The shock was great for several inhabitants of Tessenderlo. This week, without any explanation beforehand, they were ten to receive the visit of a bailiff. The common point ? An unpaid invoice from 2020 or 2021 for Practimed, a medical laboratory in the region. Problem, many are those who have never received this famous invoice.
This is the case of Nancy Tytgat who explains her surprise at Belang van Limburg. “I was shocked when a bailiff showed up at my door on Thursday,” she confides to our Flemish colleagues. She confesses, it happens regularly to him not to pay a bill until the first reminder. However, here, Nancy claims never to have received any mail from Practiced. “It must have been an invoice dated May 31, 2021 for the amount of 23.82 euros. Today, following the bailiff’s visit, I should pay 298.95 euros before June 24. »
Dozens of people affected
If she fails to do so, the woman faces a court appearance in Beringen. Which obviously surprises him. “I never received a reminder, request or phone call from Practiced to pay the bill. And suddenly, a bailiff comes to our door and asks us to pay ten times the amount of the initial invoice… Incredible. I’m fed up,” she adds.
On social networks, Nancy discovered that she was not the only one concerned by this affair. In total, more than 23 people, mainly from Tessenderlo, have experienced the same scenario. What surprises everyone is that the famous unpaid bill has never been shown. “So we don’t even know what it is. I would almost think it was a scam. Because if that’s true, I find the way Practimed treats its customers unprecedented. Shame. »
Valid
Contacted by Belang van Limburg, Practimed indicates that no irregularity has occurred, the invoice and the reminders having been sent. “If we do not receive a response following two reminders, we transfer these files to a collection agency. “A member of the board of directors nevertheless added that the agency in turn sent several reminder invoices… except in the event of “non-payment history”. “People who are well known to the collection agency don’t get these reminder bills. Given their background, their file is transferred directly by the collection agency to the bailiff! »
“We can therefore assure you that all actions taken in the context of collecting payments from our patients are correct and legally valid”