Feeling Sick about £60K of Debts!

[loopy_lou1]

Harvest darling I wish you all the luck in the world. As you know my debts weren't business but any debt is a scary prospect. You're dealing with this the bst way you can - good for you.

 

You have a lot of support here

 

Kisses

 

Lou x

[harvest]

Thanks Lou

 

I'm at the 'being bombarded with phonecalls stage' at the moment but I'm determined they won't make me feel any worse so I'm only dealing with them in writing from now on.

 

Hopefully you'll get an early discharge and be back on track with your life. So glad the worst is over for you. Have a great christmas Lou.

[PriorityOne]

Just another tip, Harvest. If you do get caught on the hop and answer the 'phone to find a creditor/DCA on the other end... then just refuse to go through security with them. "I'm sorry, but I don't discuss my finances over the 'phone" and hang up.

 

If you don't go through security... they're stumped.

[make them aktiv runners]

or, ask them to answer your security questions (after all they are phoning you, and you know who you are but dothey know enough?), they will always put the phone down as they cannot disclose details under DPA.

[saqqara]

That's a great idea electron.

 

I'm due to meet the accountants in January.

 

To be honest I thought that sleeping partners or Business Angels were more for companies that produce 'products' / inventions etc that need cash to design / market and manufacture...

 

...but I will investigate this because I think the business will be a £100k turnover business in the next year or so (if I can survive the current personal financial crisis) with (aprt from salary, very low monthly costs.

 

Thanks again and thanks PriorityOne for your earlier post.

 

This is really good advice and you should take a serious look at Business support, information and advice | Business Link. We started a business several years ago and didn't need to spend any of our own money at all to start the business. We got European funding to start and got match funding as well. You may even find that you can get European funding to pay yourself.

 

Good luck.

[moggieb]

Hi Harvest

 

Have quickly read through your thread. Regarding payment of invoices. As a small company we ask new customers to pay by proforma invoice-payment prior to goods/services being delivered. Could this be an option for you? Maybe you could ask for part payment up front with balance on completion.

[The GodMother]

or, ask them to answer your security questions (after all they are phoning you, and you know who you are but dothey know enough?), they will always put the phone down as they cannot disclose details under Data Protection Act.

 

I read on one thread that somebody advised to blow a whistle down the phone at them. The DCA chasing them soon got the message.

 

Dont no if it is classed as good behaviour but it would at least get the message across.

[harvest]

Thanks Moggieb and The GodMother.

 

Just a quick update:

 

1. I have an interview for a full-time, well paid (circa £40k) job next week - on Thursday in fact. Full psychometric testing, group exercises and interview.
   
2. Not so much as a single agreement sent by any of my creditors since I posted the postal orders off. I guess I should check to see if they've been cashed.
   
3. I have my mobile on permanent silent mode because of the numbers of phonecalls I'm receiving. Today for example I've had 9 'missed calls' from Sainsbury's, 11 from Barclaycard, 8 from Skycard and 6 from Morgan Hunt / Goldfish. I sent the 'telephone harrassment' complaining letters off yesterday.

I'm just carrying on doing work for clients and hoping that when the invoices are paid in January I'll be in a better position to sort out regular payments to creditors.

 

I would love to get the job I refer to above, but I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket. Plenty more applications to do today and tomorrow.

[The GodMother]

Nice idea about the silent mode. Good one for sending the letter aswell.

 

Dont think u wont get the contract as you may well be the best person for the job you never know.

 

Chrissi

[harvest]

Received the following letter from Goldfish today re CCA request for credit agreement

 

Dear harvest

I understand that you require a copy of your credit agreement for your account under the consumer credit Act 1974 and I confirm receipt of your £1.

In respect of your request for information, to which you are entitled to and under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, we require proof of your signature, such as a driving license or passport. Original documents only will be accepted.

Please note, alternatively you can complete the required identity security verification over the telephone and should this be of more convenience, I would ask that you contact us as soon as possinle.

If we have not heard from you by 27th December 2007 we will close our file accordingly.

Yours sincerely

Customer Liaison Team Manager

I think this is nonsense isn't it - about the siganture I mean and can they close your file in such a short time?

[The GodMother]

PT2537 has a perfect letter for this. l aslo think Curlyben has a perfect or the same letter for this.

