Daughters debt - Albany Assist and unclean hire car charges being chased by Regal Credit

[EveOwes]

Hi

 

My third post on CAG today! My daughter was given a courtesy car when hers was being repaired. The insurer is Tesco and the car was provided by Albany Assistance. She had the car for six weeks when they asked for it back. Daughter phoned Albany and they agreed to let her keep the car for an additional two days for a payment of £40.

 

When they asked for it back they didn't give her enough notice to get it hoovered and washed as they wanted it during the afternoon and she was still at work. So she quickly cleared any litter etc from the vehicle and they took it back.

 

They then tried to bill her for a valet at £50 and a payment of £74 for the car hire for the two days.

 

She has paid them the £40 but is disputing the other charges. Valet - no chance for her to get it washed and hoovered so why should she pay £50 when she could have got it done for £10. Also, wouldn't this be covered by the insurance company (at least for 42 out of the 44 days worth of hire - eg a proportion of the valet charge)?

 

And she is disputing the hire charge because that isn't what they quoted her, but she has nothing in writing.

 

We have emailed Albany twice as per their instructions when a dispute arises, but they haven't responded other than to send out the same payment requests. Despite our emails and their lack of response we then started to get demand letters from Regal Credit.

 

RC are now threatening to take my daughter to court and obtaining a CCJ against her. Since that threat, she has emailed Albany again and cc'd Regal but we have heard nothing. That was a couple of weeks ago. But we know that all they will do is ignore the dispute and carry on making demands.

 

What are we to do? I am sick of being bullied by companies like this and think it's time to fight back. We've said in our email to them that we would take them to court if necessary but in reality I can't see us doing this as we're too timid really.

 

Any ideas please?

 

thanks

eve

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Hi STOP e-mailing and make a formal complaint in writting to both the car supplier and the insurer.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Regal are a DCA, and since they don't own the debt they won't be taking anyone to court - if you read their letters again you'll see they are full of ifs and maybes.

[EveOwes]

Thanks both. I will write to Regal and Albany and give em what for! I'm only being bullish because the total amount is £80, but it's the principle - it's our £80 not theirs. I'm sick to death of being treated like this by these companies. That £80 is a week or so's food for us all here.

 

I've seen a letter on here somewhere earlier today which says something about a disputed amount they aren't entitled to collect until the dispute is resolved/closed etc.

 

thanks

[robcag]

They think their name means they really are regal, and as a result they try to rise above their station.

 

Late last year after making various threats which were ignored, apart from me replying to the one which threatened court action in order to point out the error of their ways, they actually passed their activities to PJH Solicitors who made the mistake of issuing an unwinnable claim against my partner regarding one of her NatWest credit cards (not via Northampton, but straight from our local court).

 

It wasn't too long before they had their backs against the wall and were forced into discontinuing and paying costs.

 

Which has just reminded me that I had my doubts whether RBS/NatWest even knew the claim had been issued even though they were named as Claimant ...

 

Rob