Slight problem with Metropolitan Coll Services

rancid-a

Hello all.
A few years ago I defaulted on a HSBC Mastercard. MCS took over the debt and I've been paying without fail, monthly for the past 6 years via one of those plastic cards you take to the post office. MCS never bother me or pester me for more money & I guess I'm lucky HSBC never shut my bank account down too.

I wrote a letter to MCS two weeks ago asking them if they could give me a balance. (I can't speak to them via the phone to, really bad hearing). I also said I'd like to raise my payments to get rid of thedebt more quickly but they haven't replied. What should I do next?

Thanks for helping.

Mikeone

If I was feeling cheeky, I'd advise you to cease making payments and you'd soon find that they get in touch!

More seriously though, in general I'd suggest sending a letter recorded delivery (and you'd be advised not to phone them even if your hearing was good). Have you had any other correspondence from them recently?

I'm not sure if there is any legal issue/loophole thing in regard to them making contact, but others will, so consider this a bump.

rancid-a

Hi Mikeone, Yes your first suggestion would probably work
But no, the've never been in touch since they sent their plastic payment card, back in 2005.
I've been paying slightly over minimum payments every month and am now in a better position to pay this off quickly.
I will do as you suggest though, send another letter recorded to see if that gets an answer.

One final thing though. What if they never get in touch and I keep paying until I think I've paid it all and accidentally over pay, would then then write and say stop paying?

Thanks for helping me

Mikeone

How much was the debt, at what APR (unless the froze it), how much have you been paying and how many payments have you made?

You may have already gone over.

rancid-a

Hi MikeOne
Well the original Mastercard debt was £1430. After losing my job back in 2004, with the help of the Citizens Advive bureau (writing letters etc..) I started to make monthly payments of £5. In 2007 I increased this to £10. I've been though all my old diaries counting up all the payments. Taking the total paments inc. June 2010 off the £1430 leaves me with approx £912. I wrote to MCS saying I wanted to increase monthly payments & asked for a balance. My plan was to get rid of this debt by the end of Feb '11 - about £26 a week, I just need that balance.

Thanks for your time MikeOne, really appreciated.

DarkConvict

I maybe wrong, but aren't they meant to send you an annual statement for your account.
Also if you request a current balance they must give it to you within a reasonable time.

rancid-a

Hi DarkConvict
one of the other debt collectors I owe money too (T.B.I.) send me an annual report but Barclays Bulk Credit Clearing have never contacted me and the same for MCS (HSBC). I've sent a letter again, recorded. Thanks for helping.

Numpty_Monkey

You might want to put this in your as a reminder to them
from the OFT Debt collection Guidance

[FONT=Univers-Bold, sans-serif]2 UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES[/FONT]
[FONT=Univers-Bold, sans-serif]Communication[/FONT]
[FONT=Univers-Medium, sans-serif]2.2 e. failing to provide debtors or creditors with information on status[/FONT]
[FONT=Univers-Medium, sans-serif]of debts, for example, not providing requested balance statements when[/FONT]
[FONT=Univers-Medium, sans-serif]reasonably requested[/FONT]

rancid-a

Thanks for that Numpty, will add that in the third letter - hopefully it won't come to that