Help please - LOWELL FINANCE!!!

[dizzydeedee]

I have an account that is with Lowell Finance. I was paying £10.00 per month. It was originally agreed for a period of 3 months, but I didn't hear anything and continued to pay the amount. Then my circumstances changed. I couldn't afford the repayments to many of my creditors, so I wrote to them all asking for their help. I supplied a financial statement. I offered to pay £5.00 per month but stated that, as my circumstances improved I would pay more. I cancelled my direct debit.I stated on the letter 'please hold the account as I cannot afford the payment required'. I received a letter from them today asking me to fill the direct debit mandate in. I rang them and i was told that I couldn't cancel a direct debit at the bank, I had to cancel it with them first then my bank, and Lowell was unwilling to cancel it and said they would keep taking the monies. I was then told I had to give all my income details over the phone and I wouldn't as I supplied it to them a few weeks ago. He asked me when my mortgage was due, to which I said the 1st of the month. Actually I rent my home, but I was just trying to sort this out. I was told that I had equity in my home and I needed to remortgage it to pay them. I only owe them £190.83! Can someone please tell me where I stand and what to do with this? They wont accept my offer of repayment despite me having a negative disposable income. I am extremely bad health, and today it shows. I have heart problems and I cannot breath very well and I feel weak. With the way they are going I am going to drop dead and then they will not get their money anyway. I don't know what to do. Just someone, please help.

[bi15hgm]

dizzydeedee

DO NOT MAKE YOURSELF ILL over this. Follow the advice on these forums and you will be ok. Just make youself a cuppa and calmly write out your strategy.

You can cancel a DD at any time but you must inform the payee that the DD has been cancelled or they may be able to reclaim charges for a failed DD. In future try and set a up a Standing Order where you are in control and not them. Also send them the template letter requesting them to communicate with you only in writing, send the CCA request letter, again in the templates and then wait.

That is my advice but as I am also new to this there will be others who have better and greater experience of these matters and I sincerely hope you will, as I have done, be encouraged by the support from this forum.

[tifo]

you can cancel your direct debit at the bank.

they have to accept what you offer if its the only amount you can afford.

ask at the CAB and they will sort it out.

[payingonlyencouragesthem]

Other members have been completely sorted in minutes by the CCCS call 0800 1381111. They will give you a case number. Ring Lowell and inform them that the CCCS has taken over the matter and quote the case number. End of. CAB are good too but it takes ages for them to get anything done and they are hard to reach by phone. Let us know how you get on.

[PriorityOne]

Don't discuss your financial details over the 'phone... ever !! This is what happens.... they feed you a load of bowlarks to get more money out of you. You don't need to hear it and you don't have to put up with it.

Send a CCA request, as advised.. by rec. delivery and wait and see if they come up with the docs. or not. If they default.... 12 days after (rec. delivery) signature, you are within your rights to withhold payment anyway. If they are collecting payments from you, then they need to have the paperwork to back up that right to collect it.

Good luck....