I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi Tuttsi

You may also be interested in using, and quoting, the relevant sections of this too:

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...7&postcount=52

Best

Crispy
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
Hi Tuttsi

Heres the address I have been having correspondence with:

American Express Services Europe Limited
Executive Credit Relations
Department 880
Amex House
Edward Street
Brighton
BN88 1AH

Best

Crispy

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Quick update on my DMP and how things are going. For some creditors it is now 6 months in and I have been getting 'review letters'.

Not much has changed really so they will be getting appropriate response and I'll let you know how things go.

Santander have now finally defaulted me on my overdraft and passed the account to their internal DCA. I expect to the same stonewall approach and refusal to even acknowledge my DMP but we shall see.

However some movement, finally from Shop Direct, who have started to hand my accounts to Lowells.

Now I know Lowells and their dirty tricks, and their initial contact has lived up to expectations.

Nothing in the post, however I have received emails from them, detailing my account numbers and amounts owing! Considering that Lowells have absolutely no knowledge that the email address is correct, or not accessed by other people, looks like they have already given me ammunition against them.

I like in their emails they start off with 'despite out previous correspondance' which of course is non-existent.

Everything else is all good though! My debt is finally starting to be whittled away and I am hoping that on 12 months I will have bitten off a good chunk but will keep you all updated!

Best

Crispy

[cappo]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Quick update on my DMP and how things are going. For some creditors it is now 6 months in and I have been getting 'review letters'.

Not much has changed really so they will be getting appropriate response and I'll let you know how things go.

Santander have now finally defaulted me on my overdraft and passed the account to their internal DCA. I expect to the same stonewall approach and refusal to even acknowledge my DMP but we shall see.

However some movement, finally from Shop Direct, who have started to hand my accounts to Lowells.

Now I know Lowells and their dirty tricks, and their initial contact has lived up to expectations.

Nothing in the post, however I have received emails from them, detailing my account numbers and amounts owing! Considering that Lowells have absolutely no knowledge that the email address is correct, or not accessed by other people, looks like they have already given me ammunition against them.

I like in their emails they start off with 'despite out previous correspondance' which of course is non-existent.

Everything else is all good though! My debt is finally starting to be whittled away and I am hoping that on 12 months I will have bitten off a good chunk but will keep you all updated!

Best

Crispy

i was also on a dmp crispy, as all your accounts are being handed over to the debt recovery agencys now it might be an idea to see if you couid arrange depending on your circumstances a full and final settlement which is what i did and got some good discounts.(please note these are my thoughts only and not the beagles and are based on what i have personally done myself and no way condone not paying debt) i found my dmp gave me some necessary breathing space and for me it really worked,glad to hear your getting out of debt,well done

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Thought I would do an 'interim' report on how things are going as a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks..............

So starting with Amex. Despite my complaint being upheld by Amex, an award of a huge refund of interest and charges, and informing them to accept my DMP offer, Newmans continued to harrass me for more money.

It took several letters back, (enclosing the complaint response), and now the account has been handed to another DCA (RMA Regain). Now this DCA has 'accepted' my DMP offer but subject to a load of T&C's, and for 6 months, which I will start a new thread on.

That is 3 DCA's in 6 months!!

So that has settled down, at least for a little while.

My Shop Direct accounts continue to be handled by Lowells and my DMP letters have gone out to them in the last couple of weeks. No responses as yet.

Another Shop Direct account was also handed to CapQuest. I have heard nothing from them at all but have had a 'fishing' letter from a company called DVSL who, I have discovered, are none other than CapQuest!! So it looks like they are setting their stall out early on the dodgy tactics front!

Santander.............

So they have received 2 letters about my DMP, which they have ignored (not even an acknowledgement). They then farmed the account out to their internal DCA (DMRS) who have also ignored this offer (not even an acknowledgement).

I am positive this is a breach of the Lending Code, so if they are members I will be putting a complaint into the BOS.

Black Horse have now defaulted me, and have referred my account to Nationwide Collection Services (who have already threatened my with a 'pay immediately or we may take you to court letter') so another DMP letter has gone out to them.

All in all though another good month, just different players are now getting involved as some DCA's realise that I'm not worth the effort or the money so have decided to drop the accounts, so looks like they are now getting passed to the bottom feeders of the DCA chain!

Best

Crispy

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Just a quick update, and some good news!

Nationwide DCA have accepted my DMP for the next 6 months, after which it will be up for review.

Lowells have accepted my DMP without a fight on the Shop Direct accounts!

Santander have finally had the courtesy to respond to my DMP letters but have rejected my offer. They have now informed me they intend to refer my account to an external DCA.

Looking forward to it!

Best

Crispy

[Curlyben]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

All good there then.

[cappo]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Just a quick update, and some good news!

Nationwide DCA have accepted my DMP for the next 6 months, after which it will be up for review.