 

just PM either of them a link and breif details and they will help.

 

chrissi

[The GodMother]

As l sore you were offline l PMd both PT and Curlyben on your behalf. Hopefully they will post the letter for you.

[Curlyben]

You shout I come running

 

Oh dear.

A CCA DOESN'T require anything signed, especially some official documents.

 

Throw this at them:

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

RE Account NO XXXXXXXX

 

Thank you for your letter dated xx/xx/2007 the contents of which are noted

 

In your letter you make reference to requiring my signed authorisation before you comply. I draw your attention to the fact that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 does not require that I supply you a copy of my signature before you comply with my S78 request.

 

If it is for Data Protection purposes then I can happily supply you with documentation to substantiate my identity to you.

 

However, please note that the above address is the one which you normally use to communicate my private business to me and which you have hitherto found to be acceptable.I have to ask if you are concerned that you are corresponding with the correct person why has it taken so long to raise this matter.

 

As you are aware, disclosing data without adequate checks of identity is contrary to the 7th principal of data protection, listed in schedule 1 of the Data protection Act 1998:

 

7. Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.

 

My request for a true copy of my credit agreement under section 78 was made on xx/xx/2007 and the 12 working days for your compliance expire on xx/xx/2007. I note that there is no provision that removes the requirements of the act to provide this information on time, even if you are unsure of my identity.

 

I look forward to receiving the documentation requested.

 

I would appreciate your due diligence in this matter.

 

I await your rapid response.

 

Yours Faithfully,

 

[pt2537]

Hiya Chrissi,

 

Got you PM but curly beat me to it,

 

 

Harvest,

 

You must NEVER EVER sign a letter to a DCA also cause it has been alleged that some DCAs have gone a little photoshop happy and scanned signatures from letters onto credit agreements then tried to pass them off as originals so dont sign the letter print your name in capitals

 

 

 

regards

paul

[harvest]

Thank you The GodMother, CurlyBen and PT2537 for your quick responses.

 

Yes I thought it sounded a bit dodgy. So far, in every bit of corresspondence with creditors I have 'written' my name rather than sign using my normal signature.

 

Do you think these are stalling tactics by creditors while they search for the credit agreements among their archives OR do you think it is a sign that they may not have the agreement?

 

Bombarded with letters and phonecalls in the last few days.

 

I'm just preparing for my interview and psychometric testing for a job tomorrow - I don't want tp pin my hopes on this but it would give me a good regular income and help me sort myself out.

 

Thanks again

[fairbank]

Good luck with the job mate

 

When this is all over we will have a virtual beer!!

[harvest]

Cheers fairbank

[The GodMother]

YW harvest.

 

Thats the letter l was thinking off. A bit more polite than l would have put

[Goldlady]

Best of luck for the job Harvest. I did one of those psychometric tests once and the result was that I totally contradicted myself from one part to the next - obviously I was trying to put the answers that I thought they would want!!!

 

When I correspond with DCAs - not much these days - I add an extra letter into my signature - enough for a cheque to be accepted by the bank but enough for me to know that they have done a Blue Peter job:p

[The GodMother]

These are defo stalling tactics but companys no you dont have to provide a signature so they do what they can to stall.

 

Chrissi.

[PriorityOne]

Good luck today Harvest !! Let us know how you get on... I've recently been through all the X_Factor style interview rigmaroles, so know exactly what you're going through.

 

[PriorityOne]

,

If we have not heard from you by 27th December 2007 we will close our file accordingly.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Customer Liaison Team Manager

 

 

I so love sentences like these, by the way.... !!!

[harvest]

Thanks all for your best wishes on the interview.

 

I heard when I got back last night - a phonecall from the HR department.

 

They said "I'm sorry to tell you that you haven't been selected for this job. They let this sink in. Then they said. However...we were wondering if you would be willing to be interviewed in January for an equivalent job in another part of the organisation."

 

So I'm not sure if this is a good sign or they just want me to make up the numbers for this other job.

 

Life is never simple...

[PriorityOne]

It means that they must have liked you.... so go for it, Harvest !!

 

[The GodMother]

Yeah harvest go for it.

 

You never know you may be the best person for that job, or that they thought you were to good for the job u went for and want to give you a better job.

 

Chrissi