Harassment after Bankruptcy Discharge

Nick1973

Hi I have just been discharged from Bankruptcy. When the discharge date became close I started getting phone calls from a company on behalf of British Gas called Past Due Credit. I wondered if anybody has had any dealings with these debt collectors? British Gas knew I had been made bankrupt a year ago so I believe Past Due Credit are just trying it on. They have called a few times so I just wondered if I can do anything about it and at what point it is called harassment?

I have given them my bankruptcy number twice now so they know about the case. They said they couldn't find it so I had to tell them the obvious, 'go to the insolvency service website and do a search'...something I would have thought they would know about being debt collectors.

Anondebtadvisor

If you are still on the Insolvency service register print off your entry before it disappears as it could come in very useful in the future as this may happen with other creditors

Print a copy and send it to them

Nick1973

Ok will do, I sent them a link to the case details by email. I'll take your advice though and print off a copy. Also I think I'll save one as a PDF just in case.

I have been getting calls recently from Student Loans which I know aren't added into bankruptcy and was fully aware of that. I can't afford to start paying them back, so I am deferring it. However my situation at the time meant I wasn't getting my mail and I simply forgot to defer it, so I now have a debt with them and they want me to start paying that. What shall I do in these circumstances? Is it reasonable to offer a low repayment?

I simply cannot afford to repay it at this point in time.

fermi

Letter to creditors making demands for payment after bankruptcy

fermi

Nick1973 wrote: »

I have been getting calls recently from Student Loans which I know aren't added into bankruptcy and was fully aware of that. I can't afford to start paying them back, so I am deferring it. However my situation at the time meant I wasn't getting my mail and I simply forgot to defer it, so I now have a debt with them and they want me to start paying that. What shall I do in these circumstances? Is it reasonable to offer a low repayment?

I simply cannot afford to repay it at this point in time.

If that is all you can afford, then yes it is reasonable.

You just need to persist with them. They can be awkward and a pain in the backside, but give them evidence that you cannot afford more and eventually they should accept. Subject to a periodic review every 3-6 months or so.

Nick1973

Ok, the problem is I used my partners bank account for all my money transactions during the period of the bankruptcy. I am self employed, and she might not want her account details sending ot the Student Loans Company. I still have my account open as the OR allowed me to keep it, although minimal has been going in it. They allowed me to continue trading after the bankruptcy as well as circumstances meant if they took my business then it would have a direct effect on family and housing since I work from home.

fermi

SLC should be able to be paid via a standing order from your own account surely? Especially as it's only going to be minimal amounts? I've done that in the past and they have been fine with payment like that.

Nick1973

I didn't realise you could do it like. I was thinking of offering them around £20 a month to start off with, which I know isn't alot and will take ages to pay off the debt from the payments that should have been paid, but I've just come out of bankruptcy so skint basically apart from the earnings I have to cover general outgoings (rent, gas, electric, food etc...the general stuff). I couldn't do alot inside the bankruptcy like increase my income for obvious reasons. Although now I'm out I'm looking towards doing that.

yesican

British Gas were one of my creditors and their collection agency Past Due Date were a pest after i got declared BR.

I sent my BR number to both the collection agency and BG but British Gas didnt bother to update this agency and to call off the dogs...It got to a point where i got really pis*ed off and i sent an email to British Gas (customer.service@contactus.britishgas.co.uk ) with my BR number and told them to inform this agency to back off.

I gave them 7 days to do it or i was prepared to proceed with legal action.

With that email,they got back to me asap and to be honest,they responded to ALL my emails and all the phone calls and letters stopped coming.

Going to a collection agency is pointless in my opinion and from experience.Go straight to the company and also inform them to pass on the info to the collection agencies that they have assigned to chase you.

All the best and if you need any help,please fire away.

Boris_Allen

yesican wrote: »

Going to a collection agency is pointless in my opinion and from experience.Go straight to the company and also inform them to pass on the info to the collection agencies that they have assigned to chase you..

Totally agree. Always contact the creditor. There's very little point/advantage gained from contacting debt collectors.

Nick1973

Thanks for that 'yesican'...much appreciated. I have the British Gas CEO's email address somewhere as I had to contact him on another issue. So I think he will be getting an email from me very soon.