Sorry if I sound a bit thick here but this thread is just way too long to read the whole way through. Am I right in thinking that if your credit company CANNOT send a copy of the signed credit agreement then they don't have a leg to stand on in chasing payment from you? I'm currently waiting for a copy of my credit agreement from Welcome Finance (who reckon I owe them in the tune of £5000 for a loan which I took for just over £1500). Only problem is I'm a bit worried as they have my signature on previous letters which I have sent to them in the past.

Thanks I'll try writing to them again and let them know that my income will be decreasing further in the next few months. Hopefully I'll get a reply this time.

Thanks I did have a look at that thread but I don't think an IVA is an option for me as I'm due to go on maternity leave so my income is going to change drastically in the near future. I'm not sure what other options I have

I'm thinking of declaring myself bankrupt and need a bit of advice. I owe in the tune of £7000 to various creditors - £5000 of this being to Welcome finance even though the amount borrowed was only £1500. I'm 7 months pregnant, have no assets and my partner is on minimum wage. We live in a private rented flat and our rent alone is £750. I have sent several letters to Welcome asking them to consider reducing my payments, cancel my PPI and sending me an updated statement and they've not bothered to reply to any of my letters. I have had several calls all of which I have ignored as my letters clearly stated that I would only communicate with them in writing. I had a message from their collections team today asking me to call them back but I haven't as yet. I'm due to go on maternity leave in 6 weeks after which my income is going to be drastically reduced so is going bankrupt my best option as trying to get Welcome to come to an agreement is obviously not working and I'm not willing to pay them a penny until they at least respond to my requests. I've check with my employer and my job would be safe if I did go bankrupt and my and my partner have no assets.

To cut a very long story short, I have written to Welcome about 6 times regarding reducing my monthly payments as my partners employment status has changed and I'm struggling at the moment to make the full payment of £236 per month. On the advice of the national debt helpline, I have requested that Welcome Finance only communicate to me in writing. I've received several calls on my mobile and at work all of which I've ignored as my letters clearly state that I will only communicate in writing. I got so fed up last week that I actually called them back and had a not so nice call with my account manager. In a nutshell, the outcome of the conversation was he didn't see why I wanted to have only written confirmation and they would continue to call me. This was on Tuesday 1 April. I have just received a letter in the post (dated 2 April) from Welcome saying that seeing as I had not replied to their previous correspondance, they were looking into taking legal action against me. Firstly, I never received such correspondance and secondly, this was not mentioned in the telephone conversation I had with them I have not made payment to them on a matter of principal as my letters also asked for them to cancel any PPI's I have on my account and to also send me a new account balance as I want to check the amount they reckon I own. So far nothing!!!! Furthermore, I will be going on SMP from August so my income will be dramatically reduced so just wondering really if anyone had any advice of what to do if they do take legal action against me and what payments terms I can come to if I know I'm going to be on SMP shortly. Thanks

Does anyone have the complaints address for Welcome finance? I've sent yet another letter via recorded delivery specifically telling them that I would like a reply to my letters in writing as I am refraining from any telephne contact with them at the advice of the National Debt helpine and they're still leaving phone messages on my mobile and my mums home number. I am sick and tired of this company's lack of response. I want to make payments asap but am not going to do so until they reply to my new proposed amount.

Welcome finance are currently driving me mad I've had a change in my financial circumstances since taking out my loan and have been in contact with the National Debt helpine who have advised me to write to Welcome telling them of my situation and enclose a budget sheet with what I can now afford to pay. I have now sent them 3 copies of the same letter and have had no response. I have also sent them a letter 4 times telling them that I moved address in November 2007 and they keep sending letters to my old address (my parents) saying that they have had no payment off my etc etc and are charging my account £10 for each letter sent. I've been told by the NDH to not communicate with them by telephone but I'm getting nowhere with sending letters. I'm 4 1/2 months pregnant and getting really stressed out about it which is not good for me.

