Hi Mel Thanks for the reply. Thats really interesting that they're doing this to everyone. It really annoys me that, in my eyes, they don't technically have the right to collect money from us or slap such damaging information on our credit files. I guess my next step is the statutory notice to stop processing my data then? Did you get a template on here for that? The crazy thing is with mine, is that Cabot wrote to me saying they would no longer collect on the account as they couldnt provide the agreement etc, but then several weeks later started trying to collect again and wrote some bizarre letter saying that it the letter saying they were no longer collecting was a computer generated mistake and they had actually sent me the agreement ages ago. What cr*p! To this day, they still haven't sent the agreement and its months since I CCA'd them. They even had the cheek to put a photocopy of a letter they'd "made up" showing when they alledgedly sent the agreement to me, with a handwritten note on the top saying "sent on such and such a date, even though it was clearly processed on a computer which had automatically put a date on it several months (i.e. the date they actually printed it!). I wrote back and told them where to go as it was all made up rubbish etc. I've had no response, apart from them now messing with my credit file. I think I might also contact the Customer Service Manager at Amberloan again as they were most helpful last time I contacted them, as they also put a default on the account when they sold it to Cabot. It was removed very quickly when I kicked up a stink with them. Maybe they can sort this out? If you decide to get together a mass complaint, count me in! Markus

Hi Mel I have a similar problem with Cabot at the moment. They've just, as if from nowhere, slapped a "6 months late payment" marker on my Experian credit file for an account that was sold out to them from Amberloan. I'd never even had a late payment, but Amberloan wanted out the market! Anyway, I just wondered what you wrote to Cabot when you found the default on your file? I also CCA'd Cabot, they couldn't find the agreement etc within the time frame (went way over the 12 days actually). I dont see why I should suffer with this on my file now because they can't find the agreement and I refuse to pay anything. Markus

Well... their stupidity prevails yet again... I just checked my credit file online with Experian and notice that Cabot have decided to pop an entry on my credit file stating that I have a credit account with them and its currently 6 months in arrears!!! I'm livid!!! Not only have they not replied to my last letter, pointing out that they didn't actually send me a copy of my agreement within the specified timescale, and that their "faked" copy correspondance was easily identifiable as exactly that, FAKE! Since then, I've heard nothing. Now they decided to mess with my credit file. Not sure what line to take next? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

LOL! Your totally right! I will send them a harshly written reply to their stupidity and then leave it with them. Watch out for further developments...

This really is turning into a nightmare with these lot... Within the last few days, I've received a letter from Cabot saying that the letter the sent me in July confirming that "they could not provide me with a copy of my credit agreement and therefore the debt would no longer be collected by them", was actually a computer generate mistake!!!! Instead, they are now insisting that they have sent me a copy of my credit agreement just one day before the alledged "mistaken computer generated letter" saying they were not able to provide the agreement was sent. They have not sent me any such agreement!!! They even had the cheek to enclose a copy of the covering letter that they supposedly sent with the copy of the agreement, dated in September this year, but with someone having written on it in pen saying "dated XXth July" etc. How ridiculous! As if I'm supposed to believe that the typed date was wrong and it doesn't co-incide with the date of this latest letter saying everything was a mistake. These people really are taking the p*ss now! In the latest letter, they have very kindly reminded me that I need to pay them for the Amberloan debt they bought (or should the debt amberloan sold on when they couldn't be bothered to have any customers whatsoever anymore!). I'm absolutely fuming about this. Any advice on how I stand now is greatly appreciated. Obviously, they didn't supply the Agreement within the 12 day period after the CCA letter. I'm just amazed at the cheek of the latest correspondance, yet they still HAVEN'T supplied an agreement to this date!

Thanks for the supportive comments everyone. I should have also mentioned, I did get the default removed from my credit files, but only after some very strongly worded letters to Skiptons head office and getting the manager of customer relations involved. Don't see why Cabot should get to keep the money I gave them seeing as they now can't collect from me anyway. I'm gonna keep writing to cabot and "debt collect back from them", see how they like it!

Eventually... after the CCA letter and then several months of getting standard "we're trying to obtain the original agreement from your original lender, please bear with us" letters from Cabot, they finally gave in and admitted that they are NOT able to collect my debt which was originally with Amberloan! I'm so angry with the whole episode, being sold down the river by Amberloan because they wanted rid of their loan business and then finding out I've been sold on to a Debt Collection Agency. I've written a snotty letter to Cabot asking for the money back that I had already paid them (approx £600 when they first took over the debt) as the alledged debt appears to be un-enforceable. Do you think thats cheeky?! I feel its my duty to ask for it seeing as I've been messed around and treated so poorly by Amberloan and Cabot.

