Thanks Squaddie

Hi Crocdoc, Thank you for your response. No one has posted anything, do you still have the details? Kind regards,

Hello, Can someone possibly help with a Welcome query? I know that Welcome themselves are no longer trading and that they have something to do with Cattles. I am trying to contact someone about a loan that I took out. The loan is updated every month with a '6' as I was unable to keep up with my repayments. I want to clear the balance (It's quite high) but I seem to get stone walled. I get a statement every 6 months from Welcome but none of the telephone numbers or email addresses appear to be working, I've even tried contacting Cattles (through email) and still no response. I am not being chased for the money but I need to get it cleared. Does anyone have any thoughts? Much appreciated.

Hi, Thanks for responding. Via email - I sent emails to their CEOs as I wasn't getting a response from their general enquiry line. Regards, Derek

Hello, I've been using this site for about a year (It's awesome!!) and through some really good advice I have managed to get some of the debt collection companies to remove their entries from my file. I've been having a hard time with two companies, Cabot Financial and Motormile Finance. I've been disputing debt with both of these companies who insist that I owe the money. I regularly check my credit file at http://www.checkmyfile.com and didn't notice anything. I received hard copies of my credit file from all three CRBs today and there were some discrepancies which have now resulted in my name being registered with CIFAS. My name appears at several different addresses and part of my d.o.b. (The year is different) - I've registered the complaint through the police (they put me onto the Fraud guys) and I've been given a crime reference number. I am still being pursued by the two companies, although I've given them all the details and the crime reference number - Is there anything else that I can do? All of the other companies have conducted their investigation and removed the entries from my file but the above 2 won't - any advice? Thanks, Derek

Hello, I am in a similar position to darrenwillo. I took a loan out with Welcome in 2008 and shortly after fell ill. I tried claiming on the insurance but it wasn't successful. I got a PPI claim from FSA last year of nearly 2.5k which was credited to my agreement but since they've made no attempt to collect. I was out of work until April last year and I've emailed them and lettered them but no response. My credit file just has 6's, it's never been defaulted or been referred to a collection agency - I'm at a loss as to what to do. I can make payment but they won't be for large amounts, any advice? I get my 6 monthly statement from them but there is never any change on the amount. When I look at my credit file it says 'lifetime change £-515' - which isn't correct. Should I just go to the financial ombudsman and let them deal with it? Thanks

Thanks dx100uk I've printed out the necessary info and have the letters ready to post to Shop Direct. I have no problem paying something that I owe, I just don't recall anything from Shop Direct. I had two catalogue accounts, (Think they were Kays and Littlewoods) but they were cleared off and I have the letters confirming that the accounts are cleared and are now closed. So perhaps it's interest charges. I am a bit OCD when it comes to letters and stuff like that and I keep everything, I have several filing cabinets full of letters, even found my first pay slip from 1996 - So it's strange that I don't have anything saying that I have outstanding debts and these are the only two on my credit file. I'm sure the SAR will clear everything up! Thanks for all your help.

Thanks for that, it's the one thing I didn't think off. It's strange as I don't even recall any letters coming in from Shop Direct either.

Since my last post I have had most of the debt written off, however I am still having problems with the Shop Direct Accounts - I have no idea what they are for and Lowell have sent me a copy of a Credit Agreement with no signature, apparently it is a true copy!! Where do I stand with this, the debt is only 3 years old so I can't use the 'Limitation' clause. I sent the following email to Andrew Bartell at Lowell and I have also included the response: Dear Mr Bartle, I write to you today regarding the following accounts: Shop Direct – Lowell Reference: Shop Direct – Lowell Reference: Since the original letters were received from you I have disputed both the Shop Direct Accounts. Recently I received a copy of a credit agreement which you claim that ‘I’ would have signed, yet you have failed to produce this document with my actual signature. I am not a lawyer, however I understand that no contract can be enforced unless there is a signature. I have written to you several times asking you to provide copies of the agreements that I signed, and I have received nothing. You wrote to me in January stating that you were still trying to obtain this information. I have been disputing both of these accounts with you since July 2011, whilst I understand that it can take some time for you to get the necessary information from your clients, I feel that 9 month is long enough. As I have not received any evidence that I signed these agreements and I STILL DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THESE DEBTS, I would ask that you remove these debts as unsubstantiated. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, HERE IS HIS RESPONSE: Mr Holmes I will ask my legal council to give you the correct legal stance on re constituted agreements. If you have never had this account then you will obviously have nothing to pay, but I'm sure if you have had an account that requires re paying you would want to do so Andrew Bartle Sent from my iPad MY RESPONSE: Mr Bartle, Thank you for the quick response! I do not require your legal council to give me an education on re-constituted agreements, however I would ask that your legal council produce a legal binding document, by this I mean a signed copy of a credit agreement (By which the Consumer Credit Act states ‘Only sign this if you wish to be legally bound by its terms’) that I XXXXX have signed it. As I have not received a copy of this agreement, surely I can’t be bound by it’s terms? I am an honourable person and I am willing to pay anything that I owe, if in fact Lowell Portfolio can prove that I owe this. Kind regards, Andrew Bartle has responded again and stated that he will have the matter 'resolved' for me. Basically I would like to know where I stand, normally I wouldn't bother, but these accounts are showing on my credit file. Any help would be appreciated.

