Is email acceptable as a method of cummunicating with DCAs?

[Adam69]

Hi

 

Just wondered.... I have sent emails to a DCA chasing for a SB account. The email was sent over a week ago but they have tried to call 2-3 times this week.

 

If it goes further, can I use the "sent" box of the email account as proof that I did contact them? With a letter sent registered, you would reasonably expect it to be read/processed within a day, but what about emails, given that they are delivered immediately? Of course they didn't click the return receipt box!

 

I intend to send the email as a letter by recorded next week, only my printer is shot and I'm too tight to buy another when I have perfectly good free to use printers at work!

 

Any and all thoughts welcome.

 

Thanks

Adam

[foolishgirl]

emails are perfectly acceptable but you may find you get the response you did!

Far better to send a letter Rec. Del. Do not sign, print or use dig. sig. Also tell them that you wish all communication to be solely in writing in future & that all tel. calls are recorded & any attempts to communicate further in this way will be viewed as harassment for which you may seek legal redress. (Harassment Act 1997 & Admin of Justice Act 1970)

Edited September 5, 2009 by foolishgirl
addition

[katpuss]

Although email is cheaper and quicker it is far better to use recorded delivery for sending letters to a dca.

 

By all means email them a copy of the letter as well so that you are double covered.

[Bazooka Boo]

Just wondered.... I have sent emails to a DCA chasing for a SB account. The email was sent over a week ago but they have tried to call 2-3 times this week.

 

Yes perfectly acceptable...ignore their phone calls, but keep a log. If necessary just send them the same email that they have failed to respond to, and do it everyday if needs be!

[Desperate Daniella]

They do ignore emails. I have never had a response to any of the ones I have sent.

 

Thank you, Baz Boo. I think it is a terrific idea to send them every day until I get a response and will start that immediately.

 

DD

[Undercover-Elsa]

Another option is to send it via howtocomplain.com. That way there's a third party log of the email.

Elsa x

[zazen.warrior]

Also request a read receipt, I have had several replies to emails, some of them consisted of asking me to telephone, to which I then replied I would only deal with them in writing.

[angry cat]

As stated prior, electronic letters are perfectly legal and acceptable.

 

However, once a DCA obtains your email addy, you may find that they may pester the life out of you!

 

Personally, I prefer to send Recorded Delivery letters.

 

AC

[lickthewallfatboy]

unless you set up a specific free email account just for crap emails

[Adam69]

Some good points thanks.

 

I will be sending the letter via recorded as soon as I have access to a printer, ie tomorrow.

 

I'm aware they might possibly decide to harass me by email, so I chose the email address carefully

 

Something else to consider is using an electronic tracking service. I won't mention the name in case it is considered an advert, but it adds a pixel into the body of your email which sends a log to a server- you can then tell when the email was opened, for how long, how many times, if it was forwarded, the IP address, and possibly the geographical location. Apparently it is admissible in Courts as evidence. If anyone wants the details, PM me (no, I'm not on commission!).

[Duffers Mum]

I set up a "one off" hotmail account to deal with 1st Cretins....if you always send to the enq@1st etc email address you always get an automated response so they can't say they haven't got it! 1st have responded but only to say they won't correspond that way and can I send address and date of birth! yea right like i'm going to do that when they are obviously phising!

 

Anything important I would always send by recorded delivery but send a copy by email as well.

 

Good luck

[Adam69]

Just a brief update:

 

The calls stopped when I forwarded the email and advised them they were in breach of various things; also send a hard copy today by recorded delivery, noting that the time limit I gave for a response started, as far as I was concerned, on the next working day after sending the email.

 

Maybe the email address was effective, worth the fiver which went to a good cause..... ;-)

Edited September 8, 2009 by Adam69
spelling!