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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this company is taking it too far chasing a payment that is 3 days late?

64 replies

TattiusTeddius · 08/11/2018 23:17

My car finance company was meant to collect the usual payment on Monday, however I’d had a bit of fraud over the weekend and the direct debit bounced, which I didn’t notice until late on Monday. I rang them on Tuesday to explain and said I was hoping it would be sorted in the next few days as it was “only” £450 stolen but meant the £220 car payment couldn’t come out.

I got calls from Tuesday afternoon, all day yesterday and today chasing the payment. Yesterday I had 10 missed calls, all of which had voicemails left (I was at work so couldn’t answer) and then tonight I got this on WhatsApp from a member of their collections team

AIBU to think this is heavy handed as hell? Luckily the money got sorted today so I replied to say I can make the payment and this person can’t even take it from me, I have to wait until tomorrow to pay it!

To think this company is taking it too far chasing a payment that is 3 days late?
OP posts:
Devillanelle · 08/11/2018 23:18

YANBU fucking hell

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 07:37

I’m not sure they can even take the car without a court order or repossession order

OP posts:
insancerre · 09/11/2018 07:43

Heavy handed yes but they probably hear similar every day
Can You not just pay on your card over the phone?

WitchesHatRim · 09/11/2018 07:47

Is it a well known car finance company?

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 07:50

insancerre yes but their offices were shut last night when I got this WhatsApp message and my bank only credited my account yesterday making me able to afford it

OP posts:
merlotmummy14 · 09/11/2018 07:54

I would have thought they would give you a week's leeway at minimum before calling you up - a text would suffice, all those calls within a few days is absurd.

Kickassbitch · 09/11/2018 07:56

Yes, heavy handed, however, they may well deal with this a lot. They don't know you personally, nor do they know any of their customers personally. There is a good chance they have has many missed payments where their customers have just taken the P**s and simply come down hard on everyone.

P**s takers aren't all horrible people but just are never in a hurry to sort it out etc, I've had to chase payment before and I can understand the seemingly heavy handed approach.

Jeanclaudejackety · 09/11/2018 07:56

Absolutely ridiculous. Ring and pay today and let them know how disgusted you are maybe contact financial ombudsman also

Jeanclaudejackety · 09/11/2018 07:57

I have to chase clients for payment all the time at work also and I'd never ever use this approach with one of our customers

KanielOutis · 09/11/2018 08:10

I'm not saying you didn't have fraud, you may well have. But I chase payments as part of my job, and the fraud line is used a lot. Sometimes, people have fraud every month right about the time their payment is due to come out.

Satsumaeater · 09/11/2018 08:12

Yes it is heavy handed. It's amazing how companies bully consumers so much and then refuse to pay other companies what they owe them for months. In my current job I see how long we wait to get paid and it's a revelation. 30 day payment terms? You're lucky if you get paid within 6 months in some cases.

Btu a consumer is 2 days late? Fire and brimstone rains down on you! Hypocrites.

FourRustedHorses · 09/11/2018 08:18

I thought there were rules at how they could behave in this regard because 10 missed calls and voicemails can count as harassment surely?

WitchesHatRim · 09/11/2018 08:22

I thought there were rules at how they could behave in this regard because 10 missed calls and voicemails can count as harassment surely?

Which is why I wondered if it was a big company.

namechanger70 · 09/11/2018 08:25

Dont know precise law on this but this is probably illegal. Pretty sure you can not turn up on someones door after a day late payment - they are not court authorises baliffs so not sure what "our field agent is in your area" mean other than insinuating they are coming round and they cannot just demand anything. What "additional "fees" have these been explained? I agree I would be speaking to CAB and then taking to ombudsman too - bully boy tactics.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/action-your-creditor-can-take/bailiffs/how-bailiffs-should-treat-you/complaining-about-bailiffs/

lisasimpsonssaxophone · 09/11/2018 08:28

A Whatsapp message? That seems incredibly intrusive and doesn’t seem right at all, especially if you already explained that you would be paying it in a couple of days.

MakeAHouseAHome · 09/11/2018 08:33

Personally I don't think this is heavy handed. They are a business, not a charity. If your pay from work was 3 days late without explanation would you not be chasing it aswell?

WitchesHatRim · 09/11/2018 08:42

If your pay from work was 3 days late without explanation would you not be chasing it aswell?

It isn't without explaining. OP had already called them.

LMW1990 · 09/11/2018 08:46

With my last car finance it was written into the agreement that only when in 2 months of arrears would any reposession action be taken and a notice of default must be issued in writing prior to anyone turning up, giving 7 days notice of their intention to visit. This company are playing fast and loose with the rules surrounding collection. There is no definitive answer to how many calls constitutes harassment but given that you told them on Tuesday morning what was going on and the length of the arrears I'd hazard the regulslator siding with you. Are the company FCA registered?

RangeRider · 09/11/2018 08:47

Personally I don't think this is heavy handed. They are a business, not a charity.
This ^^
It isn't without explaining. OP had already called them.
And I bet they get 100s of callers all claiming equally deserving excuses that are actually total lies. They have no way of knowing that OP is honest. They want their money at the time agreed - by putting the pressure on it's more likely to be paid quickly (not by OP, generally).

HannahHut · 09/11/2018 08:49

I work in a credit card company. If you're two days late it goes to collections and they notify you of that straight away. Don't think you'd that many calls so that seems unreasonable.

The fact that there is a collections agency involved already does not surprise me. Just be aware this will show on your credit file.

HannahHut · 09/11/2018 08:50

By the way I get several "I lost my wallet with my bank card so can't pay until I get my new one delivered" a lot, just so happens to be on the due date as well! No leeway for that I'm afraid.

cc4490 · 09/11/2018 08:51

I used to work in collections for a car finance company and they never used this kind of technique!
You'd go onto a dialler system normally where they would try and speak to you on the phone to establish the problem and you'd get some texts saying please contact us to discuss your agreement. Repo would only really happen after 3 missed payments if you hadn't spoken to them and agreed some sort of payment plan but even then it would be explained in an official letter.
I'd complain about this kind of treatment especially as you've already contacted them.

WitchesHatRim · 09/11/2018 08:52

They want their money at the time agreed - by putting the pressure on it's more likely to be paid quickly (not by OP, generally).

There are rules they have to abide by. They haven't followed them imo.

It's bullying tactics which can have dire consequences but hey as long as they get their money that is a couple of days late.

OP has now tried to pay and they have refused to take it.

Intimidation and bullying.

Sparklesocks · 09/11/2018 08:53

Ridiculously over the top, I understand they need to chase their income but after you'd explained there was no need for 10 calls chasing you. YANBU.

Sparklesocks · 09/11/2018 08:55

At in my experience 1 missed payment doesn’t normally trigger bailiffs/possession, because the company will want the money first and foremost and exhaust all their other options before resorting to that.