Serious Debt Please Help

[Fred Bassett]

Teldave,

 

Do you use BT? If so, they have a service which you can sign up to for a few quid a month which allows you to divert your 'phone to a different number. You can then sign up to a free 0700 number with somebody like dmclub.co.uk and divert your number to that. This way, you have a log of all the calls made and you get instant notification of any messages that are left - again this will help to prove harassment.

 

Also, if you are with BT, you can get an additional number at no extra cost that works with your broadband. I did this and gave this number to family and friends. I still kept the old number but I can switch it through to my voicemail number if I start getting a lot of calls from DCAs, which to be honest, I don't any longer.

 

Regards.

 

Fred

[cadencealex]

Calm down, think rationally. It is only money. They can't take your loved ones from you, or your friends. They can't kill you. They can't really do much when you think about it.

 

Get a cup of Tea, turn the phones off.. ignore the buzzers... and prepare to write several letters

 

In a week or so you will feel much better, you will feel in control for once and you will see light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Follow all of the advice you are given here by the wonderful people on CAG and in a few months everything will be so much better

[sosumi]

You say you work supporting trading floors - does that mean stock exchange? You also say there isn't much work at the moment...

[sosumi]

You're really not alone with this! xx

[sosumi]

What I'm saying is, if the work isn't there, then could you use your skills and abilities another way?

[sosumi]

You are not at the end of anything Teldave, you're at the beginning of something brand new. xx

[Dorabell]

sorry guys just a bad day feeling down buzzer system in rented property so even with phone unplugged it buzzes every room need to work out how to disconnect every buzz just brings it home what a mess I am in my whole family now gone only have my husband but he is at the end of his tether scared he will walk and I lose him too not looking for sympathy as there are worse off them me!!! some positive win stories please thanks everyone

 

Hi teldave you need to keep strong and stay positive:) and listen to the great advise on this site and you will be alright:) this time last year i was breaking point did now were to turn to till i found this site:D i have had some debt written off through lack off credit areements and i am still learning and hopefull will get there in the end i have a long way to go yet:) so dont let the bully boys dca /banks grind you down, keep your chin up and you will be ok:)

[sosumi]

Your job isn't your life Teldave - your life is your life.

Everything's come at once and I bet it feels overwhelming.

You will get through it though. xx

[fedup74]

Teldave I would strongly urge you to ring national debtline tomorrow.(They may be open today) They are absolutely fantastic- non judgemental and really supportive. Look at this in a positive way- you are trying to do something and not burying your head, this can only be commended. It is a lot easier to ignore everything than to face up to it. This site will give you all the support you need and in a couple of weeks, I promise you will feel better. It is money at the end of the day, nobody can take you away for owing money. Get them letters to your creditors written and we will take it from there. Keep your chin up and remember we are all supporting you.

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[PriorityOne]

I've just quickly scanned your thread and it seems that Mercers and HFC are the ones harassing you the most. Is that correct ?

 

Mercers are the in-house puppets for Barclays and make all kinds of idle threats in order to get money from you. They called my house 2-3 times a day for 6 months and then gave up.... I either hung up or put the 'phone down and let them talk to themselves until they hung up themselves. They have long since given up....and the account was flogged out to a DCA ages ago. No worries there either.

 

Similar story with HFC.... who threatened all sorts, including a property charge....

 

Both companies probably have you on an automated dialling software system.... hence all the calls. The space-age gap before anyone speaks is the biggest clue to this....

 

In my own case, no-one got anything due to lack of Agreements. Those I had been paying, I stopped paying. They kicked and squeeled for a while, but were extremely reluctant to put anything in writing.... so please don't be fooled by some commission-based monkey trying to put the fear of God into you. What you don't have, they can't have.... and with no Agreement (if this proves to be the case), they'll get nothing anyway.

 

We're all behind you....

 

[Teldave]

thanks everyone your support does make you realise you are not alone here is a post from the Sunday times I was so incensed I had to reply so it does show I am not just crying all the time I am trying to fight back

 

No wonder banks reluctant to lend. If they try to get their money back they get bad publicity or now get sued. Fortunately the vast majority of people still carry out their obligations without needing to be phoned. As for appointing someone to deal with it - not deal with it more likely.

 

John f., epsom

 

my response which I am pleased to say was accepted and now posted on the sunday times on line

Lets hope Mr Epsom doesn't loose his job or have any personal crisis in his life that affects his income!! are the banks rang 32 times in a day because they have lost billions NO they get bailed out by the Government or me ie the taxpayer and yes today I have had 32 phonecalls starting at 07.45

 

Teresa, Chatham, Kent

Once again everyone THANK YOU

[Teldave]

Hi Priorityone no I am sad to say not just Mercers & HFC they are the worst, but Halifax, Bank of Scotland & Capital One so far today the phone has rang 48 times then they start on my mobile which I have to leave switched on because of work I have taken the advice on this site to not speak to them but it is making my ife unbearable it really is then then start on my work number tomorrow morning I have written to them all asking them to contact me via post only and the harrassment letters will go off tomorrow as this weekend has def been the worse my husband is going mental as he can't get any sleep with the constant buzzer or mobile going I wouldn't blame him if he walks I have let everybody down getting into this mess!!!

