Disputing amount of debt & settlement figure

awilkie

Hi, Just wondered if someone can point me in the right direction and tell me if what I'm doing is ok. I have some debt I'm determined to deal with and am going to try and get reduced settlement figures on all of them and get rid of them. The first one I'm trying to settle is a CC debt from about 3 years ago, it was originally only about £500, I moved house buried my head and 3 years down the line they have found me and are now the Debt collectors are requesting about £2400. I rang them up and tried to discuss calmly with them and offer to pay them £500 in F&F settlement she said no and agreed to £1800, i explained I really didn't have this money and increased my offer to £600,. still no and she was trying to get me to make a payment of something there and then, I didn't want to do this as plan B is to dispute the amount and I don't know where that leaves with with disputing the amount if I've made a payment.

Ok first of all then ....I'm thinking I need to request details of this debt as I don't have any as this is the first letter that has reached me in 3 years, so is there a standard letter on here I can send disputing the amount and requesting full details of how they have got the debt to the amount they're requesting and what do you think my chances of getting this settlement figure to £600 are?

Hope someone can help with this one.

Tixy

Hi

No point in trying to arrange F&Fs by phone, they rarely have any success and even if they do there would be no way to prove it in full & final settlement. You need to do them in writing so that a person with the authority to make that decision sees your offer and so that you have written proof that your settlement will be in full & final. There have been a lot of cases on here of people agreeing F&Fs by phone and then being chased for the remaining debt 4 or 5years later.

First letter we usually recommend is the prove it letter - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=11570893&postcount=2
Depending on what they send back to that, and if it isn't the info you need then you could then do a subsequent letter asking for a full breakdown of all transactions on the account.

Chance of a £600 settlement? possible certainly, especially if the debt has been sold to a 3rd party DCA.

Useful info on offering F&Fs http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=24_full_and_final_settlement_offers