advice needed,on so many debt collectors after me

[vandermerwe]

Michelle, I take my hat off to you in acknowledgement of what you have achieved in the last three months!

 

OK, you've had loads of good advice from this site but it takes a spunky girl like you to see it through and I admire you. Hope your Dad's recovering - I am almost his age.

 

If I may, having read all 14 pages of your thread in one session, and have been where you were on March 31, I'd like to just offer a few thoughts which may, or may not, ease some of the stress I sense in some of your postings.

 

First of all, remember there are four types of 'institution' out there all trying to grab a bit of your income:

 

- the companies that allege you own them money;

 

- the debt collection agencies they engage to get it out of you;

 

- the **** that buy what they coyly term a 'tranche of debt' for anything

between 2% and 15% of the face value;

 

- the truly horrific solicitors the latter often employ on in house contracts.

 

If, for the moment, we exclude the original holder of the alleged debt just take a moment to think of the individuals, male or female, that are employed by the others.

 

They almost inevitably work on commission and in some cases work in India.

Strangely enough, they are some of the best to deal with because they are cultured - frequently graduated - and inherently courteous individuals. The worst - in my experience - are the raw spoken Glaswegians and their ilk.

 

The DCAs works purely on commission - too much hassle from you and they'll bunt the debt back to the alleged owner.

 

The debt purchaser is trouble. One of the largest companies is Cattles plc. You are obviously computer literate, so Google them - look at their annual report, after all they are quoted on the FTSE 250, and see what their CEO earns - I'd share his basic salary (£500k I think) with you and even cut your children in!

 

Every so squeaky clean, Michelle, but they own the Lewis Group (among others) that buys debt. To distance themselves still further the ever so kosher law firm of Howard Cohen & Co has a 'branch' in their offices in Batley.

 

Snouts in troughs all round. Indeed, I read on this very site Howard Cohen himself has left H.C. & Co. and joined another firm in Leeds.

 

These are the danger ones. Google 'Howard Cohen' and see what comes up.

Not a mention of their disgusting activities. (Don't get mixed up with Dr. Howard Cohen, muhl to Jewish gentry which may come up first!)

 

By now you must be wondering what my points are.

 

a) Avoid alienating individual employees. Those that work for the companies

you are dealing with can be very vindictive an 'aciddently' break the

rules.

 

b) My experience of Trading Office personnel (in a county adjacent to

yours) is they are total Jobsworths enjoying secure employment until

their gold plated pension comes into effect.

 

c) Your local councillor could prove helpful. My wife and I are lucky in that

we have an Independent.

 

d) Once you have sorted out - to your satisfaction and nobody else's -

what you legitimately owe and to whom do please go to the CCCS which

is mentioned on your thread.

 

e) Give them the facts: I owe £xxxx to A, B, C et al;

My income is £xxxx per month;

My expenditure on A, B, C, et al is £xxx per month.

 

f) They are a registered charity. they make no charge for their services,

and are totally non-judgemental.

 

g) They will, in fact, propose a Debt Management Programme if you can

afford a minimum of £5.00 per month to each agreed creditor - be it an

alleged creditor or a DCA - and make the payments for you.

 

Michelle, remember I'm virtually your Dad's age, and the CCCS have certainly (so far!) saved me from bankruptcy.

 

Hope this somewhat alternative thinking helps a bit.

 

Regards to Dad.

 

Vandermerwe

[vandermerwe]

Sorry to offend gypsumsif - should have said "those with raw Glaswegian accents and their ilk" Could also have added "estuary English".

 

Don't let's take our eye off the ball!

 

Regards

 

Vandermerwe

[vandermerwe]

Hey, Stadium Arcadium, spare a thought for those poor people working for the DCAs. From what I read on their 'come and join us' websites they are only paid commission and need to use their own cars and telephones.

 

Shame!

 

Perhaps why they can be so offensive? Mind you I am being bombarded with telephone calls from HSBC in Manila, and am having to send them a stop harassing letter. It's a pity really 'cos I just love the sweet sounding, and unmistakable Filipina accent - one girl was quite overwhelmed when I responded with a few words in Tagalog - I just hope it wasn't, er, inappropriate but it made her giggle.

 

But so polite and feminine - maybe that's why the DCAs like writing to Mich

who has managed to clock up some 16 pages on this thread.

 

As ever, keep it up Mich - it's obvious there are a lot of people out there that like you.

 

Regards as ever.

 

Van

[vandermerwe]

Hi Mich

 

As you show Gloucester on your postings I've been thinking about you (and your Dad) over the weekend and since given the appalling floods and damage in your region.

 

To hell with the DCAs - just give us all a post to show you're OK and coping with the floods will you?

 

As ever.

 

Van

 

P.S. If you want a bit of a laugh look on my thread - Old Age Pensioner -v-HSBC and my quest for an avatur. It's obviously not all doom and gloom on CAG.

[vandermerwe]

Listen Mitch, if you take the little ones down to the launderette don't put them in the spindryer!

 

Do you like my new avatur?

 

Regards

 

Van

[vandermerwe]

Good morning Emmasgirl.

 

I agree entirely. It is so frustrating when an interesting thread just ceases.

 

I can think of several others and if, and when, a moderator can spare a moment I'm sure you and I plus many others would appreciate a comment.

 

Vandermerve

(aka as Emma's father who has just given her mother and me a wonderful Christmas)

[vandermerwe]

Thanks for good wishes Freaky.

 

We had a good time at our daughter and son-in-law's place (plus our two grandchildren and three dogs).

 

Hardly restful but it did Mrs. V. good to get out of the house for the first time since her stroke - but Sod and his Law struck and gave us both stonking coughs and colds.

 

But God Bless our daughter.

 

Good time too in the FL household I trust? And all the very best to you for 2008.

 

Emma's Dad (ala Vandermerve)