Vanquis - Advised of debt problems but they don't seem overly interested in helping?

Monkeyballs

Hi,

I contacted Vanquis a couple of months back to ask for help as I am having some issues with managing my debts.

They agreed to £100 payments for three months and then to another call to discuss further arrangement.

All really good but since the agreement it seems to have gone pear shaped? I have made the payments so far but to date they have;

1. Not taken either payment without me contacting them to remind them - in each case I was told that the next payment would be taken on the 1st.

2. Cancelled the agreement as my debit card has expired - despite it being fine and not due to expire until the end of 2015? I only found out after they sent me a letter a couple of weeks before my second payment and despite me getting in touch to confirm the card was still valid they still failed to take the payment?

3. When I call, they deny any agreement existing then after about 5 mins find notes on my account...

4. Have reduced interest for a 3mth period but still seem to want to charge me over limit and late payment charges so out of £100 only £30ish is repaid?

I'm not going to be over dramatic and say they are making my life hell but are they always so unorganised?

Thanks, MB

grumbler

Monkeyballs wrote: »

1. Not taken either payment without me contacting them to remind them - in each case I was told that the next payment would be taken on the 1st.

2. Cancelled the agreement as my debit card has expired - despite it being fine and not due to expire until the end of 2015? I only found out after they sent me a letter a couple of weeks before my second payment and despite me getting in touch to confirm the card was still valid they still failed to take the payment?

I can be wrong, but I've never heard of CC companies taking automatic debit card payments. AFAIK, it's either a Direct Debit or you have to call them to make a single debit card payment (or do it online).

4. Have reduced interest for a 3mth period but still seem to want to charge me over limit and late payment charges so out of £100 only £30ish is repaid?

Well, be grateful that they reduced the interest at least. In fact they have no obligations at all to *help* you.

Monkeyballs

Hi Grumbler,

Thanks for the comments - the agreement I made was with their collections dept. and they seem to deny having a process like this just before agreeing to set another one up... I re-did it today but I think this time I'll look at my account late afternoon on the 1st and call to follow up on the collection. If they told me of a preferred option then I would happily do that...

Re. the second comment, I am over the moon that they actually offered to help at all but the over limit and late payment charges seem a tad unfair wouldn't you agree?

Thanks again, MB

grumbler

I don't want to sound harsh, but no, I don't see why overlimit charges are unfair if the balance is bigger than the limit.

It's less clear with the late payment charges though. If they really agreed to smaller minimum payments than IMO there has to be no charges for late payments provided that you do pay the agreed amount in time.

Monkeyballs

Reasonable point, I just think that in a situation like this then to charge for being overlimit (I'm only over my limit after they charged interest) then there would be no charge until you are back on your feet? Then again, that is probably the sort of thinking that means I'll never be in a position of making money from lending to others lol!

I'm waiting on a callback now from Vanquis re. refunding my late payment charges... The first payment was on time, the second (due on the 1st of May) was only late after they failed to collect as per agreement.

Fingers crossed, but I have to be realistic as this is my debt and my problem and I'm happy for any help they can give me at this point!

MB