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Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

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  • Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

    Hello,

    First time poster but long time lurker after a bit of advice!

    I received a CCJ claim form from Northampton Bulk Centre from a claim started by Lowell (issued on 22nd July 2013). The Particulars of the Claim are vague - no default date, account number and doesn't even say who the debt was originally with.

    POC: The claim is for the sum of XXXX (less than £5000) in respect of monies due from the Defendant under a regulated Credit Agreement pursuant to The Consumer Credit Act 1974.

    The debt was legally assigned to the Claimant and a notice of such was provided to the Defendant.

    The Defendant has failed to make contractual payments in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. A Default Notice has been served upon the Defendant pursuant to Section 87 (1) of The Consumer Credit Act 1974.

    The Claimant claims the sum of £XXXX which is inclusive of interest.


    I think I know what it's from - a loan I defaulted on years back that has suddenly reappeared back on my credit report after dropping off, but the amount on this claim form is not the same as what's on my credit report.

    After looking for advice on here, I sent a CPR 31.14 request to Lowell via Howard Cohen solicitors as they are the named contacts on the CCJ form. I asked for copies of:
    1. The credit agreement
    2. Copy of T&Cs at the inception of the account.
    3. Default notice
    4. Notice of Assignment
    5. Statement of account

    I sent this by recorded delivery but had not heard anything back by the time I needed to submit my defence so submitted the following online:

    Defence
    1.The claimants particulars of claim are vague and fail to
    disclose any cause of action, they appear to be an abuse of the
    process in that they fail to deal with the basic rules of pleading
    in accordance with the CPR.

    2.Even making allowance for the Northampton Bulk Regime the claim
    fails to disclose sufficient information as required by the CPR,
    there is no reference to any account number, no date of alleged
    agreement, no date of alleged default or details of any default
    notice served in accordance with s87 (1) Consumer Credit Act 1974,
    the claim is missing vital information.

    3. Without admission that any cause of action is shown by the
    Claimant it is denied that the Claimant has a claim whether as
    pleaded or at all.

    4. No documents supporting the claims in the particulars have been
    offered which the defendant needs to establish what agreement it
    is that this action is based upon

    5. Without clarification of the claimants claim, the defendant is
    extremely disadvantaged and the claimant’s claim appears without
    merit

    6.Further to above the defendant is unable to plead effectively or
    at all. The defendant is embarrassed

    I received acknowledgement from the Court of my Defence, dated 20th August.

    I later received a letter from Howard Cohen, dated 28th August, acknowledging my CPR 31.14 request and requesting extra time to locate them. They acknowledged the 5 things I had asked for and said "Please note that as a bulk issuer we are unable to store the necessary documents on site and are currently in the process of retrieving the documents requested. Therefore please accept this letter as our agreement to a general extension of time. Once we have provided you with the requested documents, we will grant you a further 14 days to submit your Defence."

    Needless to say I haven't heard from them again!

    Now I've received a 'Notice of Proposed Allocation to the Small Claims Track' from the Court, dated 3rd October. I'm not really sure how to proceed from here.

    A couple of questions:

    1. Does this Notice mean that Lowell/Howard Cohen have continued with claim with the Court despite my defence/CPR 31.14 request?

    2. Should I be chasing up the fact that my CPR31.14 request has been ignored? Any who with? Lowell or OFT?

    3. I'm not sure how to answer the question a bout the small claims being the right track??

    Apologies for length of post! Here's a summary timeline of all letters if this helps!

    22/JUL/13 CCJ claim form received from Northampton Bulk Centre.
    28/JUL/13 CPR 31.14 request sent by recorded delivery to Howard Cohen
    12/AUG/13 AOS submitted online - intending to defend & asking for additional time.
    20/AUG/13 Defence submitted online.
    24/AUG/13 Letter confirming defence received (dated 20/AUG)
    01/SEP/13 Letter received from Howard Cohen (dated 28/AUG) requesting more time to respond to CPR 31.14 request.
    04/OCT/13 Notice of proposed allocation to small claims received. (dated 03/OCT)

    Must answer this latest letter by 21/OCT.

    Any advice would be gratefully received!

    Thank you
    Purple Haze
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

    Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
    I think I know what it's from - a loan I defaulted on years back that has suddenly reappeared back on my credit report after dropping off, but the amount on this claim form is not the same as what's on my credit report.
    How many years back did you default on it? Because defaults would only drop off your credit report after 6 years, and if there were no payments or written acknowledgment for 6 years, the debt would be statute barred, which is an absolute defence. When did you last make a payment? It's very important, it can make all the difference!

    Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
    After looking for advice on here, I sent a CPR 31.14 request to Lowell via Howard Cohen solicitors as they are the named contacts on the CCJ form. I asked for copies of:
    1. The credit agreement
    2. Copy of T&Cs at the inception of the account.
    3. Default notice
    4. Notice of Assignment
    5. Statement of account
    I notice this is your first post, did you use another username when you sought advice here? Would be useful to know if you have another thread relating to this issue.

    Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
    I sent this by recorded delivery but had not heard anything back by the time I needed to submit my defence so submitted the following online:
    You should have get them to agree to an extension of time, as they didn't meet their obligations under CPR 31.14. Most CPR 31.14 request letters have a paragraph relating to extensions. You can't possibly be expected to prepare a defence without having all the necessary documents.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

      Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
      Now I've received a 'Notice of Proposed Allocation to the Small Claims Track' from the Court, dated 3rd October. I'm not really sure how to proceed from here.

