Worried Sick. Fredrickson International letter ... please read

WorriedBunny

I have a DMP managed through StepChange and so pay my creditors through there.

I had a letter arrive this morning from Fredrickson International telling me that if I don't pay within 7 days they'd take me to court and add charges.

I'm feeling quite sick. All the other creditors have accepted the DMP and it's been running for almost a year.
Capital One recently sold the debt to Fredrickson, and since then - it's been a nightmare.

Any idea what I should do? Because of my job I can't go bankrupt, and CCJs will be frowned on.

I'm quite stressed and unsure.

happy_bunny_2

Hi

Are FI aware you are on a DMP?

Best call stepchange to see what they say.

How old is the account and what's the balance?

HB

WorriedBunny

I'm guessing they are aware as they've accepted the last few payments.

The debt is for £2028 and I pay £30 a month.

I'll try to contact StepChange tomorrow (depending on my work) but in the meantime I've sent them an email.

happy_bunny_2

They may well be just trying to bully/scare you into paying more as they just bought the account. Stepchange will have seen this before and will be able to advise accordingly.

Not much point in taking you to court if you are paying all you can.

happy_bunny_2

When did you take out the account?

Candy0107

Hi, I was in the same situation.....worked in finance and was in debt to fi.....stand your ground if you speak to them and reiterate that you're on a dmp and if needs be get stepchange involved

Candy xx

happy_bunny_2

I wouldn't talk to them, write or go through stepchange.

They will lie to you on the phone, not so much in writing as you have evidence to screw them with.

Did thy say 'will' take you to court or 'may' or 'be considered for'

OneLife_OneShot

Am I the only person who FI has never bullied?

harveybobbles

Tell FI to so off. Or just ignore their silly pathetic threat-o-grams.

their letters will be full of if, may, could, consider etc..

matttye

Write to them telling them that you're on a debt management plan and, if they are aware of the same, they are breaching a number of OFT guidelines on debt collection as follows:

"3.7 Examples of unfair or improper practices are as follows:

i. pressurising debtors to pay more than they can reasonably afford32 without experiencing undue difficulty

m. failing to suspend the active pursuit of recovery of a debt for a reasonable period34 under circumstances in which it can be evidenced that the debtor is developing a repayment plan on his own account or with the assistance of an appropriate third party representative

3.9 Examples of unfair or improper practices are as follows:

c. refusing to engage, appropriately or at all, with a third party representative, such as a debt adviser at a free advice centre or a debt management business, or with a debtor developing his own repayment plan,43
d. contacting debtors directly and bypassing their appointed representatives, without permission from the debtor or his representative, unless there is an objectively justifiable reason for doing so"

And if they don't refrain from such actions you will report them to the OFT and FOS.

chanz4

Providers dont have to accept dmp's , they do have the right to take to court.