Natwest

[Radar]

Hi LB's

I hope I can get some advice regarding some financial difficulties I am having due to my becoming unemployed.

I have 3 creditors I owe, 2 Natwest (personal loan and credit card), 1 Argos (storecard), none of which I have ever denied owing but fell behind on payments a couple of years ago and had to turn to the StepChange charity for help.

However, their DMP is time limited and ended in April but I still owe a fair bit to all 3. Have continued paying a nominal amount and also sent them all a letter informing them of the situation and asking for some time to get a new debt management plan together (self managed) with the offer of a new repayment plan.

To my disappointment, it seems Natwest (personal loan dept.) took great delight knowing I was on my own by sending a letter within days saying they have been unable to come to a suitable arrangement with me therefore my account details have been passed to Westcot Credit Services. Seems my 32 years as a customer counts for nothing.

Of course, Westcot sent a letter informing me that they have been instructed to make contact, I ignored them. A week later, another letter from Westcot saying 'our enquiries have confirmed you are a resident etc. we have not yet had contact etc. if we do not hear from you, we will undertake activity including calls, texts and letters to recover this account'.

Any advice and guidance would be gratefully appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Natwest

Hi LB's

I hope I can get some advice regarding some financial difficulties I am having due to my becoming unemployed.

I have 3 creditors I owe, 2 Natwest (personal loan and credit card), 1 Argos (storecard), none of which I have ever denied owing but fell behind on payments a couple of years ago and had to turn to the StepChange charity for help.

Don't worry about owing, a lot of us have been there, done that.

Have you any idea when you opened these accounts?

However, their DMP is time limited and ended in April but I still owe a fair bit to all 3. Have continued paying a nominal amount and also sent them all a letter informing them of the situation and asking for some time to get a new debt management plan together (self managed) with the offer of a new repayment plan.

To my disappointment, it seems Natwest (personal loan dept.) took great delight knowing I was on my own by sending a letter within days saying they have been unable to come to a suitable arrangement with me therefore my account details have been passed to Westcot Credit Services. Seems my 32 years as a customer counts for nothing.

Banks are not known for their big hearts and loyalty.

I had an RBS card which I stopped paying in 2010 and they also unleashed Wescot, who sent a lot of red letters. In this case they were just collecting for RBS but Wescot are both debt collectors and debt purchasers. If they'd bought the account, you should have received a notice of assignment. It's possible they are just acting as collectors.

Of course, Westcot sent a letter informing me that they have been instructed to make contact, I ignored them. A week later, another letter from Westcot saying 'our enquiries have confirmed you are a resident etc. we have not yet had contact etc. if we do not hear from you, we will undertake activity including calls, texts and letters to recover this account'.

Any advice and guidance would be gratefully appreciated.

I'd hit them with a CCA request, which is precisely what I did back in 2010. RBS sent an application form with no terms and I disputed the account on that basis, they unleashed two or three further DCAs, I've not heard anything about this account since Jan 2012.

You will find the CCA request here: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...y-of-Agreement

Depending on what you get back (or not as the case may be), you can then make an informed decision as to how to proceed.

[jon1965]

Re: Natwest

Hi
As FP says, Wescott are well known for sending big scary looking red headed letters but in my case with some of the worst englsh you can imagine. they referred to the credit consumer act not the consumer credit act. I personally had some problems with RBS and CCA requests so it may save time to send the CCA requests direct to them at the address you have for them, send them signed for (no need for special) and if the tracking system doesn't give you a proof of delivery play holy hell with the post office until they track them down .
If Wescot (or Arrow Global) have bought the debt you should send the CCA request to them but my debts are a few years old and they have never sold them, I suppose it makes their books look better

Follow FP's advice and you will not go far wrong, the big question is, when did you open these accounts

[Totrusting]

Re: Natwest

Post removed, sorry.

[Radar]

Re: Natwest

Hi FlamingParrot and jon1965

Thank you both for taking the time out to reply, much appreciated.

I am not sure of the exact dates but I have a feeling it was around the time our company relocated us in 2001 that I took the personal loan out. The Natwest MasterCard was taken out around 2004, or slightly earlier and the Argos storecard, around 1999.

You are right about Wescot FlamingParrot, the letter from Natwest does say they are collecting the debt on their behalf.

