I can see the DCA deadpool being distributed between a new breed of debt collectors... ones that buy debts for even lower sums and thus are able to extend their sphere of harrassment - i.e. more intense collection procedures. I can see companies becoming even more reluctant to provide sub-prime credit leading to a constriction of purchasing power by the credit hungry on the high street leading to a cataclysmic fallout of the entire financial system. Sorry all... been reading up on how to scare the public via the route of Global Warming and Climate Change myth. Crossed over onto this debt thing too much... Sorry

Hugh Jass is a good one to start with... then... Jacques Strap Mike Rotch Adam Zapel Barry Cade Chris P. Bacon Ginger Vitus Harry R. M. Pitts Jack Goff Mike Hunt Mo Lestor

This is the one I sent to Aktiv the other day... just amend to your own requirements.

I've had fun before with the DCA's but not had a call for a fair few months... I have asked them things like whether they accept IOU cards when they ask if I can pay by debit/credit card My favourite game is to ask their name and pretend they are a long lost friend... in my more spiteful moods I ask them for their security details to confirm that the account they are chasing is being chased by the correct person: I basically pretend that I have been in regular contact with someone on the "inside" and we have a process we go through to access my account. It usually winds them up enough to stop calling ever again. On another site they recommend saying... "Sorry I can't take your call now as I'm far too busy... will you call back after 6 when I won't be at home?"

Well you got in touch within 3 months so it should be ok... best to get in touch with ACAS... there are special rules governing pregancy!!!

I have a bit of experience with employment matters having been a trade union rep in a previous job... Firstly, you have been sacked. No question. This means you cannot use the normal grievance method. There is something called the "modified procedure" which is what you can use if your employment has ended. This gives your "employer" the opportunity to use the modified procedure: Grievance procedures: the standard three-step procedure : Directgov - Employment The two steps are: you send a written statement of grievance to your former employer your former employer writes back to you, answering the points you have raised If you are not happy with the reply then you can seek redress via an employment tribunal which is, from my recent knowledge, a free process to undertake. You only have 3 months from the date you were fired* to bring about this grievance letter so the quicker the better... you have to wait 28 days for a reply too. You can, as an alternative to the stress you might face dealing directly with your old employer, speak to ACAS who use a mediation service which attempts to resolve your complaint. Find them here: Acas - How can we help? If you need any more help let me know... and keep us updated too! *unless there is a genuine reason for not doing so

shrimper... ...what might be a good idea is if you post the details of the letters they have sent back to you regarding this... it might help direct us to exactly where they feel they stand on the issue? In any case, inaccurate recording of data is nothing new for creditors at the best of times but it shouldn't be something you have to live with. I have drafted a letter for you below... sometimes a good idea is to start getting quite forceful i.e. prospective court action for defamation Hope this helps.

amdmlivingstone - How have you got on with the CRA? Have they not done anything about the dodgy information? You should be able to get them via the DPA surely?

famanda33: 1) Ignore the part about a "home visit" - they rarely do this frm my experience. Even so, there is a letter you can write to them regarding home visits. In common law you can revoke permission for a creditor/dca to visit your home to collect debts. Even so, they cannot enter your home so if they visit tell them to leave (but keep it polite of course) 2) They can only start legal proceedings if the debt is genuine and not statute barred So... what now? Send this to them instead - See what happens after that really; persistence and patience are virtures worth having when dealing with telecommunications debts!

Write a formal complaint explaining the discussion with the agent. Make sure it goes to head office. As a port of call also make a CCA request to check the enforceability of the agreement to make sure all of the prescribed terms are in it; if it doesn't then you have a certain amount of leverage in bargaining for the information to be amended on your credit files.

Cheers!

Nosnibor.... Cheers for that... I will use those lines if my current letter fails... I am sending this one:

I have sent something very similar... modifying your letter slightly to my own circumstances. Will update you in due course!

I made a CCA reuquest and AK responded that they have the details I requested but Data Protection Laws prohibit them from issuing a copy to me before they have confirmed my identity and residence... they want my address history since 2005 along with proof to confirm I was at ...those addresses. Upon receipt they will send out the info they have. Has anyone else experienced this? I thought requesting a CCA because of information on my credit file was enough?

Any news on this one mate? I have drafted a very similar letter to Cabot regarding an Argos card!

1) Which act now takes precedent? 2) Section 77/78 of the CCA 1974 refers to being able to request a copy of an executed credit agreement but no such request appears in the 2006 Act. 3) Is there still a 12+2 and then a 30 day period allowed after requesting a credit agreement before the account falls into a default situation? Does anyone have any ideas in case they do not reply to me? Basically I have been confused by someone on another forum... ...they said the 12+2 working day and then 30 day limit no longer applies because it was repealed by the 2006 CCA. Fair enough... but I can't find any information relating to any requests for a credit agreement in the 2006 act. Therefore am I right in saying the 1974 act and the 2006 one coexist?

Keep us updated on this one... I have 2 debts with Lovell chasing me for Singlepoint 4U debts. I have sent them a CCA request... completely pointless at this stage because mobile contracts do not come under the agreement... I just want to see what they do with the request. They way I see it they have these options: 1) Send me the fee and state the CCA request does not apply to service agreements for telecommunications, the account still needs paying and give me ways to make a payment. 2) Send me the fee back and request information from the original creditor about the agreement which the debt relates to. 3) Completely ignore me I will, on the basis of those scenarios... 1) Request information from them to prove they have the rights to chase this debt and request any information proving the debt belongs to me. 2) Wait for the OC information; in which case it will be returned as statute barred. 3) As number 2 Failing a breakdown of the above I can then go for an SAR to the OC and then wave bye to £10... probably worth it in the end to be rid but if I can get information from the DCA which shows the debt is statute barred then I will have claimed victory.

Hi all... Quick Q on defaults... Can they be issued by a debt collection agency if you HAVEN'T ever agreed a repayment plan... i.e... a DCA purchases a debt from Lloyds Credit Card... I do not agree with the debt... then they put a default on my account Thanks in advance!