ianphillips and minicredit - help required please *** Full & Final offer accepted ***

[sez89]

Hey Ian

I was following your posts a few months ago. I notice here havent been any updates since September.

Was just wondering what happened with your situation?

 

Sarah

[kurvaface]

Just read through this.....these loan sharks are sick. If I ever get my hands on one of them......

[ianphillips2347]

Just a quick update on my thread.

 

It's been a few months since I received any telephone calls or letters from Fredricksons but I did have a missed call from them this morning. I'm hoping this isn't them starting again.

 

I just want this to be over but I'm not able and not prepared to pay what they are demanding.

[trevstanley]

I have just had a letter today from Fredricksons saying they are no longer acting for Minicredit!

[sillygirl1]

There was an article in Credit Today about Fredricksons not handling PDL chasing any more, and their parent company pulling out of the PDL chasing market altogether due to the level of complaints and the intense scrutiny of the OFT, Trading Standards and FOS. The links were posted in this forum.

[ianphillips2347]

Good morning all.

 

Just a quick update for my thread. It appears that Fredricksons indeed are no longer dealing on behalf of Minicredit (although I've had no correspondence indicating this from them) but I received a letter today from Opos Limited which are requesting the claimed outstanding balance of £804.00.

 

Unusually for this type of company the letter wasn't threatening court action etc so was wondering what action to take next?

 

Has anyone had dealing with Opois, what are they like? Is it worth contacting them offering a settlement (as I have tried numerous times previously to do with Minicredit) of around £250? Or should I just keep sticking it out and wait for the court summons?

 

Thanks all

[sillygirl1]

I'd send the 'bemused' letter and copy their letter to the OFT and Trading Standards and state that it was being dealt with by Freds and they have pulled out - using mulitple agencies to collect debt is not on.

 

Freds pulled out due to the OFT/TS involvement so maybe this new lot ought to know - I would do the following letter

 

Dear XXX

 

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY ALLEGED DEBT TO YOU, YOUR CLIENTS/ASSOCIATES/AFFILIATES/AGENTS

 

This alleged debt was being handled by Freds, who have pulled out due to OFT/Trading Standards investigations into the payday loan market. I therefore am informing both the OFT and TS of your involvement.

 

XXXXX

 

Leave it short and sweet and see what hapens next.

 

If it goes to court a defence can be formulated which points out the involvement of the OFT/Trading Standards and the grossly inflated claim.

[ianphillips2347]

Thanks Sillygirl for the advice as always.

 

Typed that up and it's in the post.

 

I'll post here as soon as I get a reply.

[ianphillips2347]

Good morning all.

 

Haver had a few phone calls from Opos since my letter but as usual, they all get ignored but, this morning I have received a written reply.

 

As suspected, they totally ignored the contents of my letter and state 'Our records show that you have failed respond to our previous request for payment' even though I had an answer phone message asking me to ring them regarding my letter.

 

Anyway, they state the outstanding balance is £805.00 and have offered a reduced rate of £405 by 12/03/2012 as F&F or instalments of £138 for 6 months or £68 for 12 months.

 

All these are too high and I am not able or prepared to do so but at least they have suggested a lower value then £805.

 

I was going to write to them today and state that I am not prepared to pay the amount(s) requested but would be happy to make an immediate payment of £160 in full and final settlement. Is this the way to proceed? (my original loan was only for £100 so feel this is fair as I am oting paying for the non-existent doorstep visits etc)

 

Thanks

 

 

Edit: Oh, and I forgot to mention that Opos keep sending the letters to the shop next door which is quite frustrating and could result in a member of staff opening my personal correspondence by mistake.

Edited February 27, 2012 by ianphillips2347

[sillygirl1]

If the original loan was £100 then an offer of £138 ONLY is more than sufficient as a full and final.

 

Get that letter to the OFT as they are investigating this murky market otherwise you are wasting your time posting on here.

 

The general formulae for payday loans is the original loan and one months interest ONLY - and before people want to know the 'law' on this its been stated before

 

THE ORIGINAL LOAN PERIOD HAS ENDED THEREFORE THE ORIGINAL LOAN AND INTEREST ARE DUE, NOTHING MORE.

