WELCOME FINANCE Harassment

[SHELLA]

Hello,

 

I am posting this message on behalf of my parents who do not have access to a computer. I hope that is okay?

 

They have a loan with the above company. They have missed November's payment. They fully accept responsibility for the loan and intend to pay.

 

I believe them to be harrassed by Welcome Finance with the amount of phone calls they have been receiving and the nature of the communication that has been delivered in person.

 

As soon as they missed the initial payment, they were told by a Welcome agent via a phone call, that their house was at risk and that the courts did not need to be involved.

 

Then on the evening of 4th December 08 a man knocked at our front door and announced that he had come to collect a £385 payment.

He did not identify himself or what company he was representing. When asked he just repeated himself. He was here for a £385 payment.

When told that this was not a request they were able to comply with, he then announced that he would be taking the car that was in the driveway.

He did not enquire to whom the car actually belonged and when queried said that the ownership of the car did not matter.

He proceeded to make a phone call allegedly to bailiffs informing them of the car registration, the make and the location and informed me that there would be someone coming to collect it.

They then received a telephone call from an alleged bailiff. He informed them that he was coming to take the car. When told you could not do this without the correct order and warrant of the court (also this is only action taken by Court bailiffs). The man stated he ‘does not care about the law. He was going to take it anyway’. He then went on to say that he could get an order in the morning. At which point the man explained that, they could not stop him if he takes the car at 3am in the morning.

 

They received a phone call ten minutes later. It was the man who originally came to collect payment. He ranted that they were ‘pathetic thinking they could get away with not paying our debts’ and when told that someone would need a court order to take any personal possessions he called them‘delinquents,’ laughed and hung up.

 

A little later he once again knocked at the front door and handed them a standard letter from Welcome Finance

 

The police were called but as it was not an emergency there was nothing immediate that they could do. They told them to call 999 if the man showed up again and advised us to get an Injunction with the Power of Arrest attached.

 

A letter of complaint has been sent to Welcome Finance head office and my parents received a phone call this past Tuesday informing them their account is now on hold until this matter is sorted and that their local {Romford} branch of Welcome will not be contacting them.

 

However the calls continue, asking when payment will be received, threatening court action,and even snide comments - ie: nice car.

 

As you can imagine my parents who are pensioners are very distressed and we don't know what else to do.

 

They take no notice!

 

Does anyone have any advice? It really would be most welcome.

 

Thank you.

[postggj]

Dear Sirs

Harassment by telephone

 

Account Number: XXXXXXX

I am writing in relation to the quantity and frequency of telephone calls that I have received from your company, which I deem to be personally harassing.

I have verbally requested that these stop, but I am still receiving calls. (Delete if necessary)

I now require all further correspondence from your company to be made in writing only.

I am of the view that your continued harassment of me by telephone puts you in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

If you continue to harass me by telephone, you will also be in breach of the Communications Act (2003) s.127 and I will report you to OFCOM, Trading Standards and The Office of Fair Trading, meaning that you will be liable to a substantial fine.

Be advised that any further telephone calls from your company will be recorded. (**Even if you don‘t yet have recording equipment!!**)

__________________

Furthermore, should it be your intention to arrange a “doorstep call”, please be advised that under OFT rules, you can only visit me at my home if you make an appointment and I have no wish to make an appointment with you or anyone representing you.

 

There is only an implied license under English Common Law for people to be able to visit me on my property without express permission; the postman and people asking for directions etc (Armstrong v. Sheppard and Short Ltd [1959] 2 Q.B. per Lord Evershed M.R.). Therefore take note that I revoke license under Common Law for you, or your representatives to visit me at my property and if you do so, then you will be liable to damages for a tort of trespass and action will be taken, including but not limited to, police attendance."

 

Needless to say, if an idiot does turn up, you are under no obligation to let them in to your home, or even bother to converse with them at all. You can use a word of your choosing followed by "off", or you can just totally ignore the idiot on the basis that you only converse with human beings.

 

send by recorded delievery to this address

 

welcome financial services ltd

compliance

ruddington fields biz park

ruddington

nottingham

ng11 6nz

 

send the above by recorded delievery

 

what i want to say about welcome cant be posted if you get the idea but plenty of people willing to help over these muppets

 

how old is the agreement

[SHELLA]

Oh thank you...that is a brilliant letter.

They really appear to use 'bully boy' tactics.

 

As far as I know their agreement is roughly three years old.

 

Thank you again.

[sillygirl1]

Do as suggested and get an injunction stopping all contact from their cretin. It's the only thing they might listen too - if he breaches it you can then legitimately take them to court for his actions and they MAY loose their licence.

 

I was offered a loan with them recently and told them they were UNWelcome and I wasn't looking for a loan anyway - they said I would be silly not to take their offer as it was the best on the market - I said I would be silly to take it as I didn't want it!

[davethorp]

Only additional advice I can offer is that if they did take something such as the car like they said they would, ring the police straight away and report a theft, as without a court order, that is what it is!

[MARTIN3030]

Welcome to the site Shella.

