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Argos Card debt. Any Advice????????????????????
Flossy2008
Posts: 203 Forumite
Hello just wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction and give any advice regarding my brothers Argos card debt? I was going to visit citizens advice but thought I would ask the lovely people on here first.
My brother is in his early 20s has no job, no income, no savings, no assets and has mental health issues (depression and severe social anxiety to the extreme he won't talk to people on the phone let alone go out of the house) I have been advised before he can claim certain benefits but he claims NOTHING what so ever despite my offers of help and encouragement (part of his mental health issues). He lives at home with my mum who pays for his food, he had a few other small direct debits which my mum has now taken over but he still has an Argos card balance (he used to work full time b4 he became ill)
The Argos card has a balance of around £1000 on it and is in arrears of around £50, they have wrote to him but he has done nothing about it, he has only just told me about the debt/letters. He won't ring them and they obviously won't speak to me as I'm not the account holder.
To stop the debt becoming worse from more interest and administration charges should I write to them? I'm thinking, if I write to them explain the situation, will they allow a token payment? Just until he can afford to start paying it off. Should I write to them as me and get my brother to also sign it? or should I just write the letter as my brother, get him to read and sign it??
What would be an acceptable payment to offer considering his circumstances? £2? £10? £20? he actually can't afford a penny but myself or my mum could pay the token payment for him, I can't pay the balance as have my own commitments.
I'm not looking for the debt to be wiped clean or reduced, I'm just trying to stop it spiralling out of control. I'm hoping as he finally got some medical help over the last couple of weeks he will apply for benefits he is entitled to then eventually get his self back into paid employment so he can pay it off fully.
I have asked for his card and he has willingly handed it over
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thank you
My brother is in his early 20s has no job, no income, no savings, no assets and has mental health issues (depression and severe social anxiety to the extreme he won't talk to people on the phone let alone go out of the house) I have been advised before he can claim certain benefits but he claims NOTHING what so ever despite my offers of help and encouragement (part of his mental health issues). He lives at home with my mum who pays for his food, he had a few other small direct debits which my mum has now taken over but he still has an Argos card balance (he used to work full time b4 he became ill)
The Argos card has a balance of around £1000 on it and is in arrears of around £50, they have wrote to him but he has done nothing about it, he has only just told me about the debt/letters. He won't ring them and they obviously won't speak to me as I'm not the account holder.
To stop the debt becoming worse from more interest and administration charges should I write to them? I'm thinking, if I write to them explain the situation, will they allow a token payment? Just until he can afford to start paying it off. Should I write to them as me and get my brother to also sign it? or should I just write the letter as my brother, get him to read and sign it??
What would be an acceptable payment to offer considering his circumstances? £2? £10? £20? he actually can't afford a penny but myself or my mum could pay the token payment for him, I can't pay the balance as have my own commitments.
I'm not looking for the debt to be wiped clean or reduced, I'm just trying to stop it spiralling out of control. I'm hoping as he finally got some medical help over the last couple of weeks he will apply for benefits he is entitled to then eventually get his self back into paid employment so he can pay it off fully.
I have asked for his card and he has willingly handed it over
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thank you
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got... 
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Comments
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I am sorry for your situation, it must be heartbreaking to have a loved one have these problems and go from being an independent adult with a job, to what sounds like a recluse. Something that comes to mind is a debt relief order, but you need someone more knowledgeable than me to tell you about it.
Would a mental health charity such as Mind be able to help?ISA £1675
MiniMoohound savings £3685.86 :T Plus £3800 CTF 
'MrMoneyMuststache' my new hero, Martin Lewis my long time hero
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that's a good idea, I will contact MIND Monday, they may give guidance with the other issues too!If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got...0
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OK MIND have suggested writing a letter to at least keep in contact.
can anyone suggest a reasonable "token" amount to offer until my brother starts to get any income? I have no idea on these things.
many thnaksIf you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got...0 -
I looked after a gentleman with a severe schizophrenia years ago, and he had massive catalogue debts £1500+ with no real income other than benefits (he sent for every yellow item in the entire catalogue, but that is another story) his social worker managed to get them written off for him, I don't know how it was a long time ago and I was only a student then. have you spoken to the CAB at all.
As for a token payment I would think £5 would be adequate.ISA £1675MiniMoohound savings £3685.86 :T Plus £3800 CTF
'MrMoneyMuststache' my new hero, Martin Lewis my long time hero
Poacher turned Gamekeeper
Roadkill rebel No 52 Aug £1.34p Sept 24p Oct 5p Nov 5p Sealed pot Challenge No 403 £176.66(2014) :staradmin NOV NST No 200 -
I have just spoke to Argos who were surprisingly actually very helpful, I will need to get proof etc and get my brother to write to them so I can speak on his behalf but it's a step in the right direction. I haven't sw CAB as they are always so terrible to get through to, will do that if I need further help. Many thanksIf you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got...0
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Get your brother to sign a letter of authority, to authorise you to talk to Argos on his behalf, then they will discuss things properly with you.0
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That is exactly what I have just donewarwicktiger wrote: »Get your brother to sign a letter of authority, to authorise you to talk to Argos on his behalf, then they will discuss things properly with you. If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got...0
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