Yet Another Suicide through Debt. We're going to fight back NOW!!!

[Spamalot]

Just subbing.... came close to throwing myself under a train in 2008 when things got unbearable for me and Marlin were putting the pressure on and laughing at me for getting in a state on the phone... tables are turned now thanks to CAG...

 

This site is a lifesaver for people in debt and should get more exposure from National Debtline, CAB and The Samaritans.

 

Just my 2p for now... I'm sure I'll pipe up again later.. well done to all the posters so far.. excellent thread.

 

Spam.

[landy_alert]

Hi everyone:)

 

Subbing also - I can sympathise totally as Mr Landy drove out to the forest in 2007 and took an overdose of painkillers as a result of severe depression brought about by financial pressures from Swift Advances and LTSB.

 

He was missing for 24 hours before we guessed where he had gone and we discovered him. Fortunately despite taking a large number of pills there were no lasting ill effects on his health.

 

This all happened just before our son was due to take four 'A' levels and we were sure his chances of good results were ruined because of the stress we had all been under. Amazingly he still managed to achieve 3 As and 1 B!

 

We had to sell our dream home as a result of our financial problems and now live miles over 150 miles away from our families in a place I absolutely detest because we bought a house in an area we didn't know while we were not thinking straight - but we are mortgage free which is one consolation.

 

I particularly hate LTSB as they referred to Mr L's suicide attempt in notes in my SAR as trying to 'top himself' which I found most insensitive and lacking in any understanding of the situation.

 

If we had known about Cag and all its wonderful members back then this horrible episode in our lives could have been avoided.

 

Will do anything I can to support the sterling efforts made by others on this excellent thread!

 

Regards,

 

Landy x

[Jan4a]

I have been very lucky and have never had debt collectors after me, although my brother has. I would like to help if I could though.

 

The point about more publicity for CAG with CAB etc is good. I found CAG when searching for PPI advice in June/July this year but it had been around for years before that and I had never come across it.

 

I can do mailmerge if that's any use. Maybe send a letter into all the CAB offices? or would they just bin it?

[Blue Boo]

Hi all

Just subbing, i also wanted to add a little good news to all, a responce ive had from OFT after a complaint concerning a certain notorious DCA's harrassment and threats. Thier response reads:-

 

I acknowledge receipt of your permission to disclose slip received on October 2009.

 

We will take into account the further information you have helpfully given us as we continue to monitor this trader’s fitness to hold a credit licence. Thank you once again for taking the time to write to us about this matter and giving us permission to disclose your complaint details.

 

Considering the many compalints they have had over this DCA. Lets hope this could be the end of them or at least their dodgy bullying tactics!

 

 

Without the help from CAG i would never have known my rights and would have continued to believe all the DCA's threats etc. Thanks to all for not only giving me the knowledge, but also the courage to do something about it. I hate to think what my situation would have been without your help and advice!

 

Boo

[DeRichleau]

The CAG saves lives and gives back control to the consumer. Should it be a registered charity? Many pressure groups are. There would be rules and regulations from the charity comissioners, but it would help with funding, collecting funds, and with publicity. Any thoughts?

[nunnyrose]

so had my possession hearing today, thats out of the way now so will post here a copy of the letter I will be sending to my MP. watch this space

[Desperate Daniella]

Hi Nunnyrose,

 

That is so wonderful. Read on your thread.

 

Haven't been too active for a day or so, because of other nightmares, and have to deal with court case, but have had a lot of other ideas, and will get organized in the next day or so.

 

DDxx

[angel_1]

hiya guys

 

im trying to get back in touch here on a daily basis, and im fighting a few dcas off at the moment and waiting on a court case too

 

but soon will have plenty of time on my hands as the wheels of redundancy venture near, so then i will devote all my free working hours here online instead of at work, if you get my drift,

will be a pleasure to get totally involved in this

 

laters all and hiya to all ive not caught up with yet this week

 

angel x

[AA99]

Hi Angel, looking forward to having you back

[angel_1]

Hi Angel, looking forward to having you back

 

thank you AA99 will try and catch up with your threads over the next few days:)

and well done on daniela here to start up this thread too

 

have a sunny day all laters angel x

[ltc1607]

sub

[DeRichleau]

We do not need the portrayal of a Debt Collector on Coronation Street tonight. He was portrayed as having bought the debt of a charactor, simply walked into his house and drove off with his van. How many people will believe they have that power and now be even closer to harming themselves? Thanks Scriptwriters!.

[AA99]

:d:d

[DeRichleau]

Sorry to be thick but what does d:d:d: mean?

[Desperate Daniella]

That's appalling DeR,

 

As you say, thanks scriptwriters.

 

Sorry everyone for not being active on this thread over the past week or so. Having a major court nightmare which must take priority.

 

Will get back on track with this as soon as I can.

 

DD

[angel_1]

hiya all

 

yes i was also surprised at the coronation episode last night,, the wrong message was put across and also the threat of physical harm if the debt collector had to come back next time as he wouldnt be alone

 

not good

 

maybe we should all email the programme and educate the writers?

 

laters angel x

[hatesdebt]

A warm hello to all.

 

I would firstly like to say that this one on the very best forums out there for unjudgemental and helpful people.

 

I am saddened that yet another person has taken their life due to debt issues and my thoughts go to the family.

 

I just cannot sometimes believe the attitude and tactics of the lending institutions and dca’s when someone finds themselves in financial hardship - they should hang their heads in shame!

 

Do they really think that constant calls and threatening letters are going to suddenly make money that you don’t have appear in your account?

 

Banks and ccc’s are a disgrace.

