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Charge them for calling


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I wonder if anyone has tried to tell a DCA that they intend to charge a fee for answering any call they make to them?

 

I have written to the MD of one particular DCA expressing that I will never answer their security questions etc., not will I ever phone them and so there is no point in them attempting to contact me via phone. Notwithstanding this they phone my home and mobile often several times each day.

 

Now, I’m considering sending them a notice of my intention to charge to ever call I answer from them. I’ll still not go through their security protocol but I will invoice for that time taken to answer each call subject to a minimum fee of say £25.

 

What do you think?

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Nice idea but altogether dead in the water, put your energy to something just a little more construictive that a DCA calling you...have you tried DCA Origami? how many times can you fold one of their letters etc..;)

I reside in Dawlish Warren but am not a rabbit.

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why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why whywhy why why why why

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You have asked why? Well it takes time to answer the phone. Time is money. This is often at inappropriate times and can draw me away from more productive use of my time. I've repeatedly asked them to write, that way I can respond appropriately at a time that suits me. Many DCA have phone lines that cost me money to phone, so, why reverse the trend. That means I either get a premium rate number especially for them or I simply tell them that my terms of business are to charge for every call they make. I fail to see why this is in any way unreasonable!

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It is not an unreasonable thought proccess, but as I said if only it were that simple, for starters how would you actually enforce payment, issue a Court Summons each month? and then, they would say that they never had a Contract with you to pay these amounts, hence unenforceable, sound familiar?

 

BT would then probably get involved and say that as you rightly point out, to get paid for people calling you, you would need to purchase a premium rate number, thus getting them money too, all before you have made a penny income.!

 

I can understand your thought process entirely, but, unfortunately, we are 'joe public' and nothing is ever made easy for us is it?

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You are taking this way too seriously, I’m thinking about the nuisance value it will cause them to keep getting my bills etc., and how that might actually stop them from calling.

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This has been discussed many times before-as has invoicing them for reading their letters.

As far as I am aware no one has actually had any success with it.

Have a happy and prosperous 2013 by avoiiding Payday loans. If you are sent a private message directing you for advice or support with your issues to another website,this is your choice.Before you decide,consider the users here who have already offered help and support.

Advice offered by Martin3030 is not supported by any legal training or qualification.Members are advised to use the services of fully insured legal professionals when needed.

 

 

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Ok, consider this. They never pay, but you now have a bundle of unpaid invoices that they owe you (allegedly!). Naturally as harrassed senior points out there is no contract, but should they proceed to court you then offset this balance in addition to anything else you submit in your defence. Meanwhile, there is a chance that with a deluge of invoices following each phone call (you could save them up and send once a week or even once a month, but i prefer to send each day forgetting to attach a stamp) that they realise phoning merely adds a further complication.

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I should explain the bit about the stamp.

 

I’m guessing that they will pay for any letter hoping it might contain a payment, a payment proposal or the likes and so not having a stamp will incur them in a cost which I think is the cost of postage plus £1

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I thought you reminded me that there was no contract. :)

 

I'm just playing silly games here harrassed senior, in much the same way as I regard the DCA's collection attempt to be nothing more that a silly game.

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I'm sure I read on here a few months back where someone had sent a DCA a letter saying they were going to charge them £10 for each letter and call they made. Then after 6 months they went to court and won.

 

The start of it was the initial letter sent recorded delivery stating that if they continued to call and send letters after receiving this letter that would mean they agree to the charges, etc. From what I remember they were awarded those charges they had evidence of and costs.

 

I Just wish I could find it again. CAG searches are crap as they go on just keywords and not intelligent searches like google has. Makes it so hard to find things unless you can remember an exact sentence someone wrote.

  • Haha 1

These are video links to show how I deal with Debt Collectors.

 

Fly fishing for C.A.R.S

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zPtzK8FqE6k&feature=related

 

Frederickson International don't accept my card type

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eiZBULlWW6Q&feature=related

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To use google to search simply type site:consumeractiongroup.co.uk followed by your search string iee "£10 for each letter" into google and if google has cached the page it should be listed.

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I'm sending this off today. Please feel free to copy or adapt if you want to do likewise.

 

Dear Sirs,

 

TERMS OF BUSINESS

 

I am unaware of any existing terms of business between your company and me, yet you persistently try to communicate with me. I have no desire to conduct business with _____ but as you clearly think differently I consider it appropriate to outline my terms of business for engaging in any dialogue with you.

 

Any further communication from ____ will be considered as acceptance of these terms:

 

The basis on with I will charge you fees for a particular matter will be dependent upon the time spent carrying the required task. In accessing fees I take into consideration the complexity of the task, knowledge and skill together with the degree of responsibility involved. Urgent matters will attract a higher rate.

