Stepchange - should I keep paying or do I have options?

[EllaRose5922]

Hi all, 

 

I’m after some advice - back in Jan 2020, I entered into a DMP with stepchange and have been paying monthly ever since. The monthly payments have changed throughout the years depending on what I could afford etc, but I have paid nearly 13k towards my debts. I’ve come across this site and now I’m wondering whether I even need to keep paying, I’ve listed the outstanding remaining amounts below:- 

 

Wescot (NatWest unsecured loan): £4,300

Wescot (NatWest unsecured loan): £2,900

Wescot (NatWest Over-draft): £1,500

PRA group (MBNA credit card): £1,200

PRA group (barclaycard credit card): £3,500

Please could you kindly give your advice on whether I should continue paying with stepchange or what other options I have? Thanks

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by EllaRose5922

[dx100uk]

list whom wetcloths stated clients are for each debt

and when you took each type of credit out please

 

yes DUMP stepchange NOW regardless, stop paying them. can't hurt you.

you can do this all yourself.

 

send PRA a CCA request for each debt they have.

 

youve found the self help forum

go read a good few threads here.

 

you'll soon get the idea....

[EllaRose5922]

Hi, 

 

Wescot are clients for NatWest (I assume as that's what it says on my Step Change portal and the figures match up)

 

- 2 x secured loans dating back to August 2017, February 2018, 

 

then also the over-draft I had with them as I was banking with them at the time.

 

These debts were all marked as 'satisfied' in April 2021 & June 2021 according to Experian.

 

It looks like these debts have been taken over by 'Intrum UK Finance Ltd' as they are listed on my credit report and are updating it monthly - these also marked defaults back in 2020 - no idea who they are? 

 

Are they Wescot?

NatWest? 

 

I will send a CCA request to PRA today. Thanks.

 

[dx100uk]

Intrum are debt buyers, so Natwest has sold all 3 then 

 

In post 1 you say unsecured, above you say secured, it's doubtful NatWest would see on secured loans, which is it please 

 

Get a CCA request sent to intrum for each one. Forget the OD totally that will die naturally. 

 

Can we have the take out date for each debt please 

 

And as a reminder, stop paying stepchange, dump them now!!

 

Dx

[EllaRose5922]

Hi there, 
 

Barclaycard credit card (now with PRA group) was taken out in July 2016 and defaulted in Dec 2019. This debt currently stands at £3,500.  
 

MBNA credit card (now with PRA group) was taken out in May 2018 and defaulted in May 2020. This debt currently stands at £1,100.  
 

Apologies about my previous post, both NatWest loans are UN-SECURED and detailed below. 

 

1 x unsecured loan (now with Intrum UK Finance Ltd) was taken out in February 2018 and defaulted and marked as settled in April 2021. This debt currently stands at £3,900. 
 

1 x unsecured loan (now with Intrum UK Finance Ltd) was taken out in August 2017 and has not marked as defaulted on my credit file for some reason but has been marked as satisfied in April 2021. This debt currently stands at £2,600. 
 

In terms of the CCA to Intrum, I’ve never had any correspondence from them so I don’t have any reference numbers - is that a problem? 

I also would like to consider going down the route of being mis sold the two loans by NatWest - would you recommend that or not? 

 

Thanks 

[dx100uk]

an original creditor will send out a default notice on or before sale and mark the debt settled at sale.

 

as long the original creditors had your correct and current address at sale, then i would wait for the debt buyers to write before further action.

 

dx

[EllaRose5922]

Hi, 

 

Would you go ahead and contact PRA group still as I have reference numbers for them as they have corresponded with me before? 
 

Also, I’ve checked some correspondence and I have reference numbers for Wescot but definitely nothing from Intrum? 

thanks 

[dx100uk]

id await notice of assignments

 

dx

 

[EllaRose5922]

Last year I stopped paying stepchange for a couple of months as I lost my job and PRA group rang me straight away and was ringing me 3/4 times a week - so I’m sure they’ll do that again along with wescot. What do you advise when they do this? 

[dx100uk]

you must get reading other threads here in the self help forum yours is in.

 

you are under NO legal obligation to converse by phone/text/email

WRITING ONLY.

 

a DCA is NOT A BAILIFF

and has

ZERO legal powers on ANY DEBT - no matter WHAT its type.

 

dx

 

 

[EllaRose5922]

Hi, yes I understand this completely but I’ve read a few threads and I’m a bit confused as to what route I should go down. You suggested doing the CCA request and then said wait for notice of assignments and then on other threads I’ve seen suggestions to do £1pcm token payments.
 

I would rather take control than wait for notice of assignments whilst they call me and my parents landline every day! (They have these details from when I applied for the loans apparently). I’m not in a position to pay £300+ a month anymore, especially with winter coming up and my rent going up it’s not feasible. 
 

Thanks 

[dx100uk]

When you get the NOA. Till then wait 

 

Dx

[honeybee13]

Thread reopened.

HB

[EllaRose5922]

Hello, 

I am hoping for some advice on the back of the above thread please. 

After some months of illness after a family bereavement, I finally stopped paying Step Change (I did this back in September) and took control of the debts myself. After reading some threads, I did a CCA request to PRA Group and Wescot. PRA Group hold two of the unsecured debts - Barclaycard credit card (defaulted in December 2019) and an MBNA card (defaulted in May 2020).  

I have received response from Wescot (they have the 2 x Natwest Loans and 1 x Natwest Overdraft, saying the account is on hold and they will be in touch with the documentation once they have it (this was requested in October).

I have received a response however, from PRA Group after putting my account on hold for the past 2 months, but all they have sent me are historic terms and conditions and old bank statements from both Barclaycard and MBNA. They have now said I have until 14/12 to get back in touch to re-arrange a payment plan. 

Please could you advise what are my next steps? I have tried to read other threads but would really appreciate some guidance.

Thanks

Edited December 6, 2023 by EllaRose5922

[comebackjimmy]

Hello

Looks on the face of it that PRA Group has not yet complied with the CCA request so you do not need to do anything further in my humble opinion.

They might continue to correspond but have failed to comply until they...well...comply so can be ignored.

It is looking very promising as if they could send you the original agreement they would have, what they have sent you is a waste of paper in the hope you will think they have complied.

If it goes as far as a letter before action then that would be something you would have to respond to.

Hope others on this thread will confirm that I am correct.

Following with interest.

[dx100uk]

why did you send cca requests to wescot ?

you were told to ignore them as they dont buy debts and only deal with their stated client.......who is?

dx

 

[GinnieW22]

I sent them a CCA as I was paying them through stepchange so reviewed some other threads and thought that was the best course of action .. guessing I didn’t read threads properly? Their client is Intrum  I assume as that’s who is stated on my credit file as having the debt. 
 

So comebackjimmy - should I not respond with saying they have not complied so I will not be setting up any plan. Should I simply ignore? 

[comebackjimmy]

My personal default position is to ignore as much as possible.

They know, or ought to know, that they have not complied, no need to tell them.  Let them do all the hard work.

Just keep copies of everything in a file in date order, one file for each account.