Provident Personal Credit - Help needed please

[nas2211]

Hi,

 

I've currently got a loan with provident for £600.00 plus £390.00 interest. I've been paying £18.00 per week since I took it out in Feb this year. The loan was to pay off £294 of an existing Provident loan and left me with some much needed cash as well.

 

The reason I'm in difficulty is because I'm a single parent receiving income support and am struggling to keep up with the weekly payments. I stopped working and went onto benefits in August last year so when it came to filling in the loan request form you have to give to the agent detailing your incomings and outgoings when I refinanced the loan in February,I ticked the box marked 'unemployed' and put down my honest income amount.

 

When I handed it to the doorstep agent he checked it through and said 'oh dear they won't allow you the loan if you've ticked the unemployment box. Lets have a fiddle around with it to make it look better.' He basically amended the form in front of me so it said I worked part time as a cleaner in a local pub earning 'x' amount per week. Then he said it looked a bit too scruffy so he got me another form, asked me to sign it blank and that he'd take it away and make it 'look good' for me.

 

He came back with the loan money the following week and made no mention of the form he's adjusted. I was so desperate for the money as my son's 8th birthday was approaching and I needed to buy presents and organise a birthday for him so I didn't confront the agent about his conduct.

 

As I said I'm really struggling to keep up with the weekly payments now and have missed the odd week recently. I simply can't keep up with them and as the debt is only down to £712.00 I've got a long way to go still. If I mention it to my agent I know he'll suggest a refinance over a longer term which will mean lower weekly payments but more interest and admin costs so I really don't want to go down that route.

 

Does anyone think I might be able to get Provident to accept lower weekly/monthly payments on the basis the agent knew I could't afford it but manipulated my form to make it look as though I could and has now left me struggling? I'm anxious though because he could easily twist it to make out I knowingly lied about my income.

 

I know I was stupid and naive to allow him to do it for me, and to have a loan with Provident in the first place, but I was so desperate at the time and didn't have anywhere else to turn.

 

If anyone could offer me some advice on what my next step would be I would be truly grateful because I simply can't keep up with this at the moment.

 

Nas

[diddled]

As far as Im aware Provident will always accept reduced or nominal payments if your circumstances change. If you can only pay £1 per week they will probably accept it and wont take court action

[nas2211]

Do they really do that?! Wow, I thought they would be pretty hard to get to accept reduced payments. How do you think that would affect the interest that has been calculated re the timescale the money has to be paid back in?

 

I think I'll write to their head office with a 'request for reduced payments' letter from the templates section. What I don't want though is to be pressurised by the doorstep agent into paying more than I can afford each week, especially when he was the one that encouraged me to borrow more than I can afford to repay.

 

In view of this, does anyone know whether Provident accept standing orders in these situatiuons? I don't have a cheque book and would rather avoid having to explain myself each and every week to the doorstep agent who can be rather intimidating

[rory32]

Standing orders are completely acceptable. In fact you should insist that this is how you will pay them.

[sillygirl1]

In my own experience Provident DO take you to court and refuse to accept any offer from a debt management company. They will try to do an attachment of earnings (I was paying £40 pm and they wanted £50, so they went to court). Please get some proper advice, as you are on benefits for your sole source of income I would recommend going to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

[rory32]

I would actually advise CCCS (Tel:0800 138 1111) they may say that you have no disposable income and shouldn't pay them anything. They are also free to use as they are a charity.

 

Please be aware that if they took you to court the judge has a legal and moral obligation to ensure that your standard of living does not fall below a certain level. There are allowances for not just food and bills but also for things like clothing, birthdays, emergencies, etc in your budget. Paying unsecured debts comes right at the bottom of things you need to pay.

 

As you are on benefits the maximum a judge would award would be £1 a month (not £1 a week).

[nas2211]

Thanks for all your advice guys,

 

I think my first step will be as Rory suggested is to go through the CCCS. I had been feeling that somehow provident would be virtually impossible to get to reduce the payments, but if they can support me in what I'm doing then hopefully my position will be a whole lot stronger when I infom Provident of what I can afford to pay.

 

I'll contact CCCS first thing on Monday and will update this thread as I go so any other Provident sufferers can follow it up too.

 

Thanks again guys

[diddled]

I have a good friend, who until recently was a Provident agent.

She is adamant that Provident do accept reduced payments and as long as the reduced payments are met Provident do not take court action.

They may well say they will not accept your offer of a nominal payment, but you should stand firm and tell them it is not an offer, it is all you are able to pay

[surprise]

I would also add that my daughter visited CAB on 27th March who did a financial assessment and wrote to Provident offering them a £1.00 since which time CAB have not heard a word from Provident and has not paid a penny since. CAB have advised her not to worry about this as they have been contacted and the ball is in their court.

[nas2211]

I've done a budget plan with the CCCS which shows I have only a few pounds spare each month so this morning I sent off a offer of token payment letter along with a £1.00 postal order as a 'goodwill gesture' re my first reduced payment (I crossed the postal order so I can track it to see when its been paid into their account).

 

The doorstep agent is next due to visit on Saturday morning so I'm hoping I would have had some response from Provident by Friday, if not I'll contact their head office because if their guy turns up on Saturday and I haven't got the money I'm supposed to pay it'll be a pretty uncomfortable moment!

 

It's good to know that Provident will accept reduced payments and my plan is to stick to paying £1.00 per month and then if they decide to take me to court the judge will be able to see that I've been paying regularly and that I simply can't afford to pay anymore.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a positive resolution with Provident...

[rory32]

It may be worth writing to Provident regarding doorstep visits and include something similar to that below.

