Hello everyone. Im new here, so I hope I am in the right place.

I really dont know where to begin.

I was paying my credit card off at a reduced rate until around 3 years ago when my debt was sold to Cabot who more than doubled my payments.

It was too much for me to afford with no job, recently divorced and a young family to support. So I defaulted.

Other than one letter from Cabot asking me for full payment of my debt, I have not received any further payment requests nor notifications of home visits during this time. I have lived at the same address for 6 years. I am in Northern Ireland.

Last week I received a home visit from Resolve Call debt collection agency.

He said I would have got a letter giving me 7 days notice of his call, but I honestly did not.

He was very rude and really frightened me.

He said various nasty things and made some threats of court action, bailiffs and being made homeless if I failed to pay in full.

He also said that he will keep coming back until I pay up.

I have been terrified to answer my door for almost a week.

I really dont know what to do or where to go from here.

I dont have the money to pay them and they wont listen to reason.

I did query the account with him when he tried to push his way into my home by attempting to walk straight through me, but I did not admit to the debt.

They want the full amount or they will take me to court.

My original debt was for £15000 and with my previous payments it now stands at almost £9000.

Any advice would be deeply appreciated.

resolve call?

trying to enter your house

you're kidding me.

you do realise that a DCA is NOT A BAILIFF

and have

ZERO legal powers to do ANYTHING.

next time he comes tell him to do one

leave your property or you'll call police 101.

god please don't fall for their powerless twaddle!!

when was the last time you paid anything?

and tell us about the card debt fully

original creditor

when taken out?

etc etc .

hope you are not blindly paying DCA's on any other debts too!!??

dx

Yes, he did try to walk into my home "to discuss the matter further".

I did not permit him to enter my home and asked him to leave.

He did after making a few thinly veiled threats.

I did not allow him to see that my legs had turned to jelly.

I suppose he saw a single mother with three crying little ones as an easy target to bully.

He was right, but I'm glad I did not allow him to see that I was frightened.

My original credit agreement was with Tesco bank.

Card taken out in 2009 and first default in 2013.

My payment plan was with Tesco and I was paying for around a year via direct debit until they sold my account to a DCA who made my payments unaffordable from the start of their involvement around mid 2015.

I have never paid any DCA.

I have not heard anything about this account until last week.

My last payment (reduced...made directly to the creditor) was may 2015.

Thank you for your assistance.

this should vanish from your credit file on the defaults 6th birthday

doesn't mean its not owed, but atleast that will improve your rating.

were Tesco's informed of your new address? I will assume it was taken out at a previous one?

i'd have expected a few more threat-o-grams than one from cabot, then a mucky brigade visit long time later?

Yes, I informed Tesco of my new address.

I moved in 2012 and my first default was 2013.

My reduced repayments remained the same until my debt was sold to Cabot who increased my repayments to the unaffordable level.

I had no way of meeting their requests and I stuck my head in the sand.

I was told that my debt had been sold and that I should now deal with Cabot, but when I could not meet their repayments I only got one letter asking me for payment in full.

Nothing else at all.

Not even a telephone call and I have not changed my number in 15 years.

And certainly no letter saying a DCA would make a home visit.

I don't know what my next step should be.

I'm terrified of their next home visit.

He was an imposing person and rather forceful.

I'm scared of court action or being made homeless with 3 kids.

If he dares to call again, you dont answer the door. You just call the local police and say you are being harassed and threatened.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter

. I will try not to answer the door without knowing who is calling first.

Should I try to rearrange a repayment plan my original creditor?

Or with Cabot?

I really can't see them being any more reasonable now than they were in the past. However, the agent said he will keep calling at my home until I pay in full and that is really frightening.

It will take me years to pay it off .

I don't relish the thought of daily/weekly/whatever scary visits.

CCA cabot. The fact they told a silly doorstep collector to try his chances proves theyre on shaky ground. The Original lender have washed their hands of the debt and dont care now. Cabot bought it.

What part of they are totally powerless are you not understand ing??

I'm really sorry that I am so clueless about this.

I dont mean to be annoying.

I apologize for my lack of knowledge in this area.

I came to this site to help improve my knowledge and I am grateful to you all for your help.

May I ask what a CCA is please?

I have not heard anything about this account in three years until last week.

I was foolish to forget about it.

pers i'd let this run.

you don't have to jump when a DCA says so.

see if that powerless doorstepper does comeback.

if he does...put a fea in his ear

talk your mobile phone with you and FILM HIM whilst you tell him he is not a bailiff

has no power whatsoever and lied to you before..

and if you don't leave NOW.

my next action will be to call the police 101...are you going yet!!

do not engage in conversation with him at all.

then see where this goes.

you've really got zero to worry about.

you do realise any money you might have thought about paying him will probably end up in his pocket...they are commission based ..

Thank you very much everyone. I feel better . Your replies have all be so helpful and empowering.

can you confirm if your are still living in Northern Ireland?

bailiffs or DCA doorstep collectors are not allowed to operate in NI the only type of legal enforcement officers are appointed by the courts and are all court employees

they can only come to you door after a CCJ has been issued and it is then transferred to their office for enforcement

completely different rules here in NI than England and Wales

if they call back get straight on to 101, and report to the police

Yes, I am still living in Northern Ireland.

I was unaware. Thank you.

They still made a home visit regardless of the law.

same as they do in Scotland where there is no such thing as debt collectors

but numerous dca's are based there and several Scottish councils use them..fathom that one out...