Help needed please - anyone dealt with ECI??

[Sarah Frost]

Hi everyone.

 

Im new to this forum but after reading loads of threads im so glad I found it!!

 

Ok, before I start can I just say my username is not my real name!!

 

Right here goes....last year my other half recived a letter from a company called ECI that stated they were acting on behalf of Abbey National to reclaim £4600 ish that he has left over from a loan he hadnt paid back.

 

After several letters and phone calls they agreed to accept a payment of £10 per month. My other half set up a standing order and has been paying it for 18 months or so.

 

Last week he received a letter from a totally different company (CAS or something I think??) with a totally different customer ref number but relating to the Abbey loan. It was signed by the same bloke that was signing the ECI letters and thats why ive guessed that they have changed their company name. Anyway the letter said he has defaulted his payments and that if they didnt receive the £10 withing 7 days then he would have to pay the total debt.

 

We checked online banking and the £10 did come out as usual and hasnt bounced back. Looked on back of letter and their company bank details have changed!! Am i right in assuming that ECI have gone into liquidation or similar and therefore have changed names and bank details?? If so where has his £10 gone and also, can they just do this without informing him??

 

Ive seen on other threads that theres some sort of letter you can send to these companies requesting the original credit agreements - anyone know of a template and how I go about this? If they can stump up the proof they have purchased the debt, does he have to pay them or can it be written off? If they do porove they own the debt, can he offer to pay them say 10 or 20% as settlement??

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[dannyboy660]

ECI, CAS (Credit Ancillary Services), and Equidebt are all the same company.

 

They will now try to bully you into either increasing your payments, or you will be offered a F&F settlement to get a lump sum out of you. Once you accept and pay up, the 'balance' will then be passed to another Company, which is in fact part of the same group, to recover the balance.

[Sarah Frost]

Thanks dannyboy. Can they just do that though, as far as I knew I was dealing with ECI and paying them but now they write to me as "CAS" and their bank details change without telling me. So how can they day that I have defaulted when I havent??

[dannyboy660]

Personally I would ignore any other involvement, and you have proof you have not defaulted so CAS, as they now want to call themselves can get stuffed.

 

Now they have decided to play dirty with you, it would be a good time to request the CCA and check to see the debt is actually enforceable. You might find they don't have the proper documentation with which to take any action, and then it will be you holding all the Aces.

[Sarah Frost]

Ok thanks for that info.

 

Could you point me in the right direction of a template letter to request a CCA?

[dannyboy660]

Letter N is the starting point.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-debt-issues/20758-creditors-dcas-letter-templates.html

 

 

...and this may be useful if you do get anything.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collection-industry/105315-my-agreement-enforceable-useful.html

 

Let us know how you get on. There are always people here willing to help.

Edited November 17, 2008 by dannyboy660
Small addition