Thanks for that E-Mail, will try that one.

Recorded Delivery is all well and good but it costs money I haven't got at the moment. From what I hear they don't respond via letter anyway, whether it's sent Recorded or not.

Just want to be able to provide evidence I have tried to reason with them.

Has anyone got a contactable E-Mail Address for Mini Credit?

(that they actually respond to?)

I want to be able to prove I have made numerous attempts to negotiate a payment plan with them, but by using their 'contact form' when you are logged into their website, there is no evidence of what you actually said....just their reply.

This is the address they use to send a reply to your inbox, but obviously they don't respond - [email protected]

Thanks for your post. I've been reading a few threads regarding Littlewoods on here but can't seem to find one that offers 100% clarity regarding the issue.

On what grounds am I eligble to claim back the £12 fees for either

a. late minimum payment

b. insufficent minimum payment

Thankyou "citizenB" and "Halibutt" - very helpful posts!

After speaking to the CCCS today they reassured me that in my circumstances I should just offer my creditors £1 per calendar month.

Another thing regarding Court - I always thought that with a County Court Judgement you don't actually go to court - just fill in paperwork and send it in the post. And the lady on the phone today from the CCCS confirmed this.

But I see a lot of posts on here with people talking about Court where they have to physically go to a Court? How is this so? Is this just when you dispute the enforceabilty of a debt?

And under what cirucmstances would I actually have to go to court in regards to debts from the following categories;

Overdraft

mobile phone

payday loan

catalogue

I don't dispute any of the debts...just can't afford what they are asking me to pay!

Thanks for responding and helping.

I have filled in that Excel Budget Sheet and I have taken your advice on board which gives me a very different "money left over" total.

It is my understanding that JSA is based on a calculation that the DWP believe you need to live on. They obviously dont include debts in that figure.

Yeah exactly - it's difficult living on JSA as it is, without having multiple creditors to pay. I would hope any of my expenditure is reasonable.

My debts can be slotted into the following categories. Which ones are the highest priority?

Overdraft Charges

Catalogue

Mobile Phone Arrears

Payday Loan

I'm currently on JSA, and even though I am struggling with finances at the moment, when negotiating with creditors and Debt Collection Agencies I find it difficult to work out a sufficient "income and expenditure" report.

I always seem to be left with quite a bit of disposable income, even though in reality I am struggling.

Living with parents allows me to pay a relatively reasonable amount of rent / board and lodgings each month. I don't pay for what is considered "essential" like Council Tax, Gas, Electric, Water Rates etc

Are you expected to use 100% of your disposable income for creditors?

(especially for someone whose only source of income is JSA)

What about unexpected expenditure? Emergencies?

Is there any good quotes I can use to defend myself?

Thanks for that. Great post, very helpful!

If/when they reject my payment plan offer should I make small token payments or not pay anything?

The bank account details they have for me is an account that I don't really want to close if I can help it, even though it has £0.00 in it (no overdraft) - would ringing up my bank to say I've lost my card make any difference?

My JSA is paid into an alternative account which they have no details about.

Are MiniCredit known for taking court action often? (I've read a lot of topics about them on here and haven't seen any evidence of it actually happening, just threats.)

I'm not overly concerned about the prospect of going to court as I have nothing to hide. I'm on JSA and obviously have hardly any disposable income at all. Thus having to resort to PayDay loans in the first place.

I would also hope that a judge would look unfavourably on all the ridiculous interest and fees that they add. By the stage of court action, my original £100 loan would probably have turned into a figure closer to the sum of £1,000 - how is this in anyway justifiable?

I took out a £100 loan from Mini Credit (although I only actually recieved £80.50 of it) which I assume is the case for everyone who takes out loans with this company - I think they claim it is a charge for sending the money within 15 mins. A "fast track" service or something? Even though there isn't an option, and I didnt' specify

Anyway the due date for this loan is at the end of March, and I will not be in any sort of position to pay it back in full which according to my account it will be £139

I am currently on JSA and I usually get other PayDay loans to pay it off to give me breathing space for a bit, but I am now unable to obtain credit from anywhere else due to my extremely poor credit score.