 

Each task is assigned a unitary value which may be reviewed from time to time. My base rate per unit is £0.50

 

It should be noted that I will never divulge any information that I consider verify my identity to an unknown inbound caller and as such receiving a call from you which asks “for security can I verify” you should note that the call will be immediately terminated and 15 units charged. If you should leave a message on an answering service for me I require to listen to the message and access what I action I should take. Time is then taken to delete the message. A minimum of 25 units will be charged to manage such messages.

 

I consider the matter between us to be of utmost importance and therefore require that all matters are conducted in writing. If I write to you I will charge 1 unit per word. If you write to me I will charge 1 unit per 2 words to read the contents.

 

Postage will be levied at 1 unit per A4 page

 

Facsimile transmissions sent or received will be levied at 1 unit per A4 page.

 

Photocopies will be levied at 1 unit per A4 page

 

Preparation of weekly invoice will be levied at 10 units

 

If an invoice is not settled within 28 days of issue you agree that interest may be charged on the overdue amount at 8% per annum

 

Yours faithfully,

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I'm sure I read on here a few months back where someone had sent a DCA a letter saying they were going to charge them £10 for each letter and call they made. Then after 6 months they went to court and won.

 

The start of it was the initial letter sent recorded delivery stating that if they continued to call and send letters after receiving this letter that would mean they agree to the charges, etc. From what I remember they were awarded those charges they had evidence of and costs.

 

I Just wish I could find it again. CAG searches are crap as they go on just keywords and not intelligent searches like google has. Makes it so hard to find things unless you can remember an exact sentence someone wrote.

 

I can vaguely remember something like that.

 

I think the idea that was because calls are recorded for 'training purposes' the poster (Gingerheid?? forgive me if I'm wrong....) advised the DCA he was going to start making a charge for the 'training' he was providing by dealing with their letters and calls. Because he had been offered/threatened a court hearing and had effectively accepted, he had a basic right to charge for any further 'training' he was giving to their operatives if contact continued.

 

I'm not 100% sure of the final outcome but as you say, I'm fairly certain that against expectations things went in his favour.

 

Apologies in advance if I'm wrong :oops:

 

There was a post on here recently about an American guy who makes a living out of DCA's by taking them to court when they lie in letters and recorded phone calls. Sounds like easy money to me, guaranteed steady income!!!!!

HOIST BY THEIR OWN PETARD.

 

Blimey it works....:-)

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I'm interested in seeing the results of this, I really am.

 

But I do feel that you are going to fail and I say this because you have not made a provision for paying tax/NI etc on the "earnings" you would be expecting to receive.

 

I don't think anyone has ever been successful in claiming the figures you are mentioning.

 

In normal court cases a Litigant in Person can claim disbursements (the actual value of things they have laid out) and time (assessed at £9.25 p/h).

 

However, these are only recoverable by order of the court and in the course of court proceedings.

 

I wish you well but I fear you may come up against some tricky obstacles when trying to get paid.

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If you don't try you don't get.

 

Probably the first ones to try the unenforceable CCA route and the bank charges claims were probably told they were wasting their time and it wouldn't work.

 

It's always worth a try if you have little to lose and a whole lot to gain. :D

These are video links to show how I deal with Debt Collectors.

 

Fly fishing for C.A.R.S

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zPtzK8FqE6k&feature=related

 

Frederickson International don't accept my card type

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eiZBULlWW6Q&feature=related

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Quite right fuzzybobble... first man on the moon etc...

 

I am only speaking from the experiences others have had in trying to go this route to claiming some recompense and failed.

 

I wish you all the luck in the world and I hope you get your reward comrade!

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I think this is the one that rang a bell for me.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collection-industry/88437-debt-collector-agreed-pay.html

 

It may not be on exactly the same lines but it makes for an interesting read anyway.

 

Bon Courage.

HOIST BY THEIR OWN PETARD.

 

Blimey it works....:-)

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I'm sure that you don't actually expect to get paid, but it could help in reducing the amount of calls you receive!

 

I have always been tempted to act as though I am a secretary and take down the dca's credit card details before I can pass the phone onto 'myself' and explain that 'my boss' charges a minimum fee of £5 for any phone call, and £10 per minute for every minute after that !! :D hehe!!

consumeractiongroup.co.uk

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dannyboy660, I like the training element you suggest worked for another.

vjohn82, I am self employed and these calls arrive at my place of business and mobile phone and so any money earned would of course add to my taxable income. In Scotland if you win and are awarded costs you can claim per the Act of Sedurant for outlays. There are scale charges and a lay person gets up to 2/3rd of the rate a Solicitor is entitled to.

Off the read Debt Collector agreed to pay me to provide staff training now.

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