1st credit & Vanquis Bank/credit card advice needed please

[gartom]

I'll try to keep this brief.

 

I had/have a vanquis bank credit card, I hold my hands up and say I defaulted on payments and now owe them just shy of £600.

At the end of last year I got into finiancial difficulty and like an ostrich hid my head in the sand:sad:

I have since paid off one of my debts, today a company called 1st credit called me to say Vanquis had passed the debt to them.

 

Again I stress I don't dispute the money because I do owe it but like thousands of others I'm not in a position right now to pay it in full which they demanded.

They then offered to discount the debt to £450 BUT I had to pay it over three months £150.00.

 

I offered £30 a month to start with as that is all I can truely afford, I explained to them I wanted to pay it but would not be bullied into paying more than I could afford as then I would default and be back to square one!

They have told me that Vanquis have put a limit on when the debt has to be paid, which according to them means I have to pay at least £60 a month and I just don't have it at this time:sad:

 

Does anyone know where I stand legally? That they have refused to accept my payment of £30 a month.

I appreciate this debt is of my own doing but I'm doing my level best to pull myself out of it.

Thanks

[harrassed senior]

YOU dictate how much you CAN afford. No-one else has that right. If you have worked out your I & E no one is entitled to view this information but you, and YOU tell them what you can afford.

 

Most people on CAG advise against speaking with these types on the telephone because they lie, threated and badger you into such a state you believe what they are saying. If they telephone at all do not answer their security questions and tell them in writing only.

 

You say they have refulsed to accept £30 a month, do you have this in writing, if so keep that in a safe place.

 

Tell them you will be setting up a Standing Order (do NOT give them any of your banking details). Make the amount what YOU can safely afford and no more. If you are on Jobseekpers or any Benefits a Judge would normally set this at around £1 per month.

 

How old is your Vanquis account? as there is another avenue we could go down too.

[gartom]

Thank you sooooo much for replying it's a weight off my shoulders just to talk to someone about it.

The debt is about a year old.

I paid them £20 over the phone today and am supposed to ring tomorrow (as it's payday) to pay a further £30.

The lady I spoke to said I had to fill in a form detailing all my income and outgoings, provide wage slips etc so the solicitors could go over it and deicide how much THEY thought I could pay.

 

I've just been reading some previous threads and think I've done everything wrong already:oops:

They kept phoning me at work, so to stop that happening I phoned them today. They insist they sent me a letter but I have recieved NO letter from them.

Should I pay tomorrow? Especially as I do owe the money.

Thanks

[DonkeyB]

You do NOT have to fill in an I&E form. Only a court can order that.

 

Send the harassment letter from the letters templates. That should stop the phone calls.

 

These people are annoying. You clearly want to pay, and have made an excellent offer. However, their greed means I am keen to make them suffer... they are not treating you fairly or seriously.

 

When did you take this card out? Might there be any charges on the account, or PPI? I feel a CCA request coming on...

[dx100uk]

it puzzled me why they are offering a discount

 

typically this only happens when there is a known issue with the CCA being faulty and un-en

or the balance is made of mainly unlawful charges & PPI.

 

you are under NO legal obligation to negotiate over the phone.

 

and to be perfectly honest, if you gave them card details, i'd phone your bank and tell them you have damaged your card and it will no longer work.

 

these muppets will fleece you blind so be careful.

 

stop talking to them on the phone and remember they have

 

NO LEGAL POWERS to do anything to you.

 

dx

[gartom]

Of the £600 owing now the origianl debt was £250 the rest are overlimit or late charges! However I went overlimit because they charged a late charge!

 

Can't remember the exact date I took it out but think 2008. So do I ring a pay them tomorrow?

Seriously guys I can't tell you what a relief it is to talk to people about it

[PGH7447]

there you go then, most of it is charges, did you have PPi or any insurance on this card?

