Hi all I am looking for some basic information at this stage about how to handle swift finances. I don't have the exact figures in front of me but here is the background. About 8 years ago I was very stupid and ran up a lot of unsecured debts. In my wisdom I decided to get a secure loan to clear these and this is what lead me to a deal with Swift Advances in the first place. I struggled for years to make the payments till 2 years ago I was made redundant. I was off work for just under a year and fell very behind both with Swift and my main mortgage company. This all came to a head last November when my main mortgage company applied for a repossession hearing. I had at this time just started back at work, I attended court and succesfuly got a suspended possession order and have made every payment since. This feels under control. At the same time, I was in a similar position with Swift. My original fixed payment to Swift was £505 a month. I explained to them my situation and since last November have made payments of £550 a month, so I am meeting my monthly obligations and clearing the arrears slightly. However, because of some £18,000 of charges Swift have added, the interest now means that Swift need a payment of £814 a month to keep the account in the clear. I can't meet this. Every 2 weeks at the moment Swift ring me and we discuss the account and go round in circles. For the past 2 months they are putting a lot of pressure on me to sell the property as they claim it's in my "best interests". The phone call today told me they'd have a valuation done and advise me to sell sooner rather than later, except their valuation is some £50k less than an independent one I had done last month out of interest. Now, I have no intention of selling my home at the moment. It's my home. I have fought long and hard these past 3 years to get myself back on my feet and I think I'm starting to win. But the pressure from Swift is becoming and increasing burden and I'm actually starting to feel very frightened. I am aware that discussing this with them on the phone may no longer be my best course of action. At the moment I have a month by month agreement with them for the £550 but today the girl that rang said they were unlikely to accept this any further and they refuse to discuss further options with me till I speak to my citizens advice bureau "who will likely advise me to sell also"??? What is my best action here, I want to keep paying as much as I can every month to clear the loan and it seems preposterous that the reason the loan is now so high is their so called charges. What written letters would be best to send at this point? Is the CAB likely to be able to help at all for either side? And I have seen others here recommend complaining to my MP? Is that a wise plan? Any advice gladly received.. I feel like I don't know where to start to fight this but I am totally ready for a fight! Thanks for reading!

Thank you for your information. I spoke to the council today, who as you predicted said they'd 'prefer not to accept payment'. I told them I was only willing to deal with them and they said that I could do that but would find that the bailiffs would not stop calling and I "may find them rather unpleasent". I have, so far, stuck to my guns and said that I will be making my first payment to them shortly. I will pay online now, and the same again next month. Can you also tell me how this will work with the charges they have put on the account so far? (£356 already, which I will query) Will they eventually drop off when they return the case to the council? Also, how long should I expect them to try before they return the debt? Thanks again!

I have a debt of £756 for this years council tax that has been passed to Jacobs in November. I wrote to them in November, with an offer to pay £40 a month with a financial statement explaining why I can only pay that much, with ccj's listed. They said I would hear from them. I heard nothing untill I got a 'Final Notice - Removal' letter. I then phoned again and was told there was nothing they could now do as it was in the hands of the local agent. Having spoken to him on the phone he is telling me the bill, with charges, is now £1007.50. He will accept nothing less than £250 a month, with the first installment being due by Christmas Eve. (Funny that, as I see from their website they are closed from then on till Jan 5th with no enforcement visits during that time!) I spoke to my council offering £100 a month but they are saying they refuse to take the debt back unless I clear it within 3 months. My questions are, if someone could help? a) The bailiff in question has told me he will be 'round at 11am on Thursday to collect first installment and to come in to list my possesions'. Am I really within my rights not to let him in? Should I contact him first to tell him (He told me I could contact him via text message!) b) I wish to pay £100 a month, preferably direct to the council. Is there a way I can make them accept? Is it best to make payments anyway in the meantime? Is it best to pay them or should I do it via Jaccobs website? (Are they allowed to insist 'payment is not sent to the council' as they do in their letter? Many thanks for any help

I have a debt of £756 for this years council tax that has been passed to Jacobs in November. I wrote to them in November, with an offer to pay £40 a month with a financial statement explaining why I can only pay that much, with ccj's listed. They said I would hear from them. I heard nothing untill I got a 'Final Notice - Removal' letter. I then phoned again and was told there was nothing they could now do as it was in the hands of the local agent. Having spoken to him on the phone he is telling me the bill, with charges, is now £1007.50. He will accept nothing less than £250 a month, with the first installment being due by Christmas Eve. (Funny that, as I see from their website they are closed from then on till Jan 5th with no enforcement visits during that time!) I spoke to my council offering £100 a month but they are saying they refuse to take the debt back unless I clear it within 3 months. My questions are, if someone could help? a) The bailiff in question has told me he will be 'round at 11am on Thursday to collect first installment and to come in to list my possesions'. Am I really within my rights not to let him in? Should I contact him first to tell him (He told me I could contact him via text message!) b) I wish to pay £100 a month, preferably direct to the council. Is there a way I can make them accept? Is it best to make payments anyway in the meantime? Is it best to pay them or should I do it via Jaccobs website? (Are they allowed to insist 'payment is not sent to the council' as they do in their letter? Many thanks for any help.