I will get the CCA sorted...thank you for the link.

Thank you both again.

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest

- - - Updated - - -

Wescott Credit Services are purely a debt collection and receivables management organisation not
a debt purchaser so cannot instigate and court action, it may threaten to advise its client to take such
action.

- - - Updated - - -












- - - Updated - - -

[Radar]

Re: Natwest

Good morning all

Just a couple of questions I need help with please.

Following on from your advice and before I even send off the CCA request, I receive another letter from Wescot saying "To date we have not received a response from you. In an attempt to close this matter our client (Natwest Retail Finance) has agreed we can offer you a discount to settle your account".

Is this normal practice or are they just trying to draw me in to make contact with them?

Secondly, should I send the CCA request directly to Natwest or do I have to send all correspondence to Wescot now they are collecting the debt?

Many thanks in advance

R.

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest

CCA request can in this situation go to either.
NatWest have not " farmed" out delinquent accounts
very much in the past it used an in house collections
department or very quickly sold the accounts on.

An offer of discount at this stage is a little odd and
makes me wonder if there's some flaw in the agreement (s).

You should deal with Wescott now but you can still contact
the bank whenever you wish. Wescott cannot start any court
action, they are merely agents an NW is ultimately responsible
for all /anything Wescott does.

What sort discount has been offered, is it for both accounts?
Send the CCA request to Wescott if doing it for the card and
the loan 2x£1 fees are payable.

nem

[Radar]

Re: Natwest

Hi Nemesis

They are only collecting on my Natwest loan and didn't mention the discount amount just that Natwest Retail Services are offering 'significant' discounts but said I have to call to find out how much it is. The loan does goes back to 2002 or even earlier, maybe you're right and there's something amiss?

Strangely though, the department dealing with my credit card debt have given me a bit more time to send a new budget/financial statement and repayment offer as have Argos. It is only the Natwest credit management services that totally ignored my request for more time.

I will send the CCA to Wescot then with the £1 postal order, recorded delivery just to be safe. Will keep come back when I hear anymore.

Thank you for the advice, much appreciated

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest

Getting a discount on a delinquent NatWest account of any type or age is so rare it's:tinysmile_twink_t2:
miraculous.

Just use ordinary signed for post the old " recorded" delivery next day guaranteed post is horrendously expensive
now!!

I suspect given the start date of the account the agreement may not be " found" meaning court action is very unlikely and that's why the bank is using Wescott to try to squeeze some money out of you.

nem

[Radar]

Re: Natwest

Haha... Yes, will definitely do signed for, certainly cannot afford registered. Knowing Natwest, I bet they search every archive they have to dig mine out! They'll just have to keep squeezing, I can only pay what I can afford to pay. Thanks again R.

[nemesis45]

Re: Natwest

Haha... Yes, will definitely do signed for, certainly cannot afford registered. Knowing Natwest, I bet they search every archive they have to dig mine out! They'll just have to keep squeezing, I can only pay what I can afford to pay. Thanks again R.

Yep, no court would expect you to pay more than you can reasonably afford, any arrangement made must
be at a level such as will not cause hardship to you and your family.

nem

[jon1965]

Re: Natwest

Hi
As I mentioned earlier , it is likely that Wescot will return the CCA request to you and tell you to send it to Natwest direct , that is certainly what they did to me. My natwest account has done the rounds oddly never with their in house collection agents. The same is true of my Mint credit card (RBS) .
I can't remember the last time I heard from them now, and I haven't paid anything in over 3 years

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Natwest

Hi
As I mentioned earlier , it is likely that Wescot will return the CCA request to you and tell you to send it to Natwest direct , that is certainly what they did to me. My natwest account has done the rounds oddly never with their in house collection agents. The same is true of my Mint credit card (RBS) .

They also told me the same thing, to send RBS a CCA request, which I'd previously done so ignored it and never heard from Wescot ever again (since 2010!)

I can't remember the last time I heard from them now, and I haven't paid anything in over 3 years

Make it 5 years here. Clock ticks away nicely in the background. :clock: :clock: :clock:

[Radar]

Re: Natwest

Sorry jon1965

Totally forgot you said that, thanks, that would save me some postage. Seems that Natwest are fed up of my token payments but I bet Wescot won't go away even though they know they can only chase and harrass.