 

work out what the charges were in total, add 8% deduct this from the total and then you will see what there is left

[gartom]

I dont' have statements to hand but know my limit was only £250 which I never went over until the late charges...................so a rough estimate would be £600 less £250 is £350 of charges! Plus 8% is £380 leaving £220. I didn't have PPI I still can't believe I was stupid enough to get in this much debt over £250!

 

Do I carry on paying them as I said I would? Although this was only agreed by 1st credit until I submitted my I&E which I won't do now. I'm not sure where to go from here

[DonkeyB]

If you took it out in 2008, a CCA request may be pointless.

 

But getting hold of all the statements via an SAR is a definite. This will list all the charges, so you can calculate what THEY owe YOU.

[gartom]

Do I put that into writing to Vanquis (orginial debt) or to 1st credit or are now handling it?

 

Do I ignore 1st credit until I have that information?

[gartom]

Just been rooting around in my paperwork.

 

I took the card out in October 2006 - much longer than I thought.

 

My latest statement shows a repayment option plan of £6.95.

Does this change the CCA?

[gartom]

Thought I better clarify I've only had trouble paying them since October 2009 not since 2006, that's when I took the card out.

[DonkeyB]

SAR to Vanquis, CCA to 1st Crud.

[gartom]

Thank you again and sorry for the endless questions. From what I've read on other threads there are templates for these letters?

Also do I ignore 1st credit now until I receive the CCA?

[dx100uk]

look in the library top left tab

 

cca 1st credit

 

sar to the oc vanquish

 

use postal orders

 

you can leave the £1 blank

 

p'haps put vanquish on the sar one

 

dont sign the letters

 

dx

[gartom]

Morning,

I'm just sorting my letters to send to Vanquis and 1st credit.

 

I've found the CCA template but can't seem to find a SAR one, I'm sure it's a case of not seeing it for looking but if someone could post me a link to it I'd be grateful.

[alfwithhair]

Morning,

I'm just sorting my letters to send to Vanquis and 1st credit.

 

I've found the CCA template but can't seem to find a SAR one, I'm sure it's a case of not seeing it for looking but if someone could post me a link to it I'd be grateful.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?417-A-Subject-Access-Request-for

 

remember to edit depending on who you are sending to DCA or OC

[gartom]

Today I received two letters from 1st credit. One saying I owe money pay now - which they said last Thursday has already been sent out but letter is dated 11th November.

The second was is dated 12th November the day after I spoke to them.

It has a "Financial Statement" that I'm supposed to fill in with all supporting documents., I assume that I ignore all this?

I'm a bit concerned about ignoring it as on the phone I offered £30 a month which I was told was unacceptable but in the letter they have agreed to it on an interm basis until I send back form.

 

Would I be better off to continue to pay £30 a month until they provide me my CCA which I sent recorded delivery on Fri 12th or withhold payment?

 

I'm confuddled!

[gartom]

Sorry I forgot to ask, do I wait 14 days from when I sent the letter or from when they received it?

 

Thanks again everyone

[PGH7447]

12+2 days from when you sent it, if it is a cca

 

40 days from when you sent it for a sar

 

dont send 1st crud any finalcial info they dont have any jurisdiction to ask for or demand it

[gartom]

Thank you

 

This is a total minefield, I can't thank you all enough for your help and advice.

I'll keep your posted as and if I hear from Vanquis or 1st Crud ( I do like that name hehehe)

[gartom]

Right, I got my first threatening text today from 1st creidt, I checked with post office and my CCA letter was delivered yesterday.

 

Do I continue to ingnore for now?

[gartom]

And now a phone call!

[alfwithhair]

Ignore their stupid text.

 

If they call again refuse to answer their security questions, tell then you are concered about identity theft, tell them in writing only and put the phone down.

Do this every time they ring, they will soon get cheesed off

Do not enter into any conversation with them on the phone

[gartom]

Thanks

 

They phoned a second time at about 6pm, I wouldn't confirm who I was or gave any details, just asked them in future to communicate in writing only..........then I hung up which perversely was highly satsifying!