We travelled to Florence in Summer 2018 and hired a car through Goldcar worst car hire company ever. On our return we received several charges for them to pass on our details to the Municple of Firenze for apparent traffic violations. I didn’t dispute these charges and almost a year later, June 2019, we received a fine which I paid immediately as per the instructions with a 30% reduction for paying within 5days i logged into the portal provided and the case was closed. Fast forward four months and I have just received a letter from a UK debt collection agency demanding over £600 for traffic violations in Florence. My question is what do I do? I’ve paid the fine we were sent I have all the paper work to prove it so why am I being chased by a UK debt collection agency named Waters & Gate. Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation?
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
If UK debt collection agencies are anything like American ones, they can be impossible to deal with. I haven't dealt with them for myself, only as a lawyer for clients. In some cases, they threaten and threaten, then eventually give up, or send it back to their client. One option is to send your proof to the collection agency. But you can also ignore the first letter and see what happens. Maybe they were sent the collection assignment before you had paid the Italian agency. Good luck.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15466 posts
Do you live in the U.K.?
Call or write the Debt Collection Agency and tell them to bug off.
If they don’t stop, read below.
Courts in the EU (you are still part of the EU until your Parliament makes up its mind) do not currently enforce traffic fines incurred overseas. Therefore the collection agency can only harass you to death until you give up. Don’t!
Know your rights.
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
why am I being chased by a UK debt collection agency named Waters & Gate
Because you paid only one fine, but since the rental agency charged your cc many times you were fined many times.
Can they prove they sent these other fines via registered letters? Can they prove you did not pick these letters at the post office? If not... How were you supposed to pay fines you never received?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23463 posts
The problem in the US is that a debt collection agency can report it as uncollected to the credit bureaus and that can put a big ding in your credit score. Not a big deal unless you need a good score for an upcoming transaction. You can fight and the credit bureau can be forced to remove it but it is a real PIA until done.