[mr.ton]

Teldave...have you considered getting your numbers changed in the short term?

Have you also considered police action (not 999) as its illegal to harrass anyone...weather that be from an individual or a company.

I did that once with a DCA & the police did warn them to stop.

[Teldave]

Thanks Mr Ton for your advice if I am honest looking like we will have to give up tenancy in the next few weeks for something cheaper mobile and work difficult because of work business cards don't really want to have to explain this to my contract employers especially when my contract is due for renewal in the next few weeks try to keep all this seperate don't want them to think they are employing a liability!!! hopefully the harrassment letters may make them calm down for a bit appreciate your suggestion THANks

[mr.ton]

If your employer would hold anything against you for having to look after your own best interests, then they are not worth working for in the 1st place by the sounds of it.

You say you dont want them to know they are employing a liability?

Jeeess...what person in this country does not have problems outside of work weather that be debt or anything else?

I would certainly recommend getting your number changed & giving that to all your essential contacts - its no-one elses business as to the reasons why you've done that

[Teldave]

thanks Mr Ton this is all new to me a born worrier that is my problem I have to say my employer is lovely they have always bent over backwards for time off maybe I just as you say realise that not everyone judges you because you have financial problems there are so many people out there worse then me I have to start counting my blessings but when you are low it makes it hard to do this thanks again for your support I need a kick up the !!!!!

[willtheywontthey]

Hi Teldave!!

 

Please try not to worry!!! I know this sounds nonsensical but the main aim of these companies is to try to get payment from you before anybody else in the queue. This is why the pressure on and more so recently. They are using really heavy-handed tactics nowadays for one late payment not to mention 3+months...

 

I am now seeing these companies phone my workplace, phone home and send all sorts of threats in the post. I dread the post and I dread calls.

 

This has been going on for months, It would be easier and less stressful if it wasn't for my partner who is not aware of what's going on and so I'm ending up lying to him. None of my debts are linked to him but with all the companies phoning up saying who they are it causes much stress and pressure onto relationship - as domy attempts to organise my finance / hide my files or check cag... without him knowing. I even take my main 'debt' files to work so he doesn't find them when he's alone in the house and I unplug the phone most times saying it 'fell out' or stopped working. I have become very adapt at the white lie to protect 'us'. ... he would freak if he knew the truth.

 

I have become less of a shrivelling wreck (but I still have my moments!) because of cag and things have go better over last 6 months as I've acquired more information from cag'ers. It's the not knowing the facts that gets me stressed big time as does the fear of him finding out.

 

It's all going to be a bit confusing for you trying to get everything tight in your head and to grasp the information you will get from here (there will be lots!!) but remember we are all here for you. Many people in similar situation unfortunately and many more got through it all. If you can put up with us we're all here and usually at all times to help you get through the worst of this. There are so may experienced people on here but the site is egtting busier and busier so do not panic if any of your threads do not get immediate reply.

 

First thing to do is to start different threads - this is once you're ready to start the fight-back... - don;t do it all in one go or you'll get confused!! Start threads on the more urgent cased. Decide if you want to put the thread in the actual bank forum (down there somewhere!) or in general debt or (more urgently usually) the debt collector section.... then post away particulars of that issue.

 

HFC / Marbles have defaulted me and were phoning and phoning each day until I complained. They were quite good and stopped amazingly. Now they are selling debt to god knows who else and charging a fortune in interest. Some tactics:

 

1. Start a file - dividers with correspondence from all of these lowlife into sections - will help you later. I am guessing you haven't opened many? For now open and file. Read them maybe in a day or two??

 

2. Many people will say for you to get a copy of your CCA (credit card agreement) and although this does 'assist' in the end game it does not stop these companies sending letters and selling debt onto DCA (debt collection agencies).. although they are not supposed to without a valid cca. IT can only be decided upon in court whether the CCA is unenforceable and not many banks / dca's take you to court because they will lose... so they use all their nasty powers to harrass. Ask on here how to do (different thread)

 

3.. You could try to see if you have any illegal penalty charges on your accounts? This could give you a big chunk of money back but could take some time.. then again if a bank, rather than credit card company, it will be much longer due to this court case (court deciding if they are illegal or not it seems). Ask on here how to do (different thread).

