken more seriously.

 

I forgot to mention the Software issue with Philips, ive also contacted the BSA to inform them of my concerns with this DCA using unlicensed products !

 

Your doing great at pursuing your issue, continue to keep a log of all communication, take care.

[skywalker8311]

Thanks again for your support guys, I hope in times to come, I can offer the same.

 

I'm looking forward to a text-free weekend, but I know that come 10am on Monday the texts will start up again..keep it coming cretins, we the people will not go quietly any more.

[Big Boss Man]

Thanks again for your support guys, I hope in times to come, I can offer the same.

 

I'm looking forward to a text-free weekend, but I know that come 10am on Monday the texts will start up again..keep it coming cretins, we the people will not go quietly any more.

 

No probs, you take care.

[skywalker8311]

Hi all,

 

No text from the cretins today (so far at least), was it something I said?

 

I've spoken to the courts today, and they are going to look into Philips' records, just as soon as the computers come back on-line, they're down apparently.

 

I also managed to slip in, that, although they have been fine with me (so far) that there are many Caggers who have not been so fortunate, and I also dropped out the MD's name at least 5 times, and accidentally mentioned the ongoing software fraud (whoops!!! my bad).

 

Anyway, I'll be waiting for a call back from the court lady, and I'll keep you posted.

[sillygirl1]

Good luck, I like the email for text harrassment, you should cite in your email 'further to your text received today at xxxxx I wish these to cease as the texts are being sent to a mobile phone and these are covered under the Harrassment act.'

 

I wonder if they get done for oover band width use' of the text message system, my friend sends loads of texts and when she sends 270 in a week she gets a message saying she is using up her bandwidth despite having unlimited texts.

[skywalker8311]

Well then, now I know why there was no text today!!!

 

My friendly neighbourhood bailiff has just left!!! I hope he's not paid by the minute! I kept him standing on the doorstep for 20 minutes, he wouldn't budge, nor would I.

 

I'd like to say this ended well...I'd like to, but in the end I bottled it.

 

The key moment was when he said, all I want to to is close the case, if you don't have enough to cover the costs, it'll go back to court, and obviously that's want I wanted, so in he came...sorry folks.

 

it took he precisely 10 seconds to realise there wasn't nearly enough to cover the fine, and he said OK, I'll send it back to HMCS, that's it job done, off he goes.

 

He's going to hold the file for 3 weeks (yes he can actually do that) send it back to the office, then they'll advise the court. He even said that could take months, till they can fit me in.

 

I've got more on this whole thing, (I've spoken to the court!) but I'll post back later, right now, I could do with something strong.

 

I'm a failiure!!

[skywalker8311]

Okeydoke, feeling a little better now.

 

I spoke with a lady at Birmingham's central processing office today, and brought her up to speed on what's happened so far. She agreed to look into it, and called me back about 2.30. She admitted that although Philips' attitude may be reprehensible, they were only doing the job set out by the court, doesn't sound promising does it?

 

THe case was heard on October 24th last year (the day my last contract finished) and the distress warrant was sent out on May 1st, so there's a long way to go yet till we hit 180 days.

 

Hopefully though, I may yet get this returned thanks to the actually, fairly decent bailiff (hard to believe I know), and my total lack of anything valuable. When I asked whether he could take the kids things, (I knew the answer would be no, but there were some nice gifts over the course of the last couple of years) he was quite offended at the implication.

 

I'm drafting an email at the request of the court lady I've been speaking to, with anything relating to my personal situation at the time of the judgement, how I managed to miss all of the reminders (what reminders? who knows how the Royal Mail works!) and current state of play regarding finances, health, general stress, etc. Shouldn't be too hard, I couldn't make up how bad things are at the minute. I sold my car in January, to raise funds to prevent eviction (got that letter from Sandwell Council on Xmas Eve last year! Happy Holidays!!) all thanks to the Benefits Department not paying the rent, good god, is it too much to ask to get things right 1st time?

 

I'm ranting now, must chill out.

[Big Boss Man]

Hey, i know its hard but try and stay calm, im pleased to hear your moving forward slighty with your matter, keep your voice been heard and things will happen in your favour !

[skywalker8311]

Hi folks, hope you're all well.

 

Time to kickstart this thread again.

 

After Mr Bailiff visited, we've all been quite ill, my wife more so, so things have been quiet on the "destroy all creditors" front. Due to Sandwell Council being rubbish at everything, we've found ourselves taking debt advice from the CAB, and it look's very possible that we'll be going for a Debt Relief Order, or DRO.

 

The upshot of the visit is that once this Philips Warrant reaches the court, I can offer to visit a fines clinic, and they will accept whatever offer I can afford to clear this debt. I thought this was brilliant news, and I was still waiting patiently for courts to advise me that it was back in their possession.

 

That was until Monday of this week, when, yet again, the text messages have started to arrive, followed by a letter this morning. It appears that it hasn't been returned to the court after all, so I've just run off a nice email to the cretins in Doncaster.

 

-----

 

Good Afternoon,

 

I was visited by your Bailiff regarding this distress warrant on 15th June.

 

After finally letting him in, he advised me that there were insufficient goods and chattels in my property to cover the debt owed. We then discussed my numerous emails that I have sent to you, asking that this debt be returned to the issuing court.

 

He advised me that he would hold on to the order for a further 3 weeks to give me time to possibly pay, although he agreed with me after discussing my financial situation that any payment would be unlikely. After the three weeks had passed he was going to return the debt to your office, and then it would be sent back to West Midlands Magistrates Court.

 

This would mean that the 3 weeks he advised me of would have ended on July 6th. This is now over 4 weeks ago.

 

I now note with extreme concern and disappointment that you are still in possession of this court order, and have once again begun the endless rounds of texts, and I have received yet another letter this morning.

 

Since your Bailiffs visit I have taken advice from CAB, and they have advised me that once the debt is back with the court, I can attend a fines clinic and make any offer of repayment directly to the court.

 

Phillips as a company have quite obviously done nothing the bailiff told be would be done, despite him having assured me this debt would be returned.

 

I now respectfully request that return this case to West Midlands Magistrates Court at the earliest convenience.

 

Best Regards

 

*ME*

 

IGNORING THIS EMAIL WILL NOT MAKE ME GO AWAY

 

-----

 

Lets hope this doesn't start dragging on again, I'm tired of all the stress.

 

Pete