Personal Visitation by DCA over Powergen

[DK32UK]

Hi All

This is my first thread and I'm hoping I get all the right bits in all the right places. I would really appreciate any advice on the following if possible:

Here goes..

In July 2006 I incurred a bill of £440 from Powergen. It became this high because the rented property I was in at the time had 2 immersion heaters. During the 6 months I lived there I was running off the emergency immersion (unbeknown to me at the time) as the main one had broken due to the whole system being so old. I therefore was left with this huge bill. I managed to pay off some which now leaves me with an amount of £292. I have been unable to pay this as I have a longterm illness, and as a concequence am waiting to apply for banckruptcy, but that's another story.

I am now at a stage whereby no matter how many times I speak to or correspond with the DCA I have now been advised by letter that I have granted them authority to proceed with a personal visitation by a Debt Investigation Officer. I guess I 'granted them authority' because their previous correspondence which was a LEGAL NOTIFICATION stated if I didn't pay up (which I didn't/couldn't) they would go ahead and issue a claim against me in my local court.

I've been looking through the threads and templates on here and so far have found the telephone harrassment/only contact me in writing template the most relevant to send them.

I no longer answer calls from creditors and my heart pounds everytime the doorbell rings which is usually the postie, but now it' only a matter of time until the real the thing..

Folks, apologies for this thread being a long one... if anyone has any advice bar the sending of the above mentioned template, please do make contact. I'm counting on going bankrupt in 4-6 weeks when I'm granted income support. I've being trying to go brankrupt for almost a year..

Many thanks!

[crystaltipps]

In your conversations with the DCA, have you been offering any kind of payment arrangement, even if it's just a token £1? If they decide to go to court, and I very much doubt they will as to Powergen £292 is a small debt, the court will only grant a CCJ based on what you can afford. By the time it gets to that stage, by what you have written, you will have declared bankrupt and your debt will be written off anyway.

If you make an offer (and stick to it), and ask them to only correspond by letter. explaining your circumstances, you will probably be fine. If you don't make an offer of repayment, they will probably visit even if you ask them not to.

The fact that you have already paid off half of the original bill also stands in your favour as it shows you are not totally ignoring the debt - just that your circumstances have now changed.

[DK32UK]

Thanks for the post

I've constantly kept in touch with the DCA informing them of my situation with budgets etc. I haven't offered them a token offer, not even a pound, I've literally being living hand to mouth and never know what 'surprise' is in store from month to month. I thought thier Legal Notification was a preliminary before news of a CCJ came. I didn't realise they send Debt Investigation Officers round. I've been threatened with baliffs by other creditors, but they haven't surfaced yet. I'll tell them not to visit by letter for what it's worth. I think I'll have to hide behind the sofa for the next 4-6 weeks and hope for the best and possibly send a pound until bankruptcy! It's the second smallest debt I have yet the most hassled/harrassed by...

[gizmo111]

If they issue court proceedings byt he time it gets to court you will be bankrupt - don't worry they are just trying to foce you into paying. If you have no money you pay end of story. The ycan't get blood out of a stone.