Halifax & Blair Oliver & Scott

Tabitha_T

I'm after a bit of advice please.

Had an original cc debt with Halifax which was defaulted on and I had been making token payments for 2 years to Blair Oliver & Scott. Since loss of benefits last year I have had to stop making token payments to creditors and most have agreed to write-off (I have a medical condition and can't work for the foreseeable future). I wrote to both the Halifax and Blair Oliver and Scott to inform them of this and sent medical evidence and also evidence of other companies (including an HBOS one) who had agreed to write-off.

I received a letter direct from Halifax who refused to write-off the debt. When I pointed out to them that another HBOS company had agreed to write-off they didn't want to know. I never actually received any response directly from Blair, Oliver & Scott.

There were several letters flying to and fro for a while but their attitude became so bad I actually wrote a letter of complaint to Antonio Horta Osorio, the main man at Lloyds. In fact, I have written to him twice as I had no reply the first time. To date, I have still had no response from either him or his office which I think is disgusting. It is now over a month since I sent the second letter.

I then get another letter from Halifax saying they are passing the debt to the 'Recoveries Priority Team' who will be in touch. Well, today a letter arrives from... guess who...Blair Oliver & Scott. Just a standard/impersonal letter to say that they haven't received my payment which is overdue. It's as if the whole correspondence with Halifax has never taken place and my situation is just being ignored. I feel like this has now got into some kind of loop and I don't know where to go really.

Any advice please as to what my next move should be? Thank you. Tabs

matttye

You say you had to stop making token payments, are you in receipt of no income whatsoever?

Tabitha_T

Only benefits, and when my rent was increased last Autumn I became minus £50 per month worse off. I have no monthly disposable income whatsoever.

[Deleted User]

if you're on benefits then offer £1 per month...no court will make you pay more if you are in receipt of benefits.. I speak from many years of experience, knowledge is power. Once they know you know(if you get what I mean), then you have the balance of power, and are therefore in a strong negotiating position.

moohound

Would you be eligible for a DRO?

Tabitha_T

Well, I was paying them £1 per month before, but, on the advice of National Debtline, when my rent increase happened I wrote to all my creds to explain that I could no longer afford to pay them anything. That way I was told that I was treating them all the same. NDL have also told me that I shouldn't now start paying one if I have stopped paying the others and they have agreed to write-off. Does that make sense? I could maybe ask my Dad to help me with £1 per month but I have three other creds who also haven't yet agreed to write-off the o/s debts (out of 16 original creds).

Also, realistically, how long do token payments generally go on for? Are they normally written off as a matter of course after a certain time? (It's already been nearly three years).

Presumably, all the time you're making token payments the debt stays on your credit file and won't be disappearing after 6 years if it's an ongoing presence?

Thanks for your input, I appreciate your experience and advice.

Tabitha_T

No, I don't qualify for a DRO as still owe c£40K. I really don't know what to do...

[Deleted User]

I think your next step depends on what assets you have...perhaps bankruptcy might be an option if you have no realisable assets

Tabitha_T

It's really hard, no assets whatsoever, and the catch 22 of not being able to afford bankruptcy....

harrys_dad

Maybe suggest to Halifax et al that they can make you bankrupt, then they will pay the fee. Whatever else happens they cannot ever get money you cannot afford to pay, and no court will make you pay what you cannot afford, so they are stuck.

Tabitha_T

Thanks to you all for your support and advice. Yes, I am tempted to call their bluff and invite them to make me bankrupt - but what if they don't believe I have nothing and they do file for bankruptcy, I'm not sure I couold stand the pressure. Is that very likely does anyone think? Any experience of the same thing happening to anyone? Tabs