The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) and the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland have received numerous contacts about the collection letters sent by Kasbono Oy demanding the payment of unpaid debts to the company. This letter concerns debts incurred a long time ago, which Kasbono reports that it has purchased from the original creditors. Many of the letter’s recipients felt that the letter’s claims were unfounded or at least unclear.
Companies engaged in debt collection must register with a register maintained by the Regional State Administrative Agency. Kasbono has not been entered in the register, but it has submitted an application for registration to the Regional State Administrative Agency on 3 August 2020. The Regional State Administrative Agency will also investigate whether Kasbono is carrying out collection of debts subject to registration, although the company has not been registered.
Instructions for recipients of the collection letter
If there is any doubt as to the appropriateness of the debt specified in the collection letter, the limitation period of the debt or the reasonableness of the recovery costs, you can request additional information from Kasbono Oy.
The debtor has the right to receive the following documents and information as additional information:
- a promissory note, order agreement or other document on which the debt is based
- information on the limitation of debt expiration, for example when collection letters have been sent and to which address
- itemisation of the required recovery costs
- a report on debt repayments.
If you feel that the required debt is completely or partially undue, you may contest it. A debt can also be contested, for example, if the debt has expired or the recovery costs are unreasonable. Send a notification of contest to Kasbono in writing, for example by e-mail, and explain in the message why you consider the debt to be unfounded.
Once the debt has been contested, the creditor must suspend the recovery of the debt in order to settle the case or bring the case to court. A court can ultimately decide whether the debtor must pay the debt in question.
Advice and assistance
If you have received a collection letter from Kasbono and need guidance and advice, you can contact Consumer Advisory Services. Consumer Advisory Services provides advice and assistance in problem situations related to the collection of consumer debts.
If the matter has been initiated by a debt collection action before a district court, you can request assistance in court by submitting a request for assistance to the Consumer Ombudsman at kirjaamo@kkv.fi.
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Complaining about unjustified bills or receivables