One debt but two DCA's

[datxman]

Hi there, I wonder if anyone can help me, I owe a debt of £26 which I am on a payment plan for, this debt is being recovered by RCS who have just written to me and offered me to pay £14.50 and the debt is finished. However I have another debt collection company who are chasing me for the same amount with the same ref. number.

 

My question is : are two DCA's allowed to chase the same debt? I have phoned them up and both deny any knowledge of each other and both state that I should pay them. :-| What should I do ????

[spamheed]

Contact Trading Standards and make a complaint.

[Pinky69]

Send them each other's letters - to their complaints departments - and let them sort it out.

[Revenant]

Hi datxman

Below is from the OFT Guidelines

Physical/psycholgical harassment

2.5 Putting pressure on debtors is considered to be oppressive

2.6 Examples of unfair practices are as follows:

c/ Using more than one debt collection business at the same time resulting in reptitive and/or fraudulent contact by different parties (I like "fraudulent";))

e/ Not informing the debtor when thier case has been passed on to a different debt collector

It doesn't matter that they don't acknowledge each other that's thier problem, as already suggested complain to Trading Standards BUT if it were me I'd write a letter outlining the OFT Guidelines and asking for definantive proof as to who has the right to collect the debt now, send the letter to the company you have been paying cc the second DCA (by name of course) and the OFT/TS

I know my suggestion seems a bit long winded but by sending the same letter to all concerned you bring the OFT/TS into the game at the same time

Good luck

R