Ebay / charges

[racer1]

I've just had a call from Robinson Wray (think correct name) re "outstanding ebay charges." I owed ebay £16.86 which was paid a month or so ago now, but afterwards had an invoice from the above debt collectors stating I owed £24.86 (£16.86 in ebay fees and £8 in admin charges).

 

Reason for starting this thread is RW have just called stating I still owe £8 still - I know nothing of this. I did have a phonecall from RW after I had paid the ebay fees but I explained I had paid the fees (£16.86) directly to ebay, all confirmed from ebay etc and so their system obviously hadn't been updated.

 

The man just now on the phone from RW was quite rude and threatening. I asked him to send me an invoice and terms and conditions stating why etc I had to pay this £8 but he refused - he wouldn't let me speak and was shouting so I've just hung up....

 

Anyone have any advice for the above please? He's saying I have to pay the £8, I can't see anything (easily) on the ebay site and as far as I'm concerned the matter was settled ages ago when I settled the ebay account!

[tiglet]

Well, basically, you've learned a valuable lesson I believe just about everyone on this site has learned - don't speak to DCA's on the phone.

 

Send a letter to Robinson Way, telling them that you have paid in full and you consider that to be the end of the matter. Unless they can furnish you with proof that this debt of £8 exists, if they continue to contact you, you will take it construe harrassment and will take the appropriate measures.

 

make sure you write "I do not acknowledge any debt to your company" at the top.

[racer1]

I had another call from them about 4pm yesterday which I ignored.....

 

I will write to them, thanks.

[tiglet]

Muppets - let them call, it's their phone bill, not yours.

 

Wonder how many calsl they ahve to make before it costs them £8?

[blacksheep1979]

do the - 'oh hold on a sec - someone is at the door

- something is on the stove

- my mobile is ringing'

 

and see how long they stay on the phone.

[ManagingDirector]

I know its not right and ebay is cr*p

 

but just pay the f**king £8, its not worth the hassle...

 

If it was £8000 i'd understand, if it was £800 i'd understand, if it was £80 i'd understand, if it was £25 i would sort of understand.... but for £8 ... pay it off, you will live longer

[tiglet]

I would disagree - for some people, it's not the monetary value which is important, it's the principle - too many people capitulate with the view of "it's only a small amount of money" - IMO, that's totally irrelevant - the point is, why should you part with your hard earned cash to a DCA wgo isn't owed it?

[ManagingDirector]

I know. But people have gone bald over such small amounts of money, their blood pressure and stress levels have increased so much that their chances of a heart attack and stroke has tripled.

 

If you can spend £8 in a week easily at keeping healthy - then surely you can write off £8.

 

Do you really want them to add money on top of that? Most debts start off very small and they snowball. So £8 wont have that problem, but they could send people round, CCJ's etc.

 

 

What i am saying is life is too short to worry about £8. The average person gambles that by going on the lottery in a month...

[racer1]

It's a principle and I am not an "average" person - I don't play the lottery!

 

They probably make tons of money by people paying charges they don't owe...

 

If they won't show me the paperwork saying I owe the charge and can't prove it in the terms and conditions, why should I pay? I could easily start a similar [problem] and by some people stupidly paying charges they don't owe I would become very rich! But it's wrong.

[Layla_ck]

Imagine if you were Robinson and Way and wrote a letter to 100 or 1,000 people asking for £8 and for a quiet life everyone paid it, you'd be making a lot of money for old rope - if you don't owe it DON'T PAY!

[harrythehawk]

Agree, if it is worth a DCA chasing up £8 then it is worth not paying it, personally I wouldn't give anybody anything I didn't have/want to

[sequenci]

personally, i would make them spend £8 trying to chase for it.

[Bookworm]

£8.00, for someone on Income Support, represents nearly 25% of their weekly income.

 

With £8.00, I can buy:

 

7 loaves of bread = £1.40

2 x 4 pts milk = £2.00

8 x Baked Beans = £1.60

20 x Fish Fingers = £1.00

12 x yogurts = £1.40

1 kg Bananas = £0.70

 

In other words, if need be, I can feed a family of 4 for nearly 1 week.

 

Please don't assume that £8.00 is not worth it, for some people, it is the difference between eating or not, between freezing in winter or not.

[magpie3]

I had letters sent via a debt collection agency for ebay, I didn't really understand how ebay worked, however I do now. I will never use ebay again.