Last April I took a loan out with Welcome Finance for £1,500 paying back just over £200 for 24 months. I only took the loan because i have bad credit and nobody else would consider me. I paid back about 3 months and then asked them if I could top up with another £400. I (very very stupidly) signed a new form without reading it properly first and now my repayments are £236 per month for 36 months. So this means for a loan of £1900 I'm having to pay back £8496. I called my account manager at Welcome to query this as when I reread the form I thought it must have been an error and was told in a nut shell that as I'd signed the form that I was stuck with it! That was in September last year and I've been paying back the money with struggle. However, things have taken a turn for the worse as my boyfriend has just found out he's out of work and I've just found out I'm 9 weeks pregnant. My wages alone will just about cover my rent and bills leaving me £100 for food a month so I have no idea how I'm going to pay my loan. I'm getting into a bit of a state and had no sleep last night because I really don't know what I'm going to do. I feel my life is in a BIG mess.

Just read your thread. Let me know how you get on

Just gave customer relations a call and they're not backing down. Guess it's time to file a court claim.

Does anyone else have any views on this before I contact Halifax?

I successfully claimed back £719 back in March as I had a years worth of statements and started a claim while I waited for the other 5 years worth. when I received my statements I started a new claim for £1,330. The deadline for the LBA was up last week and on Saturday I received a letter from Halifax saying that as I accepted their settlement for my first claim, I agreed that I couldn't claim back any future charges. Is this right? If I did agree not to claim future charges, does this count as they're not really future charges, but charges dated back 6 years. I haven't had any new charges on my account since December. Can someone please help as I'm worried that I've blown my chance of getting all my money back by accepting my first claim?

I didn't get any response from my second claim letters. I'm going to start court action this week. Good luck with your case.

Thanks - I'll have a read through Moneyclaim and see if it's right for me.

Halifax have not responded to any of my letters for my second claim. The deadline I set in the LBA is now up and I need to start a court claim. What's the best way to do this as I see you can do one on-line and one by post? What's the difference between the two and what one is the easiest? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks KellyDJ

I sent my prelim letter for my second claim on the same account last week. They paid up my first claim before it reached court stage. Has anyone else made more than one claim on the same account and how quickly did they pay up the second time?

Oh dear, I've already sent the new letter and just used the same letter I sent the first time.

After I sent my S.A.R letter, I started a claim for the statements which I already had (i only normally keep a years worth). They settled my first claim (£719 was the full amount) 1 day before my statements arrived. If I had of received my statements before they settled I would have added the new amount to that claim. I've just got a feeling that the second time around is not going to be that easy

Hi I recently received a refund of £719 (a years worth of charges) exactly two weeks after sending my second letter. I send a prelim for a new claim yesterday (the other five years worth of charges). Do Halifax put up more of a fight when you claim for a second time? Has anyone made a claim for a second time and halifax paid straight away?

I'm about to start my second claim on the same account. Had an offer of £719 on Saturday (1st claim for years worth of charges) and received my statements this morning so will be starting a new claim for the other five years within the next few days.

received my statements this morning!!! Counted them and they're all there.

Um I didn't receive any forms to sign. The letter said that no further action was needed as it would be credited into my account. Do you think I should give them a call to see if I do need to sign anything first?

Hi received a letter on Saturday (dated 7th) which said that they would refund my claim on £719 within the next 14 days. The question is do they normally wait until day 14 or do they pay up quickly. If they don't pay within 14 days as stated should I start court action as they 14 day deadline from my second letter ends on Thursday 15th?

No not yet. I can imagine that we'll get them bang on day 40 But I did get a letter on Saturday offering to refund my claim of £719 into my account within the next 14 days. When I receive my statements I'll be claiming the rest of my charges for the last 6 years. Keep me updated!!!

Bit of advice needed. When i receive my statements and find out the total of the charges, should I send a letter saying I'll accept the £719 as a part payment or should I start a new claim from scratch?