Lowells have accepted my DMP without a fight on the Shop Direct accounts!

Santander have finally had the courtesy to respond to my DMP letters but have rejected my offer. They have now informed me they intend to refer my account to an external DCA.

Looking forward to it!

Best

Crispy

it all sounds like it,s starting to get sorted out crispy thats a big weight off your mind.

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Thanks CB and Cappo

Things are slowly getting towards a 100% of creditors onboard.

Shop Directs tactic was obvious from the beginning, as soon as they were aware I was in financial difficulty they have been slapping charges and interest on to bump up the balances to make them more attractive to sell on.

I suspect Santander of the same tactic. I intend to make a formal complaint to them though, and maybe even go to the FOS as they are not playing by the BBA code.

But where I was a year ago things are a massive improvement :?)

Best

Crispy

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Time for my monthly update. One step forward, one step back this month........

First round of threat-o-grams finally came from Capquest who then accepted my DMP right out the gate

However, literally the following day, I then start getting letters from CSL about a Capital One account which was being handled by Frederickson International.

I have started a seperate thread on these as they have been a little 'lively' even by DCA standards!

Still have heard nothing from Santander or their external DCA since their last letter.

Everyone else though has settled happily into the DMP and payments being made.

Best

Crispy

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Its that update time again.

So the last 5 weeks has been a period of relative stability. The creditors who have accepted my DMP have all been quiet.

There were a couple of hiccups. Both Lowell and Capquest 'lost' payments. Unfortunately for them my paperwork is better than theirs and I was able to prove that they had both received, and cashed, the payments.

CSL/Capital One have gone all quiet since sending them a CCA request, which, considering the agression with which they initially pursued this, I think says it all.

And I think I now have a full house in terms of contact from the DCA 'hall of fame'!

Santander have finally given my account to a DCA - none other than Wescot! This is my first dealings with Wescot so look forward to seeing what tactics they adopt. Nothing worse so far other than a 'we are dealing with this on behalf of our client' letter.

Best

Crispy

[Crispybacon]

Santander - drum roll please.........

Well its been a long 10 months of battling with Santander and trying to get them to listen. On many occasions its felt a lot like this.....



In this time I have received over 40 letters from Santander, their inhouse DCA (DMRS) and finally Wescott with all the usual threats, 7 days to legal proceedings, CCJ, Charging Orders, Attachment of Earnings blah blah.

However, I have persevered, and every month I have sent them a letter expressing my disappointment that they had not even had the courtesy of addressing my situation in writing, and that they had disregarded the Common Financial Statement and my financial position.

After collating a massive amount of evidence, including their refusal to even acknowledge my wish to deal with the matter in writing and continue to demand I telephone them I decided a few to sent a letter to their complaints department.

I catalogued their every breach of OFT664 (OFT debt collection guidelines) and also stated that I viewed their refusal to enter into written correspondance a breach of OFT854 (Unfair relationships. Enforcement action under part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002).

I invited their comments before I made a formal complaint to the approriate regulatory bodies. I also chucked in a SAR for good measure.

So other than acknowledgement of my letter I have received nothing until this morning when I have received a letter from them informing me that they have finally relented and agreed to the prorata payment as per my DMP!!!!!



This is exactly the same amount that was offered to them 10 months ago when I first started my self managed DMP!

So Cap1 aside (who have been seen off with lack of CCA and non compliance to CCA request) I now have 100% of my creditors on my DMP!

So the Creditor/DCA merry-go-round/game, at least for the moment, has finally come to an end and hopefully I can now make my DMP payments for the next 12 months or so before starting to offer F&F payments.

It has been a massive struggle to get to this point. Don't even get me ranting on whether creditors treat debtors fairly!

However it can be done, just takes a lot of time, perserverance, knowledge of consumer rights and legislation, as well as a thick skin.

Best

Crispy

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Hi All

Well today was a long awaited today. Using the O/T I have built up over the last 6 months I have paid off my Wonga balance and rid myself of Wonga from my DMP.

I know I could have spread the amount between my creditors but I felt the pshycological boost of getting rid of one of my creditors was more important! Plus to be fair to Wonga (not that I am on most occasions) but there were one of the 'better' creditors to deal with.

So Wonga creditor down and 18 to go! (scuse the pun!)

Best

Crispy

[Curlyben]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Nicely done CB.
I hope you made sure to get a letter from them to that effect..

[Crispybacon]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Nicely done CB.
I hope you made sure to get a letter from them to that effect..

Hi CB

Long time no see!

Oh yes everything is in writing, I don't want this biting me in the behind months down the line.

But it shouldn't as its not a F&F as the whole balance was paid off. If they think they are going to get more than that they can go whistle!



Best

Crispy

[Bill-K]

Re: I will be debt free and you can too - learn from my pain!

Dubex's post today brought this magnificent thread to my attention.

I just want to say well done, and thank you Crispy, for bringing the whole story to us.