Also on the subject of DCA TMobile continued to ask me for payment even though I had cancelled my phone. They said I had not used my number which I had asked them for 'a transfer number'? however I decided I would rather have a new number on my new phone, therefore my contract was still running!? I had the DCA call me and want me to give confirmation details over the phone, of course being 'smart' I wanted information from them as to why they were calling me. In the end the lady became very annoyed 'well it's your credit reference that will suffer' was the final comment before I hung up. I agree do not talk to DCA's on the phone.

[racer1]

Having checked my v/mails last night Robinson & Way are doing a fine job of time wasting without my help.....I have loads where it's the automatic calling system but the v/mail says "sorry our operators are busy, please hold" followed by a man / woman spending ages saying "hello? hello?" - have more than one!

[tiglet]

Well, it's their money, not yours. Tee hee!

[racer1]

Just took another call from Robinson & Way. Anyway in short the woman hung up on me.

 

I have it confirmed in writing from ebay I owe nothing, I know I owe nothing. I forwarded this email on to Robinson & Way this week. Anyway just told the woman on the phone I'd forwarded this to them and she said they'd received nothing. I said "are you lot really that stupid then that you send me CONFIRMATION" you've received this information and then call me and tell me it's not received?

 

It's affecting my credit rating I believe - I've applied for a basic, first time credit card and been refused - can't understand why as should have nothing on my credit report.

 

Any advice please?

[tiglet]

Get your credit reports from the 3 CRA's and see what's on there would be the first thing to do.

[racer1]

I've requested them, but because moved in Oct and was only on electoral roll a couple of months ago I can't get my reports online so had to sent off loads of paperwork which is taking time.

[buzby]

Refusal may have nothing to do with adverse data - they're getting picky and if you don;t seem desperate enough they don't want your business unless they''ll make LOTS of money from you.... bounced DD's, late fees etc etc...

[noomill060]

Hey managing director- tell you what- I'll phone you morning, noon and night telling you owe me £8- will you give me £8 to make me go away?

 

Muppet. This site all about standing up up to **** like that.

[racer1]

An update.....

 

I had another call from them at 7 ish last night as I was getting home. This time I didn't know it was them (unknown number) so answered as presumed could've been a friend calling from work. Anyway I spoke to them and again they were just plain rude and said I owed them £8. I said that as they were unwilling to send me any details of these alleged charges and I have it confirmed from ebay there is nothing owed I wasn't prepared to pay them, and they could be anybody calling and of course I'm not going to give out my card details. I pointed out if I just called up people and asked for alleged debts with no foundation / anything I'd become very rich very quickly but that I'm not that stupid!

 

I also pointed out that because of the number of calls etc as far as I'm concerned it's harrassment by telephone. They said it wasn't harrassment by telephone as they were calling for money I owe them. I said I don't owe anything and this volume of calls (and voicemails) per day is harrassment and I will take further action.

 

I did get my partner to speak to them who quoted various bits of the law he remembered from here to them, and then the girl seemed to run out of her script and hung up.

 

I think I will contact Trading Standards today and send the harrassment by telephone letter - does anyone else have any further advice?

 

Just for the record again - I don't owe this money, this is why I am not prepared to pay it!

[tiglet]

Simply this - report them to the OFT as well. If enough people complain and the complaints are serious enough, the OFT may decide to revoke their license.

[racer1]

ok am just drafting a letter so will post in a sec...

[racer1]

Ok so please change if necc....this is the first letter I've done that's not standard!

 

 

 

Xxx

Xxx

xxx

 

3rd May 2007

 

 

 

Robinson Way & Co Ltd

London Scottish House

Mount Street

Manchester

M2 3LS

 

 

 

 

Dear Sir/Madam

This is my one and only letter in regards to frequent telephone calls from your company regarding alleged fees owed in connection with my ebay account.

 

As you are unwilling to provide copies of any invoices or terms and conditions detailing these alleged charges, I do not acknowledge this debt. I would advise you to cease pursuing this account as you cannot provide proof of contract.

 

Furthermore, if you do not cease all telephone calls with immediate affect I will be taking further action. I have verbally requested that these stop, but I am still receiving calls.

 

I am of the view that your continued harassment of me by telephone puts you in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

 

If you continue to harass me by telephone, you will also be in breach of the Communications Act (2003) s.127.

 

I have reported the above matter to both Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading.

 

I expect to hear from you within seven days to acknowledge you have received this letter and will cease pursuing this account.

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

 

xxxx