HFO Services & Robinson Way

[scottie1977]

Re: Help needed with HFO Services Ltd Hi all, My issues with HFO, started receiving letters demanding payment then several phone calls a week from them for a Barclaycard debt that I have no knowledge of, I had a Barclaycard account which I closed down in 2004. I have sent a letter to HFO asking them to prove the debt and advising them that this debt would be statute barred if it did exist at all. As expected they have ignored this letter and carried on calling and received the dreaded 72 hours Notice for payment of the debt. What should I do next? looking through the various threads and Forums I think I should send a CCA but some advise would be appreciated, also have the same problem with Robinson Way for another old debt they too have ignored the prove it letter should I CCA them as well, Robinson Way are a little more persistent with the phone calls but their letters are not quit as threatening as HFO.. Help please guys.. I have just got myself back to normallity and been able to get a mortgage and sensible credit cards so really dont want these DCA's to ruin my credit rating and have to start all over again.

[DonkeyB]

Have you checked your CRA files?

[harrassed senior]

This has become 'a common' problem over the passed few weeks, and it would appear that HFO have 'discovered' these debts all of a sudden. There are hundreds, perhaps even thousand in the same situation, as I am myself and, as you say they completely ignore any letters you write.

 

There are several Caggers who give excellent advice on this situation, and they will be along soon.

 

Some information that would help

 

When were these accounts defaulted, and how long ago did you make the last payment.

[scottie1977]

To add a bit more info as I have now started a new thread, I have had no issues with debt collectors for about 6 or 7 years hence I havent posted on this site. This all started up again maybe 3 months ago, I did have huge debts and had to sell basically everything I owned to pay what I could off and basically started again, had been living in a rented flat until April 2010 was there for 4 or 5 years and was registered there and heard nothing of any of these debts in any of that time, finally when my credit ratings were back to being good I managed to get a mortgage and buy my own house again, within 7 months of getting the house I started receiving letters asking to confirm who I was and where I had lived previously, I ignored those and thought nothing of it, then phone calls started to come in on my home phone which is not even in my name its in my partners asking to call Robinson Way, which I never did how they got that home number I do not know, then letters demanding the payments started to arrive so having a look around various sites sent off the prove it letters and also advising these debts would be statute barred. Robinson Way have since put a default onto my credit report which I assume has now ruined my chance of getting any credit again, HFO are just very persistant in sending threatening letters neither company has even acknowledged the letters I sent... Hopefully thats enough info for someone to help me.. Thanks

[harrassed senior]

Do you recognise the alleged debt from Robinson Way, they cannot put a further default on your CRA files, this needs dealing with urgently. Again, others will supply more detailed options.

[scottie1977]

The robinson way debt is an old debt that was mine, obviously owed to another bank, but what they claim I owe is far more than I remember owing as I said at the time I tried to pay off everything I could and have never heard anything since so stupidly assumed that they were all closed, I have been advised that the default was always there it was just under an old address and it still has a default date of October 2005 which seems a little later than it should be but have been told there is nothing I can do and it will drop off my file in October 2011 which I will have to check on and make sure it does

[harrassed senior]

There has been a surge of last minute chasings for nearly SB debts. Not sure how far along the communications trail you are with RW, but usual course of action would be

 

1. Ask them to 'prove' the debt is yours.

2. Send a CCA Request, followed by an Account in Dispute letter if nothing is heard in 14 days.

 

The Default on your CRA files - how late was the Oct.05 date after payments had stopped.

[scottie1977]

There has been a surge of last minute chasings for nearly SB debts. Not sure how far along the communications trail you are with RW, but usual course of action would be

 

1. Ask them to 'prove' the debt is yours.

2. Send a CCA Request, followed by an Account in Dispute letter if nothing is heard in 14 days.

 

The Default on your CRA files - how late was the Oct.05 date after payments had stopped.

 

I have sent letters asking both RW and HFO asking them for proof of the debt and that I believe they are statute barred which they have chosen to ignore and continue to harass me, so my next step should be the CCA request which is what I thought so I will get those sent out on Tuesday and see what they come back with.I cant remember exactly when I stopped payments but I would say at least 4 or 5 months before october 05 if not longer I did struggle along and may have made a few reduced payment but its so long ago I really dont remember all I do remeber is making a large payment on that loan probably around august 2004 when I sold my property so I know the debt isnt as large as they are claiming.As for HFO I am 100% sure I closed the barclaycard accounts down in July 2004 when again I had the money to pay them off in full so not sure where to go with those buggers!

[coledog]

You need to contact Barclaycard and find out when the last payment was made on this and also ask who exactly this was sold to and when, exact company name and address. You will need to confirm your address change with them. Get them to confirm everything in writing. It may also be worth a SAR request to BC to get the information on this. Have HFO sent you a 'Notice of assignment' at all?

