OK - so Provident have effectively washed their hands of the matter (spoken to area manager, district manager and the apparently 'correct' people at head office), saying that I have to deal with the solicitors. I am assuming that they must of sold the debt on to them ( I thought only factoring companies bought debts, not 'solicitors') Any ideas on the next step - should I call them or send a letter. I can't pay all the arrears at once, but I can pay some and would be able to repay at a rate that would clear the debt faster than their suggested rate. Why do they insist on making things more complicated than they need to be. I'm off work with a head injury at the moment and I could really do without this nonsense... Thanks in advance for your help - lesson learnt on using these parasites

Fantastic - thanks so much - I have managed to find another number for someone more local, so I'm going to give them one last call to try and resolve this, then I'll send a letter.

No other means of payment have been offered until this threat, and to be honest, the extortionate rate of interest is supposedly there to cover agent commission etc. so I am effectively paying for a service that I am not receiving by paying by other means. Many thanks for your comment.

Hi, Back in January 2009 I took a loan out with Provident Personal Credit for £300. Everything was going fine (bar their extortionate rates of interest) until 6 months ago, when the agent stopped calling. I made calls and sent letters asking for someone to call, but to no avail. I received one letter about 4 months ago asking for payment, and I spoke to head office, who assured me that they would deal with the matter. Yesterday (9th December) I received a 'Service of Default Notice' from their solicitors demanding the debt arreasr plus a payment plan to repay the outstanding amount. Surely they are in breach of the contract by not fulfilling their side of the deal, and given that I have on more than one occasion requested visits to facilitate payment, do they really have a leg to stand on? Interestingly, my wife also has a loan for the same amount, and is in exactly the same place payment-wise, but has not received any such correspondence. I am grateful that I no longer need to deal with financial emergencies by using such means, but I refuse to let this one go and capitulate to what amounts to a poor attempt to intimidate by a tin-pot law firm. Has anyone experienced a similar set of circumstances as is able to provide a little guidance - your help would be most appreciated.