barclays business account - worried!

[ziggy30]

hi this is my first post here and am in need of a little help before i make contact... i have received a letter from CDCS asking me for monies owed to barclays for a business account i had a year or so ago. At the time i had a business partner who used to run my accounts and paperwork. Everything is in my name only and as far as i was aware there was no money outstanding and the account was closed.

 

I have just received a letter saying they are going to register a default against me so ruineing my perfect credit rating... superb!

 

It is clear that i have been ripped off my my business partner and am now left with a debt to pay. unfortunatley i dont have the money to pay in full its not a huge amount of money only a few grand and i would have paid it had i been made aware by barclays that there is monies owed. this is the first contact i have had off them in 12 months.

 

i am no longer earning a lot of money due to the recessioin hitting me hard and now have a job.

 

my business address was different to my home address and maybe that is why i havent received any paperwork from them but they got this nasty letter here ok so i cant understand why they would let it go this far without making contact with me first.

 

the worst outcome of this for me is to lose my credit rating with a default notice. i can pay money off each month out my wages but its going to take me about 18 months to pay with my outgoings and the wages i am on.

 

any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated as i am really worried about this...

 

thanks

[elsinore]

Hi ziggy.

 

Can you please confirm that you were a sole trader?

 

Do you have bank statements up to the closure of the business? If not, does your 'ex-partner' have them and can you get them back? Did he/she have the authority to write cheques or withdraw money from the account?

 

Can you post up a copy (or the wording) of the letter from CDCS? If so, omit all personal details and account numbers,etc.

 

Els

[ziggy30]

Yes i was a sole trader. also i am sure the balance was not paid because i have also found out that a couple of other things have not been paid like a credit card and a stationary account. not got all the bank statements but have a few. i think they will have gone to my previous address.

 

the letter says:

 

your account at barclays plc has been transferred to the banks recovery unit and the outstanding balance transferred to us for collection. all correspondence concerning the account must now be directed to this office quoteing the account number shown above.

 

default information will be recorded at licenced credit reference agencies which may seriously affect your ability to abtain credit and / or martgage facilities

 

THE PAYMENT OF THE FULL AND OUTSTANDING BALANCE MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 7 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS LETTER. FAILURE TO MAKE THE REQUIRED PAYMENT WILL RESULT IN THE REFERRAL OF YOUR ACCOUNT EITHER FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF LEGAL PROCEDINGS OR TO A PROFESSIONAL DEBT COLLECTION AGENCY.

 

you may be able to avoid this action by telephoning blah blah blah

 

as said before my only gripe is that this is the fisrt thing i have had from them in over 12 months and find it unfair that i have only 7 days to pay and i am also going to have a default registered against me.

 

any advice on how i should take this forward would be greatly appreciated!

[elsinore]

the worst outcome of this for me is to lose my credit rating with a default notice

 

If you are satisfied that the sum demanded is correct and you are willing to make an offer of repayment, then this may be one of the few occasions when telephoning CDCS would be advisable, if only for speed.

Try to obtain confirmation that previous correspondence has been misdirected and that you were unaware of the debt, or that you were being pursued for it.

If you are in a position to pay off a sizeable chunk of the debt immediately and make an offer to pay the balance quite quickly, you may be able to persuade the bank not to record a default. That perfect credit record is worth preserving. You could also try to negotiate an offer of full and final settlement.

If you do telephone, record the conversation if possible. At least get the name of the person you speak to and their telephone extension number and an email address. Then, if you need to, confirm the outcome of the telephone conversation by email or by letter.

Then get after your ex-partner for some recompense!

Els