Urgent help please

[Violets437]

Hello so I'm in a bit of a mess. I have EE, Vodafone and Hitachi capital with lowell. The Vodafone and EE bills are currently on file for a county court claim. Vodafone I asked repeatedly to send it back as there was a few pound left on in call charges after my contract ended and I wasn't aware. I moved abroad and came back to a huge bill. I paid some, they sent it to lowell so I paid some more then told them to send it back as I'd had enough. I owed under £5 and it had gone to over £160. The EE one, I broke my phone and stupidly stopped paying as I could no longer afford it. I received a County court claim, I rang lowell financial and they extended by 28 days which runs out on the 26th Feb. I had a baby early January and I haven't had time to go through it all properly. I've rang and tried to come up with solutions but the best thing they can offer me is 170 a month over 4 months which I absolutely cannot afford. I've tried offering £100 a month which I can't really afford either but would try to find a way but they won't accept it. They've passed me back and fourth saying to ring the other one but seem to be getting nowhere. The person from lowell creditors actually said 'I wouldn't like to work for a company who tries to pressure and force thst much more out of someone who doesn't have it'. He tried his best to help me but the manager wouldn't budge. I've tried my best by speaking to citizens advice, step change and both lowell financial and solicitors but I'm just getting nowhere. I've worked really hard to try get myself out of the gutter and rebuild my credit slowly. I really don't know what to do as I'm so worried and don't want to be stuck for another 6 years with a ccj effecting me. I have severe anxiety and no support. The thought of going to court petrifis me, I can't speak Infront people. When I read the advice on this page, it sends me into a panic and it goes hazy so I have absolutely no idea what it means. I'm not on any medication or under the doctors as I've been threatened with the care of my children by their dad and don't want anything used against me. I know people say they're not allowed to use mental health problems against you, but it's happened to others and I couldn't risk it. So I can't use anything about mental health to help my case. Any help would be really appreciated but please try to explain it as clear and easy as possible so that I understand. Thank you in advance*

[Violets437]

Bumping please*

[R0b]

The simple answer is that unless you are prepared to go to court, your options are limited.

1. File a defence and attend court or instruct someone to represent you in your absence, or just don't attend at all.
2. Admit the claim and either pay in full or have a CCJ in your name.

You could try to make an application and ask the court to put the proceedings on hold whilst you try to settle the matter outside of court. If you are on low income then you may qualify for a fee exemption. That request could be done without having to go to court but it is the court's discretion, though they could grant it on the basis that the court's resources are limited and claims are backlogged. You could ask for 6 months but not at least push for 3 months.

If the proceedings are put on hold, you could then use that opportunity to either try and reach a settlement with Lowell again who might be more amenable since there is now a delay, or use that opportunity to try to set some money aside each month to then pay Lowell in full. Court cases in most cases from start to finish can take as long as 6-8 months so factoring that into account you could have all that time to try and save the money.

Unless you do something, whatever that may be I'm afraid you're going to end up with CCJ in your name.