[ianphillips2347]

Thanks for the quick reply as always Sillygirl. I have already reported them and Minicredit to the OFT.

 

Thanks for the figure, I'll will get that offer off to them today.

[ianphillips2347]

Will get the latest letter off to them this afternoon.

[AJ2012]

Hi Ian,

 

I have been reading through your threads and find it rather interesting....

 

I have a £250 Loan with MiniCredit (£310 with interest)

 

I can't afford to repay the loan, or really the interest rollover if I am honest, so was considering defaulting with them this month...

 

Do they contact employers? etc?

 

Is it worth making myself completely broke and just paying them???

 

Thanks,

 

AJ2012 xx

[ianphillips2347]

Hiya Aj. Honestly, if there is anyway for you to pay them then do it, its been a complete nightmare trying to deal with them. If it wasn't for this site I dont't know what I would have done.

 

I dont think they can contact your employer legally but wouldnt put it past them so I changed all employer telephone numbers on my account before defaulting just to make sure.

[AJ2012]

Ian, thanks for your reply.

 

On my loan, the rollover is £60 + £15.00 rollover charges (god knows what they are for)

 

Are they allowed to Charge you £15 + Interest for a rollover?

 

I did email them about a settlement offer (which I wouldn't be able to pay in full straight away), but they told me to call their offices to discuss, after reading the posts on here, there is no way on earth I am ringing them!!!

[citizenB]

Hiya Aj. Honestly, if there is anyway for you to pay them then do it, its been a complete nightmare trying to deal with them. If it wasn't for this site I dont't know what I would have done.

 

I dont think they can contact your employer legally but wouldnt put it past them so I changed all employer telephone numbers on my account before defaulting just to make sure.

 

No they cant..

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?340027-FOS-rule-against-Minicredit(6-Viewing)-nbsp

[ianphillips2347]

Had a couple more emails off OPOS in the last week.

 

Just the usual generic 'please phone us to discuss the account' etc and totally ignoring the contents of my letters / emails and refusing to respond.

 

Tonight though, I received a slightly different one:

 

This is a message for........,

 

please contact D.E.R.S on 0844 372 2459 regarding reference OP........

 

Thank you.

 

I have no idea what D.E.R.S. is / means and have asked them to explain (I'm sure this request will be ignored though)

[sillygirl1]

DERS has cropped up before, Debt Enforcement Recovery Service, a non existant company which is used as a threatogram service for these planks.

[ianphillips2347]

DERS has cropped up before, Debt Enforcement Recovery Service, a non existant company which is used as a threatogram service for these planks.

 

Ah okay thanks Silly.

 

Would have been better if they explained that in the email. Had it not been for them using the same email address as OPOS ([email protected]), I would have simply marked it as junk and deleted it as it was titled 'D.E.R.S. Contact' and mean't nothing to me.

[ianphillips2347]

Just a quick update.

 

Opos have finally acknowledged my emails / letters and responded to my settlement offer.

 

Unfortunately, they needn't have bothered. They rejected my offer and simply stated the same amount(s), payment options as I stated above.

 

Oh well.......I will keep trying.

[ianphillips2347]

Hello all.

 

It seems that my thread has become populated by many others issues so I hope my latest update doesn't get lost in it all.

 

I sent another Full and Final email to OPOS earlier this month (as the refused my previous offer). They chose to ignore this email and yesterday I received a letter from DERS.

 

' FINAL NOTICE OF INTENT: we have been advised by OPOS Limited that you have refused to make payment or agree a suitable repayment plan on your account despite them being aware of any reason you may have for avoiding this matter, possible court action etc, etc.

 

At the bottom of the letter in very small print it state 'DERS is a trading style of OPOS Limited. I emailed OPOPS again asking why they are trying to intimate to me that they have now passed the alleged debt onto another company, that I will be forwarding the letter the OFT to add to my file and why they havent replied to my previous offer of settlement.

 

I have now received an email from OPOS stating that they are no longer able to communicate via emai and I need to phone them. I have replied stating that I will NOT be doing that, asking why they no longer want to communicate via email and if they no longer want to communicate via email to send letters to my home address and I will reply to their office in the same manner.

