Frederickson International

[Monzter]

Well, isn't it just the law of Sod that you get yourself sorted and straight and are no longer afraid to answer the door in case it's a bailiff and 'thump' another lands on the mat and the process starts again!!

I had a mobile phone bill that I didn't pay and long and short of it, forgot about under the many others. Fredericksons found me at my new address and sent the usual letter about looking for the subject etc. I emailed them saying I was and basically what did they want. They wrote back demanding nearly £300 immediately for a debt from a company I'd never heard of. Sent the usual prove it letter and received a letter back from them with statement of account and agreement from Orange, they apparently trade under another name sometimes?! This took 3 months by the way and I recieved 2 identical letters in 2 days. Yesterday I received another letter (or threatogram as I have learned!) Stating that as I have not paid the outstanding balance despite numerous previous requests (um two, a week ago?!).

I set up an account for payment only to be told by the automated system that I wasn't offering enough, so I have emailed them with proposed instalments and financial statement to show what I am offering is all I can afford.

However I do suspect that in time honoured tradition they will get silly and threaten the usual unless I pay more, you know that drill. I'm not really bothered who I pay to be honest as long as I can start to pay it off, but if they get stroppy I want to know my options.

In the letter they say that they are the company's appointed agents and that they have been instructed to collect - am I right in thinking that the debt hasn't been sold then? They say they are authorised to contact me and I must speak to them not the creditor - if they get stroppy CAN I contact the creditor and request that they take the debt back? Much in the same way you do with council tax arrears?

I've kept the email I sent and all letters they sent and am totally willing to pay this.

Thanks Guys

[labman]

Re: Frederickson International

If the are the companies appointed agents, it is only an equitable assignment, so you have little obligation to deal with them. Has there been a Notice of Assignment?

I suspect the debt name is that of the shop you bought the phone from.

Pay them what you can comfortably afford, not a penny more. If you are happy they have proved their entitlement to be paid, then ask for their bank details to set up your standing order (not direct debit). I'd beinclined to go to the OC.

HOWEVER, BEFORE ANY OF THIS how old is the debt? Ask about the NOA etc...

They are not going to invest vast amounts to recover anamount of £300, so don't make things too easy.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Frederickson International

I had a mobile phone bill that I didn't pay and long and short of it, forgot about under the many others. Fredericksons found me at my new address and sent the usual letter about looking for the subject etc. I emailed them saying I was and basically what did they want.

Why did you do such a silly thing?

[Monzter]

Re: Frederickson International

Why did you do such a silly thing?

Lol because I do want to clear all my debts and get my credit rating back, I've worked really hard over the past 18 months to do just that and I don't want it all shot to hell by a debt collection agency - I owe the money and I want to pay it off and clear my debts. I'm a single mum and I'd like to be able to have things on credit again (just things like a new sofa or if I need new kitchen whites and so on) and that's impossible with the credit I have now but I want to have decent things for my daughter. I have paid off over £2000 to various people and am still paying it off now though a couple of them are due to finish shortly, so I'll be better off. And being totally honest I cannot deal with bailiffs shoving things through my letter box and hounding me as I've had before over debts - so I want to deal with it now before it escalates.

I have the original amount from the OC and that's all I will be paying, all that is being asked for, for now. I won't pay a penny on top of that.

Labman - the debt is from 2008 :0

[labman]

Re: Frederickson International

Do you have any money saved at all that you could offer in full and final settlement?

If not, then you need to complete an Income and Expenditure form which calculates pro rata payments. Basically you then offer what that dictates - I'm sure you know the score given the past.

If you want to have almost guaranteed acceptance of your offer, and what you can afford is too low, try using CASHflow. They would have to have a very good reason for refusing to accept one of these.

[Monzter]

Re: Frederickson International

I sent an income and expenditure with the email and offer so I'll await their response, though obviously it's my own one and nothing official. I sent the same one with an offer of payment to another company and they accepted my offer straight away.

Depending on what they come back with I may need the CASHflow idea!!

Thank you

[Guest]

Re: Frederickson International

Lol because I do want to clear all my debts and get my credit rating back, I've worked really hard over the past 18 months to do just that and I don't want it all shot to hell by a debt collection agency - I owe the money and I want to pay it off and clear my debts. I'm a single mum and I'd like to be able to have things on credit again (just things like a new sofa or if I need new kitchen whites and so on) and that's impossible with the credit I have now but I want to have decent things for my daughter. I have paid off over £2000 to various people and am still paying it off now though a couple of them are due to finish shortly, so I'll be better off. And being totally honest I cannot deal with bailiffs shoving things through my letter box and hounding me as I've had before over debts - so I want to deal with it now before it escalates.