(Probably a good thing as I would get even more into debt)

I did take the loan and I intend to pay it back, but I simply can't afford to do so in one lump sum. Most decent companies would allow a payment plan to be set up but from what I've read online this is not a decent company.

I understand they will keep adding ridiculous charges for 90 days, whilst constantly harrasing you making their idle threats, right?

What would be the best course of action for me to take to deal with these people?

I don't intend to phone them, want to keep everything in writing, but should I offer them a Payment Plan, even though they will probably reject?

I need ever penny I can get at the moment so can't really afford to send letters, what with making sure it's Recorded Delivery too. Is there a verified E-Mail Address I can use to communicate with them?

What should I do?

I am contemplating whether to send a SAR to Littlewoods because I'm not sure whether it is worth it?

I know for a fact I have been hit by their £12 charges on several occasions for late minimum payment, but I've also read that some people have had £12 charges just for recieving letters and attempted phone calls etc?

(not sure if the latter charges have been applied to my account)

I need all the money I can get at the moment, so sending £10 and paying recorded delivery just to get the SAR doesn't seem worth it unless I have a decent chance of claiming some of the charges back?

Are the £12 late payment fees ever able to be reclaimed?

Any advice gladly appreciated

I've read a lot of conflicting articles online regarding this issue. Some websites say I can, some say I don't stand a chance.

It is regarding an 'Ultimate Reward' account with Halifax, and the charges were applied from 2009-2011

I wouldn't need to send out a SAR as I have access to online banking and I can view them all that way.

It's roughly £800 in charges - most of them were "UNPLANNED O/D FEES" and a few were "PLANNED O/D FEES". Not sure why that is the case and not sure of the significant difference because as far as I can remember my overdraft limit was £250 and the charges were £5 per day whilst over the agreed o/d limit.

Nearly all the charges were in multiples of £5, except for three of them

Planned O/D Fees - £12

Planned O/D Fees - £31

Planned O/D Fees - £26

The account is currently frozen (owe £350) and I have an arrangement with them to pay back a certain amount each month so was just wondering if I stand any chance of being successful, or would it just be a complete waste of time?

Thanks for the replies guys this place seems so informative.

Only found out about it the other day and I have to say what a great website.

So there is very little chance they would take court action over a JSA claimant who is offering small token payments per month based on those above balances?

My credit file is already really bad with a few defaults so I'm not bothered about what they can do to that, I just only want to pay what I can afford.

I just worry about all the ridiculous interest/fees they can potentially add.

I am currently in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance and was wondering if there was anything good I could quote or use in my defence when dealing with creditors to negotiate the lowest possible amount I pay in any kind of payment plan?

Did search around a bit first but couldn't find much apart from a few interesting posts in one topic (which I can't link to as I have less than 10 posts)

For instance, if you are in receipt of JSA, DLA or similar, then you can offer £1 per calendar month with the government's backing..."

Dear Sir/Madam,

Account Ref: 123456789

 

With regards to my current “repayment agreement” with you, I am in a position to be able to offer you no more than £1 per calendar month.

I own no property, have no savings or appreciable assets and rely on Job Seekers’ Allowance as my sole source of income. I quote the Department of Work & Pensions, who state:

“You will be paid the sum of £65 per week, which is the legal minimum on which the Government believes you need to live on.”

If I inform the creditors that I can only afford a certain amount and if they want more they will have to take me to court, will this do any good?

I'm guessing that surely no court would make someone who is on JSA pay anywhere near the types of monthly payments that most creditors initially demand?

And what is the likelihood of a creditor taking someone on JSA to court?

All my debts with creditors are £600 or less, if that makes any difference.

Thanks