 

4. Go to post office and gte a few (five+) postal orders for 1 pound each (cost you more to buy!) ready for an emergency CCA request to any nasty lowlife who may have bought your alleged debt. Start new thread on here on how to do all this CCA request stuff - remember to track letter and postal order.

 

5. Send letter regarding phone call harassment to all companies.. (ask on another new thread for this if you cannot find letter!)

 

6. Be ready with a letter stating 'I do not accept doorstep visits' etc.

 

7. If you get telephone calls and know the number try to see if you can complain here:

 

How to complain | Ofcom

 

8. This is a handy website for finding who called.

 

Phone Call Comments remember to leave out spaces.

 

 

 

 

I have just has the Financial Ombudsman Service find in my favour regarding Capital One phone calls but it took 12 months. Cap One are way worse for phone calls than HFC / Marbles. The Co-operative kept saying they would stop calls but didn't so I phoned executive office and they stopped. The nasty automated letters have not stopped though. RBS have also promised many times to stop and haven't. I am now preparing complaints against them but know it will take months. My phone line is disconnected. I have had to change my mobile phone number.

 

I do agree you need to first of all contact the national debt line for immediate advice and peace of mind. Do NOT panic. Most of these letters are meant to intimidate and it is very very wrong.

 

Unplug the phone for your sanity!!! Leave it unplugged. Get a new mobile number etc!!

 

We are all here for you!! Take a deep breath and realise that this IS your low point and things will get better from here on.

 

((((Hugs!))))

[thekat1979]

Just adding my support. Since I joined here, I've gone from being scared when the post arrived, and just burying my head in the sand - I actually just piled the post in a corner for about a year and a half! I've managed to send 2 DCAs packing, am in the process of having my bank charges refunded, and got a fair few DCAs on the back foot! I look forward to the post now! I've got TONS of great advice on here.

 

Chin up matey.

[Fred Bassett]

Hi Teldave!!

 

Please try not to worry!!! I know this sounds nonsensical but the main aim of these companies is to try to get payment from you before anybody else in the queue. This is why the pressure on and more so recently. They are using really heavy-handed tactics nowadays for one late payment not to mention 3+months...

 

I am now seeing these companies phone my workplace, phone home and send all sorts of threats in the post. I dread the post and I dread calls.

 

This has been going on for months, It would be easier and less stressful if it wasn't for my partner who is not aware of what's going on and so I'm ending up lying to him. None of my debts are linked to him but with all the companies phoning up saying who they are it causes much stress and pressure onto relationship - as domy attempts to organise my finance / hide my files or check cag... without him knowing. I even take my main 'debt' files to work so he doesn't find them when he's alone in the house and I unplug the phone most times saying it 'fell out' or stopped working. I have become very adapt at the white lie to protect 'us'. ... he would freak if he knew the truth.

 

I have become less of a shrivelling wreck (but I still have my moments!) because of cag and things have go better over last 6 months as I've acquired more information from cag'ers. It's the not knowing the facts that gets me stressed big time as does the fear of him finding out.

 

It's all going to be a bit confusing for you trying to get everything tight in your head and to grasp the information you will get from here (there will be lots!!) but remember we are all here for you. Many people in similar situation unfortunately and many more got through it all. If you can put up with us we're all here and usually at all times to help you get through the worst of this. There are so may experienced people on here but the site is egtting busier and busier so do not panic if any of your threads do not get immediate reply.

 

First thing to do is to start different threads - this is once you're ready to start the fight-back... - don;t do it all in one go or you'll get confused!! Start threads on the more urgent cased. Decide if you want to put the thread in the actual bank forum (down there somewhere!) or in general debt or (more urgently usually) the debt collector section.... then post away particulars of that issue.

 

HFC / Marbles have defaulted me and were phoning and phoning each day until I complained. They were quite good and stopped amazingly. Now they are selling debt to god knows who else and charging a fortune in interest. Some tactics:

 

1. Start a file - dividers with correspondence from all of these lowlife into sections - will help you later. I am guessing you haven't opened many? For now open and file. Read them maybe in a day or two??

 

2. Many people will say for you to get a copy of your CCA (credit card agreement) and although this does 'assist' in the end game it does not stop these companies sending letters and selling debt onto DCA (debt collection agencies).. although they are not supposed to without a valid cca. IT can only be decided upon in court whether the CCA is unenforceable and not many banks / dca's take you to court because they will lose... so they use all their nasty powers to harrass. Ask on here how to do (different thread)

 

3.. You could try to see if you have any illegal penalty charges on your accounts? This could give you a big chunk of money back but could take some time.. then again if a bank, rather than credit card company, it will be much longer due to this court case (court deciding if they are illegal or not it seems). Ask on here how to do (different thread).

 

4. Go to post office and gte a few (five+) postal orders for 1 pound each (cost you more to buy!) ready for an emergency CCA request to any nasty lowlife who may have bought your alleged debt. Start new thread on here on how to do all this CCA request stuff - remember to track letter and postal order.

