bad debt

[ians]

I wasn't sure where to put this.

The first question, if I am handed over to an attorney for collection and don't hear from the attorney for more than 6 months, then suddenly I get an email responding to a question I asked. I also get a statement from the wholesaler indicating the full amount still outstanding. I have already paid 80 % of the money to the attorney.

Second question, if I have been handed over by another company and the attorney has sent me an email indicating that I have to now pay the attorney with a pile of costs and interest. What will happen if I settle the full amount and pay the company and not the attorney?

It that time of the month again with huge amounts outstanding from my customers, with the same story, they didn't get paid, which in turn cause a huge problem for me paying my bills. Nothing worse than waking up in the morning to find nobody has paid and my debt order will run tonight and I have committed to paying people by today

[Dave A]

The first question, if I am handed over to an attorney for collection and don't hear from the attorney for more than 6 months, then suddenly I get an email responding to a question I asked. I also get a statement from the wholesaler indicating the full amount still outstanding. I have already paid 80 % of the money to the attorney.

Reply to the wholesaler with a list of the payments you have made to their attorney, together with confirmation slips if available.
Sometimes the lawyer "forgets" to pay over.
Sometimes the lawyer pays over, but the references are so jumbled up you can't make head or tale as to which matters the payment is for.
And I've experienced incidents where debt collectors get the money, but never let their client know they were successful.

Second question, if I have been handed over by another company and the attorney has sent me an email indicating that I have to now pay the attorney with a pile of costs and interest. What will happen if I settle the full amount and pay the company and not the attorney?

I've had clients do that to me every now and then.

Normally it's not worth pursuing costs, but if you've led them a dance and the costs are significant, they are still able to pursue if they want to.

EDIT: Perhaps I misunderstood the question (particularly i.r.o. the full amount).
I suggest let both the creditor and the lawyer know.
And keep proof of payments handy

Ultimately, they both should be delighted and quite capable of sorting out the split between them.