Lloyds Platinum CC policy change help!

[crystalcag]

Hello,

I've had a cc debt with lloyds for about 5 years that amounts to just under £7,000. I have had an arrangement with them to repay £10 per month with interest frozen for about 3 years.

 

From time to time I haven't been able to meet the payment and have had phone calls & letters from them - usually it ended up with me paying £20 the next month. Interest was unaffected.

 

Sometimes they take the £10 from my current account (which often meant I would exceed my od limit and incur charges). I am claiming back C/A charges but my case has been stayed - the appeal due to hardship was rejected so am just waiting now!).

 

This month (February) however, they didn't take money from my account (even though I for once had the funds there). Instead I received a phone call tonight (at 8.45) saying the bank's policy had changed, my agreement has been stopped, interest has been started again and the only way to freeze interest will be to allow my account to go to the debt collection department (somewhere different to the collections department who phoned me) . This procedure will take 28 days, I will receive several "legal letters" - the woman I spoke to couldnt clarify further. She also said I couldn't contact the new debt department until they contacted me. I know I shouldn't have got caught up in a conversation with her but it all got too much and I just wanted to find out what to do and how to do it. (it turns out there is nothing I can do anyway). My credit rating is trashed already but the woman said it will be affected further if I am passed on to the debt collection department. Can anyone help me with this? Things were ok as they were. I had an agreement with them and now apparently I don't. Any ideas on what I should do next?

 

Sorry if this is a bit garbled.

Candy

[crystalcag]

Hi Please can anyone help with this?

[crystalcag]

Is there anyone out there? I need some help

[citizenB]

bump

[elsinore]

Hi Crystal.

 

I’m sorry you’ve been left alone but we’ll see if we can get some action to help you.

 

It’s almost a week since you received that call from LTSB. Have you had any communication since?

 

Have you at any time sent them a CCA request? As the debt is quite old, they might have trouble coming up with an enforceable agreement.

 

Are LTSB telling you what the balance is that remains to be paid?

 

How much are you claiming from them in unlawful charges?

 

Els

[crystalcag]

Thanks for bumping my post citizenB!

 

Els, Thanks for replying!!!! I received a letter from them today saying administration of my account has been passed to the collection centre...with arrears of £138 (which I guess is the minimum payment). They didn't say how much the total was.

 

I've never sent them a CCA request. in about 2005 they agreed to let me pay back £10/month so I felt it was better that they were leaving me alone rather than hounding me). BUT perhaps now is the time to do it. Although I do wonder if it is really worth asking for the CCA when they probably have one somewhere on file. I opened the account in 2001. I'm sorry I'm being a bit ignorant but other than hoping they don't have the CCA are there any other benefits of going down this route? I've tried to do some research but end up feeling like in Alice in Wonderland down a rabbit hole. . I haven't looked into charges either - again because it was a case of let sleeping dogs lie. I don't actually think I incurred many because they froze my account & interest. I will look into it though. I was focussing on my current account charges - but that has been stayed and the request to lift the stay rejected . I hope you can help advise me what to do next ! thanks:D

[elsinore]

I'm moving your thread to the Debt Forum, where you will get some expert help.

 

BUT perhaps now is the time to do it. Although I do wonder if it is really worth asking for the CCA when they probably have one somewhere on file. I opened the account in 2001.

 

Even if they do have a CCA, it may not stand up to scrutiny. An unenforceable agreement means that they would not succeed with a court claim.

 

I haven't looked into charges either - again because it was a case of let sleeping dogs lie. I don't actually think I incurred many because they froze my account & interest. I will look into it though.

 

Any reclaimable charges would mitigate your debt. Many people are surprised to see just how much the banks have taken.

 

Have you kept your credit card statements?

 

Els

[crystalcag]

Even if they do have a CCA, it may not stand up to scrutiny. An unenforceable agreement means that they would not succeed with a court claim.

Oh ok I didn't realise that. Very important then.

 

It is time I looked at the charges.

 

I have most of my statements I think - but will get copies of the ones I'm missing.

 

Should I request a CCA at the same time as sending a Data Protection Act request or do one first?

[elsinore]

Should I request a CCA at the same time as sending a Data Protection Act request or do one first?

 

You can send them at the same time but I would keep the letters separate, to avoid possible confusion.

 

Els

[sosumi]

Thanks for bumping my post citizenB!

 

Els, Thanks for replying!!!! I received a letter from them today saying administration of my account has been passed to the collection centre...with arrears of £138 (which I guess is the minimum payment). They didn't say how much the total was.

 

I've never sent them a CCA request. in about 2005 they agreed to let me pay back £10/month so I felt it was better that they were leaving me alone rather than hounding me). BUT perhaps now is the time to do it. Although I do wonder if it is really worth asking for the CCA when they probably have one somewhere on file. I opened the account in 2001. I'm sorry I'm being a bit ignorant but other than hoping they don't have the CCA are there any other benefits of going down this route? I've tried to do some research but end up feeling like in Alice in Wonderland down a rabbit hole. . I haven't looked into charges either - again because it was a case of let sleeping dogs lie. I don't actually think I incurred many because they froze my account & interest. I will look into it though. I was focussing on my current account charges - but that has been stayed and the request to lift the stay rejected . I hope you can help advise me what to do next ! thanks:D

Definitely CCA them! Their 'Collections Department' are a nightmare, and they can be busy little bees for a while before it goes to the Debt Recovery Department - who are actually more reasonable. But if they don't have a CCA...

[2Grumpy]

Wonder what the legal letters will be

 

might be a good idea to post them here less personal details for advice before signing

 

Grumpy

[sosumi]

The legal letters will be from Sechiari Clark and Mitchell, their 'in-house solicitor'.

I was told by someone at their Collections Centre that this is actually their process, it will go to the 'legal letters', then back to Collections then on to Debt Recovery.

[crystalcag]

Hi everyone, I just received a letter from the collections department saying my account had been transferred to them (I thought it already was with them). They say I have to contact them (I hate it when they say that it's so intimidating) to pay the outstanding amount....

 

I've already sent a CCA Request. When I have a bit more money next week I'll send the Data Protection Act request. Do I need to write to the collections department to let them know I've sent the DPA request or should I assume that they communicate within their department? Is there a template letter anywhere that I can use? I have this with a couple of store cards too. I've sent off CCA requests but am still receiving threatening letters to contact them "or else".

 

Perhaps I should start a separate post about this - I've looked and looked but can't find any reference to this kind of thing - although I'm SURE I've seen something somewhere.

 

Thanks to everyone for their posts. 2grumpy Ill definitely post anything they send me on here before I sign anything - have received so much help on here. It's amazing - hope I can be of help to someone someday too.