 

5. Send letter regarding phone call harassment to all companies.. (ask on another new thread for this if you cannot find letter!)

 

6. Be ready with a letter stating 'I do not accept doorstep visits' etc.

 

7. If you get telephone calls and know the number try to see if you can complain here:

 

How to complain | Ofcom

 

8. This is a handy website for finding who called.

 

Phone Call Comments remember to leave out spaces.

 

 

 

 

I have just has the Financial Ombudsman Service find in my favour regarding Capital One phone calls but it took 12 months. Cap One are way worse for phone calls than HFC / Marbles. The Co-operative kept saying they would stop calls but didn't so I phoned executive office and they stopped. The nasty automated letters have not stopped though. RBS have also promised many times to stop and haven't. I am now preparing complaints against them but know it will take months. My phone line is disconnected. I have had to change my mobile phone number.

 

I do agree you need to first of all contact the national debt line for immediate advice and peace of mind. Do NOT panic. Most of these letters are meant to intimidate and it is very very wrong.

 

Unplug the phone for your sanity!!! Leave it unplugged. Get a new mobile number etc!!

 

We are all here for you!! Take a deep breath and realise that this IS your low point and things will get better from here on.

 

((((Hugs!))))

 

Hi willtheywontthey, I know this is not your thread, but please take it from me that you MUST tell your partner. He will find out eventually - it is impossible to hide for ever and the stress of dealing with it the way you are doing is absolutely unbearable - you probably appreciate that already. Pick a suitable moment and TELL HIM.

 

You have to ask yourself what you are worried about. Will he leave you if he finds out? Well he will find out and frankly, he's more likely to do that if he thinks you didn't trust him enough in the first place. Take it from someone who knows exactly what you're going through. My marriage very nearly broke up because of debts - not because of the debts themselves but because my wife was so upset that I didn't tell her about it. Tell him, get him on your side, then you can start to deal with this properly and without anywhere near as much stress.

 

Regards.

 

Fred

[Fred Bassett]

thanks Mr Ton this is all new to me a born worrier that is my problem I have to say my employer is lovely they have always bent over backwards for time off maybe I just as you say realise that not everyone judges you because you have financial problems there are so many people out there worse then me I have to start counting my blessings but when you are low it makes it hard to do this thanks again for your support I need a kick up the !!!!!

 

Hi Teldave, it helps to have something realistic to say to people if this happens. You could tell them that you are in dispute with your bank because of charges and that you've fallen out with them. It's entirely believable - nearly everyone has been stung at some time or another.

 

Regards.

 

Fred

[Teldave]

Willtheywontthey how kind of you to offer your support when you have your own worries this is what I mean when I say this site literally saved my life I stood on the train platform and was going to jump it all seemed so much especially with the personal grief I have experienced but people like you and the others on this site have made all the difference THANKYOU

[sosumi]

I thought the comment on the Sunday Times article was great!

 

Losing your parents is one of the hardest experiences in anyone's life TD.

The people calling you don't, won't or can't connect with that.

Be angry with them. Grieve for your parents, but be angry with the planks that are calling you. Take the advice offered here, and find a way to stop the calls.

 

These 'callers' should be ashamed to intrude... but they won't be, which is why we all need to complain until they really start to listen.

Get angry with the people who deserve your anger, not yourself. xx

[PriorityOne]

Hi Priorityone no I am sad to say not just Mercers & HFC they are the worst, but Halifax, Bank of Scotland & Capital One so far today the phone has rang 48 times then they start on my mobile which I have to leave switched on because of work I have taken the advice on this site to not speak to them but it is making my ife unbearable it really is then then start on my work number tomorrow morning I have written to them all asking them to contact me via post only and the harrassment letters will go off tomorrow as this weekend has def been the worse my husband is going mental as he can't get any sleep with the constant buzzer or mobile going I wouldn't blame him if he walks I have let everybody down getting into this mess!!!

 

Teldave.... if you contact BT's Nuisance Call Bureau and state that you are having harrassing 'phone calls, they will change your number for nothing... As for the mobile calls, once you recognise the incoming number, just press cancel. If you're feeling strong enough to do so, make a log of every incoming call received.... as this can be used as part of a complaint later on.

 

The CCA request is a very powerful one and even when a debt does get flogged out to a DCA, these muppets are easy to get rid if there's no paperwork. Several of mine were flogged out to DCAs and none have ever been anywhere near a court room... Just make sure you keep hold of all correspondence and rec. delivery receipts.

 

[jaxads]

Hi Teldave - thinking of you. Hope you've had a better nights sleep and are feeling positive this morning. You CAN do this

[sosumi]

Teldave, also thinking of you xx