Thanks Mike ..... something to think about there. I'll sleep on it.

I could try a CCA request and see what happens. I did request one a few years back when N Rock temporarily passed my debt on to Eversheds ( what a fiasco that turned out to be), and they did produce it.

Thanks for your reply.

No, the interest has been stopped.

Sorry, my mistake. I took an unsecured loan of £3,000 out with Northern Rock in Feb 2004, for home improvements. I now owe just under £1,400.

Thanks for the suggestion dx, but I don't think that would work, I've already acknowledged the debt when N Rock were in possession of it. Well ... .. I've just written to Marlin and apart from other things I've told them that my ill health is between me and my health professionals, and not for the prying eyes of debt company employees. So I won't be issuing them with any medical evidence .... . not now ..... not ever.

Yes I have been paying, albeit less than they would like.

Thank you, That's what I thought, but I wasn't certain. Actually I've just re-read the letter from Marlin. They've said that in order to assess my affordability to pay a minimal amount they require proof of my benefit AND medical proof. Northern Rock already have/had this, s o I'll stick to my guns and refuse to offer further evidence. I just hope they don't issue me with a statutory demand if they think I'm being obstructive. Thank you for your reply fkofilee.

Hello, For the past few years I have been repaying a small unsecured loan to Northern Rock, with a token gesture payment of varying amounts owing to being in receipt of Employment Support Allowance as I am suffering from multiple health problems. As you're probably aware N Rock have passed several of their debts over to a company called Marlin Financial Services, mine included. While Marlin have agreed that I may continue to pay the same rate per month that I was paying N Rock, they have requested that I produce medical evidence to support my claim that I'm actually unwell. I do have written proof but I don't see why I should send it to them, they aren't after all in the medical or legal profession. My question therefore is would I be within my rights to deny their request for medical evidence? Many thanks for reading.

Hi Tilly, Thanks for your help but I've already sent that one and their reply was that they'd only freeze the interest if I pay 1% of the required outstanding amount, and they know I'm unable to do that.

Hello ... me again. Well, Visa have accepted my offer of £1.00 per month as I mentioned back in August ... BUT ... what they didn't tell me was they were going to continue adding interest every month to my account unless I pay 1% of what I owe each month. As that works out to over £40.00 it just isn't an option for me as I'm still claiming job seekers allowance, which they know. From the moment I began claiming benefits I stopped using my card, what I currently owe was spent while I was working, I had no way of knowing things would change. Would anyone be able to tell me if Halifax Visa can do this to me? I've written to them twice requesting that the interest be frozen temporarily but they don't want to know. Thank you ....

Thank you tilly, kenny and moneyhelp .... All I need now is small win on the lottery ....

Hello, Sorry I've been a while getting back to you re my problem. The reason is I've been delaying phoning Visa, naughty I know, but I just seem to lose my bottle there for a while. Anyhow, following on from the excellent advice you good people have given me I finally plucked up the courage this morning and phoned Halifax Visa. I needn't have been so worried. The lady I spoke to was extremely helpful, not to mention sympathetic (highly unusual I thought). She initially asked me if I could pay £39.00 pm, but as I explained to her, that simply wasn't an option on £59.00 pw Job Seekers allowance. So I persisted with my token offer of just £1.00 pm. This was agreed, commencing on the 28th of this month for three months when my situation will be reviewed. Hopefully I'll be gainfully employed once again before then. So, a HUGE heartfelt thank you for enabling me to tackle this temporary but extremely worrying problem in my life. x

Thank you ... With all the probs I have at the moment it could be an extremely long time ... What a brilliant site this is though, has been such a help already ... (sticks thumb up in place of a suitable smilie, lol)

Thank you too charlie(not), I'm going to call them on Monday, will report back here with their response to me. Heaven help them if it isn't a favourable one. I'll be ultra polite and grovel initially, BUT not for long if they won't play ball with me, LOL.

Thank you ... again. I fully intend to. Feeling mean and nasty now, which isn't in my nature, but Banks just bring out the worst in me as I'm sure they do most people.

Being a new member, as you may or may not have noticed, I'm not yet entirely au fait with other members posts. A pointer would be nice.

As do I, but in a legitimate way. I'm a qualified Pharmacy technician and as such have frequently seen the damage caused by 'illegal' use of drugs, legal and illegal. What exactly is your experience of the use of drugs then?

Thank you Tilly ... I sometimes gripe about the Internet, but then just occasionally you stumble across a little gem, although not so little in this case ...

I think the Media are largely to blame for causing 'normal' looking people to feel discontented with their bodies. How often do you see 'normal' everyday folks in films, tv, mags, billboards etc. You rarely do, just a perfect size 10, over and over again. It's nauseating. We are what we are, period!

I personally found this clip difficult to watch, although I did view it until the end. Did I feel the slightest degree of sympathy for the 'victim', no. He'll have an extremely sore and painful arse for a few weeks, so what. Not very much of a price to pay for all the lives he's destroyed through drug dealing. What a shame Britain doesn't have stiffer punishments, but with so many do-gooders spouting 'Human Rights', we never will have. Coupled with a Judiciary that panders to the accused and not the victims.

Indeed it is ... I'm feeling better already (partly owing to a bottle of plonk I have here), but mostly to the excellent advice you good people have offered me. :grin: ... See, feeling much happier now ...

Moneyhelp .... thank you so much. I hadn't thought of CAB, probably because I didn't think they had that much influence, how wrong can one be! Joining this forum has taken a great weight off my mind already. Bless you all. :)

Thank you Kenny .... you're a Star! . I'm not sure they'll take my benefit from my account as I'm currently into my overdraft, however, I'm going to open a basic account with another Bank just to make damn sure they cant get their grubby little mitts on it!

Kenny .... thank you very much for your reply, much appreciated. When I first opened a Visa account my financial situation was comfortable, so I very naively assumed I wouldn't need added insurance, DOH! However, this didn't stop them from deducting £3.00's odd from my account each month for several months, WITHOUT my permission, and I STILL haven't been reimbursed. Probably why I feel so cynical about them at this moment in time. It's been a foul day and I'm feeling tetchy, so will leave the phone call until tomorrow. At least then no one will have their head bitten off ... lol