Debt collectors chase parent over six-year-old son’s £35 library fine
Naomi Evans, 47, was shocked when debt collectors sent her a letter chasing her because her son, Thomas, 6, had borrowed two books earlier in the year
A KENT MUM is warning other parents to be careful when taking out children’s library books after her son’s details were passed on to debt collectors.
Naomi Evans, 47, from Shortlands, received a letter from Unique Recovery Services chasing her for a £25.10 debt plus a £10 admin charge because her son, Thomas, 6, had borrowed two books earlier in the year.
“I hadn’t even received a reminder about the books,” says Ms Evans, from Shortlands in Kent.
“I’d only realised that they hadn’t been returned when I used a self-service machine in Bromley Library the previous week and a message flashed up asking me to return them.
Thomas then promised to find the books and bring them back, which he did.”
Despite the fact that the books had been returned, Bromley Library said that Ms Evans was still liable for a £10 "debt collection fee".
“My partner was really worried that we would get blacklisted and be unable to get credit if we didn’t pay,” Ms Evans said.
“I’m warning other parents that they must make sure of the rules at their local library before taking out books for children, because it is really easy to overlook children’s books as part of a busy family life.”
The two books in question were Wigglesbottom Primary: The Magic Hamster by Pamela Butchart and A Robot Dog by Mark Oliver.
Bromley Library is run by social enterprise GLL, which says it does not issue fines to children who take out books on their own ticket.
“Charges are made to replace items not returned – which we understand this bill relates to,” a spokesman said.
He added that “a series of reminders and notifications are routinely sent to the parent of a child” before a debt collection letter was sent.”
However, Ms Evans said she did not receive any notifications.
Nick Poole Chief Executive of CILIP, the library and information association, said that heavy-handed debt collection tactics could discourage families from borrowing books.
“A letter from the debt collectors about a late children’s book is clearly wrong and simply puts families off using the library,” he said.
“It’s essential that all children get reading and we would much rather see creative approaches to encouraging people to use libraries, like reminders that books should be returned so other children can read them too.”
James Jones, from credit rating agency Experian, said that it is “not uncommon” for libraries to employ debt collection agencies.
“To ensure that your library fine doesn’t have an impact on your credit rating it is sensible if you can to pay off any fine as soon as possible,” he said.
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However, he added that a debt collection agency couldn’t place you on a credit blacklist for not paying a library fine.
If you ignored the agency’s approaches and the fine was escalated to the courts, you could find yourself with a county court judgment (CCJ, and this would lead to it being difficult to get credit.
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Michael Agboh-Davison, adviser at StepChange debt charity, said: “If you’re being chased for overdue library items, you may be able to agree to pay the money back in instalments.
"You may not be able to borrow any more items until its paid off, but library fines are not a court or criminal matter and they have no special powers to recover debt.”
GLL have now agreed to waive Ms Evans’ fine, as well as the debt collection charge. “I will think twice about going to the library in future, though” Ms Evans said.
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