WWYD - Money paid in error?

[Meeeeeeep]

Long story short. Ex employer treated me very poorly. Discrimination, bullying, unlawful deductions from wages. Raised a grievance some were upheld some weren't. Appealed, yet to hear the final outcome.

They have paid me money and sent me a wage slip saying it reflects some monies that were unpaid. They had already reimbursed me for unlawful deductions and it is looking likely that they have paid me this money twice in error.

The problem is, I was expecting money into my account the day this was paid and I have used it to pay nursery fees. As it has materialised the money I was expecting didn't come in and what had actually come in was this payment.

What do I do? Do I contact them and tell them I realised once it had been used that it may have been paid in error and offer some kind of payment plan? Do I wait and see if they notice and contact me? I personally was going to go with the first but 3 other people (who are normally very honest people) have said basically fuck them. Leave them to sort it out.

[TroubleinDaFamily]

Put the money in a differnt account and wait for them to realise their mistake.

I wouldn't advocate keeping it, but equally I wouldn't knock on their door with the information.

[Mouthfulofquiz]

I think the same. Keep hold of it until they ask for it.

[wowfudge]

So you are still due the other payment from a different party? Keep that money on one side and contact the ex employer. Do so in writing. Pay them back if necessary. They will eventually spot that the money has been paid to you in error.

[Osolea]

Personally, I'd contact them, explain the situation and offer to pay them back in installments.

Whether or not they'd notice and contact you is irrelevant really. You know what the right thing to do is and

[turdfairynomore]

Keep the high moral ground by being totally honest and upfront-I get the impression that you know in your heart that this is what you should do? Buy yourself some time (to allow the money from the other source to hopefully materialise) by writing to get them to clarify what should have been paid v what you received.

[GloGirl]

Keep quiet but keep it so you can repay if needed.

[Meeeeeeep]

That's the thing. I don't currently have it. Whilst I will get the payment that I was expecting at some point I'm not 100% sure why it wasn't paid and how long it will take to fix. What if they ask for it back tomorrow and I don't have it?

It was a genuine error on my part that it was used, I just assumed it was the money I was expecting. So basically - I was expecting a housing benefit payment. Due to the fact I have a new job which is more hours my wages and nursery fee's have changed. I was expecting a revised payment for that on Fri with it being a bank holiday on the day it is usually paid (Monday).

I'm now worried that whatever the revised amount is will be less than what my ex employers paid me and I don't know how I'll pay it back immediately. My plan had been to use my credit card to pay my rent but was surprised that the payment along with the money I had already set aside to go towards it was enough to cover all my outgoings so I didn't need to use my credit card in the end. After that I noticed where the money had actually come from.

So now I'm in the position of no actual cash and I cant transfer money from my credit card to a bank account :-S

I hope that makes sense to others. It barely does to me.

[lampshady]

If the payment you were expecting was through HSBC, they've had an issue with their bacs system so may come through Tuesday.

[Meeeeeeep]

I don't know what type of account it comes from.

[VodkaValiumLattePlease]

Personally I wouldn't say anything, fuck them until they notice.

[ChickenTikkaMassala]

Did you not check to see where the money came from before spending it?

[ahbollocks]

I'm guessing it was tax credits or something that are late/have balls ed up?
I'd keep quiet until they ask for it

[Meeeeeeep]

No because I was expecting a payment and due to the change in circumstances I've had I wasn't 100% sure how much it was going to be. When I saw that money had gone into my account I just assumed that was what it was and made the payment. It wasn't until I went on later to find out what the exact figure was to sort my finances for next month that I actually saw where it had come from.

[Littlef00t]

As you don't have the money to give them now, I definitely wouldn't raise it with them.

Considering how they have messed you around, I'd save up the money they've mispaid and put it in a savings account and forget about it so if they do chase it up, most likely at year end in March/April, you have it to give them, but if they don't for 7? Years the money is yours.

[AyeAmarok]

Save up the mispayment again and pay it off your own back as soon as you have it, you have to.

[AugustDay]

I'd just tell them what you have told us on here.

The overpayment is a seperate issue to the crap employer issue. Your initial thought was to tell them because you know it's the right thing to do.

However, if you want justification to keep the money then I'm sure you will get enough posters telling you that they think it's ok.

[KitKat1985]

If I'm honest I'd wait to see if they noticed and act ignorant if they mention it and pretend I hadn't realised. Be prepared to pay it back if necessary though.

I had a friend who once left her job (she was Christmas temping and it had finished) who for unknown reasons kept getting paid for weeks after she left. I did point out that at some point they were bound to notice and want the money back but she kept spending it. Inevitably when they did realise (several months later) they demanded the money back (which she didn't have) and she had to set up a repayment plan. It took her months to pay it all back.

[Meeeeeeep]

Ok I won't contact them just now and hope that the money that does come through is enough to cover it. If not I'll put money aside to equal the amount.

Could they try and charge an interest or anything like that? In my mind they couldn't as it's their error but I'm no expert.

I'm worried they contact me tomorrow and demand it back. I'll then be in a tricky position having to explain that i do not have the money

[Devilishpyjamas]

Tell them once the payment you are expecting comes through.

[ChickenTikkaMassala]

They'll just ask why did you spend the money.

To be honest it's an awkward situation but you might be okay tomorrow as it's a Bank Holiday.

[chickenfuckingpox]

its a bank holiday tomorrow so accounts won't be in?

ok so you have a plan save the money out of what you're going to get to pay them back use a few delaying tactics till you have it to be honest they can ring all they want and tantrum saying they want it NOW! and all you need to say is im sorry im a bit busy this week give me your details and i will transfer it to you within the next few days if they tantrum more explain there inefficiency is not your problem you dont work for them anymore and its their mistake you will rectify it at your convenience

and hope to hell your money comes through soon!

[Meeeeeeep]

They don't close for bank holidays so they may well notice.

[nokidshere]

Well you don't actually know that it was paid in error yet do you? I would just put some money aside in case you are right - if you are they will soon let you know, and if you are wrong and you are entitled to it then you will have some money spare.

[nhkamptz]

Something similar happened to a colleague; she was paid twice for the same expense claim (several hundred pounds). She knew it was paid in error, she spent the money, and months later the company spotted the error and demanded it back. You don't want to go months wondering if the money is yours safely...I don't know what the stature of limitations is (if there is one) for them to claim it back, but when/if they do you don't want to be scrambling for the funds. Wait until your other payment comes through, set the money aside, then alert your company to the error and be done with it and go forward with peace of mind.

[NotMeNotYouNotAnyone]

If they did contact you to demand the payment before you have the money you were expecting, explain what has happened, that you will pay it back but that you cannot do so until you get the other money. They'll probably be so relieved that you're co-operating that they agree before you've even finished.

I work for a financial company, if we pay money to someone in error we ask them to pay it back, if they refuse, we may enter debt recovery proceedings, but as this can be lengthy and expensive, we may write off the money, depending on the amount and circumstances.