Westcott and Natwest BIG TROUBLE

lilshopaholic101

Hia,

A few years ago, Natwest gave me a student overdraft of 1500 in my first year, unfortunately, I suffered so badly with depression that I was off University for a year and in my plight, I spent all my overdraft as I was so low.
I then regained my senses and instead of wallowing in the debt I went to Citizens Advice and set up a payment plan of £2 a month. Then early in January after sorting myself out and attending Uni fulltime again, I decided I wanted to be debt free once and for all, so I set about offering full and final offers to all my creditors. Lloyds TSB were excellent and accepted my offer of £750 pounds to clear my account payable over 10 months, as a gesture of goodwill, they then reduced this to £500 and I only have one month left to pay! Natwest however are a different kettle of fish, I rang them to make a final offer and the woman on the phone said I would have to default on my payment plan, which I did before putting the offer in writing. I did so, and offered 33% of the debt which would be £1200, it was around this time I started to be harrangued by Westcott for the full amont, a very bolshy woman on the phone said I could pay off £1900 to settle it finally, well I already had a letter from Natwest accepting £1400 which I wrote back and said the most I could afford was £1200, I told the woman that I was not dealing with Westcott, and was in the process of negotiating a settlement with Natwest, she was very rude on the phone. After still recieving nothing from Natwest, I have recieved further letters from Westcott saying that I had agreed to a payment plan with themselves for £200 a month!!! I never agreed to anything of the sort, as I am only a student and that money is beyond my reach, I declined to answer instead again writing to Natwest. She then rang again and spoke to my mother, who is an 'interested party' on my debt as she helps me write my letters etc. The woman was rude to my mother, so she put the phone dow. I have then recieved another letter this morning from Westcott saying I have defaulted on my £200 a month agreement. I am FUMING! What can I do, I am trying so hard to get out of debt and people like this are just running me down. HELP please

MrMuttley

OK first things first have you ever stated to Westcott (prefereably in writing) that you have agreed your mother can speak to them on your behalf.

If not they have broken the law and pointing this out to them will likely get them to cool their over exuberance.

Secondly never speak to them on the phone again. If they call politely and firmly ask them to put wehatever they have to say in writing and the politely and firmly end the call.

Then write to them to explain that A) you cannot afford and have never agreed to £200 per month you want an explanation and an apology as to ahy they thought you agreed to such a sum. C) put in your letter that "Due to the misunderstandings on their part" you are unable to trust their telephone agents and therefore they must put everything in writing.

Finally try to keep your cool about it as getting stressed means you're more likely to make rash decisions. I know how difficult that can be sometimes. They are the ones out of order not you.

HTH

Mike

lilshopaholic101

Thank you so much . Thats some really good advice, Ill start writing straight away, my Mum will be pleased too as its not fair she should get phonecalls like that either.

Cheers!:beer: