Schengen experts only! Please help! The most helpful answer will get 10 points?

Question

I'm a foreigner in the Schengen area. Last year I was living in Holland. I went flat broke because of a housing problem and at the same time ended up with a €500 phone bill that I couldn't pay. Because of a circumstance out of my control, shortly afterwards I had to move to Belgium. I hadn't contacted my phone company again yet since I left the country, but my conscience hasn't let it go. I'm starting to earn some money and I want to pay that bill, but I don't have €500 to give at once yet and maybe I have fines to pay. I'm leaving Europe soon. While I don't yet have plans to return, I just want this solved, even if it means paying what I can long distance for awhile.

How can I get in touch with my phone company and gradually pay the bill without getting into trouble? (Assuming I don't have to solve this within 3 weeks, because that would be impossible)

I promise, 10 points for an honest, solution-oriented answer. Abusive/insulting replies and non-answers will be reported.

Answer 1

Hi. I don't live in the Schengen area so I'm not an expert in that country or area so I hope you don't mind me writing and trying to help. Basically it would have been better for you to contact your phone company before you left and you understand that but as you say, you had to move at short notice.

So what I suggest is that you contact your phone company (the one you owe money to) and ask to speak to their billing/accounts department or their customer services. Explain fully and honestly what happened and express your desire to pay them. Explain, too, that you can't afford to pay the bill in one go but that you are willing to pay them X amount over Y period and is that acceptable for them? If they want more and/or a shorter period, they will tell you and you can then negotiate with them.

Believe me, they would like the debt paid and cleared and would rather receive it in installments on a regular basis than not at all. If they ask for too much and it's beyond your means, you may be able to pay them here and there but of course the payments wouldn't be regular. Explain that to them as well because most companies prefer you to pay them regularly in amounts you can afford and if you are honest with them and show them you mean to pay, they are not going to make life hard for you.

There are means to pay and that can be sorted out with them also when you speak with them.

I would have found a link for you to your phone company but you didn't specify it in your question so go to Google or Yahoo search engine and put the name in and you should be able to find their web site. Most web sites will also have a "contact us" menu item where you can get their address and phone number - usually for customer services and if necessary, they will be able to pass you on to the right department or someone to speak to who can help you.

Good luck and I hope everything goes well. Someone after my own heart with a conscience and who prefers to pay their bills even if only bit by bit over a prolongued period. I've known so many people who either don't care or who do a deliberate runner after running up bills with people. I have no time at all for people like that so well done and as I say, good luck.

Hope I've been of some help.
Nick

Answer 2

The smartest thing is to contact the phone company and try to explain the situation. That you will try to pay it as soon as you have the money. Maybe they are able to get it fixed with a monthly payment.
That is something you had to do a while ago because the longer you wait the tougher they get!!

Answer 3

Large corporations have an allowance within their budget for unpaid and unreceivable bills. While it is wrong to leave a bill unpaid, you will probably be faced with paying the full amount if you approach them. Furthermore, your account has probably been written off by the telecom. To ease your concience, forward the 500 euro amount once you have it, rather than starting easy payments, considering you are about to leave the EU anyway.

Answer 4

just call them and tell them the truth, you should still have the bill with there contact numbers on aye, tell them that you thought you would get into trouble with them because you didnt have the money to pay but now that you settled finacially you can afford to pay time payments on the bill and would like too....good luck, i know what thats like to be in that position, but trust me it will all work out : ) , the difference with you is that you want to pay the bill, not like others that would just do a runner and ignore their conscience...

Answer 5

I would say the best idea would be to call/write to the phone company. Explain the situation and they will be able to set up some kind of repayment option for you.
And well done for not just running off and not paying it.

Answer 6

i think of in an outfit that no longer something needs to necesscarily tournament straight away, yet each and all of the colors could supplement one yet another. the main important to an surprising outfit is accesories. i think of you may take the plainiest suitable and backside yet once you accesorize them with an exciting accesorie it could turn the whole outfit around. Like in case you have a easy outfit yet you pair it with a pair of zebra apartments it as we talk spices the outfit up. i think of the shirt unquestionably holds each thing mutually, with the aid of fact its what you build the outfit around. And the main serious component to the outfit is the accesories. i won't be able to call a particular accesory. I dont think of you may overkill on accesories yet you shouldnt skimp out on them too.

Answer 7

Seems simple, contact the company, explain the situation and come to some arrangement, I'm sure that they will be helpful if they see willingness to pay, which you appear to have.

Answer 8

Agree with OriginalBubble.