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Hello, I'm in need of some guidance.
To try and cut a long story short, 5 years ago I had a good job etc. etc. then I was made redundant and approximately around the same time found out that I was expecting my first child, which made finding another job that much more difficult. Add to that, all the insurances which I had taken out on loans, credit cards in the event of redundancy became null and void, they wouldn't pay my bills once they learned of my pregnancy. Anyhow, despite the best efforts of my partner and myself, I fell behind with payments and defaulted on a number of accounts. I have held my hand up to all but one, and am still doing my best to pay them off, doing reasonably well too.
However, the one account which hasn't been dealt with was a Natwest credit card with a balance of £2.5K. Basically the story goes thusly, after my redundancy I left my permanent residence (from where I had started the account pre 2003 I think) and moved to Yorkshire to be with my partner who was stationed there with the army, changed my address with Natwest and it was whilst there that I defaulted on the payments. After 6 months, he had left the army and we moved back to my permanent address, by which time the baby's birth was imminent and I just didn't change my address with Natwest back again. Time marched on and, feeling deeply under the cosh from other debt collectors, I buried my head in the sand. I know it's no excuse but I couldn't bear any more and I had a new daughter in whom I could take little delight as I pretty much felt suicidal with threats coming from all angles, afraid to answer the phone, afraid of the postman. I have however, always been on the electoral register, so haven't actively tried to 'hide'.
So, fast forward to now and I've had a letter from Allied International Credit regarding my outstanding a/c with Natwest, the first I have heard about it since I stopped paying the account in summer 2004. So I called them and, for the first time in all my dealings with debt collectors, I asked for a copy of the credit agreement (not sure why, just something about the guy's demeanor that rankled) he told me to get it myself. I refused and insisted they do it, whereupon he started shouting down the phone, ranting, asking me why I didn't pay my debts etc. I told him that I had no idea who they were, and that I wasn't going to pay them anything without proof that I owed it to them. So, he continued ranting and I put the phone down. He obviously did 1471 and called me straight back, saying that I need to send my request in writing and to include £1.
So, I guess what I'd like guidance on is, where do I go from here? Have I set in motion something which I'll regret? I know little or nothing about the process. I don't even know why I asked for it, I haven't done so with Metropolitan, nor Moorcroft, both of whom I've been paying since the time of default on other accounts as I know they are my debts.
Any help would be very gratefully received.
To try and cut a long story short, 5 years ago I had a good job etc. etc. then I was made redundant and approximately around the same time found out that I was expecting my first child, which made finding another job that much more difficult. Add to that, all the insurances which I had taken out on loans, credit cards in the event of redundancy became null and void, they wouldn't pay my bills once they learned of my pregnancy. Anyhow, despite the best efforts of my partner and myself, I fell behind with payments and defaulted on a number of accounts. I have held my hand up to all but one, and am still doing my best to pay them off, doing reasonably well too.
However, the one account which hasn't been dealt with was a Natwest credit card with a balance of £2.5K. Basically the story goes thusly, after my redundancy I left my permanent residence (from where I had started the account pre 2003 I think) and moved to Yorkshire to be with my partner who was stationed there with the army, changed my address with Natwest and it was whilst there that I defaulted on the payments. After 6 months, he had left the army and we moved back to my permanent address, by which time the baby's birth was imminent and I just didn't change my address with Natwest back again. Time marched on and, feeling deeply under the cosh from other debt collectors, I buried my head in the sand. I know it's no excuse but I couldn't bear any more and I had a new daughter in whom I could take little delight as I pretty much felt suicidal with threats coming from all angles, afraid to answer the phone, afraid of the postman. I have however, always been on the electoral register, so haven't actively tried to 'hide'.
So, fast forward to now and I've had a letter from Allied International Credit regarding my outstanding a/c with Natwest, the first I have heard about it since I stopped paying the account in summer 2004. So I called them and, for the first time in all my dealings with debt collectors, I asked for a copy of the credit agreement (not sure why, just something about the guy's demeanor that rankled) he told me to get it myself. I refused and insisted they do it, whereupon he started shouting down the phone, ranting, asking me why I didn't pay my debts etc. I told him that I had no idea who they were, and that I wasn't going to pay them anything without proof that I owed it to them. So, he continued ranting and I put the phone down. He obviously did 1471 and called me straight back, saying that I need to send my request in writing and to include £1.
So, I guess what I'd like guidance on is, where do I go from here? Have I set in motion something which I'll regret? I know little or nothing about the process. I don't even know why I asked for it, I haven't done so with Metropolitan, nor Moorcroft, both of whom I've been paying since the time of default on other accounts as I know they are my debts.
Any help would be very gratefully received.
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