I have the original amount from the OC and that's all I will be paying, all that is being asked for, for now. I won't pay a penny on top of that.

Labman - the debt is from 2008 :0

HI

Just a thought but I am guessing that they have already placed a default marker on your credit file.

If this is the case all that will happen is that they wil mark it settled.
They cannot place two markers on your file for the same default, may be as will to check.

Also if they have not placed a marker, it is posssible that they will do so when you confirm that the debt is yours by making a payment.
Sorry to throw a spanner.

Peter

[labman]

Re: Frederickson International

That's why I asked if there was anything for F&F's, as this is often covered as part of any settlement.

In any case, if it is going to cause a problem, the sooner the clock starts ticking, the sooner it stops.

[Guest]

Re: Frederickson International

HI

Yes i just cant see what difference it is going to make to the OPs credit history?

THe account was defaulted some time ago i gather.

Peter

[labman]

Re: Frederickson International

Agree entirely. I think it may be more to do with the psychological aspect of knowing you are debt free, and all credit to Monzter for achieving this.

[Guest]

Re: Frederickson International

All that i am sying is that the OP has the upper hand, if the account is already marked as a default on her file there is very little they can do.
They will have to accept whatever payment is offered no matter how small.
It is not as if they are going to litigate, especially if an offer of repayment (no matter how small) has been made.

Peter

[labman]

Re: Frederickson International

Excellent point Peter. Very true.

[Monzter]

Re: Frederickson International

Just a thought but I am guessing that they have already placed a default marker on your credit file.

If this is the case all that will happen is that they wil mark it settled.
They cannot place two markers on your file for the same default, may be as will to check.

When it is marked settled (along with the others lol) will this go some way to improving my rating? Sorry I'm a little naive it would seem still where these things are concerned and I was genuinely under the impression that to clear my debts would improve any chances I may have in the future of obtaining credit. Not just for the things I described above but also for being credit checked by estate agencies should the need arise for me to rent another house or even the (very!) small possibility that in the future I may be in a position to apply for a mortgage.

I wouldn't be able to offer a full and final settlement not for a couple of months anyway, can any of you point me in the direction of anything on here I can read up on so I know what to do there please?

All that i am sying is that the OP has the upper hand, if the account is already marked as a default on her file there is very little they can do.
They will have to accept whatever payment is offered no matter how small.
It is not as if they are going to litigate, especially if an offer of repayment (no matter how small) has been made.

Peter

Thanks Peter that's made things a little clearer for me, I didn't quite grasp what you were saying. I do feel better that effectively they have nowhere to go if there is a default already on my file, which I imagine there is by now, and my offer of payment may slow down or stop any legal action. It's not as if any judge in the land can order me to pay money I clearly don't have, and I have offered repayment.

I think it may be more to do with the psychological aspect of knowing you are debt free, and all credit to Monzter for achieving this.

Thanks Labman, it is probably more the feeling that I am out of debt, I have had bailiffs threaten to have my daughter taken into care amongst other things and at one time, intimidation from bailiffs ended up in me being admitted to a phsychaitric unit. I just cannot go down that road again, and I will do anything I can to stop that, so I've offered what I can to clear the debt to try and prevent me ending up in that awful cycle again.

Thanks Guys for your advice it is much appreciated.

[Guest]

Re: Frederickson International

Hi Montzer
There is a guide to credit reference agencies here

http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/topic_specific_guides/credit.aspx
The names and addresses are here as well as information about how you access your file and find out what is on there.

Default markers stay on your file for 6years, so it is as well to check when they are first registered.
Every lender will have different criteria for who they will and will not give credit to, some will accept a couple of defaults, some wont, just as some may take notice of which defaults have been settled.

In my experience though most creditors don’t look at the details regarding defaults they just go off whether they on your file or not. The reasoning being that for a default to be registered in the first place you would have had to missed a number of payments.

Purely in my opinion and given the limited information on here. I would advise against full and finals.
It sounds to me that any money you have would be better put aside for a rainy day, I would arrange to pay instalments at a rate I you could comfortably afford.
It is no use leaving yourself in a vulnerable position just for the sake of paying these people, ( I speak from experience ).

If you do decide to make a full and final then get back on here we will advise of the best way to do it.
Peter

[Monzter]

Re: Frederickson International

Thanks for your help Peter, it is much appreciated