The Corporate Consortium

[poppie173]

Hi

Not sure if in the right place, please move if not !

My student son worked for (edit) as his saturday job whilst at college and left in May. He was paid up to date, but was aware he may have had too much holiday pro rata, but wasn`t sure.

 

He had to write to head office about references etc, but did mention that if he did in fact owe any hours, he`d happily make them up in any store that was easy to commute to.

That was at the very beginning of June. He received an email back in response which addressed the points he`d raised in his letter but made NO mention of any hours owed.

He heard nothing more until a demand for £68 came through from The Corporate Consortium on behalf of (edit) some two months laterdemanding payment.This they say is for 15 hours holiday pay that he`d previously taken which he wasn`t entitled to on a pro rata basis.

 

Today, he has received a further letter demanding £119 !! as they say further information has come to light !!!!!

The additional £51 is apparently for `unexplained absence` ???!!! We know absolutely nothing about that !

 

The problem is, he is off to university in Sept and simply can`t pay this back and there is no way I can.

I don`t think this can affect his credit rating unless of course (edit) decide to take him to a small claims court.

I`m worrying myself sick over this and it really has overshadowed his excellent A level results.

 

Should we just ignore? or respond by telling them to prove the unexplained absence? I think its so unfair especially since he offered in writing to make up any shortfall in hours.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated !

Edited August 21, 2010 by ErikaPNP
identifiers removed

[cerberusalert]

Moved to the Employment Forum

Edited August 21, 2010 by cerberusalert

[honeybee13]

Hello. If this were me, I'd be asking for a written explanation of how they have arrived at these figures and what they relate to. You can't be expected to know whether they're right or wrong if you don't know how they're calculated.

 

HB

Edited August 21, 2010 by cerberusalert

[Sidewinder]

This may well get bounced to the Debt Forum. What you are dealing with here is a debt collection agency.

 

Are you able to provide as many details as possible about the company who have written to you? Address, Company Registration, Telephone etc? I think Boots may have passed this to a company who will collect the original amount and try to make a few extra quid in 'fees'.

[poppie173]

Hi Sidewinder

Yes the company address is The Corporate Consortium, regd office Capiol House St Marys Road, Watford. Registration number 3625539

[Sidewinder]

Interesting....

 

Name & Registered Office:

CAPITOL COMMERCIAL COLLECTIONS LIMITED

CAPITOL HOUSE

SAINT MARYS ROAD

WATFORD

HERTFORDSHIRE

WD18 0RR

Company No. 03625539

 

http://www.capcomcol.com/

 

No Win No Fee debt collection service. No mention of 'The Corporate Consortium' on the register, or their website. Probably breaking all sorts of rules about misleading consumers and false representation.

 

I would fire off a strongly worded letter to Boots about the passing to a third party of your son's personal data (although that may well be covered in the small print of his contract), and the use of a debt collection agency to administer a matter which was already under correspondence between employer and employee. Send Capitol a sod off letter and refuse to deal with anyone other than the employer. Either that or let Capitol huff and puff - there is nothing they can do anyway.

[poppie173]

Thanks for that Sidewinder ! Will do ! I just don`t want the b**gers trying to track him down when he starts uni causing him grief.

[Amanda88]

Hi, I was just wondering what the outcome of this was? Did the Corporate Consortium keep sending you letters, or did they leave you alone? I used to work at the same employer while at University but left about 3 months ago and then, out of the blue, I have received a letter from the Corporate Consortium saying I owe £68 as I was paid too much holiday - which sounds suspiciously like the letter Poppy173's son received.I'm pretty sure I haven't taken any holiday I shouldn't have done as I always asked permission and requested holiday from my line managers. Should I ignore this letter or contact my old employers about it?Many thanks, Amanda

[poppie173]

Hi Amanda

 

I actually googled the CEO of Boots and emailed him directly (sorry, I can't remember the details). Obviously he didn't respond BUT it was passed to someone VERY senior.

I respectfully asked that they write the debt off as they were causing both me and my son considerable stress. I also complained about the tactics of Corporate Consortium and mentioned how rude they were when I phoned them to resolve this. The stupid thing is, every time CC wrote to my son, the figures quoted were always so different ! Sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

 

I also think its disgusting that such a trusted name as Boots, couldn't have written initially before sending in the rabid debt collectors.

Anyhow, the response to my email was swift, and the amount they claimed was owing was ..............written off!

[Sidewinder]

Good to hear that - thanks for the update.

 

Always worth remembering that a debt collector - any debt collector - has very few powers and is usually engaged to frighten or embarrass an individual to part with money which may or may not be genuinely owed to their 'client'. For many, the stigma attached to words like 'debt' 'court' or 'bailiff' will encourage a percentage to pay up to be rid of the shame of it all. Bear in mind though that a commercial arrangement will exist between the originator and the debt collector whereby the debt collector will write to an alleged debtor a certain number of times in return for a cut of whatever money is collected. They know they are powerless to do anything more than write, and after a predetermined series of letters (the last of which will often indicate that they are recommending that their 'client' starts legal proceedings) you will rarely hear anything more. Any further action will start to cost the client money and with a diminishing chance of successful recovery, the amount will be written off. Only the organisation owed the money can take legal action, and unless the amount involved is significant and there is little dispute that the debt can be enforced, Court action is simply not viable.