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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:
ileclerc · 09/11/2018 08:55

I would imagine a lot of it is automated and triggered by non payment even though op did explain.

At the end of the day they're a business.

BlueBug45 · 09/11/2018 08:56

OP yes it is heavy handed and I would say it was harassment.

However they can get away with it because most people in debt don't have the mental strength to deal with the harassment as well as sorting out the debt.

Personally with financial issues I pop over to the forums on MSE to get advice rather than here. Simply because while you get the same curt replies as on here, there seems to be more legal eagles including lay people who have taken companies on on there.

NobodysChild · 09/11/2018 09:10

Report them to trading standards for harassment.

zeezee3 · 09/11/2018 09:11

@TattiusTeddius (great username!) Grin

That is chuffing ridiculous, how they are acting!.

Shame you're not in a position to pay the balance (are you? Could you take a bank loan out?)

My DD bounced the other week for my car insurance, and they sent me a lovely text advising me it had failed, and said 'we will take it again in 5 working days.' And even apologised for 'bothering' me. (They weren't.) I got a letter 2 days later too, that was the same as the text basically... presumably in case I didn't notice the text.

It bounced because I had too little money in the bank. (Had wages going in on the next day, but forgot about car insurance.) Bank could have paid it still, as I have been with them for 15 years, and they must have seen/known the money was due (at midnight!) as it had been coming in for the entire 15 years! Anyway, it was still my fault it bounced...

Rambling here sorry. Yeah, upshot is, the company who sent you that message are being OTT.

YANBU.

Notjustanyone · 09/11/2018 09:15

Wow I've missed car payments a few times & phoned up straight away to give them permission to debit my card in 24 hrs for the payment whilst I'm waiting for customers to pay me (overdue as well funnily enough) and they've been fine about it.
What you have experienced op isn't normal.

PiperPublickOccurrences · 09/11/2018 09:16

Fairly heavy handed yes but if the company has a high level of defaults it's not surprising.

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 09:18

Well it’s paid now and the guy in the phone was very nice, I told him I thought it was unacceptable and intrusive getting a WhatsApp message and he said that doesn’t usually happen until it’s 3 payments late and at repossession stage so he doesn’t know why that happened with me 🙄 funny that

OP posts:
Theweasleytwins · 09/11/2018 09:20

Dh asked which company you are with? Car finance 24/7? He used to be in car sales and apparently that can happen

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 09:29

Theweasleytwins yes!
Thinking about it I had to block their number after I got the car because they kept calling me about bloody gap insurance and when I asked them to stop they didn’t. I got 5 calls a day then!

OP posts:
zeezee3 · 09/11/2018 09:31

Have to add also that on the rare occasion I have been late with council tax, they get proper arsey with me.

One year (2015 I think,) I paid it on the 13th (it's due the 1st) and they sent me a letter advising me it was late (I had paid it that day but it had crossed!) Then 3 months later, I paid it late again (10th!) and they sent another letter, properly scolding me, telling me I had paid it late before, and that my actions (paying late) may result in court action next time! I had paid it on time for 25-30 years FFS. Get a grip!

I have a neighbour who didn't pay it one month too - (she went on hols on 9th to 23rd of June and forgot council tax) and she had a snotty 'you need to be in court on 5th of July' letter when she got back! Like me, she had always paid it on time for YEARS (since we started paying it, since it was POLL tax) and they were dragging her into court. (She paid the rest of the year in full the next day - about £450,) and they dropped the court action, but still, it was a bit OTT.

Glad you have it sorted now! Assholes! Grin

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 09:34

That’s terrible zee, my SIL was 4 months late with hers and they were lovely and set up a payment plan!

The kids swimming fee (£50) also bounced and they just sent a “it’s ok we’ll collect it again on the 15th” text message

OP posts:
zeezee3 · 09/11/2018 09:40

See, these companies CAN be nice if they want! Grin

Theweasleytwins · 09/11/2018 09:41

He said they arent a nice company

HannahHut · 09/11/2018 09:43

zee sorry but paying on time for years doesn't get you off the hook for missing your payments. Especially twice in three months.

I'm not saying you should be bullied and harassed for it but getting a letter is pretty reasonable. And I can see how your neighbour paying a month late would result in more serious action. She remembered to pay for her holiday on time.

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 09:43

TheWeasleytwins no they are not it seems! I only went with them because a friend did a recommendation that got us £200 if I joined them. Should probably have done my research first!

OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 09/11/2018 09:47

10 missed calls isn't the same as 10 calls, it's 10 attempts to make contact with you. If the calls had been to your landline you wouldn't even know about them.

starfishmummy · 09/11/2018 09:48

You owe the money and you need to pay on time. Simple really.

You should have made arrangements with the bank for your regular payments to be honoured.

WitchesHatRim · 09/11/2018 09:54

You owe the money and you need to pay on time. Simple really.

So you think a payment being a couple of days late deserves harrassment. Hmm

Original poster
TattiusTeddius · 09/11/2018 10:06

You should have made arrangements with the bank for your regular payments to be honoured

Yes I should FORCE the bank to pay it out gosh why didn’t I think of that, because banks just do as customers demand Hmm

OP posts:
longwayoff · 09/11/2018 10:12

Makeahouseahome. The milk of human kindness.

Caprisunorange · 09/11/2018 10:39

This is ridiculous. Their whole business model is based on the risk of non payment- they’d be complete imbeciles if they actually expected everyone to pay. A professional collection service is essential for these types of businesses. It sounds like you’ve got yourself involved with some scummy loan shark types.

Those going on about how no payers deserve it- what if you can’t afford to pay them? They can’t take the car and have a responsibility as a responsible lender to work with you to a resolution. They’re not even attempting that

petbear · 09/11/2018 10:43

Agree with the majority. OTT behaviour from the company.

petbear · 09/11/2018 10:44

10 missed calls isn't the same as 10 calls.

it kind of is...

petbear · 09/11/2018 10:47

@caprisunorange

This is ridiculous. Their whole business model is based on the risk of non payment- they’d be complete imbeciles if they actually expected everyone to pay. A professional collection service is essential for these types of businesses. It sounds like you’ve got yourself involved with some scummy loan shark types.

They do sound like loan sharks actually!

zeezee3 · 09/11/2018 10:48

@HannahHuts

zee sorry but paying on time for years doesn't get you off the hook for missing your payments. Especially twice in three months

I was also late paying my council tax 'twice in THIRTY YEARS.' Call it twice in 3 months if it makes your point a lot stronger. Wink

But the fact is that if someone suddenly pays their council tax late after paying it on time (and often a week early) for thirty years, the council should be contacting the person to find out if everything is OK. Ask if they have financial problems, if they are getting everything they are entitled to, and help them. Don't issue a bloody court date for one sodding missed payment like they did with my neighbour!

Pretty typical of money grabbing, self serving councils I suppose. They have to fund their holidays to visit their 'twin-town' in Switzerland somehow! Hmm They're as bad as the credit card companies - keen to increase your credit limit at the drop of a hat, (without even checking if you can afford it,) then getting heavy handed and arsey when you are late paying your monthly payment, (or get into financial trouble and cannot pay it at all.) I suppose it's all the customer's fault for getting into debt though eh? Thick, greedy articles they all are. Serves them right I suppose. Deserve all that they get. Hmm

I agree with @witcheshatrim and a number of others here, just because someone is a few days late paying, that does not deserve threats of court, intimidation, bullying, and harassment. Many people struggle financially, and struggle to balance their finances, and hounding them with threats won't help! They should see if they can help them!

Just read HannahHuts other posts. Have a bit of heart FFS. Sad You sound so cold.