Debt collectors and court threats

[ChimpMaster]

An unpaid mobile phone bill of £50 has gone unpaid by a colleague of mine. This has now been passed to a debt collection agency, who have gone and bumped it up to £80 (to cover their fee methinks).

The state of play is that they are threatening court action now. Do you think they would bother taking someone to court over what is generally a small amount (compared to court costs etc)?

[Mich the Tester]

An unpaid mobile phone bill of £50 has gone unpaid by a colleague of mine. This has now been passed to a debt collection agency, who have gone and bumped it up to £80 (to cover their fee methinks).

The state of play is that they are threatening court action now. Do you think they would bother taking someone to court over what is generally a small amount (compared to court costs etc)?

Yes.

[Pondlife]

they will probably keep adding charges and penalties until it does become worth their while.

Just pay it and move on.

[lilelvis2000]

The fees will increase significantly by the time the case gets to court.

Does your collegue have any reason not to pay the amount due?

[Mich the Tester]

they will probably keep adding charges and penalties until it does become worth their while.

Just pay it and move on.

WHS. That's how they work. Every letter they send will cost more than the last until they send bailiffs and add the charge for their visit; by then the total will probably be much more than 500 pounds.

[Platypus]

yes as your colleague will be liable for costs too

[AtW]

The fees will increase significantly by the time the case gets to court.

Unlikely (unless you call £50 significant) - the total amount is very low so it will go to small claims court where solicitor fees can't be recovered and actual court fee is very low.

This does not mean one should ignore this issue - if you have a debt then you should pay it.

[minestrone]

I got hassled for 15 quid from plus.net when I gave up my broadband, the service was pay as you go and I objected to paying an exit fee.

The debt collectors they passed the debt on to threatened me with court action at which point I called them and invited them to do so. Never heard a peep out of them again.

For all I know I am listed as a bad payer on equifax but you can state your reason for not paying with them and it is up to the next potential creditor to decide the risk involved.

If he has a valid reason for not paying it let each party know by recorded letter.

[chris79]

For the sake of £80 just pay it?

[lilelvis2000]

Unlikely (unless you call £50 significant) - the total amount is very low so it will go to small claims court where solicitor fees can't be recovered and actual court fee is very low.

This does not mean one should ignore this issue - if you have a debt then you should pay it.

Its actually £80 now... But never the less. if the colleague has a reason to dispute the fee - then he should send this to the company. My wife threatens them with proceedings..that works sometimes!