Debts in the UK now with DCA's

[DebtBoy69]

I left the UK in 2018 and behind it closed the door (and buried my head in the sand) to a number of debts. 

 

Various collectors have found my mother's address and are sending letters - she's obviously keen for me to deal with my debts, but I'm hesitant to give money to these companies. Especially as they'll be on my messed up credit score for 6 years regardless. 

 

I am returning to the UK August 2021 - so I would like to know what to do before this move, and after this move. I'm in a better position financially and mentally.

 

I have not acknowledged or paid anything to these debts since I moved in August 2018

 

The breakdown are: (Credit cards)

• Barclays - Now Hoist finance uk holdings 1 limited (£2100 debt defaulted Feb 2019)
• Tesco Bank - Now Wescot (£3400 debt defaulted Nov 2018)
• Halifax Bank -  (£920 debt default Jan 2019)

 

There's also a network 3 mobile bill. The default was Feb 2019 and it was originally for £144 - now it's £450 and the DCA is Lowell.

 

Any help or advice is appreciated here.

[unclebulgaria67]

Register your foreign address with all of the debts owners, by writing to them, with proof you reside abroad. Do not say anything about owing a debt and don't mention any plans about returning to the UK. Just keep it simple. It is purely registering your foreign address. And keep copies of letters and proof of posting.

 

Don't worry about any enforcement of the debt where you are living abroad. It would be too complicated and costly for them to do so.

 

By registering your foreign address with the debt owners, it will hopefully stop your Mother receiving letters and more importantly, it should stop them gaining UK Court judgements (CCJ) against you in your absence, as you were abroad so could not defend.

 

If you return to the UK, these debts on your UK credit record will cause you problems such as obtaining any form of credit. And getting a CCJ would cause you more problems with some employment and property renting affected.  If you are in a position to offer reduced full and final settlements to clear debts, it may be worth considering, but do not do this until you look into the debts further. For example debts may include amounts which can be argued should not be included e.g. excessive charges

[DebtBoy69]

Hey, 

 

Thanks for this! 

 

I assume I have to do this by post, and cannot inform them of my address by e-mail? For proof, what would be good for this - a scan of my residency card with stuff redacted, a scan of my current work contract?

 

In addition, the Hoist debt I only know because I checked my credit file - I actually haven't received any correspondence from them (as far as I'm aware) - What would a letter to them... look like? By default I think it would look like I was admitting debt haha. 

 

A letter like:

 

"This letter is to register my address in X, the address is X"

 

Any other information I need to include? 

 

Cheers again. 

[unclebulgaria67]

Try email first with scanned copy of residency card. Don't send too much information and certainly not work contract. It is purely registering foreign address.

 

Problem with emails, is that they may ignore or refuse to accept email. So you may have to send letters. Posted Letters do seem to be important, as not all legislation accepts emails as proof of supplying information.

 

Your letter should include details of original creditor, any reference numbers. If your Mother has kept letters, ask for any reference numbers that are quoted.

 

Letter.

 

To whom it may concern.

 

Original creditor xxxxxxx

Reference xxxxxxxxxxx

Last UK address xxxxxxx

 

Please note that I currently reside at the address below and enclose a copy of my residency card.

 

Xxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxx.

 

Please acknowledge receipt of this letter confirming that you have noted my foreign address and will use this for all future communications.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Print name. Do not sign.

 

 

[London1971]

Write to them with a simple letter confirming you're current address, make sure you keep proof of posting. The first day that you arrive back in the UK next August, you write to them again with your new address. It's as simple as that!

[dx100uk]

dont bother writing to wetcloths, they don't buy debts, merely chase for their clients.

 

so lowells,hoist,tescos, halifax.

 

pers i would recommend NEVER using email as if things ever got nasty then important documents could be served later in the process at 1 min to a deadline and you'd have no legal remit time to counter their lies.

 

 

[DebtBoy69]

Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

 

I won't e-mail, I'll just send from here. Hopefully it won't take too long, though by the time I get an acknowledgment I'll probably be gone aha.

 

In terms of when I get back to the UK what's the best course of action? Am I better waiting out as long as possible to pay - make them prove the debt and stuff? I want to avoid a CCJ, but regardless I know this isn't gonna be off my record for a good while. At what point should I get ready to make payment/settle? 

 

Sorry if it sounds like I don't know anything, it's because I really don't know what I'm doing. 

[unclebulgaria67]

Priority is sending the letters and getting confirmation that you live abroad.

