I'm so angry I'm crying in temper

wherediditallgo

Totally agree - they know you've got debts & a payment plan in place, & are trying to get you deeper in debt while pretending to help you. I would send them a letter by recorded delivery, advising them that they should liaise with the CCCS in all matters relating to your case. You could also say that you'll be sending a copy of their letter to the CCCS for their information, for them to advise on whatever action should be taken.

On a related note, I read the horrible experience you had with the MBNA !!!!!! in Feb. I've found a letter template on another site that people can send out to creditors who are hounding them by phone. I'll dig it out & post it here later this afternoon. If you send it by registered post, they can't pretend it hasn't been received.

OberonSH

I was getting calls, texts and letters from a company acting on Barclays behalf. Basically the guy told me I had to pay £6k in a month, and wouldn't listen when I told him I wouldn't do that. He was very rude and abusive. I wrote to then offering £10 a month, plus a budget sheet showing it was all I could afford. I also put in the letter to only contact me via letter, and the calls and texts stopped (they've since declined the offer, but it's tough luck, they won;t get any more)

It makes me sick that these people are happy to reduce someone to tears in order to make them promise what they can't afford.

wherediditallgo

Here's the letter - I found it quicker than I expected.

---

Your Street
Town
City
Postcode

DATE HERE

Company Name
Road
Town
City / County
Postcode

Re: Harassment by telephone


ACCOUNT NUMBER: XXXXXXX

Dear Sirs

I am writing in relation to the quantity and frequency of telephone calls that I have received from your company, which I deem to be personally harassing.

I have verbally requested that these stop, but I am still receiving calls. (Delete this line if necessary)

I now require all further correspondence from your company to be made in writing only.

I am of the view that your continued harassment of me by telephone puts you in breach of Section 40 of the Administration of Justice Act 1970, and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

If you continue to harass me by telephone, you will also be in breach of the Communications Act (2003) s.127 and I will report you to OFCOM, Trading Standards and The Office of Fair Trading, meaning that you will be liable to a substantial fine.

Be advised that any further telephone calls from your company will be recorded. (**Even if you don‘t yet have recording equipment!!**)


Yours faithfully,



[NAME HERE]

---

This should work, but if it doesn't, you can report them to the Office of Fair Trading and your local trading standards office. You can get more info on how to complaint to the OFT here. You can also complain to OFCOM here [FONT=&quot].
[/FONT]

looby75

Thanks, I won't send the letter yet, as they have only phoned me once, but it's a handy letter to have ready jic this is the start of them hassling me.

bella-flower

I work at one of the big banks, (sorry guys not saying which) but I think, although the cccs are fantastic and can really help people who dont know where to start with their debts, I have seen some budget sheets they have sent through for people and some of them are ridiculous, allowing £70 a month for hairdressing for one person, and crazily high 'leisure and hobbys' budgets. Then the offer of payment is £1 per month! I know there lots of different people with different circumstances, but surely if someone is trying to save money they wouldnt spend 70 a month on hairdressing! I know I dont! I think this is the sort of thing which causes banks to encourage their staff to constantly question people who are on dmps (which is what they do), like you have experienced, looby. The cccs are a great gift to many people, but they will lose respect from the companies they are trying to deal with if they send through budget sheets like this on a regular basis (which they do). Not that any of this excuses rudeness, there's just no need for that.

looby75

bella-flower wrote: »

I work at one of the big banks, (sorry guys not saying which) but I think, although the cccs are fantastic and can really help people who dont know where to start with their debts, I have seen some budget sheets they have sent through for people and some of them are ridiculous, allowing £70 a month for hairdressing for one person, and crazily high 'leisure and hobbys' budgets. Then the offer of payment is £1 per month! I know there lots of different people with different circumstances, but surely if someone is trying to save money they wouldnt spend 70 a month on hairdressing! I know I dont! I think this is the sort of thing which causes banks to encourage their staff to constantly question people who are on dmps (which is what they do), like you have experienced, looby. The cccs are a great gift to many people, but they will lose respect from the companies they are trying to deal with if they send through budget sheets like this on a regular basis (which they do). Not that any of this excuses rudeness, there's just no need for that.

From what I know of the cccs they wouldn't let a ridiculous budget such as you describe go through! If they give you guidelines as to how much you need to spend in each area and if you go over that you have to justify it to them before they agree to help you with your DMP, I presume payplan are the same.

I do see what you are saying but believe me anyone who had seen my budget sheet would know I wasn't taking the mickey, I have cut just about every corner I can in order to be able to offer a decent amount to my creditors. Just because a minority of people try to play the system that does not give these banks and cc companies the right to tar everyone with the same brush and be aggressive and bullying on the phone to them.

in_debt_again_but_dealing_with_it

Re: Bella-flower
I would seriously question how legitimate this poster is, in my (albeit brief) experience nobody would be allowed a budget of £70 for hairdressing particularly a single person. I wonder if someone is trying to weaken the credibility of the free dm organisations. Obviously this is only my opinion and I accept I may be completely wrong.

looby75

in_debt_again_but_dealing_with_it wrote: »

Re: Bella-flower
I would seriously question how legitimate this poster is, in my (albeit brief) experience nobody would be allowed a budget of £70 for hairdressing particularly a single person. I wonder if someone is trying to weaken the credibility of the free dm organisations. Obviously this is only my opinion and I accept I may be completely wrong.

there does seem to be a lot of that going on at the moment

bella-flower

nope, I'm just explaining what I have seen in my job and its the truth. For the record the majority of the Debt management companies that you pay a fee to are rubbish and take ages to get things sorted out, and will take the first two payments you make for themselves as a fee. CCCS and Payplan are the best and I would definitley recommend them, as they have no ulterior motive ie making a profit. I am not on a DMP myself but as I work in in a bank in that particular area, I am interested in peoples experiences and hoped i could offer some tips.

lonely_2

hi bella, i don't think you are trying to wind anyone up...the banks need to bear in mind that these budgets are set on standard templates. on mine i have seventy pounds a month listed against leisure and exercise. in actual fact, i have arthritis, and that part of my budget takes into account a gym membership (swimming is one of the best exercises i can do), physiotherapy and accupunture - all part of my treatment as i no longer use prescription drugs to control my condition. this is all listed in the footnotes of my budget (apparently) but from my experience, i suspect the banks don't spend more than two seconds reading these budget sheets.