dca chasing foreign utils bill

[AnnoyedBrit]

Hi all, I find myself in a similar position albeit for an electricity debt for ~3k euro within the past 3 years - I imagine it would be treated similar but with different timlines on SB limits.

 

@sirdrumsalot, I am unable to PM due to having 0 posts (not including this one) - if you are still around have you got any update with what's happened since your last post?

 

Apologies for necro-post. I am almost tearing my hair out through frustration as I'm just being badgered with e-mails lately and am unable to pay (luckily no phone calls yet and haven't had post since I moved a year ago).

[renegadeimp]

Why are you frustrated simply because you are getting emails? They mean nothing. How do they know that email is still in use? DCA's cant do anything anyway, and very unlikely if they cant get jurisdiction in a court.

[AnnoyedBrit]

Well they seem very persistent and I simply cannot pay it - literally living paycheck to paycheck right now. The worry is if this follows me back and forces me into bankruptcy. Even worse, if I get wage garnished or fined here in the UK then I'll miss rent.

 

Unfortunately I never got very fluent in Dutch so the few words I understand aren't helpful. Each e-mail I get send me into a panic, and every time I try and find a solicitor to get advice they either don't know enough about the laws/NL laws or it's too pricey.

 

Latest e-mail I got was today:

 

Helaas hebben wij moeten constateren dat u ondanks onze eerdere brieven en contactpogingen nimmer een (volledige) betaling heeft verricht aan EDR Incasso inzake bovenstaande schuld. Wij zullen onze cliënte dan ook adviseren om een juridische procedure tegen u te starten om bovenstaande vordering alsnog te incasseren.

 

Dagvaarding

In de dagvaarding, die eventueel binnenkort aan u zal worden uitgereikt, staat de datum waarop u aan de rechter kunt verklaren waaraan u het recht ontleent rekeningen onbetaald te laten. Aan deze procedure zijn hoge kosten verbonden, welke – bij een voor cliënt(e) positief vonnis - volledig op u verhaald zullen worden.

 

Eventuele dagvaarding voorkomen?

Indien u dit wenst te voorkomen, dient u het verschuldigde bedrag ad € --- binnen 3 werkdagen na dagtekening van deze brief bij te laten schrijven op bankrekeningnummer ---- t.n.v. St. Derdengelden DRA Debt Recovery Agency te Den Haag onder vermelding van dossiernummer ----.

[Sparks_]

Helaas hebben wij moeten constateren dat u ondanks onze eerdere brieven en contactpogingen nimmer een (volledige) betaling heeft verricht aan EDR Incasso inzake bovenstaande schuld. Wij zullen onze cliënte dan ook adviseren om een juridische procedure tegen u te starten om bovenstaande vordering alsnog te incasseren.

 

Dagvaarding

In de dagvaarding, die eventueel binnenkort aan u zal worden uitgereikt, staat de datum waarop u aan de rechter kunt verklaren waaraan u het recht ontleent rekeningen onbetaald te laten. Aan deze procedure zijn hoge kosten verbonden, welke – bij een voor cliënt(e) positief vonnis - volledig op u verhaald zullen worden.

 

Eventuele dagvaarding voorkomen?

Indien u dit wenst te voorkomen, dient u het verschuldigde bedrag ad € --- binnen 3 werkdagen na dagtekening van deze brief bij te laten schrijven op bankrekeningnummer ---- t.n.v. St. Derdengelden DRA Debt Recovery Agency te Den Haag onder vermelding van dossiernummer ----.

 

Unfortunately, we must note that despite our earlier letters and contact attempts never carried out a (full) payment to EDR Debt on the above debt. We will therefore advise our client to initiate legal proceedings against you to still collect the above claim.

 

writ

In the summons, which may soon be presented to you, is the date you can explain to the judge that you have the right to unpaid bills derives. In this procedure are high costs, which - with a client (e) positive verdict - will be fully recovered from you.

 

avoid any summons?

If you wish to avoid this, you need the amount of € --- within 3 working days after the date of this letter to letter to bank account ---- t.n.v. St. Derdengelden DRA Debt Recovery Agency in The Hague quoting file number ----.

 

used google translator, seems a reasonable translation

[unclebulgaria67]

I used google translate to see what was said in English. Seems like empty threats. They are basically saying they will refer back to their clients the energy company and may look to gain legal enforcement. It is only a debt collection agency and not a firm of Lawyers who issue court proceedings in the UK. Sounds like they will just pass the case back and may not chase again themselves.

 

As you are living in the UK, the energy company would need to start proceedings in the UK. Their next step may be to pass this debt to UK Lawyers who collect foreign debts by taking appropriate action including court. The UK Bankruptcy threshold is now £5000, so that option should not be open to them. They would need to go for a standard court judgement and you would be able to defend or enter into affordable payment arrangements taking into account your current living costs.

[renegadeimp]

So they have no address for you and cant even communicate in english, they dont even know if the email they have is accurate or in use, and the letter they sent is just a threatogram anyway.