 

Please be advised that I am only prepared to communicate with you in writing and therefore, if it remains your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you.

There is only an implied license under Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.).

Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property, and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass. You would also be conspiring in a trespass if you sent someone to visit me nevertheless. Should it be necessary, I will obtain an injunction.

 

 

Yours faithfully,

 

If a doorstep agent turns up give him a copy of the letter and tell him to leave before you phone the police.

[AppleCrumble]

I'm really shocked at the behaviour of the agent in the first place, falsifying a form so that you could get the loan.

I'm sorry I dont know the law regarding this, are there any experts on this around?

 

It sounds very much to me like he was trying to get you to take the loan so that he could get commission, and if the HO wouldn't have lent the money to you on your currnt income, he shouldn't have falsified the forms so you could get it. Darn irresponsible lending. I'm really feelign for you

[cooinda]

I am an ex provident agent, they do not accept S/Os, they will accept reduced payments, and you can request from your local office that a different collector should call on you.

[cooinda]

I have never known Provident not to accept arrangements with a Debt Management Company. They only go to court as a very very last resort, because it is not good for their agents who try to find new customers.

[rory32]

I am an ex provident agent, they do not accept S/Os,

They really don't have any say in the matter.

 

you can request from your local office that a different collector should call on you.

You can request that collectors b*gger off period. They have no right to call at your home.

[nas2211]

I'm really shocked at the behaviour of the agent in the first place, falsifying a form so that you could get the loan.

I'm sorry I dont know the law regarding this, are there any experts on this around?

 

It sounds very much to me like he was trying to get you to take the loan so that he could get commission, and if the HO wouldn't have lent the money to you on your currnt income, he shouldn't have falsified the forms so you could get it. Darn irresponsible lending. I'm really feelign for you

 

This is my main bug bear, the agent knew full well that I shouldn't have been eligible for the loan but he made out he was 'doing me a favour'. I wonder how many more loans he's fiddled the income as a favour too?

 

The trouble with Provident is that you only provide proof of your incomings/outgoings when you first apply for a loan. When you refinance with Provident (take out a second loan to pay off the remainder of the first and leaves you with extra) you only have to fill in a form stating your incomings/outgoings not provide any evidence. This was how the agent was able to fiddle the form to make it look as if I was eligible when I wasn't.

 

Unfortunately there's no evidence that he fiddled the form, only my word against his. The only point may be that it's his handwriting on the form but not sure whether that would be sufficient in law to follow it up?

[nas2211]

Re the standing order points,

 

It's my understanding that I can send cheques/postal orders direct to the office instead of an agent coming round?

 

I'm going to initially insist on a payment book or standing order in the first instance though, but will settle on sending cheques each month if they're difficult. The main sticking point is that I don't want any agents coming round at all and that I'll only deal with them via letter.

 

Cooinda, do you think they would accept this set up in your experience?

[rory32]

Cooinda, do you think they would accept this set up in your experience?

Did you actually read post #11 nas2211?

[borisbeaver]

I've only seen my agent twice in the last 6 weeks.

[nas2211]

Hi Rory,

 

I did read your post, I just felt that as the loan was taken out as a 'doorstep loan' in the first place, I wondered how receptive they would be to a different payment arrangement without having to confront them with legal arguements.

 

I appreciate your point re calling the police if the agent comes round after telling them not too, however as I have an 8 year old child at home I don't feel it appropriate to take that option as it would be distressing for him.

 

I would much rather get an idea from discussion on the forum what is the likelihood of Provident accepting my offer without be having to be so aggressive, and then make the appropriate moves. I hope you can understand that.

[cooinda]

If you do not want an agent to call,Provident do allow you to either, pay at the office, send in postdated cheques, send them postal orders, they do not insist on doorstep collections, it is that most customers prefer this.

[cooinda]

nas 2211.

You should have been given a payment book automatically when you signed up.If you did not get one, you should report that to the office, payment books are a key part of the operation.

[CrappoMan]

Hi,

 

I've come into this thread a bit late, but this info may help.

 

I'm an ex provident agent, and they do accept reduced payments, but try to pay the minimum amount the agent needs to earn their "points" each week.

 

The agents collection list has a minimum amount for each client which will still earn the agent their points that week. This amount changes each week, but is usually just over half the normal weekly amount. As long as the agent is getting their points for the visit, they will be happy (their wages depend on their points!).

 

The next time the agent visits, ask them what the minimum payment for points is.

 

EDIT: The advice about the payment book is correct, they HAVE to give you one. Whatever you do, DO NOT SEND POSTDATED CHEQUES, they WILL submit them early. I did !

 

But, it may have changed in the last 3 years since I 'slaved' for them.

 

 

Regards,

 

Simon

[cooinda]

Hi Crappoman.

 

I worked for Provident for some time (slaved) left a couple of years ago, about postdated cheques, we used to get plenty, but were only cashed on the due dates, one on occasion that I know of, a cheque was sent in early, but returned by the bank due to the date being dated ahead.

I suppose a lot depends on the quality of the managers.

[CrappoMan]

Hi,

 

About postdated cheques; I submitted them all with my Agent Weekly Return Sheet (AWRS), I don't know if the processing centre actually submitted them for payment, but I sent them all in anyway.

 

Looking back now, I should have kept hold of them to cover subsequent weeks, which would have shown non payment on my AWRS and affected my IQ for those weeks, (forget what that stands for, something quotient, i think), but I was told not to hold on to them, cos that would be keeping someone elses money and could be construed as dishonest if there was a spot check by the boss.

 

 

Regards,

 

Simon