This topic was closed on 11 March 2019. If you have a problem which is similar to the issues raised in this topic, then please start a new thread and you will get help and support there. If you would like to post up some information which is relevant to this particular topic then please flag the issue up to the site team and the thread will be reopened. - Consumer Action Group

This is my second claim against the Halifax. The first I did myself (with CAG help) I decided for my second claim I would use a CMC to save time and effort, and I don't mind losing a bit of my reclaimed charges for their fee. Anyhow I 'signed' up with them in April 2008 but since them I have learned that I am entitled to claim through hardship as I am a single mum in full time education. I phoned the CMC (Advantage Claims) around 4 months ago and explained I would like to claim thorugh hardship and they said they would send out the relevant forms..... I recieved nothing. Several months later I sent an e-mail explaining that if they were not willing to handle my case as i wished them to would they send me out written confirmation of this and I will handle it myself..... again no reply. I am now kicking myself for signing up with them in the first place but am aware that I am in contract so don't want to go through the claim myself then get hit by them for their percentage. I am struggling financially at the moment and could really do with this money ASAP. Any advice would be gratefully recieved Marie.

Does the letter on page 1 apply to charges being taken from EVERY benefit payment that goes into your account or just the one date stated?

Hi, I am preparing my SAR for Welcome and was just wondering if anyone has requested a signed credit agreement from Welcome and received it, or if they haven't received it had the debt canceled? Marie.

Many years ago we purchased a car and the finance was through Welcome, I definitely remember there being a 7 day cooling off period (the contract was signed on the dealerships premises), though we never 'used' it. If in doubt check through your contract it should give details there somewhere, or phone Welcome.

I have always thought that on ANY contract you have a minimum of seven days cooling off period, I am pretty sure this is correct if so you will have to act before Saturday.

I have spent a few hours reading through different posts today relating to credit agreements and so forth, and am now thinking would it be best to claim back charges OR as in cases like myself and Carol's were there is no signed credit agreement available and therefore no enforceable debt, ask for the account to be closed with no more payments being made and if 'I am right' we could actually request that all payments that have been made be returned. This would still leave the problem of removing any defaults which I have yet to revise. Any thought's would be appreciated on this matter.

It is good that you are taking a stand against this company, the letter you have wrote is very similar to one that I sent them - in my case they refused my offer to pay for goods if they removed all charges, I hope you have more luck. I have received another statement today and with it comes ANOTHER £50.00 admin. and credit charge!!! My balance now stands at over £1500, I have decided to proceed with the reclaiming charges route and hopefully if I am successful this will wipe out most - if not all of this debt, I will be posting my S.A.R today and will keep you posted of all developments. Best wishes, Marie.

Hi Carol I am in a similar situation with The Shoetailor although I have been 'forwarded' to their DCA Reliable Collections Ltd. because I defaulted on a few payments. I to was concerned with the level of charges they were adding to my account I sent off a letter of complaint last year requesting a signed credit agreement as I was advised to do so. I recieved a very similar letter to yours saying that they do not have a signed credit agreement but they do not need one, and all the blah de blah about credit reference etc. should I choose not to continue making payments. I too like you have a bad credit score so another one on top will not have that much of an impact on me but this something that I would 'eventually' like to clear, so I didn't think I was being unreasonable when I sent back a letter requesting that should they take off all the charges I would be willing to pay for the goods that I have purchased (my balance at date is £1469.15, of which I estimate £200.00 is purchases). Alas I was told because I had a credit account for so many years they were not willing to do this (probably because counting payments that I have made I have paid for my goods and then some!) BUT they were willing to halve my balance if I was to maintain regular payments of £10 per month. I agreed to this and started making payments again, however they have not halved my balance and so are not keeping to the agreement that they set. I was thinking of re-claiming back my charges, and hopefully clearing this matter once and for all, but after reading through your posts....is it worth even trying. I shall be following your posts with interest any new info you can give will be gratefully recieved. Marie

I have sent a letter to my local Trading standards office (app. 8 weeks ago), concerning the catalogue company and the fact that they cannot supply me with a copy of the signed credit agreement, I have heard nothing back from them. I am sending the cat. company a letter offering to pay for the goods I have recieved if they disregard all charges that have been added to the account. I hope they accept this offer as I want to get the matter dealt with.

Although I have informed the company that I will not be making any more payments, they keep phoning asking for payments and insisting that a copy of the credit agreement has been sent to me (which it has, but NOT a signed copy). They now say they are passing the matter over to their legal department. I want to get this settled now should I: A. Start re-paying and claim back all charges B. Ask for all charges that have been added to be taken off and pay for the goods I received C. Tell them to stop bothering me and pay nothing D. Any other suggestion would be gratefully welcome?

Thanks for your advice, but I am having trouble finding the topics mentioned. all the FAQ's I come across seem to apply to bank charges, can you please point me in the right direction.

I have recieved a letter today from the catalogue company saying: "we cannot provide a copy of the executed agreement therefore, whilst the default continues, we will not pursue the debt any further. We will however, meet our obligation in ensuring that a true picture of your account activity is recorded on your credit file. Please let us know as soon as possible if you wish to continue making payments to this account or not." As I have not made any payment recently another £200+ has been added to the account. Can they record the debt on my credit file without the credit agreement?

Sorry for being a bit dumb, but what exactly am I making a complaint about?

I have recieved a letter today, it states that: "According to regulation 3(2)(b) or the Consumer Credit (cancellation Notices and Copies of Documents) Regulations 1983 there is no requirement to provide a photocopy of the agreement bearing your signature: it is sufficient that we supply details of the T & C to which you have agreed" They then state that should I choose!!!! (obviously something is amiss if I have a choice) not to make any further payments to this account then their will be implications such as a default on our files and the credit ref. agencies such as Experian Etc. and the debt will be recorded on my credit file as a default for £1222.00 and will remain for six years. They also state that thay are open to negotiate a settlement figure to clear the account, and include the fact that I have made 19 payments on this account totalling £493.77. So from that I understand that I can choose not make any payments, I already have a bad credit record, but this is something I would like to clear in the hopefully not so distant future, so do you think it is fair that I should contact them and request that all charges that have EVER been placed on the account be removed and I shall pay the remainder ( which shouldn't be very much I hope). They say they will hold the account in abeyance for 28 days. Any advice on this matter gratefully recieved.