DWP passed my debt onto Akinika

[physicsgraduate]

I had some outstanding crisis loans to pay and they sent me a letter last year demanding payment, I think it was for the full amount but I can't remember now.

 

If I hadn't just burned half a tree's worth of letters from them the other day I could dig it out now probably and check.

 

I wrote back to them and asked them if I could pay it back weekly or monthly at a reduced rate,

and they never replied, I just assumed they were giving me more time as you can write to them an appeal for more time as well.

 

Today I get a demand from Akinika to the tune of £300 and there is probably some more,

as the inept organisation that they are they can't just bundle everything you owe them up into one tidy sum.

 

Can I safely assume then that I can just ignore this and it'll eventually go away

and I'll probably never ever get a mortgage?

 

 

Or should I deal with it.

 

 

Have the DWP done something wrong,

like contravene the data protection act?

[physicsgraduate]

Oh and I just read 'please contact us.... bla bla.... so we can confirm your liability for this overdue account'

 

If they can't confirm in then what can they do?

[dx100uk]

ignore them

theres nowt any DCA can do on a gov't debt end off.

 

 

dx

[dx100uk]

why will it stop a mortgage?

 

 

dx

[physicsgraduate]

Because I'll have a bad credit rating...?

 

shouldn't I contact the DWP and tell them what's happened,

or just ignore it now that they passed it on to the debt collectors?

 

 

Does this mean I can write it off now lol

 

If they'd written back to me last year, I'd have agreed a small amount to pay back,

in fact I think I offered then £5 per week!

 

just file it away in the next pile of bonfire material and forget about it then?

[dx100uk]

govt debts don't show on CRA file

 

 

if they think you owe them money mind

 

 

they will grab it back later on in benefits

 

 

you need to deal with it direct with DWP

put them to strict proof

 

 

SAR to DWP is free

 

 

dx

[physicsgraduate]

I'll do that then.

 

If Akinika are handling it though does that mean the debt is no longer with the DWP?

 

I wont mention anything of the letter I sent them last year, I'll just file an SAR so I know just how much I owe them.

 

Can they take it out of working tax credits?

[dx100uk]

no idea

but any DWP paid benefits I would assume.

 

 

just to clarify

never know a gov't debt to be SOLD

 

 

anny letter will say our client

[physicsgraduate]

I suppose legally if you can pass a debt on to someone else then there's nothing to stop them handing it back to the lender.

 

I'll write to them and explain what has happened, and just ask them to clarify exactly how much I owe them, under the DPA 1998 SAR before I arrange to pay them back at a rate I can afford.

[physicsgraduate]

Akiinka have passed the debt onto Wright Hassall now, got a nice letter from them this morning. Is this supposed to intimidate me?

 

I should write to the DWP though soon right, been a bit depressed/snowed under lately. I did a load of pro bono work and didn't get paid, so now I'm in a pickle.

 

I'm suyre the DWP will be understanding of all that. I was under the impression these crisis loans were easy to handle, and defer, but they didn't reply to my letter last year. As far as I was concerned there was no default on my responsibilities.

[Bazooka Boo]

Wright Hassal, right name for them!

 

Have you sent the DWP a SAR yet?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-request-for-personal-information

[physicsgraduate]

No I'll do that first thing on monday. Do you know the address to send it? I threw away all my letters, had a big bonfire recently. My house is airier now.

[physicsgraduate]

Doesn't that cost a tenner? I was just going to write to them and explain the situation.

[Bazooka Boo]

No it is free from the DWP, and all the details of addresses you need to send it too, will be in the link provided.

[physicsgraduate]

I'll fill it in and lodge a complaint in the box provided, cheers.

[Bazooka Boo]

?? There is no box for you to make a complaint in, all you're doing is telling them that you want all the info they have on you.

 

Send it to your local JCP, or deliver it by hand to them.

[physicsgraduate]

Maybe I misread the additional information section, in any case I'll put in a letter with it explaining my situation and with a complaint attached to it.

[dx100uk]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?406188-DWP-Subject-Access-Request-From-(SAR)-**Updated-March-2014**

[dx100uk]

please remember totally ignore the sols/dCA

 

 

dx

[physicsgraduate]

I intend to. thanks

[Bazooka Boo]

You need to keep the SAR and any complaint separate as they are two totally different things, and two completely different departments.

 

Just send off the SAR to the JCP.

 

Then you can lodge a formal complaint afterwards to the relevant department.

[physicsgraduate]

So I got a reply fairly quickly, and it was a letter detailing all the benefits I've received over the time period I asked. Said nothing about any crisis loans. I ticked the top box on the form because I thought that covered everything, that's how I read it anyway. Followed shortly thereafter by a letter from Akinika.

 

I mean, if they didn't state I received these crisis loans and budgeting loans then can I then deny any liability?

 

What should I do now, that or send them the form again this time ticking the boxes explicitly?

[Bazooka Boo]

Ticked what box on what form?

 

As already advised, IGNOR nickynacknoo, they can do nothing, they are, it seems, the chose DCA of the DWP, completely powerless, and toothless, ignore them ignore them ignore them.

 

If the SAR does not state any crisis loan, or debt outstanding, then you can either, complain to the DWP and tell them to call off their tame lap dogs as no debt is owing, using their lethargic complaints process,

 

Or, get on with your life, ignore nickynackynoo entirely, and if you do owe anything, then the DWP will, once the pet DCA passes it back to the DWP, will get in touch.

 

Did the DWP ever tell you that you owed anything previously?

 

If they haven't had the full 40 days from receipt of your SAR then wait until the time limit passes, as there may well be more deforestation to come, mine came over a period of three weeks.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Bazooka Boo
P.S.

[physicsgraduate]

Yeah they told me when I took out the loans.

 

I'll just ignore it and hope it goes away then, not least because I can't find the energy to deal with it or the money. I have other debts to worry about.

[physicsgraduate]

Ticked what box on what form?.

 

On the SAR form, where it says Summary of benefits "if you only want a summary of all benefits, you do not need to tick the boxes below"