      A couple of questions:

      1. Does this Notice mean that Lowell/Howard Cohen have continued with claim with the Court despite my defence/CPR 31.14 request?
      Yes, it does.

      Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
      2. Should I be chasing up the fact that my CPR31.14 request has been ignored? Any who with? Lowell or OFT?
      From what you say above, it wasn't ignored, they responded with an extension of time but it looks like you had already submitted your defence. The OFT has nothing to do with this, in any case it would be Howard Cohen who are the solicitors acting for Lowell.

      Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
      3. I'm not sure how to answer the question a bout the small claims being the right track??
      This is not a question for you to answer, they are proposing to allocate it to small claims due to the amount, if under £10k, they'd normally be allocated to small claims. You say this is for £5k.

      Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
      Apologies for length of post! Here's a summary timeline of all letters if this helps!

      22/JUL/13 CCJ claim form received from Northampton Bulk Centre.
      28/JUL/13 CPR 31.14 request sent by recorded delivery to Howard Cohen
      12/AUG/13 AOS submitted online - intending to defend & asking for additional time.
      20/AUG/13 Defence submitted online.
      24/AUG/13 Letter confirming defence received (dated 20/AUG)
      01/SEP/13 Letter received from Howard Cohen (dated 28/AUG) requesting more time to respond to CPR 31.14 request.
      04/OCT/13 Notice of proposed allocation to small claims received. (dated 03/OCT)

      Must answer this latest letter by 21/OCT.

      Any advice would be gratefully received!
      Before going further, we need to know when you last made a payment. If it was over 6 years ago, the this would be Statute Barred.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

        Hi, Thanks for your replies.

        Last payment was November 2009 so not more than 6 years. This was a payment to DCA. I can't remember exactly (and stupidly no longer have any paperwork!) but I'm pretty sure it defaulted before I set up standing order for agreed amount. At the time these payments went to Capquest. The last payment to Capquest was in Nov 2009. Not sure when default was actually served though, although looking at my online banking these payments to Capquest started in the April of 2007. It had disappeared from my credit report, then reappeared with default date of November 2011 - which would be 2 years after my last payment. I contacted Lowell to query default date but probably not with correct legal speak and was fobbed off with "that's the date we've got." I didn't make any kind of formal request for paperwork. Then the CCJ letter came.

        When I say I looked on here for advice, I didn't sign up. I found a thread that was pretty much the same as my situation so followed the advice on there. Probably should have just signed up then and started my own thread!

        My CPR 31.14 request stated they were to send required documents to me within 7 days. They have sent request for more time but it arrived after the date I had to make defence with County Court so I filed defence of not having enough information to answer claim. So they have asked for "a general extension of time" in their letter but this letter was dated 28th August and I still haven't heard anything.
        Do I now chase this up with Howard Cohen? Or just fill in the N180 form from the court agreeing for it to go to Small Claims track?
        I obviously still can't defend myself without the paperwork requested.

        I'm just worried I'm going to have to go to court and not have a clue what to say or do! Can they get it to court without giving me this paperwork?

        Thanks again,
        PurpleHaze

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

          Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
          Hi, Thanks for your replies.

          Last payment was November 2009 so not more than 6 years. This was a payment to DCA. I can't remember exactly (and stupidly no longer have any paperwork!) but I'm pretty sure it defaulted before I set up standing order for agreed amount. At the time these payments went to Capquest. The last payment to Capquest was in Nov 2009. Not sure when default was actually served though, although looking at my online banking these payments to Capquest started in the April of 2007. It had disappeared from my credit report, then reappeared with default date of November 2011 - which would be 2 years after my last payment. I contacted Lowell to query default date but probably not with correct legal speak and was fobbed off with "that's the date we've got." I didn't make any kind of formal request for paperwork. Then the CCJ letter came.
          In this case it wouldn't be Statute Barred. Sounds like they have incorrectly recorded a default in 2011, but this is irrelevant for the purpose of the claim, so let's not worry about it for now.

          Originally posted by purplehaze View Post
          I'm just worried I'm going to have to go to court and not have a clue what to say or do! Can they get it to court without giving me this paperwork?
          I'll flag this up for Celestine, the site owner, who works in consumer credit litigation.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

            was their any further comments on this? as i am in pretty much the same situation and do not know what to do now.

            i had the bulk letter, acknowladged that and sent CPR 31.14 etc to recieve all required information (agreement etc etc) did not recieve anything so submitted to the defence stating i could not defend as i had not been given the documents as requested.

            after the deadline a very blurred copy of an agreement i do not remember signing was sent to me by IND.

            i have now recieved from the court stating the case is elegible to be passed to small claims track and i need to complete the form by the 15th Oct.

            but i dont know what to put on the form as i dont have all the documents i asked for and even the one they have sent me is unreadable.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

              Hi Drewe - I've started you a new thread http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ell-CCJ-threat so you don't get lost in this one. xxx
              #staysafestayhome

              Any support I provide is offered without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

              Received a Court Claim? Read >>>>> First Steps

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

                Hi,

                I've now received a letter from Howard Cohen with a copy of the court form agreeing for it to go to small claims court and sayin they've paid the £40 fee. Still no word from them about CPR 31.14 request.

                Who should I be chasing this up with?? Howard Cohen or the court or both?

                Surely I can't send form back agreeing to go to small claims without the information I've requested??

                Thanks

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Lowell Group/Howard Cohen CCJ threat

                  Are there any news about this? :noidea: If Howard Cohen are unable to respond to your CPR31.14 request, they'll have to agree to an extension of time. It's them you have to chase, not the court. If the amount is below £10k, then it'll be allocated to the small claims track.

                  Comment

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