Very & Little woods - where to start?

[Imogenh]

Hi all,

 

I currently have two accounts with shop direct that have been passed on to Lowell for recovery. Very's balance currently stands at £242.01, and littlewoods is £1218.15. I'd like to know where to start, because i've read a few posts saying you can claim back penalty charges placed on your account? For instance Very's balance was £150, and the £90 placed on it is interest/ late pay ment fees/ debt recovery letters etc as I hadn't even used that account for over a year and was just gradually paying it off. Littlewoods would be the same, I'm just not sure on the amount that would be fees.

 

 

Just wondering where I should start off? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks, Imogen.

[silverfox1961]

Hi and welcome to CAG

 

As Very and Littlewoods are both part of the Shop Direct Brand, you could send SD a Subject Access Request (SAR) to get all the data from both accounts which would show what charges and associated interest added.

 

This costs a tenner and they have 40 days to comply. Within the documents should show what has been added. What letters were sent and whether the accounts were defaulted correctly or not.

 

Once you have the data, you can the write and ask for these unlawful charges be removed.

 

When did you start these accounts?

[Imogenh]

Thanks very much for the reply

 

Off the top of my head, Very is about two/ three years old, and Littlewoods is 4/5 years old. Im digging through my paperwork now to have a look properly.

 

After looking more at my statements, I've noticed that my penalty fees and interest just from May last year actually equal more then my balance ever was on my Very account. Penalty charges just from May 2013 currently stand at £144 on Very, Littlewoods is £132. Most our insufficent minimum payments charges or debt collector letter fees, though I called them countless times to tell them of my situation but they would not lower the minimum payment on my Littlewoods account.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Imogenh

[silverfox1961]

Unfortunately, some companies are quite happy to flout the debt collection rules and treating customers fairly. The problem is that you were dealing by phone. Proving what was said in a call is difficult unless they (or you) recorded the call.

 

Everything from now on must be in writing. A formal complaint is required as they failed in the duty to treat a debtor in financial trouble, fairly.

 

As such, all charges such be removed from these accounts forthwith and a suitable repayment plan put in place based on affordability rather than what they want.

[Imogenh]

So is it worth trying to get all those charges refunded that I've had over the years? Since October they haven't put on anymore charges as its been passed to Lowell. At the moment, I've sent an email to Lowell stating that I am only able to pay £10 pounds off each account pcm.

[renegadeimp]

Definitley go for reclaiming those charges And interest they put on top of it.

[Imogenh]

Okay, thanks So start off with a SAR form right? I know theres been a couple of hundred on each account for charges, but I havent got all my statements here.

[hillards]

...I've sent an email to Lowell stating that I am only able to pay £10 pounds off each account pcm.

As the account is very much in dispute with Shop Direct I wouldn't have made any offer to Lowell. They will just use that as a stick to beat you with...