1st Credit/ Connaught Collections

[Tiggertastic]

Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone could maybe help me out? It's my first time posting on here and I could really do with some sound adivce.

 

I had a Vanquis credit card back in 2008 and to cut a long story short I now owe £449.51 I had been unable to pay for a while because of financial problems. As far as i'm aware Vanquis sold my debt onto 1st credit and I received my first letter from them Dec 2010.

 

Since then they have written to me several times a month (but all within a few days of each other) I sent them a letter in January, saying that I was willing to make a payment of £10 a month as this is all I can reasonably afford at this time and if/when my financial postion changes I shall pay more.

 

They sent back a letter thanking me for agreeing to pay off my outstanding debt, and asked me to call their office at my earliest convenience to discuss my offer in detail. I did not ring them!

 

A week later I received an odd letter saying because they had not heard from me for a while (7 days to me is not a while) They were considering passing on my debt to a solicitor.

 

So I worte to them quoting their letter and I reminded them I had submitted a proposal to pay off the debt at what I could afford, I told them I had set the standing order up personally and they should have already received my first payment and I asked for a receipt to prove they had received the first £10 installment. I also told them I did not wish to communicate via any means other than letters as I have no proof of what has been agreed if I talk over the phone.

 

They took 2 weeks to respond, thanking me for agreeing to pay of my debt, and to contact the office at my earliest convenience to discuss the offer further. (De ja vu anyone?) The same day I received a letter titled RECEIPT showing that the payment of £10 had been received.

 

I heard nothing for nearly a month, until today.

 

Today I have received a letter from Connaught Collections, who, after reading this site seem to be linked with 1st Credit.

 

They say: "We are unaware of any reason for payment being witheld, please forward settlement in full to this office within 7 days from the date of this letter. (Today is day 9 and I have only just got this letter.) We should point out that in the event of non settlement Vanquis Bank reserves the right to issue legal proceedings if necessary.

 

What on earth are they playing at?

 

I have immediately written to both Connaught and 1st Credit, stating that a payment plan is already in place and that is all I can afford. I am unable to pay the balance in full.

 

I know the balance is only just under £450 but to me that's alot of money, especially with 2 young children under the age of 3.

 

Surely they can't do a CCJ if i'm already trying to pay back what I owe?

 

Thank you for reading this and any advice would be more than welcome

[harrassed senior]

The quick answer is that, they will not carry out any of their threats = the reason they are so desperate to get you to telephone is so that they can threaten and lie to you to get you to agree to a higher payment by credit/debit card so that they could (allegedly) take a higher payment and more often.

 

Carry on making your payments and ignore their stupid letters, don't let it worry you any further. IMHO the amount is too low for them to issue proceedings, and, as long as you are paying regularly the judge would not be best pleased with them wasting the Courts' time.

 

A perfect example of why most of us suggest never to contact them by telephone - ever. If they phone you just respond with 'in writing' and put the phone down.

[Tiggertastic]

Thank you so much for your quick response.

 

I was shocked, angry and to be honest, really quite worried when I received that letter today. I thought everything was sorted, I had started to calm a little, as believe it or not that £450 weighs heavy on me. I am always worrying about it. I know that sounds daft when people have far larger debts to worry about but to me it's a massive burden I'd rather be without.

 

Why have they sent the letter from Connaught Collections? Is it scare tactics? I changed my phone numbers so they couldn't ring me anymore, I used to ignore their calls anyway, but I got fed up of my phone ringing every hour or so!

 

Am I right in thiking they can't send round doorstep collectors? I always worry I will have someone knock on my door when I am at home all day with my 2 children, so neendless to say it would make quite an intimidating experience.

 

Thank you again.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Tiggertastic

[bubbsie1]

From my own experience of DCA's I can tell you that most if not all of them (DCA's) will use scare/bullying tatics to get you to pay at a rate you cannot afford.

 

I agree with H.S's comments, carry on paying what you can afford.

 

Are you sure your debt has been sold? some creditors do not sell the debt but give the impression they have by referring it to their own 'in house' collectors; who will do employ scare tactics, that way the creditors are not seen to get their hands dirty.

 

As for a doorstep caller, they have no right to call at your home to discuss/collect payment; should any turn up just tell them to 'b****r' off in no uncertain terms; should the DCA threaten to send a collector in person sent them the 'Doorstep' caller letter you will find the link below taken from the CAG library.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...DOORSTEP-VISIT

 

 

 

I had a personal caller, which at the time did shock me but after finding the CAG forum I quickly learned how to deal with them.

 

Initially it is quite shocking and intimidating to be chased and harasssed by Creditors and their 'henchmen;' but they have rules and procedures they are supposed to follow just like everyone else and cannot do as they please.

 

If they do not comply with the guidelines and overstep the mark you can complaint and report their activity to the FOS.

 

They want to shock and intimidate people so they are at their most vulnerable and are most likely to agree to unreasonable demands for repayments.

 

You will get some excellent advice/support here, so try not to worry to much

Edited March 9, 2011 by bubbsie1
ommissions

[Tiggertastic]

Thank you bubbsie1 I haven't actually received a letter to say the debt had been sold. I just assumed that it had. I will have to trawl through my files and see exactly what the first letter I received from 1st credit said.

 

I have a pile of letters from them and i've only been in contact with them since December. They are just so full-on.

 

Why is it when they are receiving payments regulary, that they are still out to scare the living daylights out of you? I'm paying the money back so what exactly is their problem? I am considering complaining if I receive anymore letters threatening court action, because in my eyes i'm doing everything I can to pay them. Would I be within my rights to do so? and who would I lodge a complaint with, because quite frankly i'm at my wits end with these people.

[harrassed senior]

You can complain to Trading Standards via Consumer Direct http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact

 

You can complain to the Office of Fair Trading who have guidelines covering this despicable industry Contact us - The Office of Fair Trading

[bubbsie1]

Hi TT

 

I have just had a look at some other threads on the forum and it appears that Connaughts are 1st credits 'in house' collectors so the debt has not been sold on yet.

 

They will continue to write to you just to try to get you to pay more than you can really afford; just stick to what ou can afford and don't be bullied into paying more.

 

I started on this forum around the same time and I have had pretty much the same experience.

 

There is a link about 1st credit on the forum which will tell you what action the OFT has taken against 1st credit; just run your cursor over the 1st credit link in your thread and it will direct you to that report.

 

Read that and it will give you some interesting info on how they have been criticised for the practices they have been using.

 

You can complain now if you want to, read the link I've mentioned and think aout it.

 

I am still a beginner on here but learning something new all the time.

 

We musn't let them bully or harass us; it is time consuming and sometimes just seems exhaustive but once you've got some practice in you will feel like you're in control and it won't feel like such an uphill struggle

 

 

If I have been of any help please double click on the star logo at the bottom left of the page.

Edited March 9, 2011 by bubbsie1

[PGH7447]

1st crudit and connaught are the same entity, they just pass accounts between themselves because they think it helps them ig they cause confusion, ignore connaughts feebles attempts and stick to the payment plan,