Barclays Partner Finance -my unknown debt?!

GhostHunter_3

Hi

Appologies for long post.

I have done a search on Barclays Partner finance and was surprised to see there were several threads on the subject. However none of them answer my questions.

Please can someone give me some helpful advice or even who I am dealng with?

A few months ago I received a letter from Barclays Partner Finance informing me that they were formerly Clydesdale Financial Services and I had arrears with them.

I refused to pay as I had never heared of either company. I then had a yellow postcard from a company calling themselves Allied International Credit (UK) Limited, based in Glasgow informing me that BPF had informed them I needed to send full payment immediately. They didnt indicate what would happen if I didnt but told me to act immediately! I also continued to receive phonecalls from BPF to say I owed them money but on trying to find out who to they conveiniently kept cutting me off!? So obviously my suspicions started being allerted, even though I was trying to justify maybe it was their 'auto dial systems' at fault.

Being in enough debt and not thinking straight I have now cleared the arrears (as they threatend me with further action) and set up a new Direct Debit (they said they would remove the admin charges if I did this so the arrears would be reduced) so I did.

I am very aware of what I have going out each month so I enquired as to what the payments are for (as I have no idea, I have checked and double checked evrything) and how much the ballance was and was told over the phone. I then questioned them as to where I took out the 'loan' and was told a Currys store.

Knowing I have 3 things currently on monthly payment plan with Currys I went into the store today and asked them if they may shed some light on the matter and the kind assistant checked their systems and went through everything and spotted nothing in conection with BPF or Clydesdale. She then asked the manager about companies who they do the payment plans through and he said they currently use HFC, but also named ones that they have used over past 20 years or so! He said he had never heared of Barclays Partner Finance nor Clydesdale Financial Services. All their info on their sytem was up to date and confirmed all 3 of my loans were with HFC (on separate policies). They double checked all the paperwork I have for the items I purchased and all is correct.

I was advised by Currys to phone up BPF and ask them to send me a copy of the original agreement which I signed. So as soon as I got home this afternoon I rang up Barclays Partner Finance and asked them where I took out the loan to which they answered a Currys store!

I then explained I had checked with that store and they dont deal with BPF! I then requested they send me a copy of the paperwork of my original signed agreement to me by 1st class post stating I needed to get this sorted asap! The advisor appologiesed and said it would only be sent 2nd class! Although I dont hold much hope to recieve this as I have already asked for confirmation several times in the past 4 weeks and not recived anything, I must have the correct address on their systems or they would have pulled me up on it surely?

Although saying that I did receive a letter at our old address (which happens to still be where my inlaws live), but we havent lived there for over 2 years so ignored it as we didnt recognise the company and assumed it was phishing scam.

Anyway I now wait to see what will arrive in the post and see what the next part of the mystery holds. Once I heave received this paperwork I have been asked to return to Currys who will investigate it further for me!

I just wondered if anyone had any clue as to who either Barclays Partner Finance or Clydesdale Financial Services are????

Many thanks, and sorry for the waffle!

OliveOyl_2

Can I just clarify?
You paid up a debt on the strength of just phone calls?
Do you have any paperwork at all re this debt?

You really need this in writing, there are template letters on this site where you can ask for your original signed agreement (CCA request) and can insist that they contact you *only* in writing.

Someone with more knowledge will be along soon to advise.

GhostHunter_3

Hi

In one respect yes, in another no.

Somewhere in my mind the name Clydesdale Financial Services was recognised but I dont remeber how, when or where. As I am in so much confusion at the moment and scared not to try at least to stay on top of things I paid up as I felt bullied by harrassment into it. It was only when I looked into it further this week have I discovered they're not related to Currys in any way.

Maybe I was stupid to just pay up but I am having trouble coping with anymore worries at the moment. Debts arnt the only thing going on in this household lately

Thanks.

OliveOyl_2

If you've paid and it turns out the debt is not in any way enforcable, I believe you can claim that money back - someone more knowledgable I hope will correct me if I'm wrong.

In future (sorry, 20:20 hindsight vision is a wonderful thing ) don't pay on their say so. Not just because very old (6 years) unacknowledged debts are unenforcable, but also because these debt collection companies use a scattergun approach. If your name is vaguely like the debtor, or you share the same post-code, or blood group (I jest) you can be considered a target for their bullying.

All of this debt malarky is worrying. And most of us here have woken in a cold sweat over our debts in the past. Add that to domestic dramas and it can tip the balance into *too much* You're not stupid, if you are, so then are a lot of us too. But if you're looking for help to sort this out I think that makes you wise and clever.

GhostHunter_3

Thanks Olive for those kind words it made a difference. I will try and remember not to cave in. But to be honest not many people I know have as common a name as mine (I jest ). Not only is it Welsh but I dont know anybody else with it! :rolleyes: I love it though makes me feel unique
*:whistle: tune to Chesney Hawks's "I am the 1 and only, nobody id rather be* LOL

Snaggles

I don't know much about Clydesdale/BPF, but I see transactions to them at work - from memory, they have been for car finance, sofa/furniture hp, and one of the book club type things (where you order a couple of books really cheaply and then they send you others to see if you want them).

They could do loads of other things too though.....sorry I can't be much help.

GhostHunter_3

Thanks Snaggles :think: Thanks for those suggestions. My alternative idea other than a link to Currys was something to do with my husbands van, but as our last one was on HP and got written off 1st Jan this year all that got sorted through insurance, and I know we were up to date with that lot. Current van is paid outright so no HP or loans to repay.

Cant be a sofa as we got ours from Freecycle, bedroom furniture paid for in cash, and never been a member of any book clubs to my knowledge (chuck that kind of bumph mail in the recycle bin second it hits the doormat!

Got me thnking now, hope to get to the bottom of it pretty quick.
Thanks

PrincessPeach_2

Ghosthunter, can they possible forward the documents by scanning them and emailing them to you or faxing? - i guess they would say no - but maybe worth a try to getting them sooner?

LilacPixie

have u checked your credit file?? that shold give u a start date an amount and how much per month over what terms. might jog you memory.

GhostHunter_3

Hi

Already asked about them emailing (we have no fax) the details and they cant 'dont have the facilitis' I was told. Not helpful at the best of times in my small experiences with them, it seems an inconveinience to post me a copy of the original agreement I signed. Cant even do that 1st class 'must be second' I am told abruptly! All other post I should have apparantly recived from them I have never had to date!

Too scared to look at my credit files at the moment :eek: Thanks anyway maybe next week.

Thanks

GhostHunter_3

Hi

In todays post I received another letter from Barclays Partner Finance telling me that "my Direct Debit payment due on 26/7/08 in the amount of £11.74 has been returned unpaid by my bank marked with INSTRUCTION CANCELLED"

For this privelage BPF have charged me £20 admin fee and are requesting I make an imediate payment of £11.74 and set up a new DD mandate.

It then laughably reads "If you have a querey on your account please dont hesitate to contact us" Yet everytime I do I dont hear back from them!:rotfl:

Just going through my paperwork again and as expected find I still havent received a letter or copy of original paperwork from Barclays Partner Finance. :rolleyes:

It has now been almost 2 weeks (will be Thursday) since I requested them send it, even 2nd class isnt that slow surely?

As I am still in disput I wont be doing or paying anything until they comply :mad:

Is it wise to exclude them from a DMP for the moment, knowing my luck instead of making them listen it will be me who gets into trouble??

Thanks