Urgent Debt Collector!

Jennie-1987

Hi.

Thanks for reading first of all.

My friend at work had a letter today from a debt collector dated 21-10-11 telling her to pay £400 today (so 21st oct) for overdue tuition fees with a college. 2 years ago the college said they would write off the remaining £400 if she could pay £1500 when she was leaving the course as she had barely any money. So she filled in the form and sent it in and paid the £1500. First thing this morning they said they never got this form, second this afternoon they said they got it and sent a form for signing afterwards but never got that so didnt write it off. They said theyd been trying to contact her since March after first saying they had been trying to contact her since June.

My friend has moved as her family rented two places then renovated a new house in the last 6 months so they think shes been trying to dodge the debt, have been calling her a liar and giving conflicting accounts.

Is there anything she should be doing now other than using all her savings for a payment she has due in March to pay the debt collectors now? they say theyre trying to put a CCJ in place against her. She doesnt want bad credit or repossession etc. which theyre also saying. She received no letters from the college or the debt collectors until today and has always had her post forwarded and never had problems with that before. No phonecalls or emails from them either.

Thanks! I know its especially hard when Im not the person whose involved but did see the letter and heard the account and phonecalls with the college several times today.

ikati5

Tell her to make an appointment with the cab, preferably a money advisor or call the national debtline 0808 808 4000, who will advise her how to deal with this debt, make complaints etc

Taiko

Has she got it in writing from the university about the £400 write off?

A debt collector cannot just pluck a CCJ out of thin air. Firstly, they cannot actually take you to court, only the college could. The exception would be if the DCA have purchased the debt, not just are chasing on behalf of the college. Even then, you would have to lose in court, then not pay for a CCJ to come into play.

Oldernotwiser

Is this a private college and what level of course was it?

Jennie-1987

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Is this a private college and what level of course was it?

Hi all the repliers,

It was a normal council ran college and a foundation diploma.

The college got back to her today and said they arent going to court just yet, theyve like temporarily put action on her case on hold for like a day but in different words and they want to discuss repayment - i used the CAB info (and sent her a copy) to say in that instance she needs to write up her budget and go back to them with a repayment plan. I said that the CAB/OFT adv you cant be pressured into repaying large amounts that are hard on you - you know what i mean that are unreasonable in terms of your budget.

I gave her all the CAB info on like how to reply to debt collectors with urgent debts etc.

Nope she doesnt have it in writing that the £400 would be written off as it was a standard practice at the college which is why there was this form and it was all told to her in a face-to-face conversation so nothing was recorded like if she had emailed them etc. I guess if she could get a copy of the correspondence they said in the second conversation they had received then shed have evidence.

Taiko

Nothing written down, wouldn't bode well for her if it does get to court. I don't expect they will do that though. Why take someone to court who has no funds?

Jennie-1987

Taiko wrote: »

Nothing written down, wouldn't bode well for her if it does get to court. I don't expect they will do that though. Why take someone to court who has no funds?

Especially for so little when they keep saying different things - obviously theyre not that well organised. Hopefully tomorrow or the next day itll all work out with them excepting her budget.