 

Barclaycard recoveries 0844 556 0066

 

SAR Request

 

Subject access request letter attached to send with £10 postal order - send recorded delivery and sign over the dotted area at the bottom. They have 40 days to reply

 

Who is the OC for the RW account? Was it a loan or credit card, as overdrafts are not covered by CCA but can still be SB. It will be well worth a SAR to the OC here also

Standard SAR.doc

[scottie1977]

Thanks for the the response guys, the OC for the RW debt was liverpool victoria and it was a loan taken out in 2003, as for Barclaycard I am again a customer they issued me a Platinum card with no problems so I really cant see how I can owe them any money surely they wouldnt have given me a new account. Is it worth talking to there customer services? I have never received a notice of assignment from HFO services.

[coledog]

You should still contact BC about the old account. It will have been sold to an HFO company so you do not actually owe Barclaycard anything. You need to ask them the last payment date and also who exactly they sold it too.

 

Not sure if Royal Liverpool still exists as such?

[scottie1977]

Right well I will send the CCA requests to both HFO and RW this week and see what sort of response I get and I will get in touch with Barclaycard and find out what I can from them. I was thinking the same about Liverpool Victoria they dont seem to exist anymore and really not sure what options I have with regards to contacting them? Thanks for the advice and I will keep posting as to my progress.

[coledog]

Someone will have taken over the affairs of LV finance, just need to find out who

[scottie1977]

Right just to clarify? I need to send a CCA to both collection agencies and give them 14 days to reply, I also need to send SAR to Barclaycard and Liverpool Victoria (if I can find out who to send it to). Once I have this data what should I do? Can the agencies continue to harass me if they cannot produce the CCA and if the debts are statute barred as I am pretty sure they are how do I get them off my back? I thought it was down to the collection agency to prove that the debts are valid? Lots of conflicting advice if you read through other threads and I am getting a little confused!

[coledog]

CCA is 12 plus 2 working days (the 2 is for postage). Once you send the Account in Dispute letter, they should not contact you unless they provide an ENFORCEABLE agreement, let us know if you receive anything. You may get 'threatograms' in the meantime. They cannot take legal action against you if they are unable to meet your CCA request.

 

RING Barclaycard before sending the SAR as you may get the info you need, but get it in writing. If they are unhelpful, I have another number to try. Also there are issues with the actual assignment of debts to HFO and their authority to collect these and claim interest, this is why you must ask BC who they sold it to exactly and when, do not mention HFO just take the name/address they say.

 

I am very cautious to get all the facts prior to sending an SB letter, the likes of HFO will give you all sorts of reasons why it is not SB and do not give up easily. An SB letter can also be taken as an acknowledgement of the debt, so care is needed.

 

Certainly you can make some complaints to OFT and Consumer Direct about HFO and their threats

 

 

Trading Standards via http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact

 

OFT http://www.oft.gov.uk/ for the attention of James Waldron

[scottie1977]

Thanks for clearing that up for me, I will send out the CCA requests on Tuesday and lets see what results I get.Thanks Again Very Helpful and much appreciated

[broken arrow]

subbing.

[coledog]

Liverpool Victoria Banking services was closed in 2007 and then heavily fined for mis-selling PPI. Worth contacting them as the account probably consists of mainly this! as well as being SB. It looks like people are still making claims against them so they must have some admin services left. LV still sell insurance etc so may be worth contacting their head office and tell them you require information about an old financial account, under the Data protection Act and who do you contact

 

http://www.lv.com/contactus/findus/bmouth

[scottie1977]

Update: Sent out CCA's to both Robinson way and hfo Tuesday last week and have had no response as yet, although in the mean time Robinson way responded to my earlier prove it letter stating they have acknowledged my complaint and will cease chasing the debt until they have made further investigation so not sure what will happen now? HFO have also gone very quiet no more phone calls or letters as yet, my guess is they will now start chasing some over poor soul who may be a bit easier to get some money out of or I will they now try going through the courts?

[DonkeyB]

HFO will ignore your communication and probably send the next threatogram – probably another 72 hour notice or a timetable of litigation.

 

They shouldn’t, as you have a pending CCA request, but I’d bet they will...

[scottie1977]

Well I have heard nothing from hfo services so hopefully that's the last of them but I doubt it.. Robinson way have produced some paperwork but they seem to be photo copies of the loan agreement which does have my signature on and also a print out of all the transactions on the loan. So looks like I will have to pay something to these people to get them off my back, I was considering writing and asking how much they want but not really sure what the right thing to do is now? The last payment I made was December 2005 so it's not yet statute barred so I cannot go down that route. What sort of percentage of the original debt do they usually except to clear the debt any advise is appreciated.

[DonkeyB]

Did HFO ever deal with your CCA request scottie? Any updates?