Payplan

myth3_16

Hi All,

I've just been in touch with Payplan about my debt.

I have around £28k of debt all with the Halifax (credit card, 3 loans and bank account).

I contacted payplan because I want to get rid of my debt and also do not like paying a fee on my original DMP with Gregory Pennington. All my debt is now with Blair Oliver & Scott who, I believe after reading on these forums, is an in house collections department of Halifax Bank of Scotland. They are constantly ringing me and hassling me. I have been unable to pay Gregory Pennington after being signed off work with Stress and Depression caused by all the worry and stuff going on.

I phoned Payplan up with the hope that are they are there to help but I find out that because my debt is all with one creditor they are unable to help me with a DMP. They suggested I tried contacting my creditors and arranging to pay £1 a month for however long it takes me to get back on my feet again.

I thought they are there to help, has anyone else had this happen?

I don't know what to try next, has anyone got any ideas?

Thanks

Brett

HHH_2

you could try talking to CCCS another charity who wont charge you. they have been brilliant with me. good luck

Miss_Piggy_2

I'm with HHH, speak to the CCCS and see what they recommend.

Miss P
xx

myth3_16

Hi,

Just been touch with CCCS as you said. They just said the same thing. See if you can make an arrangment to pay your creditors £1 a month.

What is going on with these people. I thought they were there to try and help you get your life back together.

I am severly depressed and this is not helping one bit.

Miss_Piggy_2

myth3_16 wrote: »

Hi,

Just been touch with CCCS as you said. They just said the same thing. See if you can make an arrangment to pay your creditors £1 a month.

What is going on with these people. I thought they were there to try and help you get your life back together.

I am severly depressed and this is not helping one bit.

Have you spoken to Blair Oliver and Scott as CCCS and payplan have recommended, to see if you could make a token payment until you are back on your feet. Write to them too with the offer and make the £1 a month payment without fail even if they say no. If its all you can afford, they cannot take any more from you.
Good luck
Miss P
xx

myth3_16

Hi Miss Piggy,

Thanks for your reply. I am just about to write BOS a letter. Last time they rung me they were very shirty. After reading something on here about requesting that all correspondence be sent via post I thought I'd request it when they rung up last. The answer I got was "I'm sorry sir, we are unable to do this as we require a phone number so that we can contact you by phone. We contact you via letter alone".

I will send them a stern letter stating that this is all I can afford at the moment and that I will continue to pay the £1 for however long it takes.

I know from reading on here that Blair Oliver and Scott are renowned for their scare tactics.

Thanks for your help though. I will keep posted.

~Beanie~

The way I understand it, CCCS and PayPlan set up a Debt Management Plan to manage your debts by splitting your available income between your creditors and working out a percentage to repay to each one. As you have only one creditor, there is nothing to share out and all your available money should be going to repaying Blair Oliver and Scott.

I would write to the explaining your circumstances and enclose a list of your income and expenditure, clearly showing the amount that you can afford to repay them each month. Also state that you are not prepared to correspond with them by telephone and all future correspondance is to be in writing.

If they continue to ring you after than, you can report them for harrassment.

~Beanie~

Here is a sample letter to use to stop them ringing you...

Your Street
Town
City
Postcode
DATE HERE
Company Name
Road

Town
City / County
Postcode


Dear Sirs
Harassment by telephone

Account Number: XXXXXXX
I am writing in relation to the quantity and frequency of telephone calls that I have received from your company, which I deem to be personally harassing.
I have verbally requested that these stop, but I am still receiving calls. (Delete if necessary)
I now require all further correspondence from your company to be made in writing only.
I am of the view that your continued harassment of me by telephone puts you in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
If you continue to harass me by telephone, you will also be in breach of the Communications Act (2003) s.127 and I will report you to OFCOM, Trading Standards and The Office of Fair Trading, meaning that you will be liable to a substantial fine.
Be advised that any further telephone calls from your company will be recorded. (**Even if you don‘t yet have recording equipment!!**)

Yours faithfully,


[NAME HERE]

10past6

myth3_16 wrote: »

What is going on with these people. I thought they were there to try and help you get your life back together.

You only have one debt, i.e. The Halifax, the purpose of a DMP is to spread available funds between all creditors, as you only have one creditor, not much point other companies becoming involved.

You could try sending the following letter to BOS and see whhat they say:

DCA / Creditor’s Address

Date

Dear Sir/Madam

Re Account No/Reference No:− XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Since making that above agreement with you, my circumstances have changed.

I cannot now afford to agreed monthly payments because ... [your paragraph added here]

I enclose a Personal Budget sheet which shows our total income from all sources, and our outgoings.

As you can see I have only £xx per month left for my creditor.

In view of myr circumstances, please would you agree to accept a reduced offer of £xxx per month.

If interest or other charges are being added to the account I would be grateful if you would freeze these so that all payments made will reduce what I owe you.

Should my circumstances improve I will contact you again.

I would be grateful if you would send a paying−in book to make it easier to pay you.

Thank you for your assistance.

I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully