Apex Credit Harassment

[Maverick0182]

Hi,

I need some advice/help in dealing with Apex Credit.

I've been paying these people for an old credit card debt for a while now. A couple of months ago they sent a standard letter offering to let me clear the debt for a reduced fee which I ignored as I simply don't have the funds to do so.
About three weeks ago they phoned to say that my account was under review and asked if I could increase my payments to them. I explained that my situation hasn't changed since I set up the repayment agreement with them. They said that I'd need to fill in an online income and expenditure form to prove this and I told them I wasn't willing to enter that kind of information into a website due to online security risks and informed them that if they wanted me to fill out this form they'd need to send it through the post. This form has still not arrived.

Since that phone call I've received two or three calls a day from them, sometimes staying on the line to try and get me to pay more, sometimes simply hanging up. A few times they have phoned my mobile letting it ring for a couple of seconds, then phoned the house straight away and hanging up when I've answered that.

Is there anything I can do to stop them phoning me and to make them accept the payments I am making to them without constantly contacting me to up the payments?

I am quite prepared to work towards paying off this debt, I have a direct debit with them and haven't missed a single payment. I just want them to leave me alone and allow me to pay it off without the constant harassment I am currently receiving.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.

[Mrs James]

Re: Apex Credit Harassment

Hi Maverick,

I had the same problem and contacted Consumer Direct who passed me to Trading Standards, so that's one way to go. I'm sure someone with more experience than myself will be along shortly to advise, but in the meantime have a read of this thread.

How to stop Debt Collection Phone Calls - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[di30]

Re: Apex Credit Harassment

Hiya

Its part of the procedure to complete the expenditure, or send one of your own, this way they will keep a record of it and come to a reasonable decision to suit you, or at least they should do.

I would write back (do not ring them), and post by recorded delivery so you can check the status of delivery on The Royal Mail Website via Track and Trace.

Do one of your own of your incomings and outgoings if you have to, remember everything if you can.

Rent/Mortgage
Loans
Credit Card/Store cards.
Water Rates
Council Tax
Insurances
Food
Clothing
Upkeeping of any private cars, such as insurance/tax/MOT/Service.

Work it out on a monthly total and see what is left from there and come up with an offer you can afford each month.
Remember to keep a copy as well.

[Maverick0182]

Re: Apex Credit Harassment

Thanks for the comments so far.

Di, I don't have a problem with income and expenditure forms, I'll happily fill them out if they'll help, I just won't put those details into a potentially insecure online form. I did fill one of these in for them when I set up the repayment plan though so they should already have one on file, and considering I've told them that my circumstances haven't changed they should be able to refer to that.

My problem is the fact that they constantly phone despite me telling them that I cannot afford to pay any more than I have already and that I would like to only deal with them in writing. I share the house with a couple of others and the phone ringing several times a day is becoming extremely annoying for everyone.

I've read online about APEX and it seems that their MO is to constantly harass people by phone, even after they've jumped through hoops for them, until they grind a person down and they agree to pay more just to stop the calls.

So really, I'm looking for the best way to stop the calls coming through to the house so I can stop this annoyance for everyone as they clearly have no intention of stopping the calls regardless of what I do.

[TUTTSI]

Re: Apex Credit Harassment

There are some great letters that deal with Harrassment - post 3 in the post that Mrs James has given you. I would choose one of those letters amend it to your own circumstance so that it is does not look like a templated letter but keep the gist of the various acts which they have broken.

I personally at this stage would not give them an Income and Expenditure or even mention in your letter that you cannot afford to increase what you are paying. You just need to put them on notice about the harrassment and always keep everything in writing and send this letter by Special/Recorded so that they have to sign for it as proof that they received it.

From the recent court case re Link, it is always advisable to keep all letters and envelopes as proof of harrassment also. If you can record the phone calls then that is also good. I would if they called again advise them that you are recording the calls as they are harrassing you even if you are not recording the calls let them think that you are. You will see they will soon leave you alone.

Hi Maverick,

I had the same problem and contacted Consumer Direct who passed me to Trading Standards, so that's one way to go. I'm sure someone with more experience than myself will be along shortly to advise, but in the meantime have a read of this thread.

How to stop Debt Collection Phone Calls - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[CleverClogs]

Re: Apex Credit Harassment

A few times they have phoned my mobile letting it ring for a couple of seconds, then phoned the house straight away and hanging up when I've answered that.

Is there anything I can do to stop them phoning me

Apart from pointing out that their persistent and puerile telephone games could be an offence contrary to section 127 (2c) of the Communications Act 2003?

Well, you could send them a notice under section 10 of the Data Protection Act 1998 requiring them to cease and desist all processing of your telephone numbers.