Singing Pig

why not go to court ?   a debt collector has NO legal powers to recover money from anyone   -  they just write letters that LOOK like court documents  !!!! 

If the debt collector takes a tenant to court on your behalf  -  the Debrt collectors fees/court costs  can be added on to the claim, but - does the tenant have any money ?   if the tenants are working i would go to court and apply for an attachment of earnings  - at least it then comes straight from their wages before they see it - and has a Court Order to back it up

 

 

I signed up to use Federal Management in Nov cost me £750 + VAT to sign up.  They promised to chase any debt owing in the last 6 years.  Have been going through my records to pull up all past tenants and a couple of present tenants that owe me money totalling £19041.  So far they haven't recovered a penny from any tenants past or present!

i went to a seminar a few months back and a debt collection agency guy gave a fascinating talk  -  as i said above, they have no legal powers at all -  they are an independent business  -  but they "scare" ignorant folks into coughing up some dosh.  They work on a margin, and the more times they contact a customers debtor - with no promise from the debtor that they will pay something  - the more likely it is that they will go back to the customer and say they do not want the contract.

 
i knew someone whose alleged debt was passed on to 10 different debt collecting companies  - without one single penny being collected - before the person claiming he was owed money finally gave it up as a bad job.  

 

at least if you personally take the debtor to court  - and it is very easy - on line  - you do have legal authority to claim that money from the debtor  - but only do this  if they have money, or they are working.   i also know of folks who have had "Attachment of earnings" granted to their employers - only to then go "self employed" working on contract to the same employer, so no debts were recovered.  

 

you cannot get blood out of a stone  - but you can make someone's life miserable via taking court action and then getting a CCJ  - but lifes too short for that sort of vengeance in my view.  

 

what many dont realise is that if you take a debtor to court, and they pay the debt within the time that the judge specifies, then there is no CCJ held on record against them.  

As Clottie says above why go to a debt collector when its so easy to issue court proceedings online http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/claims/index.htm as long as you have a current address for your debtor.

Be aware though that its easy to obtain a CCJ against the debtor but getting your money back is another thing, believe me I know I've tried. Bailiffs are a waste of time & courts will always side with the debtors when agreeing payment schemes - you might get a Pound a week back !

Hi Clottie,

I think the advice that you have given is great but there are flaws in your plan of attack,Im not meaning to pick but there is not much point in getting a CCJ against a debtor who collects them as a habit.

Your best bet is to use a credit checking agency or debt recovery company who can give advice as to if your debtor already has CCJ's against them and if so have they been paid. Then you will have more of an idea as if your debtor is likely to pay or not on receipt of court proceedings.

You can walk into any Court and pick up a leaflet on CCJ's and it states that if you dont believe your debtor will pay then there is no point applying for judgment (This is not an exact quote but something along the lines)

These days more and more CCJs go unpaid and with people finding it easier by being able to apply on line for judgment against their debtors thenin my eyes this is just going to get worse.

Kindest,

Gary Jones

Digital Financial Services

www.dfsdebt.com

""These days more and more CCJs go unpaid and with people finding it easier by being able to apply on line for judgment against their debtors this is just going to get worse"

i fear you are right  

Hello 

The company we have used on two occasions are called Inter Credit International Limited based in South Gate.

www.intercred.com

 

They are licensed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for debt recovery and credit reference agency – licence number 57

And they have been established since 1971.

 

They offer a ‘no collection , no fee basis.

 

Spoke to a Mary Maginn the accounts manager and she agreed to 17% (commission) of the total debt recovered.

 

If the debt is still not recovered it is processed through the court.

All court costs, solicitors fees and administration fees will

be recovered once a judgement is awarded to you and this in turn is added to the debt in question.

 

As far as I understand Intercredit will deal with all the legal’s including appointing a solicitor and update you on the case which

hopefully gives you less hassle on the case.

 

 

Contact Details:

Mary Maginn:  0208482 4444

Good Luck.