getting rid of debt collectors collecting on my debt

[newbie investor]

Hello

Got TPS in the past to help collect on a debt owed by a defaulting tenant. After some ineptness on their part and collecting a tiny amount after a long period of time, I got fed up and obtained my own attachment order against the tenant and had it attached. This is now being paid.

Trouble is that TPS repeatedly chases me and threatens to levy commissions. Has anyone found a way to discharge TPS from debt collection on a particular debt?

[SimonW]

Hello

Got TPS in the past to help collect on a debt owed by a defaulting tenant. After some ineptness on their part and collecting a tiny amount after a long period of time, I got fed up and obtained my own attachment order against the tenant and had it attached. This is now being paid.

Trouble is that TPS repeatedly chases me and threatens to levy commissions. Has anyone found a way to discharge TPS from debt collection on a particular debt?

Have you tried writing to them to explain that they are so hopeless at their job that you, a mere debt collecting layman, managed to do their job for them faster and more efficiently, and that you have no intention paying them a commission for the work you did? Go on to advise that you no longer want their services (or lack thereof). That's probably where I would start and see what happens after that.

[newbie investor]

Have you tried writing to them to explain that they are so hopeless at their job that you, a mere debt collecting layman, managed to do their job for them faster and more efficiently, and that you have no intention paying them a commission for the work you did? Go on to advise that you no longer want their services (or lack thereof). That's probably where I would start and see what happens after that.

Problem is that their contract (which is agreed when you lodge your debt so be aware!) states that any attempt to get payment from the tenant will lead to them levying a commission. That sounds wholly ridiculous and they even have a deemed assignment of the debt if you do not agree to their next step of collecting on the debt!

[jimO]

they will probably have more luck getting money out of you than they did with the tenant

[PTWhatAGreatForum]

You did a Faustian bargain and now you complain?

[Anthonyacat]

Seems to me you engaged their services, agreed to their terms, and should pay for them accordingly.

It's not a great situation to be in (and I'd know - I've been getting $25 per week [before fees] for the last several years through TPS) but there were no agreed levels of service promised by TPS, and you agreed to their terms.

They might be willing to take a one-off payment to discharge the contract, but how large that payment would need to be, I've no idea.

[Sharon]

If the terms of service agreed to have not been supplied you may have grounds to terminate or negotiate an exit. There will be some who believe it unwise to challenge certain organisations and to just tow the line. Challenge it!

[newbie investor]

Not sure how this constitutes a Faustian bargain. My PM advised this as a way to get back a debt owed to me, only for me to find out later how utterly inept they are.

[newbie investor]

They supplied it via a hyper-link at the bottom when you click "submit". It's not unlike the many T&Cs you claim to read before you sign up for a website.

[Davo36]

Yeah I had a similar situation years ago with a company called Debt Recovery Group.

They couldn't get money out of the tenant, so wanted to take them to court, which would have cost me a lot.

So I said "Forget it, just leave it." and they said "You can't say that, we have a contract"

And so they took me to the Disputes Tribunal where neither party really won or lost.

[newbie investor]

That's interesting. What do you mean neither party really won or lost?

[Davo36]

Well we came to an agreement where they could still pursue the debt but I didn't have to pay for the legal fees they were suggesting.