Minimum payments with Lowell

[Blondmusic]

I have been making repayments to Lowell with regards to the 8 accounts they have. 

 

I haven't missed any payments since 2016 and I have been doing really well to try and clear these debts.

 

Unfortunately I was made redundant last week when the company I was working for went into administration suddenly.

 

I logged into my online account with Lowell to try and lower my payments from £5 per month.  The online service would not let me do this so I called Lowell, explained my situation and they say they cannot accept less than £5 per month. They have put my account on hold for 60 days but refuse to accept less than £5 per month per account. 

 

What is the minimum I can pay?

[unclebulgaria67]

There is no minimum.  If you could only afford £1 per month, then that is all you could pay.

 

Suggest cancelling the payment arrangement.  So cancel the Direct Debit at your Bank.

 

What are the 8 debts?   Please list them.  Type of debt, who the original debt was with, approx date you took out the original debt/account, approx date you defaulted on repayment to the original lender.

 

Any subject to CCJ's ?

 

Think it is important to review the debts, before you offer any new payment amount.

 

 

[Bazooka Boo]

The minimum you can pay is zero!

 

You MUST cancel all direct debits with this circus outfit NOW!!

 

As UB says. WHAT are these debts?

WHO is the original creditor?

 

Lowlifes don't have ANY authority to tell you what to pay, NEVER ever phone them, they lie.

[dx100uk]

the ones that are subject to CCJ's or Tomlin orders you have you cant change the agreed sum the judge ordered.

 

any others ....why have you been blindly paying any DCA anything for all these years?

 

list your debts please

 

dx

 

[comebackjimmy]

Following with interest, a good chance you could stop paying most or all of these debts for good.

[Guest]

Following with interest too. I never deal with any dca learned a lot here, am trying to help a neighbour in same position as Blondmusic. 

[wmr]

It is a long time since I have been on the site which I have been a member for years.

 

If my advice is of use to you, I found out the undernoted:-

 

1)As suggested by colleagues, 1st thing to do is cancel all your "Direct Debits" to this Company. 

 

(2) I strongly suggest that you make contact by "freephone" to "Step Change Debt Charity" on 0800 138 1111 (8am until 8pm). Mon/Fri. (The best time is around early morning 8.30 or so depending on the volume of calls)

 

You will find that in all cases 99% of creditors/agents take careful note of what "Step Change state.

 

. Have all your "Income" figures ready on [paper and all your outgoings ready for the agent. They will take note and they will forward you via email/post, (whatever), a "Income/Outgoing" schedule.

 

At the foot of this it will show what "spare cash" you have available, thereby you have written evidence you can show stating what you can/can't afford.

 

NOTE that you should have your weekly food/hairdressing/rates/ dog food/ (everything) to show etc in addition to important items as rent.mortgage.electricity,council tax etc.

 

YOU WILL FIND THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE 1ST CLASS IN OFFERING HELP AND ADVICE. (I FOUND THIS OUT YEARS AGO!)

 

NEXT: As members have diligently advised, one of the 1st things to do is to "CANCEL ALL DIRECT DEBITS" (EXCEPT FOR ANY "CCJ" ARRANGEMENTS", AS THESE CAN'T BE CANCELLED OUT AS THE ORDER IS FROM A JUDGE"!)

 

NEXT PORT OF CALL (IF I WERE YOU IS)... SET UP NEW "STANDING ORDERS"(*NOT DIRECT DEBITS), AS THEN IT IS "YOU" IN CONTROL OF WHAT YOUR BANK PAYS THEM! i WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE ALL FOR £1! BY DOING THAT, YOU ARE SHOWING THAT YOU ARE AT THE VERY LEAST ATTEMPTING TO PAY SOMETHING! THAT WILL GO DOWN WELL FOR YOU "DESPITE WHAT THE AGENTS "LOWELLS" MY SAY. 

 

If you have that report of "Income/Outgoing" from "Step-change" then you have positive proof of the financial situation.  "Send a copy to them quoting the reference number of the "Step Change Reference" you will be given. (If possible, and quicker, scan it and send it via email).

 

At the end of your discussion with "Step Change" you will be advised the best course of action, and based upon that you can always "amend" your "Standing  Orders" if needed, but as you have 50 days or so then you have breathing space.

 

**This advice is offered based upon my personal experiences, together with the excellent help over the years offered by this Forum, and having read your columns and advices given which is excellent, please consider the above seriously!

 

I shall follow this item with great interest!  Good luck!

 

wmr

[dx100uk]

Some of the op's debt looking at previous threads are subject to court judgements and consent orders, those payments should not be be cancelled or varied without going through the correct process.

 

Those that are not should be listed here.

 

Please dont recommend or use DMP providers, be them free or otherwise. They are all funded by the banks and DCA's oneway or another.

 

its easy to self-manage one yourself on the debts that prove enforceable.

 

dx

 

 

[The GodMother]

Direct debits for court orders can be cancelled and made standing orders. I refuse to allow any company permission to help themselves to my money. Standing order or internet/telephone banking or no business with me. 

I sent up Standing orders to Internet/telephone banking account details.