Benefits and DCA's.

PaulyVengeance

Hello everyone. I've been browsing this site for a good few months, and decided it was time to post something.

I'm terribly sorry if this has been posted in the wrong place, but I haven't figured my way around the site properly yet

Anyway, my situation: I'm currently on benefits, and have been recently approached by 2 different DCA's: Mackenzie Hall, and Wescot Credit Services.
I've agreed upon a repayment plan with MackHall, as it's for a debt that I am completely aware of.
The main thing I'm asking for information/help/advice on, is:

Can DCA's take my benefits as repayments for debts?

Thankyou in advance for any information or advice you lovely people may be able to provide

Pauly V.

dancingfairy

debt collectors can't take anything (they are not bailiffs) and no I wouldn't offer them benefit money - it's for you to live on not for debt collectors to take. The only exception would be if it was for say 1 pound per month as a token payment. Oh and set up a standing order so you are in charge not them taking it from your bank account.
df

Tixy

Benefits are meant to be the minimum amount people can live on. So you shouldn't have to use a lot of your benefits towards debt repayments. That said for any debt you do owe its reasonable to pay a token payment of £1 per month (this shows you are willing to pay but unable to do so rather than not willing to pay).

For westcot - if you don't know what the debt is for or don't agree you owe it then you could start by sending the prove it letter http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=11570893&postcount=2

Regarding the MacHall debt - is it a very old debt? any chance there has been a period of 6years where you didn't pay anything towards this debt?

PaulyVengeance

Thankyou for the quick responses

Well, regarding the MacHall debt, it was for an 02 phone contract that I missed payments on, and is only 3-ish years old, so no chance of a Statute Bar on that

And the Wescot debt...well, I've e-mailed them this morning, giving minimum details, and asking for any information they can provide on the debt: Company, Amount owed, etc. So just waiting to hear back from them.
I'm slightly worried about being taken to court for the Wescot debt,, as it's not something that anyone would really ever want.

Tixy

Westcot taking you to court is not likely, although not impossible. Is it a large debt?

If you find you owe it then write to say you are on benefits but will pay a token payment each month but will increase your offer if you circumstances improve. That should give you a reasonable chance of avoiding court as they will realise its just not worth it as they still won't get any more money from you any quicker.
Aside from that if its a debt covered by the CCA and was started before April 07 then you could also try requesting the CCA in the hope that they cannot provide one or it has defects that mean then cannot take you to court.

PaulyVengeance

I don't know how much is owed to Wescot, as I haven't received an e-mail reply yet. The reason I e-mailed them, is because after browsing this site, I've seen numerous cases of 'Don't call them - Do everything possible in writing'.

Is a token payment, like, a 'Goodwill' payment? To show them that I'm willing to pay?
I've not been onto the CCA website yet, but I'll definitely give it a good thorough reading later

EDIT: Still no e-mail from Wescot. I'll carry this on tomorrow.