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Lowell Group - Forcing me to pay more??

I really need some help as i dont understand any of this.

Back in september i was contacted by Lowell Group regarding a debt to Vanquis Credit Card. Due to the letters etc i recieved i set up a direct debit to pay them. i was very scared and just wanted them of my back. they told me i could not choose how much to pay of a month and that i had to set up a direct debit for £58.97 each month in order to pay this debt of. It wasn't until i found this website after looking into this that i relised this doesn't seem right. The original balance on the card was £200 and they now want me to pay back in total £412.74!

I never signed a credit agreement with Lowell or Vanquis!

I have got some money problems this month as my mum who works self employed hasn't been able to work much this month due to health reasons and now needs me to help pay the mortage, which i dont mind doing.

I called up lowell and explained the situation, they told me that i couldnt change the direct debit amount and if the money wasn't in my account when they tried to get it out i would have to pay the full amount of the debt back.

i found a website which said that if the credit agreement was taken out before april 2007 then i may not have to pay it back, and to request a 'true or fair' copy of the credit agreement from Lowell.

When i called them up teh person i spoke to got very rude and asked why i am questioning it now and why i want this information! :mad: And then only offered to provide me with a statement of what i had pay. The man i spoke to was very rude so i decided to email in requesting this information.

i need help as i dont know what to do! i know i should have looked into this but i know i owed £200 and just wanted it to go plus they were really nasty on the phone and sending letters so i just saw it as an easy way to get them off my back.

Please help me, can i stop the payments via my bank until they provide me with a copy of the credit agreement.

Comments

  • EmzJenks
    EmzJenks Posts: 218 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I'm sorry I'm confused! If you never signed a credit agreement with Vanquis how can you owe them any money? But then you go on to say you know you owed £200??

    Makes no sense :question:

    you should contact Vanquis & ask them to send you a copy of the original credit agreement that then got passed onto Lowell.

    Stopping the payments at your bank will only make the matter worse. Contact Vanquis in writing asking for a copy of the agreement & contact Citizens Advice they may be able to help you.
  • i didnt sign anything with them but they sent me the card anyway with £200 credit limit.

    i will contact Vanquis now.
  • flyer
    flyer Posts: 2,269 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    i didnt sign anything with them but they sent me the card anyway with £200 credit limit.

    i will contact Vanquis now.

    So did you use the card? There is a difference between having a credit limit and actually using that credit facility.
    Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.
  • Yes i did use the card, i was 16 at the time and very nieve! I spoke to Vanquiss and they said in order to get a copy of the agreement i need to write them and request it and include a cheque for £1.

    Lowell and Vanquis dont seem to be any help at all!
  • you electronically signed for it - by ticking the box after reading the terms. it is common practice these days with online applications.
  • EmzJenks
    EmzJenks Posts: 218 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    So you used the card, have you ever paid anything off it? Or have you not made any payments?
  • yes, so far i have paid off £235.88 although that it through Lowell. They want me to pay off £412.74 in total!
  • EmzJenks
    EmzJenks Posts: 218 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    But you didn't pay anything to Vanquis at all? It just seems that it would've had to have gotten to a pretty bad state, with you owing alot of money for Vanquis to have passed the debt on. The interest rates on a Vanquis card are really high & if you don't pay it off every month you will find yourself owing alot more money than your original credit amount. For them to have passed it on to Lowell you must not have paid Vanquis anything at all
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