pounds to pocket+employment support allowance

[u have to be kidding]

Hi

My son is on employment support allowance, he has adhd, odd and possible asg, he was told how to access a loan company. He got a loan for 400 pounds from pounds to pocket.

 

It was too late for me to stop him, and I had no knowledge until after the fact, then he starts to get the letters of default that I found under his bed, now Makenzie Hall are ringing our home telephone. He has never worked and is not expected to, he is not in the support group for esa, as I think they have written him off due to his disabilities.

 

His impulsiveness is a horrendous problem and it gets him into all sorts of trouble. I have looked at the p2p website and they state you have to be employed to get a loan from them, he told them he was only on esa, and disability benefit(however he does not get disability benefit)He gets confused.

 

They gave him a loan to his bank account, so that sees him taking all his esa out, before they can get hold of it, that means trips to the bank at 2am, and his money is spent the very same day. He has no idea of spending carefully. I asked him did he tell them he was working and he said no mam, only told them I was getting my esa, and disability, which he does not get, although he should.

 

So now I have got a very stressed 21 year old who has the social age of a 14 year old. He's scared to answer his phone, and keeps saying he can't cope.

 

What is the best way to deal with this one please?. Thankyou

Edited October 4, 2013 by maroondevo52
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[Bazooka Boo]

OK, first thing is to get these parasites put firmly back in their little box!

 

You need to send them this first http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?493-Harassment-by-telephone-response-letter

 

Keep a diary of events regarding their telephone harassment with a view of reporting them to your local police station for the criminal offence of harassment.

 

When they ring, laugh and hang up, seriously, whatever they want to say can be committed in writing.

 

Do you have power of attorney over your son? I am guessing you should have? Sorry if that is a dumb question, I know I had to give my Mother power of attorney over my affairs after I had a near fatal RTA.

 

The MAIXIMUM, he can pay is £1 a month, that is the legal minimum payment he will ever be forced to pay should it ever get to the dizzy heights of a court, which it never will!

 

Either open a new bank account for him, OR instruct the bank that they are to cancel all direct debits and payments to P2P indefinitely, if they have any card details, cancel the card and request a new one.

 

I'll send you a link to MALG as soon as I find it, there is NOTHING to worry about.

 

http://www.malg.org.uk/debtmentalhealth.html

 

This is their email address, resolution@PoundstoPocket.co.uk

 

Get onto them via email and let them know what has gone on, and that they have fallen foul of 'Responsible Lending'.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Bazooka Boo
MALG link

[u have to be kidding]

Thankyou, Thankyou, my son was threatening ending his life. I hope he understands when I tell him this. The crisis team said they thought he was being exploited. I don't have his permission to handle his affairs as yet on this one, but I will explain that it is important, to get rid of this mess, and hope he realises. He is just 21, and thinks he is able to manage.

[u have to be kidding]

I forgot to mention, also that a company called consumer action bureau, have also been calling on a regular basis, for my son. I have asked them to remove our number off the database. I think they ring to try get him to pay to sort that debt out, but they wont give me any info. Bunch of pondlife. I lost my temper with them, and told them to bu**er off. I have told them so many times they have no right calling our number.

[vselym]

Evening uhtbk,

 

firstly I'm sorry to hear you and your son are going through this, but please bear in mind this is all sortable !

 

Bazooka Boo's advice is all good and I would add the following...

 

Plan of action is key, firstly I would suggest changing bank accounts regardless, and if possible change your son's mobile number but retain the old sim in an old phone so you can keep a log of calls made to it. This should ease his mind about answering calls, and hopefully yours too.

 

Whilst it sounds like p2p have been grossly negligent, you need to find out exactly what has gone on. As such you need to write to p2p and MH stating that you require a full Subject Access Request under the DPA 1998, I can post up a rough draft if you like. This will cost £10 per company, if money is tight, then just send it to p2p first. Postal Order would be best, and make sure they understand it is for the SAR, not to be paid against the debt. Coupled with this should be an "In dispute" letter in which you will tell them to freeze any activity on the account. They will have 40 days to respond to the SAR, and if my experience is anything to go by, will take all of that time. You will need to put your sons name on it, and get him to sign.

 

Speaking from experience, I would also suggest getting a folder and copying all correspondence into it, and make your son read all correspondence before filing it. I only say that as I know how difficult a conversation about the seriousness can be. I sightly reminder needs minimal words, and worked wonders with my stepdaughter when dealing with her debts (I still am).

 

I hope that helps, possibly someone else with even more insight will pop along and help some more, but as I said at the start IT'S ALL SORTABLE

 

Regards

 

vselym

[renegadeimp]

You could get this loan written off but you would need to seek professional advice. Regardless, if you had to pay, then only pay the absolute legal minimum of £1 a month.

[u have to be kidding]

okay off to cab next week I go, hopefully with son in tow, he's not very good at engaging as he does not understand a whole conversation, gets things jumbles up, and is not dyslexic. Thankyou Renegadeimp

[u have to be kidding]

Thankyou for your advice I will start with cab, then a solicitor, depending on how we get on.

[Bazooka Boo]

Solicitor won't be necessary at all, they are only good for witnessing signatures, I wouldn't waste any money on them.

 

Absolutely pointless wasting ten pounds on MH for a SAR aswell, they won't have any info at all, you can ignore them entirely, this has nothing to do with them.

Deal direct with P2P, and always in writing, NEVER over the phone unless you can record the phone call.

Keep a diary of events, keep copies of all correspondence you send them, and obtain 'Proof of Posting' from the PO counter which is free.

[renegadeimp]

When I say professional advice I mean national debtline or similar. It has been known that debts can be written off if the debtor was suffering serious mental issues.

[Bazooka Boo]

Yes, sorry RI, I did think thats what you meant, just don't want the OP thinking that she'll need to part with even more hard earned, National Debt line, is the way to go if required defo!

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

[renegadeimp]

Yes, sorry RI, I did think thats what you meant, just don't want the OP thinking that she'll need to part with even more hard earned, National Debt line, is the way to go if required defo!

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

 

 

Yea BB. Theres no need for a solicitor at all.