Lewis Debt Collection and Welcome Finance

bumper

Hi, Im new to this site and hope I have posted this in the correct place. Trying to cut a long story short. I took out a loan of 3000 eight years ago. I kept up the payments and after a while Welcome Finance offered me more money. I took out a new loan including ppi. After several years and a change of income I found myself struggling. I went to cccs for advice and they were really helpful and helped me to do an expenditure for payments to creditors. Welcome Finance accepted the lower amount. After a year they asked me to up my payments by ten ounds a month, which I did. After a further year I received a phone call from them saying if I upped my payment by another 20 pounds they would knock 1000 off the balance. He even came round to my home to get me to sign a new dd. I cant remember if I signed anything else. Now, four or five years down the line I got a statement which told me I still owed over a grand. I felt like they were ripping me off so stopped paying them. That was four months ago. I sent them a letter about five weeks ago asking for copies all agreements with them and ppis. No reply. In the meantime the debt has been sold to Lewis Debt. They have sent me several letters which I have ignored. ( they didnt detail what the debt referred to). Now they have started to ring my employers, at least on three occasions, the first two they didt even leave a number for me to contact them. On the third occasion they have and I returened the call. I gave them all the information that I have written above. I had quite a heated call with a young lady. She tld me as debt had been sold it was nothing to do with Welcome. She said they might not have received my letter and that if I didnt co-operate I would be having a visit asking for the money and threatened court. I asked her for the adress of Lewis and she said we have sent you letters. I said could she send me another one please and she said no, I would have to write it down. All in all an awkward lady. I terminated the call and tld her not to contact my employers and I gave her my telephone number. Question now is... Where do I go from here? Any advice would be greatly appreciated !

Tixy

Respond to the lastest letter from Lewis with the prove it letter - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=11570893&postcount=2 to prove you owe the money and prove they have a right to collect the debt.

If/when they provide proof of the debt then write to ask them for a full statement of all transactions (if they don't provide this in response to the prove it letter). You could also do a subject access request for all documentation relating to your account which would get you the PPI details etc -but this will cost £10.
It sounds like welcome have been adding on charges and interest all the time you have been paying less than your original contracted amount, which is why the balance is higher than you anticipated.

You can also send a letter asking them to only contact you in writing and not by phone - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=11571485&postcount=4

bumper

Thanks so much Tixy. I just have to find out their address now, as she was so adament that if I didnt have a pen and paper they wernt going to send it to me ! I didnt so she didnt. :]

Tixy

Haven't you still got the letters they sent you?

bumper

No, they didnt say what they were for and I dont deal easily with debt collectors, Head in the sand Im sure I can find it online Thanks so much

bumper

Dear Tixy... Havent I already admitted it on the telephone by discussing that id written to Welcome and didnt think it was fair that a fair amount f the debt would be ppi that I wouldnt have been able to claim against or that the promise of knocking off a grand was given to me ?

Tixy

You might have admitted it verbally but phone calls don't really count for these things. They still have to provide you with proof that the debt exists and that the balance is correct.

edwi69

bumper wrote: »

Hi, Im new to this site and hope I have posted this in the correct place. Trying to cut a long story short. I took out a loan of 3000 eight years ago. I kept up the payments and after a while Welcome Finance offered me more money. I took out a new loan including ppi. After several years and a change of income I found myself struggling. I went to cccs for advice and they were really helpful and helped me to do an expenditure for payments to creditors. Welcome Finance accepted the lower amount. After a year they asked me to up my payments by ten ounds a month, which I did. After a further year I received a phone call from them saying if I upped my payment by another 20 pounds they would knock 1000 off the balance. He even came round to my home to get me to sign a new dd. I cant remember if I signed anything else. Now, four or five years down the line I got a statement which told me I still owed over a grand. I felt like they were ripping me off so stopped paying them. That was four months ago. I sent them a letter about five weeks ago asking for copies all agreements with them and ppis. No reply. In the meantime the debt has been sold to Lewis Debt. They have sent me several letters which I have ignored. ( they didnt detail what the debt referred to). Now they have started to ring my employers, at least on three occasions, the first two they didt even leave a number for me to contact them. On the third occasion they have and I returened the call. I gave them all the information that I have written above. I had quite a heated call with a young lady. She tld me as debt had been sold it was nothing to do with Welcome. She said they might not have received my letter and that if I didnt co-operate I would be having a visit asking for the money and threatened court. I asked her for the adress of Lewis and she said we have sent you letters. I said could she send me another one please and she said no, I would have to write it down. All in all an awkward lady. I terminated the call and tld her not to contact my employers and I gave her my telephone number. Question now is... Where do I go from here? Any advice would be greatly appreciated !

Hi
The address below is for the lewis group head office
regards edwi69

Rowan House
70 Buchanan Street
Glasgow
G1 3JF

TEL 01274 852 000

EMAIL [EMAIL="info@lewisgroup.co.uk"]info@lewisgroup.co.uk[/EMAIL]

If you enquiry is regarding a specific debt then please e-mail: [EMAIL="debtservices@lewisgroup.co.uk"]debtservices@lewisgroup.co.uk[/EMAIL]

billwills

edwi69 wrote: »

Hi
The address below is for the lewis group head office
regards edwi69

Rowan House
70 Buchanan Street
Glasgow
G1 3JF

TEL 01274 852 000

EMAIL [EMAIL="info@lewisgroup.co.uk"]info@lewisgroup.co.uk[/EMAIL]

If you enquiry is regarding a specific debt then please e-mail: [EMAIL="debtservices@lewisgroup.co.uk"][EMAIL="debtservices@lewisgroup.co.uk"]debtservices@lewisgroup.co.uk[/EMAIL][/EMAIL]

Just Googled the phone number as the area code is Bradford, West Yorks and loe and behold they have premises at:

The Lewis Group Ltd
Lawrence House
Riverside Drive
Cleckheaton
West Yorkshire
BD19 4DH

bumper

I didnt think it would be long before I had another phone call. The lady I spoke to this time was a lot more helpful and friendly and gave me the address. I have to send it in writing within 7 days asking for proof of debt. Thanks for your help

bumper

Hi Just written my reply asking for them to prove the debt and when they do could they send me a full statement of transactions. Am I entitled to any reduction to the ppi as I defaulted and wouldnt have received any ppi ? Thankyou so much