[citizenB]

Hello all.

 

It seems that my thread has become populated by many others issues so I hope my latest update doesn't get lost in it all.

 

I sent another Full and Final email to OPOS earlier this month (as the refused my previous offer). They chose to ignore this email and yesterday I received a letter from DERS.

 

' FINAL NOTICE OF INTENT: we have been advised by OPOS Limited that you have refused to make payment or agree a suitable repayment plan on your account despite them being aware of any reason you may have for avoiding this matter, possible court action etc, etc.

 

At the bottom of the letter in very small print it state 'DERS is a trading style of OPOS Limited. I emailed OPOPS again asking why they are trying to intimate to me that they have now passed the alleged debt onto another company, that I will be forwarding the letter the OFT to add to my file and why they havent replied to my previous offer of settlement.

 

I have now received an email from OPOS stating that they are no longer able to communicate via emai and I need to phone them. I have replied stating that I will NOT be doing that, asking why they no longer want to communicate via email and if they no longer want to communicate via email to send letters to my home address and I will reply to their office in the same manner.

 

Hmm, now why do they not want to communicate by email It is your legal right to communicate by email/letter and not to offer yourself up to the bullying via their weapon of choice.. the telephone..

 

You have proof that you have not ignored them and indeed are eager to settle any balance.

 

Perhaps a letter to their Head office along the lines of.

 

OFFICIAL COMPLAINT

 

Your recent communication is extremely misleading in that you advise I have refused to make payment plan or come to an arrangement. This is simply untrue and would appear to be a natural progression of this company's plan to intimidate.

 

I reiterate my previous offer and would at the very least expect the courtesy of a reply.

 

I would confirm that all correspondence between us is being forwarded to the OFT along with other written communication that has passed between us. I also suspect this is the reason that you no longer wish to communicate in writing.

 

However, it is my right to insist that communication is kept to writing, this in order to protect myself in respect of the litigation route you are now threatening.

 

I look forward to your early response.

 

Etc, etc..

[JadedGirl]

This company took out almost £400.00 from my old bank account by the end of December(the principal was a mere £220.00) and until now they're trying to collect more than a £1,000 from me! By all intents and purposes I should've been fully paid by December last year; instead they kept adding silly charges and sending me threatening emails and letters. When you try to send them an email it bounces back and instead you have no choice but to log in to their lousy website and make a message. I've filed a complaint with them with the FSO. I wouldn't mind paying for my debts but when a company such as them has already milked me of a large amount and is still trying to get from me, now that's something else! that's outright bribery and extortion!

 

And if they harrass you or send you threatening emails I suggest you also file a complaint with FSO.

[ianphillips2347]

It is with massive pleasure that I can confirm that OPOS have agreed to a full and final amount of £200.

 

I am so happy with this result as it has been an on going saga for nearly a year now and huge relief.

 

Without doubt, if I hadn't have found this site and had the help from so many of you wonderful people things could well have turned out significantly different.

 

With this Minicredit debt now paid off, I have successfully ended my PDL hell (having paid off Wonga, Lending Stream and Quick Quid). A hard lesson learned.

 

As with most people I'm sure, I never wanted to avoid paying, I simply wanted to fairly pay what I owe.

 

A massive, MASSIVE thank you to all that have helped but I feel a special mention has to go to SillyGirl.

 

I will definitely be making a donation to this wonderful site and SillyGirl if you would like to send me a PM I'd be more then happy to send you a well deserved bottle of wine.

 

Once again......thank you all so very much :-D:-D:-D:-D:-D

[sillygirl1]

ianphillips2347 thanks very much for the kind offer - but me and wine are not friends at the moment - I am on antibiotics and have odd reactions with wine....

 

Hopefully you can stick around and give out advice, the more people who stick around and help out with more recent advice the better, then they too may avoid falling back into this nasty trap.

 

Who thinks we should keep complaining about the advertising on daytime tv - the Wonga ads especially are irritating, and as for QuickQuid's one - if that is a typical 'customer' they have then I am the Queen of Sheba!