I have been looking over my bank account statements and have noticed that a company I had went for an interview and was given the job has been paying me money but I never started with them.. They have been paying me £260 every fortnight totalling £780.. they had stopped paying 3 weeks ago so they have obviously realised that there was an error..
I am now starting to panic as obviously I have not worked for it so was not due it... both my partner and I use the bank account and we were not aware of this. what should i do
2007-08-05 01:43:52 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United Kingdom
Don't panic! This happened to me after my husband had a stroke and could no longer work for a major supermarket chain.......several times over the next few months his 'salary' appeared in the bank-even though he had finished with them.......I used the funds (he no longer was able to do any banking)......about 6 months later we got a letter from their bank--mistake--please replace the money! I called them -explained that my husband was no longer able to work, there was NO WAY it could be replaced, and they had to take some responsibility for their mistake....and the told me not to worry about it anymore, they would write it off. At worst you could offer to pay it off at £1 a week....no one can send you to jail if you offer to pay back.
2007-08-05 01:59:07 · answer #1 · answered by olivo 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In my opinion its' their mistake and they can't get blood out of a stone. If and when they do request the money back, then it's up to you how you decide to pay it back (£1 week). I know this may sound dishonest but nowadays if the shoe was on the other foot and you were waiting to be paid from someone I bet your always the one chasing after what belongs to you. They have made a mistake and its up to them to rectify it in my opinion. At the moment i would class it as an interest free loan.The decision can only be made by you and how you honestly feel, but I'm under the impression you want people on here to sway you and make you feel better as its obvious both you and your partner have already delved into this money. They obviously have your bank details having given you the job that you then didn't take. Did you phone and let them know you decided against taking the job? If its a big company you have been added straight on their pay role and its taken them 6 weeks to inform the wages department that you are actually not working for them.Probably just as well you turned the job down as it sounds like this company is so disorganised and lack in communication skills.
2007-08-05 03:16:38 · answer #2 · answered by helen jt 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I personally wouldn't spend it as I have read stories like these and the company comes back demanding the money. It is possible however that as it is not such a huge amount that the company (now realizing their mistake and stopping payments) may not pursue it. If you still have the money in your account resist the urge to spend it and wait a few months to see if any contact is made to either you or your bank. If not then I see no reason why you shouldn't then treat yourselves. Alternatively, if you are really worried and nervous about it come clean to the company and point out that it has been paying you erraneously and see what happens from there. If anything they will then see that you would have been a trustworthy employee.
2007-08-05 01:55:30 · answer #3 · answered by Victoria M 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I didn't read all the answers just a couple, end up in prison. What idiots.
Hun, it's the company's fault entirely. You didn't mis-lead them in any way to pay you the money. I'd spend it. But bare in mind they might try and ask it back. They legally cant just take it back out of your bank account unless you've signed a contract and that was in the terms in the event of over payment. In my last employment, they paid me an extra £100 a month for a couple years when my hours went down, my money should have. Got away with it!
2007-08-05 11:39:47 · answer #4 · answered by L*D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the answer given to 'spend it quick' is very silly. Legally, it is not your money and you can be asked for it back and will have to give it back. The best thing to do is put it in a savings account so you can earn some interest on it until such time as you have to give it back. (of course there is always the possibility that they are so disorganised they will never ask for it back, but if they do, you will panic even more if you have spent the money)
2007-08-05 02:21:37 · answer #5 · answered by SLF 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Own up. If you have not been using this money, you have nothing to fear. If it was not due to you, you are legally obliged to return it. Your bank will take it back anyway and return it to the correct owner's account. If you have used some inadvertently before you realised the error, you and the bank can come to some arrangement about giving it back.
When I discovered lodgments missing from my building society account, I queried it and they were found and returned. They never told me whose account they had wrongly credited them to.
2007-08-05 11:50:53 · answer #6 · answered by bluebell 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Move it to an interest-bearing account, and get some return on your money. Then hope their payroll department dont spot it.
If you get a letter asking for it back, then ignore it, if you get a second letter, ignore it. If they ask a third time, or phone you, then pay it. If no-one comes looking, keep it.
Not strictly ethical, but not actually illegal either.
2007-08-07 23:48:31 · answer #7 · answered by Subic 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not spend it. It may be in your contract that any over-payment is subject to recovery at the Company's disrection.
Get in touch with the company that interviewed you immediately. Tell them what happened - they might not, as I don't know if you signed a contract, be entitled to it back as, technically, they did not employ you.
2007-08-05 02:39:11 · answer #8 · answered by Phil G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you spend it you might end up in prison.
Ring the company that paid the money, tell them they made a mistake and offer to pay it back.
2007-08-05 01:49:35 · answer #9 · answered by pongydog 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Contact the company , and inform them , and pay it back
2007-08-05 07:24:15 · answer #10 · answered by Stephen A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