Moorcroft Debt Company - Please Can Someone Advise/Help Me?

[Spirit43]

I posted this on another thread earlier today, just after joining this site....I was totally at my wits end with this horrible horrible organisation Moorcroft (ps thanks to tomterm)-

It is Sunday 8th July and was just about to start the Sunday dinner. However, I received a phone call at 3pm from this awful company Moorcroft. I have been trying very hard indeed to deal with them since February of this year regarding a debt of £1108 owed to Littlewood Catalogue. I've never denied owing the money and just fell on hard times as some of us do from time to time. I also have tried to make payments to them. However, due to being defrauded from not only my bank account and my via my debit card of a large amount of money that I cannot get back (reason why I am in debt, however the thief is in prison for 5 years), I will not as anyone could understand, provide details of my debit card or bank account to anyone over the telephone.

Moorcroft contacted me in Feb of this year and after half an hour of a person much younger than myself making threats of sending someone to my house who would make me pay, (yes those were his words), I gave my debit card details with strict instruction to delete them once they had gone through. I spent the next few months worrying that I may be defrauded again due to this. Although the very young man at the other end of the phone told me that was not his concern and that I should LEARN to pay my bills.

I have received weekly letters from Moorcroft to which I have responded to them by telephone. I request the details from them in order that I can make payment to which they say they will send a standing order details in the post, I never receive them and just receive yet another threatening letter to which I respond by telephone and so on...this has been going on since February 2007. Furthermore, I receive twice weekly phone calls at ridiculous times of day eg. 8am in the morning when just going out to work and 9pm at night when I am just trying to relax. As you can imagine I am tired and just had enough of this company as I feel I am being harrassed and they have no intention of collecting the debt.

Last Sunday at about 3pm a collector came to my door. I had no problem with that and thought at last a human being I can speak to, to sort this out. I discussed with him this ridiculous situation and he seemed very helpful and said he would get the company to provide the details of where to pay and how to pay ie. bank details or something so that I could pay by standing order. He said I should receive them by Friday 5 July 2007.

I didn't receive the details. Instead I received two letters one asking for 75% of the debt immediately and they would write the debt off and then the second saying I was behind by £20 and that I should pay this immediately and then make payments of £30.12 per month, both situations of payment would avoid court action the letters stated. Both letters were dated 5 July 2007.

I immediately telephoned them and asked for reasons for the letters as there collector had visited and promised to send details of how to pay. I was immediately dismissed and told that no collector had been sent to my house and that the debt had been requested to be sent back to Littlewoods and that they were no longer handling this and that Littlewoods would get in touch within a week to organise how to pay.

I asked to speak to a supervisor, to which I was handed over to what seemed to be a helpful person. Her name was Rachel and she advised that there was nothing that she could do and that they couldn't take payments from me either over the phone, by post or any other means and said it was nothing to do with them.

I decided that I would telephone Littlewoods on Monday to try and sort this mess out. However, I have just received a call from a very abusive and rude young girl who wouldn't give me her name. She came on the phone and said 'hi,.....(my name)' how are you? To which I said 'sorry who is this' Then she said 'is that ....(my name)' to which I said 'yes, who is this?' Then she commenced to speel at me that it was Moorcroft Debt Recovery and that I owed them £1084 and how was I going to pay. She started abusing me verbally stating that I should know better than to get in debt at my age!!!! I am completely furious.......I tried to intervene into her abuse and explain where this debt was up to and explain the situation to date. After 10 minutes she calmed down and I asked her for the details of how to pay and I would organise at my bank tomorrow. She then said just a moment whilst I get our bank details for you and she put the phone down on me!!! Which leads me to now believe that they don't want people to pay that they would rather take people to court and get there expenses paid etc.

I am totally at a loss of what to do about this. Is there anyone out there that can give me some advice. I am thinking that I am going to write to something like the financial ombudsman if there is one and send a letter to Moorcroft advising them of my complete frustration with them as an organisation and that there staff are the rudest and most verbally abusive people on the planet. I am so tired of them constantly harrassing me I just want them to stop.

Please help.....
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[clutchingatstraws]

CCA them, stop talking on the phone.

No CCA No Pay

[Hopeful1]

Here's a copy of the letter i sent to Moorcroft requesting CCA:



PO BOX NO 17
2 SPRING GARDENS
SK1 4AJ



Dear Sir/Madam

YOUR REF:

I do not acknowledge any debt to your company.

With reference to the above account, I request that you send me a true copy of this credit agreement before I will correspond further on this matter. This is my right under the legislation contained within section 77 (1) and section 78 (1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and I am entitled to receive a copy of my credit agreement on request. Your obligation also extends to providing me with a statement of account.

I enclose a £1 postal order, which represents payment of the statutory fee payable under the Consumer Credit Act. It is not to be credited to the account. I understand that a copy of my credit agreement should be supplied within 12 working days from the date of this letter. I understand that under the Consumer Credit Act, creditors are unable to enforce an agreement if they fail to comply with a request for a copy of the agreement under these sections of the Act.

