CC debt and brain injury?

raptorman

My wife suffered what turned out to be a as yet un-diagnosed brain injury just over a year ago. She was working at the time and was paying her cc bill without problems, but has been on unpaid sick leave since the injury happened and the cc company is for want of a better word hounding her.

Now, she spoke to them at their uk call centre and without my knowledge agreed to pay them £100 per month(I presume from her derisory amount of DLA) and they agreed that they wouldn't contact her for 30 days, unfortunately the message wasn't passed to the Indian call centre who like to call 3-4 times a day at all times upto around 9pm.

My question is how can I get the cc company to lower there expectations considering my wife has a brain injury which causes her to become easily confused. Should I get the specialist she is seeing to write a report on her condition and submit it to them, and also how do I stop the Indian call centres constant harassment.

_Andy_

Why is it relevant the call centres are Indian?

Hominu

The easiest way would be to obtain a bank loan and clear the CC debt which would assumingly be at a much higher rate.

Alternatively, send them a statement of affairs describing the money coming in and the money going out and what you can afford to pay them back each month after paying the essential basic bills such as heating, lighting and food. They should then offer a debt management plan.

Or you can ignore it all and let the courts decide what you can afford to pay.

raptorman

_Andy_ wrote: »

Why is it relevant the call centres are Indian?

It isn't, it's merely a statement of fact.

raptorman

Hominu wrote: »

The easiest way would be to obtain a bank loan and clear the CC debt which would assumingly be at a much higher rate.

Alternatively, send them a statement of affairs describing the money coming in and the money going out and what you can afford to pay them back each month after paying the essential basic bills such as heating, lighting and food. They should then offer a debt management plan.

Or you can ignore it all and let the courts decide what you can afford to pay.

If we send a statement of affairs does it have to include my earnings?

You-kip

_Andy_ wrote: »

Why is it relevant the call centres are Indian?

Political correctness at its finest.

_Andy_

raptorman wrote: »

It isn't, it's merely a statement of fact.

So much so you mentioned it twice. It had no relevance to your query. Would you have put 'English call centre' if that was the case?

googler

_Andy_ wrote: »

Why is it relevant the call centres are Indian?

Because, being in a different time zone, they phone at inappropriate times (9pm)?

Because a foreign accent can be disorientating to someone not in full possession of their faculties?

raptorman

_Andy_ wrote: »

So much so you mentioned it twice. It had no relevance to your query. Would you have put 'English call centre' if that was the case?

If the uk call centre was calling 3-4 times a day then yes I would have put 'English call centre'.

Also for your information I am not and have never been a racist
and to be quite honest find your veiled implication that I am highly
offensive.

ALIBOBSY

raptorman wrote: »

If we send a statement of affairs does it have to include my earnings?

No just her income, but they may question the outgoings if you take into account full bills against her "half" of the income.

There are letters around on here and certainly on other forums (such as the CAG forum) as well as on some of the debt charities sites so you can make the offer and also advise them to stop calling as you now consider it to be harassment.

TBH all these companies are the same they simply don't give a monkeys about anyones personal situation, and their staff are on bonuses and/or targets for getting payments out of people.

Are they calling on the home phone or a mobile? Personally the easiest thing to do is ignore ANY calls from a number you don't know-there is no law says you have to answer the phone when it rings. If it's important they will leave a message. If she doesn't answer they can bog off. If either of you answer and you get that "bit of silence, followed by a click and then someone speaks", you know its a call centre and can hang up.

Plus if they start asking for personal details you just refuse, they can discuss anything without confirmation of who they are talking to. All the debt charities and debt advice sites advice avoid phone contact and do it all by letter.

Once an arrangement is sorted in writing based on her real income you can make sure it is paid on time and then if they call up you can really tell them off. TBH once an arrangement is in place they should and usually do lay off the calls.

I would not take out a loan to pay it off unless you are desperate to protect her credit rating.

Then use the guidance on here-see the debt forums, to minimise the household outgoings and maximise your income so you can both adjust and get sorted with your new financial situation.

Good Luck
Ali x

ALIBOBSY

googler wrote: »

Because, being in a different time zone, they phone at inappropriate times (9pm)?

Because a foreign accent can be disorientating to someone not in full possession of their faculties?

I agree with this I have a number of friends from different racial backgrounds and in no way am I racist, but I prefer to avoid overseas call centres unless its a very,very basic issue. I have trouble with the accents in many cases and there are certain companies I will only call during the day as I know that later on earlier in the day it goes to an Indian/Asian call centre.

I also believe no company should call this late. I appreciate they can argue ringing someone after normal business hours in case they are in work, but a cut off of 7pm is more than reasonable.

Good Luck
Ali x