I didn't CCA Cabot, but it's in the post today. I guess I was a little daft thinking it would all be sorted with a few letters to Amberloan, but as Cabot will have paid for my info, I guess its going to take more than that.

THE SAGA CONTINUES... I sent off a CCA letter to Amberloan directly on 11th Feb (maybe I should have sent it to Cabot but they are so rude I can't bear to speak to them). I've since had a response from Amberloan on 18th of Feb asking me a for a copy of my own credit file to show where they have registered the default. How disorganised are they?! I've replied back with a copy of the info I check with my online Equifax report and now heard nothing since. Am I able to now complain to the OFT as they've had more than enough time to deal with this? I was so insensed with it all I've stopped making payments to Cabot (which I had originally done before I realised how shabby Amberloan had acted in all this and that Cabot are actually a DCA, not another loan company). Cabot have now called me this morning to ask for money and why I've cancelled my Direct Debit and I've told them I've written to Amberloan to check the legality of what they are doing. The Cabot chap just said I doubt they'll reply as they sold the debt to us! How rude! Any advice on my next move is greatly appreciated! Thanx!!!

Thanks for the advice everyone. Here is a link to the copy of my agreement as requested. Page 1: my1.jpg Page 2: my2.jpg Any further help is appreciated!

In 2005 I took out a personal unsecured loan with Amber Loans (part of Skipton Building Society). My account was totally upto date and has not been in arrears. Last November I received a letter from Cabot Financial (UK) introducing themselves as the new owner of my Amber Loan account. Clearly, Amber Loan had ditched me to Cabot along with everyone else who was an Amberloan customer by the sounds of things. Also within this letter I got another letter from Amber Loan explaining that they had decided to withdraw from the unsecured loan market and that I was no longer to contact them as everything had been transferred. I didn't realise until further investigation that Cabot Financial are more known for being a debt collection agency! I think the whole thing is absolutely disgusting! I've had the snotty collection calls from Cabot, but as Amber Loan seem to have decided not to accept any telephone calls etc, I thought I had no choice but to make payments to Cabot. When I called them, they asked if I would like to make an "offer" to clear the £3k ish thats outstanding. Very odd tactics! As I pointed out to the Cabot person, if I had the £3k available I would not have needed the loan from Amber Loan in the first place! I also pointed out that I would expect the majority of the other former Amber Loan customers would be in the same position. I politely declined to "make them an offer" but I did pay them the same as I'd been paying Amberloan as I dont want my credit file going down hill! Anyway, since then, I've noticed that Amberloan has removed all my payment history from my credit file with Equifax and replaced it with a love big fat DEFAULT! I'm fuming!!!! I would expect the same has happened with MyCall Credit as I think Skipton/Amberloan were one of MyCall Credit's few customers. Watch your credit files former Amber Loan customers!!! Any ideas on what to do next are gratefully appreciated. I'm already typing out a strongly worded letter of complaint to Amberloan as we speak.

Leyla, I've had exactly the same thing happen with my Amberloan account. My account was totally upto date and has not been in arrears, they've still ditched me to Cabot along with everyone else who was an Amberloan customer by the sounds of things. I think the whole thing is absolutely disgusting! I've had the calls from them too, but as Amberloan seem to have decided not to accept any telephone calls etc, I thought I had no choice but to make payments to Cabot. When I called them, they asked if I would like to make an "offer" to clear the £3k ish thats outstanding. Very odd tactics! I politely declined but I did pay them the same as I'd been paying Amberloan as I dont want my credit file going down hill! Anyway, since then, I've noticed that Amberloan has removed all my payment history from my credit file with Equifax and replaced it with a love big fat DEFAULT! I'm fuming!!!! Watch your credit files!!! Any ideas on what to do next? I'm already typing out a strongly worded letter of complaint to Amberloan as we speak.

Morning Guys, Well, they finally coughed up after one last letter from me giving them 7 days to pay or the bailiffs arrive (Thanks to the template on this site)! I don't think they we're going to pay. But maybe that last letter did it for them. Anyway, cheque received and already banked, thanks Louise Paterson from HBOS Legal Services On to the next one... Good luck to you all!

Yes, I did purely charges. You know, the usual £30 for bothering to pick up the phone to you etc...!!! Good luck with them.

Hi all, Have been going through the various stages with Intelligent Finance over my loan. I had successfully claimed and won back my charges on my mortgage account with them, had the usual phone call and letter offering settlement etc. However... I'm really surprised to see that they acknowledged my Loan account claim after filing my MCOL but never bothered replying or calling me after that. Have they finally gone into MELTDOWN?! I've just requested a judgement online in the absence of their response. How exiciting! Has anyone else had this happen with IF/HBOS recently?