Also, since you are a Debt Collection Agency, I would also ask that you supply a signed true copy of the executed deed of assignment for the above referenced agreement. This is an obligation, whether you are the original creditor or not, under
section 189 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Non-compliance with my request
is a criminal offence under the above Act and will result in a report
being submitted to the relevant statutory authorities.

In summary, before I continue to make repayments on this account, could you provide the following documentation:
True copy of original credit agreement
Statement of account
Copy of the executed deed of assignment Littlewoods and Moorcroft.

Please ensure that any contact by yourselves is made via e-mail or in writing only.

Yours faithfully

[dolphin939]

Ive had dealings with moorcroft over a catalogue debt, i sent them a cca request and got a letter back with a so called agreement enclosed amd nothing was enclosed havent heard from them since, do not speak to them if they contact you, and if they are hassling you send them an harassment letter, all letters can be found on the letter template library x

[Hopeful1]

Hello Spirit43. You are now in the best place to learn how to deal with these 'people'.

When you send the CCA request, they are supposed to send you a true copy of your original agreement. When you send it, enclose a cheque or postal order for 1.00. Send the letter by recorded or special delivery (so you have proof you sent it.) As you deal with any debt collector ALWAYS think about keeping evidence!! Keep reciepts, copies of letters you or they send. Log calls they make, but the golden rule is never talk to them on the 'phone.

When you send the CCA request they have 12+2 days to respond, before they go into default. It is at this point you can stop paying htem if you want to. After that they have another 30 days before they go into criminal.

I won't throw any more info at you!! Read the other threads, it's amazing how much you can learn.

Keep posting your progress.

Best wishes

[gymfreak1978]

surley Debt collectors aint allowed to knock on a sunday report moorcroft to the OFT.

[sanddancer]

been a few references to moorcroft over the past week or so...Read all the responces all good advice.The letter from HOPEFUL1 is a good one and a very good starting point...Gain the upper hand over these arrogant sheets

[Spirit43]

Thanks so much to everyone that has responded. I cannot tell you how much I have been going out of my mind with this company, especially when the debt collector called at my house last Sunday - although he wasn't abusive, it was Sunday and I didn't think that they should be able to do that, but as I say he was ok.

I am so glad that after the phone call from the really rude girl at Moorcroft today that I searched the web and found this site. I am going to send the letter as advised by hopeful1. And thanks so much for that. I will keep you updated of what happens and I will take the advice to have no further telephone conversations with them and do everything in writing......I just can't believe that there are such horrible people/companies around....how the hell do these people who work for them sleep at night?

Once again thanks so much and I will let you know what happens next.

PS. i have read a few of the other threads on this company and noticed someone said they might not even have a licence to operate a company of this type. Is that true? How can I find this out?

Spirit 43

[Spirit43]

Hi

Also, could someone explain the acronyms being used. Sorry am not really good at this - what is OFT and CCA - is that a Consumer Credit Agreement?

Thanks

Spirit 43

[clutchingatstraws]

Oft
Cca
Fos
S.A.R - (Subject Access Request)

[clutchingatstraws]

OFT- Office of Fair Trading
CCA-Consumer Credit Agreement
FOS-Financial Ombudsman Service
Thats better

[dolphin939]

I have read somewhere on here that they havent got a license and neither have wescot i have had dealings with them both, i have sent S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) and got a letter back of both with a so called agreement enclosed, but no agreement and havent heard of either of them since, i had a standing order set up and was paying them monthly i have since cancelled it. Keep me posted x

[Spirit43]

I think that after my experiences with this company I am going to try to pursue something with the OFT and FOS then. I can't believe that companies can get away with dealing with people in this way.....will keep you updated on that.

Spirit 43

[itsamomentintime]

spirit43

to clarify, send the letter from post no 3 via recorded delivery, add the reference number that moorcroft have given you and add a chq for £1 made payable to moorcroft.

then wait for 12 working days. then allow a further 2 days for postage.

then let us know what you have recieved (if anything)

[Hopeful1]

This is the post you've probably looked at re Moorcroft and appropriate license:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...moorcroft.html

Unfortunately some-one did track down the license no. HOWEVER, i think they are building a very bad reputation. I should imagine the no. of complaints against them will rise. It might not be long until they lose it

[Drexl Spivey]

You also have to change the way you approaching this situation. You are obviously stressed , it is not a surprising reaction, but it is a reaction you have to control. Because that is what they feed on, your fear and anxiety.. to pressure you into agreeing or signing up to something when you are not thinking clearly or in control of all the facts to offer much of a defence . Don't answer them on the phone anymore .

Read here what people advise you to do, you'll see that they are nothing but paper tigers.. empty threats , but it is this initial period you need to compose yourself against their usual threat tactics. Just put the phone down on them and deal by letter only, There seem to be a lot that start off, understandably, as scared as you are.. but it doesn't last long. Once they find out their rights here . In a weeks time you will looking forward to their calls to laugh at their hollow threats , before casting them disdainfully aside like the foolish non entities they are.

[needhelp1]

Hi,

let me first start by thanking all the advice and help left by members for dealing with moorcroft agency !

I had a letter sent by this horrible company on 26/06/07 asking me to pay an outstanding amount of £36.00 ( approx) asking on behalf