catalogue default

greybear40

Well I have never heard of this before. I am still clearing a catalogue debt from Littlewoods from an account opened in the 90s. When I got divorced it defaulted along with many other debts and was passed to a debt collection agency. This default along with many others were statute barred in 2010 and I suppose I could stop paying now but I don't want to. At the end of the day they are my debts and whether they still show on my file or not I will clear them all in the next few years. I do now have a Very catalogue that I was accepted for last October but I use this completely differently and only buy an item now and then and use the 3 month interest free period to pay for anything I buy so it won't stop you being able to use Shop Direct forever but while it's still showing they won't touch you. If it was me I would pay what I owe until it's clear!

Thrugelmir

jekalm wrote: »

I didn't enter into an agreement with them as I didn't sign anything! I would never have a catalogue again anyway so not bothered by that.

I want to know if you've not signed an agreement can they put something on your credit file?

You've walked away from not paying for goods that you've received. By using a loop hole in the law. Fair enough.

The whole point of Credit Data is to warn other lenders. So in effect your file is saying don't give credit to this person as given the opportunity they'll screw you over.

Actions have consequences. So you can't have your cake and eat it.

SimonSays

A loop hole that should be closed..

happy_bunny_2

They are allowed to record the default.

Is the default date correct?

No valid agreement means the debt still exists but can't be enforced through the courts.

magenta1977

Hi - Advice urgently needed!!

I currently have accounts with Littlewoods and Woolworths (both owned by Shop Direct). I couldnt afford my May payments on both accounts, so I contacted them straight away with a breakdown of my incomings/outcomings requesting if I could have reduced payments for the next 12months (£60 for 12 months) just so I could get back on my feet.

I had contacted them the day the payments were due, within 3 days I had a letter from a collection agency demanding full payment.

I then got a reply to my original email stating £60 was not good enough, they wanted £218 per month.

Ok, this is how I currently sit:

Littlewoods £5154.77
Previous payment £163 per month
What LW now demand £218 per 28 days for 6 months

Woolworths £3546.32
Previous Payment £121
What WW now demand £132 per 28 days for 6 months

Through my Expen. List it is quite clear I can't afford this.

I then asked for £60 per month for 8 months - NO!!

They have been phoning me at least 10 times a day....but they won't accept any of my offers.

What can I do?

I have been advised that default fees and any applicable interest will continued added to my account.

This is really stressing me out...their customer services can be quite aggressive, so I prefer to corespond via email...also I have a paper trial to fall back on!

I am so surprised how quick they got the debt collection agency involved, considering I was willing to negoiate a payment plan!!

Any advice is most appreciated!!!

undaunted

jekalm wrote: »

I didn't enter into an agreement with them as I didn't sign anything! I would never have a catalogue again anyway so not bothered by that.

I want to know if you've not signed an agreement can they put something on your credit file?

Take it to a Judge and / or the data protection commissioners & try your luck if you wish then. There is an argument to be had if they can't produce an agreement with the prescribed terms etc but each case will be decided on it's own merits.

Personally, I suspect that he / she would find that in taking the goods, making some payments etc you have quite clearly & knowingly entered into an agreement and acknowledged your debt.

Whilst you should at some stage be sent the agreement even when entering into contracts on line / over the phone, have an opportunity to cancel etc it seems that a signature isn't always needed these days (rightly or wrongly) & I can't imagine too many Judges being overly sympathetic to the line of argument you seek to pursue here.

The fact that you don't like the replies or advice you may receive doesn't make it bad!

undaunted

magenta1977 wrote: »

Hi - Advice urgently needed!!

I currently have accounts with Littlewoods and Woolworths (both owned by Shop Direct). I couldnt afford my May payments on both accounts, so I contacted them straight away with a breakdown of my incomings/outcomings requesting if I could have reduced payments for the next 12months (£60 for 12 months) just so I could get back on my feet.

I had contacted them the day the payments were due, within 3 days I had a letter from a collection agency demanding full payment.

I then got a reply to my original email stating £60 was not good enough, they wanted £218 per month.

Ok, this is how I currently sit:

Littlewoods £5154.77
Previous payment £163 per month
What LW now demand £218 per 28 days for 6 months

Woolworths £3546.32
Previous Payment £121
What WW now demand £132 per 28 days for 6 months

Through my Expen. List it is quite clear I can't afford this.

I then asked for £60 per month for 8 months - NO!!

They have been phoning me at least 10 times a day....but they won't accept any of my offers.

What can I do?

I have been advised that default fees and any applicable interest will continued added to my account.

This is really stressing me out...their customer services can be quite aggressive, so I prefer to corespond via email...also I have a paper trial to fall back on!

I am so surprised how quick they got the debt collection agency involved, considering I was willing to negoiate a payment plan!!

Any advice is most appreciated!!!

You would probably be better starting a thread of your own but briefly they are not obliged to accept reduced payment offers just because they are made & I'm not surprised they wont just agree to 8 or 12 months - your circumstances could easily change in that period. You need to show that your expenditure & proposal is reasonable - by the sound of it they do not feel it so at the moment. Perhaps visit your local CAB or legal advice centre & ask for help in preparing your financial statement & offer

happy_bunny_2

Shop direct are well known for being difficult to negotiate with.

You could ask stepchange for advice or talk to national debtline.

If you must deal with shop direct, send them a written complaint about demanding an unrealistic payment and adding unreasonable charges when you have informed them of financial difficulties and tried to negotiate a reasonable payment.

If rejected, refer to FOS.

The collection agency is likely their own internal one. To scare you into paying.

Tell them you wish to deal with the account in writing/email only and if you receive any further calls after 7 days you will be lodging a new complaint about this.

In my experience with shop direct, complaints are the only way to get a sensible answer.

HB

jmhgibson123

as you know this debt is yours and you have previously paid against it you cant dispute the credit agency defaults..they are correct, they can still ask for money and pass you to more debt collection agencys..the credit agreement loophole only means they cant get a ccj against you in court. 2 choices either wait til they drop off after 6 years or pay the money back to have it settled, and learn a lesson that loophole is closed for any accounts after 2007 so if you do it again there is no get out and they will hound you