Marks & Spencers Credit Card

[Tya]

Hi All,

I have an arrangement in place for M & S and I'm paying them £15 a month and have been doing so for some time now. My arranement expired and I had to call them to setup an new on e explain my current circumstances. With this debt, I have a default on CF a few year ago and all interest has stopped. Great...

My account is still with M & S and with their debt department. Now when I spoke to them, they asked my situation, which I explained its still the same and can still only make £15 per month. They then asked have I got arrangements with all my creditors, to which I said yes as this is true. They then asked about a payment that I had made to a creditor last month which was more than what I am paying them. This is true as I have had no issues with this account as its in credit and a low amount is owed on the debt. They said that I should contact this creditor and offer a reduced payment so that I could pay them more.

Now, M & S must have looked at my credit file to get this information. Are they allowed to do this? Also, If I have stuck to the payments, does it really matter that someone else is getting more money? Also, why should I ask a creditor to make a reduced payment when the amount owed is really low and I am not struggling to pay them?

Finally, they have agreed to the £15 per month for another 6 months which is great, but what happens after the 6 months?

[Tya]

Re: Marks & Spencers Credit Card

I seemed to have waffled on a bit as I had so much to get out. My question is does M & S have the right to check my credit file to see what I'm paying other creditors and ask me to pay more money?

Also, can they force me to pay a creditor for which I have no rblems with as in credit, less money so that I can pay then more?

.

[Tya]

Re: Marks & Spencers Credit Card

Can anyone advise me on this? Pretty please...

[EXC]

Re: Marks & Spencers Credit Card

I would imagine that they can access your credit file as they are a creditor. If your arrangement had just expired I don't think it would be unreasonable of them to check your file in consideration of renewing the arrangement.

I'm not sure that asking you to reduce a payment to another creditor in order to increase payments to them is necessarily wrong but they can't force you - it's not their debt.

You're doing the right thing by keeping in contact with them and appearing willing.

Have you had to complete an Income & Expenditure form for them?

[Tya]

Re: Marks & Spencers Credit Card

Hi Exc,

No I haven't had to complete an I/E for them. I've just made sure that I kept my payments up.
If I refuse to speak to my other creditor to reduce my payments with them to pay M & S more, do you know what they cn or can't do? Do they have to except my arrangement still, or do you think it would be better to offer them a £1 or 2 more than the other creditor to keep them sweet?

I have been very luck so far, and would like to keep it that way.

[EXC]

Re: Marks & Spencers Credit Card

They can't force you to negotiate a lower arrangement with the other creditor and they appear to have accepted this by agreeing to continue your arrangement for a further 6 months . I think they were just attempting to maximise your payments to them so I wouldn't be overly concerned.