Hi All,

Really hope someone can help me with my predicament.

Around June 2013, i stupidly took a payday loan with 1st Stop Group. The amount was £250 and unfortunately i couldnt pay the repayment due of around £325 therefore i contacted them immediately and informed them. I asked if i could pay £100 per month which was point blank refused. I then heard nothing more (despite chasing them daily to resolve the matter!) for around 4 weeks.

I then received an email stating my bill was now £500 and again, they would NOT accept £100 per month and that failing repayment of the full balance, they would start CCJ proceedings, i again pleaded to them to accept £200 per month for 2 months and £100 final month. They again point blank refused and would not even begin to negotiate a repayment plan to repay the debt.

The next thing was court letter with a claim for £640 roughly, i replied to the courts with all correspondence showing that i had tried my utmost to resolve this matter and 1st Stop Group refused point blank to do anything but request the balance in full. I included all correspondence between myself and 1st Stop Group and low and behold, the court sided with them and entered a CCJ against me for the full amount. I stated the full amount should be paid within 21 days, which i simply wasnt able to do so i contacted the courts and they told me to contact 1st Stop and see if they will accept a payment plan, which i did.

Low and behold, i contacted 1st stop who then ACCEPTED £100 per month (after the CCJ has been entered!) yet they were unwilling to even discuss a repayment plan beforehand. I requested their bank details and was point blank refused again, i was told the only way i could pay it was by debit card and i was not willing to hand over my debit card details.

The next thing was a letter through the post with an attachment of earnings order application and the amount now around £840, i replied to the courts outlining how ridiculous this whole situation is, showing that they were unwilling to discuss a repayment plan before the CCJ, showing that they wouldnt give me their bank details, and i was legally obliged to provide all my outgoings which i duly did. My outgoings leave me roughly £220 per month after all bills.

The court ignored my letter and replied with a suspended attachment of earnings order for 21 days, stating the full amount of £840 is to be paid within 21 days or the attachment of earnings order will be sent to my employers. When i am only left with £220 a month how can they state a "monthly payment of £840 until the full balance of £840 is paid in full".

I dont want this going to my employers and quite honestly, i'm not only disgusted with 1st Stop Group but also the courts who it seems genuinely ignored every piece of correspondence i sent to them outlining the situation. They seemed to immediately just side with 1st Stop on everything despite my genuine attempts to resolve this matter on numerous occasions.

I'm now in the position where i'm going to have to sell my car to one of these horrible cash for cars places to get this paid in the next couple of weeks in order to not have the attachment of earnings order sent to my employers (which would no doubt cause me lots of trouble in my job).

Please, if anyone has any advice i'd really appreciate it as i'm depressed, not sleeping, and quite frankly disgusted with this company who had no intentions from day 1 of doing anything other than going through the courts.

Regards,

B&T

You can ask the court to look at your finances and consider a repayment plan. Think its called a variation order. This will allow you to pay back what you owe at a rate you can afford. Your problem is you fell right into their trap. You went to court and admitted you owed it. Therefore they got the CCJ. 1st stop are very VERY well known for pulling this stunt.

You went to court and admitted you owed it. Therefore they got the CCJ. 1st stop are very VERY well known for pulling this stunt.

I'm not quiet sure what you mean by this. Was the poster supposed to deny he owed the loan? If he did'nt reply to the court then 1st stop would have got a

default judgement anyway.

No. But most judges when the debtor admits the debt in full and doesnt persuade the judge that the charges are unlawful, will grant the judgement in full to the creditor. The creditor then tries for full enforcement proceedings, just as has happened here. We see it a lot of the time with PDL's. They especially do it to people who they think will give an uninformed defence.

You can ask the court to look at your finances and consider a repayment plan. Think its called a variation order.

This is what i DID do, they asked for details of my incoming & outgoings which after mortgage, food, utilities & other debts leaves me with around £250 a month - yet the court STILL ordered the full £840 to be paid in one full amount from my next wage (they werent interested that would leave me £600 short on everything else and didnt give any option to set up a payment plan other than the full amount to be paid in one lot in first month!

No. But most judges when the debtor admits the debt in full and doesnt persuade the judge that the charges are unlawful, will grant the judgement in full to the creditor. The creditor then tries for full enforcement proceedings, just as has happened here. We see it a lot of the time with PDL's. They especially do it to people who they think will give an uninformed defence.

In terms of admitting the debt, i entered a partial admittance based on the fact that i owed them £350 and had already made numerous attempts to setup a payment plan and being extremely proactive in trying to resolve the matter. I can assure you, my defence was extremely informed, included over 20 pages of correspondence showing full well that 1st Stop had no intentions of resolving this matter in any other way than court and in the process increasing the costs and charges along the way. Low and behold the court sided with first stop.

It's beyond comprehension that the courts should automatically side with the creditor on everything even though they're completely in the wrong, going against all the rules, and know they can get away with it.

Not only frustrating but upsetting that this country is now what it is towards the consumer.