Overpayment on wages

[Potluck]

To my shock yesterday I've received a debt collection letter from Credit Style Limited for a collection of £368 for overpaid wages, I left Royal Mail in March this year , from Feb to March I had not revived no wage slips even that I phone HR and my book room . I had to move back to live with parents which was some distance from my work even that my manager promised me a position near to were I am living now,, which turned out to be lies ,, I never got paid for 3 weeks, then they started paying me sick pay but I can't see how I owe them. I got no wage slips or dates of payments from Feb to day I left to see if I have no letter from Royal Mail nothing straight to debt collection need help as I feel I can't afford this payment

[baldrick]

Is £368 one week's wages? If so RM might be reclaiming it if you left without giving one week's notice, or they might be reclaiming the sick pay if you hadn't sent in doctor's certificates. Only way to find out for sure is to contact HR.
They might not have your new address which is why you might not have received wage slips or letter about overpayment if you did not have mail redirection . The debt recovery agency will probably take the overpayment from your bank account if you have sufficient funds in it, RM will have details about it. If there aren't sufficient funds they will take you to court and send bailiffs round, which will cost you more.
You need to contact HR to find out why you have been overpaid, and if you do owe them you can offer to repay the overpayment by instalments.

The tel no for HR is 0845 6060603 Mon-Fri 0830-1700.

[gluteus maximus]

Is £368 one week's wages? If so RM might be reclaiming it if you left without giving one week's notice, or they might be reclaiming the sick pay if you hadn't sent in doctor's certificates. Only way to find out for sure is to contact HR.
They might not have your new address which is why you might not have received wage slips or letter about overpayment if you did not have mail redirection . The debt recovery agency will probably take the overpayment from your bank account if you have sufficient funds in it, RM will have details about it. If there aren't sufficient funds they will take you to court and send bailiffs round, which will cost you more.
You need to contact HR to find out why you have been overpaid, and if you do owe them you can offer to repay the overpayment by instalments.

The tel no for HR is 0845 6060603 Mon-Fri 0830-1700.

I am sorry but i have to disagree with the above

A private Debt Collection Agency has absolutly no rights what so ever to demand any money from you unless the debt has been transfered by Absolute (legal) Assignment. 99% of debts a debt agency collects on are on commission based (Equitable assignments) You have no contact what so ever with the Debt agecy and deal direct with Royal Mail HR. Royal Mail cannot pass your banking details onto this debt agency let alone the agency deduct any money from your bank account without your express consent. For Royal Mail to take you to court the will need to issue a letter before action and only county court baliffs, not these micky mouse free lance Baliffs will be used. Only then if you refuse to pay, you simply set up a repayment plan with the court as to an income and expenditure assessment post CCJ.

[baldrick]

I'm sure you are correct about the legality of debt collection. But it seems that RM have passed the debt to a debt collection agency to deal with. I am not a lawyer, but it would seem to me to be impossible for RM to deal directly with the OP if they did not know his new address. That's why I suggested that OP contact HR.
I don't know how any debt would be dealt with. But a poster on a previous thread said that RM had deducted overpayment from his bank account, though presumably they would have had a court order to do this. I'll have a look for that thread and post a link.

[baldrick]

OK I found the previous thread:
help for an ex employee/union member please!!
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=56099" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So I would guess that RM, having been unable to contact OP, have already obtained a Court Order, tried unsuccessfully to reclaim overpayment from his bank account, and have now passed the recovery to a debt collection agency. Anyway he does need to contact RM to sort it out, before he incurs more recovery costs.

[gluteus maximus]

OK I found the previous thread:
help for an ex employee/union member please!!
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=56099" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So I would guess that RM, having been unable to contact OP, have already obtained a Court Order, tried unsuccessfully to reclaim overpayment from his bank account, and have now passed the recovery to a debt collection agency. Anyway he does need to contact RM to sort it out, before he incurs more recovery costs.

Looking at the link it seems he does have a CCJ, and that an attachment of earnings order and arrestment of his bank account has taken place through the courts.
Any court action will have been sent to his last recorded address and the court will have classed the claim as served. It matters not one iota as it will have been down to the individual to inform all parties of his new address as to any outstanding financial liabilities.

Appologies Baldrick, it is just i wish people will post up the full story otherwise it is like giving advice blindfolded

[baldrick]

Appologies Baldrick, it is just i wish people will post up the full story otherwise it is like giving advice blindfolded

No problem, I was just replying off the top of my head. I should have remembered that RM would not have given the debt to a Debt Recovery Firm unless they had already got a CCJ. The OP will probably need to contact the Debt Recovery Firm now to arrange payments by instalment, as they will be dealing with it now.