Halifax hands over my debt to their solicitor, despite having an agreement in place?

showmethemoneyuk

Ive been paying xx amount per month into the halifax to cover a debt, and despite always paying - out of the blue ive been sent a letter from their solicitors telling me what I owe, and to pay them the full amount immediately. So I went in just over a week ago to ask why I wasnt told they were forwarding my debt to their solicitor, and why I must pay the debt in full when I had a monthly agreement in place with the bank. They had no idea at all, so they handed their solicitor over to me via phone, in which a solicitor staff member asked me the exact same questions I was trying to find the answer to (and if I now wanted to now handle this debt with them permanently instead of the bank, as this way I may have less hassle and can pay it quickly and online unlike before, whereas the bank before insisted I paid only via cash every month). No doubt this meant money for them too, but I agreed to it since this would allow me to pay via the web. They tell me as long as I pay via them on the 10th (to make sure its definately in by the 15th) everything will work out ok... a few days later however, I receive a letter telling me that I will actually have to pay 4 days before the 10th of each month, so it sounds like they dont even listen to themselves!

I have noticed that the solicitors letter given to me via post mentions that I must give them the agreed monthly amount together with the agreed 'token payment', but although I did give an estimate of what I 'may' be able to give in addition, and that they did state a specific amount to be given together with it, I do not know if this amount was taken down by the solicitor staff as a necessity. What can they do at worst if I cannot pay the full initial token payment (if I found out I must) together with the monthly agreement, especially when you take into account that the bank should never have handed my debts over to them at all? Is it likely that the banks systems automatically handed my debt over to them because I had been paying it up for a lengthy period of time? I have now paid my first installment to this solicitor, but it does not show up on my halifax account, so must be handled only by the solicitor-since I was given the option of using the solicitor or not at the actual bank, how likely do you think it would be in the solicitor allowing me to switch back to the bank for handling payments? I cannot even view payments or even how much I have left to pay via the solicitor, which is awkward-is this normal?

showmethemoneyuk

thanks for any info if possible

Superbiatch

They've just done the same to me and I've already changed my standing order to them now but they contacted me on 29th June which was in fact my date for paying Halifax direct and now they're getting shirty they have to wait til 29th July. They also want a copy of my outgoings, but they can go and jump as I've already given it to Halifax so if they are 'in house' they can get it from them. The same way they got my work telephone number and phoned my boss! I checked online with my Halifax account and its not on there, but Fairfax state their client gave them it.

If they want my outgoings, they can take me to court as I'm not playing ball - they're getting all I can afford, if not more as the cost of living has gone up yet my wages have stayed the same grrr :mad:

Sorry, just needed a rant