Firstly I want to say thanks for all the help I've received on this site, I don't know what I would have done without you guys. Due to the help that I've received I have managed to have most of my debt written off and as a result I got a phone call from my bank asking if I would like an overdraft (was shocked) so thank you!! The current ratings, Derek 5 Debt Company's 0 Can we, as consumers do anything about Debt Collecting company's chasing us for money that has been outstanding for 6 (5 in Scotland) or more years? (I do mean those debts that have not been paid or acknowledged). The reason I am asking is I got a letter from Lowell looking for payments on a credit card I had taken out in 2000. Long story short I hadn't paid in almost 9 years. I stupidly acknowledged it then found this site (I'm now disputing it). Section (5) of the Limitation Act 1980 prevents companies chasing your for money if it has been outstanding for 6 years or more (5 in Scotland) as long as you have not made any payments or acknowledged it. Can they legally chase you for something if it falls within the above legislation. I'm sure we've all had the letters threatening court action etc (Which debt companies have no power, it needs to go to court). Basically Debt Companies are ignoring legislation that has been in-acted for more than 30 years, surely they should have some caveat built into their systems that acknowledges this?

Hi, I had a loan with Welcome Finance about 3 years ago. I've paid the loan in full, however when I check my Credit File it's showing that it's in Arrears and has been for the last 2 years. I've got a letter from Welcome telling me that the loan has finished but I'm struggling to understand why it is showing as 'Arrears'. The initial loan was for £3000 - The loan was taken over 3 years and the total amount that I had to pay back was £4070 (I got a huge discount as I was a repeat customer). On my credit file the outstanding balance is sitting just under £6100. I'm totally livid and to be honest never really bothered checking my credit file, it was only when I was refused and overdraft on my bank account that I noticed a problem, and luckily I did as there are a few other outstanding debt (That's on another post, and I'm glad to say that most are now clear). Anyway back to topic!! When I call Welcome they tell me that the debt has been passed to another company but they can't say who. I've sent them copies of bank statements and the letter telling me that the loan is clear, yet it's still there. I'm totally LIVID!!! What can I do? I also received a letter from the FSCS regarding a claim for PPI, I've filled it out twice and I've still not hear anything, does anyone know what the cut off date is for claiming?? Many thanks

Thanks for that!! To be honest I was just going to pay it because I do owe it, but 11 years ago!! And I only started receiving letters about a year ago. I'll leave it just now as it's not showing on my credit file, might just let them stew as they are getting on my nerves!! I've not made any payments yet and they haven't sent me any statements either so, stuff them!!!!

It was for a company called Premier Man?

Hi, I received a letter from Cabot Financial chasing me for a debt that I vaguely remember having. I wrote to them and asked for the usual details under the CCA and received a letter back stating that they will be in touch once they have the necessary information (That was about 14 days ago). I received a letter form them today stating that they had still not received the necessary information, however 'They would still like to advise that the debt is still due and that I need to continue paying or set up a payment plan and that they will continue to up-date the Credit Reference Agency's'. To me the above statement is a bully tactic, trying to get me to clear the debt as they can't prove that I owe it? I responded to their letter (sent recorded delivery and no signature) still disputing the fact that they sent it to me and I've also mentioned the Prescribed Laws in Scotland and asking them to place the debt on hold (as they charge 12% interest) until it's proven. Where do I stand with the Credit Reference agencies, is there anything that I can do? I've just managed to get my credit rating back and the last thing I need is another blemish!!!

Hi, Since my last post I have received 2 letters from Lowell, one telling me that they have written of another debt they couldn't prove and one to advise that the two O2 accounts and the two Shop Direct accounts had been placed on hold - Here's hoping that they'll see sense as they can't prove a thing!! As well as the above debts I received a letter from them regarding a credit card I had when I was 18. I'll spare the details but I went through a pretty bad patch and stopped paying all of my debts. I sent Lowell a letter asking for the information under the CCA and they sent me back a copy of the agreement that I signed in 2000. Since receiving that letter I sent them another letter advising that I acknowledged the debt. The bit I'm kicking myself about is under the Prescribed terms in Scotland I could have used the "no payments in 5 years"? What I want to know is that as I've acknowledged this debt, do I need to pay it? The silly thing is now that the credit card company have since issued me with a new card (and a new account). I know that there have been no payments made to the first account since 2002?? Maybe worth mentioning that the debt does not show on either Equifax or Experian (I'm thinking long term, if Lowell decide to re-place back on the credit file). Thanks