Hi Guys, Interesting forum and I've enjoyed and taken in all your advice, so thank you thusfar guys. I was reading back a few pages that DLC are actually pretty powerless. Is this true? I had a contract with a phojne company and then couldn't fulfill the payment of my bill after losing my job at the time due to our wonderful recession. After a while of struggling, sure enough DLC were employed to chase the debt and the usual barrage of texts, phonecalls and so forth have been sent. I nervously and very cautiously played their game for a bit. Firstly they demanded the lot over the phone there and then, which I challenged and then was further told it would be going to Court immediatly if I didn't offer to settle there and then. Then when I asked for a repayment plan, I was then told - that the outstanding Debt was £315, if I wanted to pay in instalments it would be a total £715 as I would have to pay a charge to get out of my existing contract. I informed them I actually wanted to stay with the contract when things were better as I enjoyed the service, but that's probably no longer an option. Then they tell me yes it is an option for reconnection so long as I pay a balance of £315 now. I of course couldn't do this, they said the only way to avoid Court Action would be to give them my Card Details which they would hold on record until the end of the month, then I would have to call back and pay at least half the £315, the other being settled at the end of the following month. I agreed in a panic and I heard no more from them. I started to get on my feet with Self Employment and started to get some headway, but still not enough to survive AND settle the amounts they were asking for at once. I called them immediatly and reported this for which they informed me that re-negotiation of payment terms is not possible; unless I paid a £10 holding charge (which I paid) and then told to send details of my Self Employed earnings and living expenses, which I sent, after calling me numerous times to chase the total balance again. The matter would have to go to their Solicitors (probably some outfit in the next room) and sure enough a letter arrived asking for the full amount form a Solicitor that was conviniently at the same address as DLC, I called them and asked why this had happened since I followed their instruction to supply my new financial details and income information. They replied with "make us an offer" so I did £40 a month, which I stuck to for the first two months and I received no hassle from them. This month I called to inform them my payment would be late, but I'd afford to pay a little more off my balance so not to worry. They informed that if the balance and agreement weren't met on the date agreed IT WOULD go to Court, that date was last Wednesday. I've only just found myself in a position to sort them out this weekend, which I will call obviously and offer, but I can't help wondering in the meanwhile a) do they even have the power to take it to Court and b) if so how long does it take, do I now have Bailiffs headed my way, it just seems like when I last spoke that any offer of payment at this late stage was still a breach of agreement and they seem hell bent on getting the full amount again (which I can't afford) or taking me to Court. Surely if I've offered SOMETHING this weekend, despite it being a week or so late, it's still an offer to pay and they have to accept it right?