Have moved your thread here.Have a read through this forum.

 

Out of interest what is the name of the Baliffs firm ?

[steven4064]

The events in the first post break so manystatutes and OFT guideleines, I don't even know where to start

[SHELLA]

Hello,

 

I posted a thread yesterday about Welcome Finance Harrassment.

And either I cannot find the thread or it has disappeared?

There was an excellent letter template someone posted on there that was brilliant but its gone

 

I cannot see it at all?

[ukaviator]

It's here Shella, someone moved it:

 

Edit Invalid link removed

Edited December 12, 2008 by saintly_1
Invalid link removed

[saintly_1]

Link to a thread that has been moved removed

 

 

To find your threads click on the quicklinks at the top then view subscribed threads

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit .. invalid link now removed

Edited December 12, 2008 by saintly_1

[SHELLA]

Ahhhh so I'm not mad,I just cannot access it.

I get a page saying 'you do not have permission to access this page'

Is there something I'm doing wrong.

[LilyLou]

I can't access it either !

[ukaviator]

I have merged it with your thread here, don't know why you can't see it, should be there now for all to see.

[LilyLou]

Message from The Consumer Action Group

No Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the

administrator

[ukaviator]

Shellas original message is post 1 here, i have just merged it with this thread. The link earlier has been removed as it now will definately not work.

[SHELLA]

Oh thats great ... thank you very much.

 

The man who came to the door was supposedly calling someone from a Baliff's company called Jakes?

 

My parents know now it was really all hot air but at the time they were pretty shook up.

 

They are also asking repeatedly for a statement from Welcome Finance, they were told when they miss a payment, the bill doubles. For example last week they owed £2000 this week it is £7000.

I'm not sure how that is worked out but I have seen a letter to them from Welcome stating they charge £10 for every phone call they make to YOU and £25 if they call at your door?

 

Either way a statement has not been forthcoming.

 

I'm having a good read of these forums and it is sooooo informative.

Thank you.

[MARTIN3030]

Shella glad you found the thread.I did not send you pm as you should have been auto notified.

 

The name Jakes does not ring any bells.

Are you sure its not Drakes ?

There are clear differences in Baliffs and debt collectors.

 

As has already been said-there are clear breaches in OFT guidelines on debt collections,amongst others.

 

The temp letter above will address some of the problems,but there needs to be more.

You should get the help and advice here to enable you to do this.

In the meantime do not deal by phone keep a record of all communications and copies of any exchanges in writing.

 

 

I have noticed your thread has been moved back into the consumer issues,its not the best place for this-which is why I moved it !

It will need to be moved into the debt forums once we establish who is collecting.

Edited December 12, 2008 by MARTIN3030

[postggj]

hi shella

 

can you confirm jakes or drakes as martin asks

 

welcome use a repo outfit called country wide

they give the impression they are baliffs but are just agents for welcome

 

drakes are a rather nasty baliff company, they normally deal with parking fines

[sam614]

hi my sister had similar with welcome last year.the(bailiffs) claimed to be JAYES FROM ROMFORD ESSEX

[SHELLA]

Thank you for all your messages.

 

It very well could be Jayes then as the local branch is the Romford one. I wasn't there and my Father is somewhat deaf now. What happened?

 

It seems from reading these boards that Welcome Finance tend to ignore all communication. They have had no reply as yet from them.

 

Also from these boards it would appear that the charges they have and are adding to the account are far more than what they would actually incur.

And don't get me started on the PPI .... a lot to consider and research here.

 

My main thing at the moment is the harassment. I want that to stop and I want someone held accountable for it.

 

Would 'Watchdog' or something similar be interested? There seem to be an awful lot of similar tales on here about them?

 

Once again, thank you for all the messages. It is nice to have some support,to know you're not alone and ultimately to have the infomation that this board has

[Kraken1]

Drop a complaint to your local Trading Standards

 

If they hold a consumer credit licence (and from your description it sounds as if they should) complain to the OFT.

 

If they are certificated bailiffs you can also complain to the court who issued their certificate who might even award you compensation.

 

None of these folk will do anything unless they receive lots of complaints.

[SHELLA]

I apologise for butting in but could anyone tell me Welcome's main address?

 

I am sending them a CCA request but I have so many addy's available.

 

The local branch,one in Abbeyfield Rd etc but which is better {I'm not doing a Harry Enfield here...FIGHT!},if anyone coud point me in the right direction I would be most grateful.

 

Thank you.

[sam614]

I would sent it to.

 

ruddington fields business park.

ruddington.

nottingham.

ng116nz

[SHELLA]

I really don't understand shares etc.....I take it this is bad for Welcome Finance.

Is anyone lightly to step in at the last minute and take them on and what happens to all those who have had faulty agreements with them or who have been negotiating repayment plans etc etc?

[082stewie]

Welcome will go into administration and the debts will be sold off to creditors. They will not manage your account anymore.

 

Since you signed an agreement with Welcome they are bound by the FSA regulations and fair banking terms. That still stands. So who ever gets the loan book will continue to handle the agreements.

 

Stewie;)