They are often incredibly unhelpful, even if you have pre-empted hard times ahead and tried to communicate in an honourable fashion with them in advance. They will often not even entertain giving you any help until you are ALREADY in the doo doo and 3 payments behind. Thereafter, their “help” is often as much use as a choccy teaspoon.

 

They will readily sell the debt on to a dca for a vastly reduced sum, but will not afford this offer to the debtor. If it was not for this, most dca’s would probably not even exist.

If the debtor can prove to them that all they can afford is £x per month, why sell it to a dca?, why don’t they just collect the reduced payments from you until your circumstances improve or the debt is cleared?

 

I seriously feel that our beloved Government should heavily legislate the banks and MAKE them carry out debt collection IN HOUSE. The beginning of the end for most dca’s - who are, incidentally the utter **** of the earth, making money off the backs of others misfortune and circumstances, by using harassment, lies, threats and any number of other underhand tactics.

 

Mind you, the Government are just as bad. Take HMRC for example.

A friend of mine had his own business and got behind on vat to the tune of £7k.

Anyway, business picked up, so he contacted them and said all future vat payments will be met in full and on time, but he will also pay them £500 per month to clear the arrears.

They FLATLY refused his offer. Therefore, as they refused he adopted the attitude “well I won’t send you anything then” £500 per month is not acceptable, I can’t pay more, so why bother!

So, what did they do? Yes, in their infinite wisdom they put the business in liquidation!

Result; Business had no assets, so instead of them gradually getting their £7k back, they got NOTHING. 5 employees with no job, so now not paying any tax. 3 of them didn’t find a job for some time, so went on benefits, so the Government were paying THEM!

 

WHAT’S THE POINT? Is it no wonder the Government always have a lack of funds....

 

Anyway,

Enough rambling. We need to make the point to people, that NO debt problem is insurmountable, especially if they get on here!!

 

I don’t have problems yet, but if my work continues to decline as it has since the crunch began, I soon will have.

 

But, you know what? I don’t care!

Because with the help from the great people on here, there is NOTHING that any of my creditors can do which will cause me to lose any sleep.

 

What’s the worst? Wanna bankrupt me? Go ahead. It’ll save me £500 doing it myself.

So we lose the house - fine, we’ll rent. We still have each other and can carry on enjoying our lives.

Dca’s want to give me a hard time? - “Bring it on” because you’ll get what for!

At the end of the day, I can’t pay them what I don’t have - so, TOUGH!!

 

You guys keep up the good work and my best to you all.....

[nunnyrose]

Great post hatesdebt - now forward it to your MP.

we all need to share our rants and ravings in here -and it's a great place to do it. You say you don't have probs. at the moment so perhaps now would be a good time to write to your MP. We need the strength of debt free people to shout out in protest with us

[Desperate Daniella]

Hi hatesdebt,

 

What a great name. We all hate it too.

 

I absolutely agree with everything you say. They'll sell a debt for as little as 10p in the £ but not for us. Instead we cannot pay when circumstances change and we are threatened, frightened, and bullied.

 

Maybe you could write to your MP.

 

The thing I think we are all trying to emphasise on this thread is that it can happen to anyone, and of course you can't imagine it will until it does. And you can never imagine that after paying all these banks and card companies for years and having a perfectly acceptable credit rating all of sudden all hell is let loose on you. Threatening letters, threatening phone calls, DCAs, doorsteppers, and so on.

 

You summed it up so perfectly: Where do they expect the money to come from? Abracadabra!!!!! Wowee, I've suddenly got £30,000 in my bank account. Yay!! Drinks are on me.

 

We're in this horrible situation to a certain extent because we get overcharged everywhere and this is what has got to stop.

 

I can't put my energies into this at the moment as I have a major horror to deal with right now, but in the New Year we really do need to take some action.

 

DD

[hatesdebt]

Hi Nunny and DD.

 

One of my best friends used to be a corporate lawyer, charged out at £1500 per day!!

 

We are both against all this nonsense. I will give him a buzz tonight and see what we can do, including writing to our respective MP's.

 

Mind you, I hold little faith in MP's, as ours was one of those caught in the recent scandals.

 

We are at present, trying to work out how we can run for MP's ourselves.

My friend is incredibly intelligent and if you were to hear what would be his proposed manifesto, should he ever get to the point where it could be used. This country would be sorted out pronto - I kid you not.

 

I agree that we all need to band together and sort out this nonsense once and for all!!

 

Take care...

[AA99]

Hello Hatesdebt:) Invigorating rant there, well done! You will start to recognise a few of the names already on this thread as we have been posting together for over a year now:) There is definitely much publicity needed:) We have many recorded phone calls:) I have a fantabulous Lib Dem MP on my side:)

[hatesdebt]

Hi AA99,

 

Maybe we should try and organise a meeting with your Lib Dem Mp and start the ball rolling. The sooner we can sort some of this nonsense, the better...

[Desperate Daniella]

Absolutely. If your MP would be onboard hatesdebt we'll all start to write letters at the very least. We do need a superhero debtbuster here.

[Desperate Daniella]

And if they really took it onboard, they'd be guaranteed a high public profile.

[DeRichleau]

The media are waking up to this as well. The recent newsweek doc. about DCA's was encouraging. There needs to be some form of legislation against financial exploitation. It could be incorporated into the existing consumer legislation. The main point must be to make what few rights that consumers have to be better known and the info.widely available. My worry about MPs. is that they are career mercanaries, and will only support a cause if it is a vote catcher. Some people might believe that Bankers and MPs may well be in the same club (oh worshipful brother) Onward and Upward!