 

With Covid-19, you cannot be certain that you will be back in the UK at any given point. If there is another lockdown then plans may get put on hold.

 

When you return to the UK, simply update the debt owners with the new UK address. Let them write to you first and after receiving a number of chasing letters, come back for advice.  If you are not coming back to the UK for about a year, the way to challenge debts may have changed by then.  So update your thread on here, when you return to the UK.  Debt owners don't rush to issue court claims.  A sensible step is often to send the original creditors e.g, Banks,  phone companies a GDPR subject access request.  Do this when you return to the UK, so you have more  information available to help you.

[DebtBoy69]

Thanks again! 

 

This all makes sense. I'll inform the companies this week, and when I come back to the UK. I'll then come back to this thread then. 

 

So glad I found this site! Such a help, much appreciated. Have a great week. 

[DebtBoy69]

So update on 2 of the letters.

 

I sent 1 to Wescott (now they are saying they are no longer in charge of this debt)

 

1 Hoist (without a ref number) as I only got the information that they had bought the debt from Equifax, they wrote back asking for a reference number as they couldn't find the account.

 

My Q is how do I find out who actually is currently holding this debt? Should I write directly to the bank I originally got the credit with?

 

Thanks~

[dx100uk]

not sure where we said send it to wetcloths?

 

the hoist debt will be your old barclaycard.

 

dx

 

[DebtBoy69]

Ah, I must have misread to send to everyone - looks like I did.

 

I don't have any of the cards anymore, they're in a lost wallet. 

 

I do have a Q - if I log into the online banking again/or try to to find the card numbers and whatnot - does this have an effect on the timer for SB timer?

[dx100uk]

nope

[DebtBoy69]

Separate debt but got a letter from intuim or whatever offering to write off 2,700 if I pay 600.

 

of course I have no intention of doing this - but my question is why would they do this? I mean is it profitable for them to do this? And surely the default is still on your credit file; so their promise of your credit file being clear isn’t the truth right?

[dx100uk]

As long as you have in writing informed either the OC before sale or Intrum since if you've ever moved since taking this credit out, yes, quite safe to ignore. This protects again backdoor Litigation.

 

And yes quite correct, automated letter and its defaulted anyway, so makes no improvement, debt is removed on the DN's 6th b'day regardless to paying or not or paid or not  , but this of course has no relevance if the debt is still owed, that's down to the statue barred date 

 

Dx

[dx100uk]

posts moved to your general debt thread

 

[DebtBoy69]

Hoist sent through the notice of assignment for Barclays and hoist. Both dated 10th April 2019. 
 

letter says account on hold while they get the remaining documents 

[dx100uk]

If!!!

 

Dx

[dx100uk]

open

[DebtBoy69]

Hoist have now sent the CCA among all the other documents requested 

 

they said they require response after 30 days.

 

do I have to do anything/what do I need to do now?

[dx100uk]

scan up their predicted bogroll to one mass pdf please

read upload carefully

[DebtBoy69]

 

Credit agreement scan-compressed.pdf

 

Oops sorry - I need to include all the other paperwork - will try and sort it tomorrow. I assume i need to include the default notice too

Edited January 18, 2023 by DebtBoy69

[dx100uk]

all they sent 

 

dx

 

[dx100uk]

sorry but youve not redact 90% of the things you should have?

your a/c number is even on the 1st few pages.

 

please do as our upload guide recommends and the LAYOUT of letters is as important as the wording.

 

using word removes their layout

scan each page as a PICTURE FILE .JPG

redact in say mspaint or ANY PHOTO editing prog.

 

convert everything to pdf. merge to one mass pdf.

 

there are online websites list in upload that will help tasks.

 

from page 33 of your pdf is ok 

 

 

[DebtBoy69]

Sorry for the delay. This should be all documents redacted information this time - apologies for page 4 I tried to adjust it, but it still kept being blank.

 

I've moved house recently, so the original credit agreement is dated then, however, another has been sent as I told the company I had moved. I received it today - but it doesn't have a date on it. So not sure from what point this 30 days notice runs from or until... 

 

Thanks again for all the help and being so patient - happy to re-adjust if anything is wrong, hopefully everything is as needs to be. 

 

*Edit I had to compress it, hopefully it's still readable - I can re-do it if necessary... just let me know! 

 

 

Hoist Notice of Assignment Default and Credit agreement.pdf 

Edited February 17, 2023 by DebtBoy69