Why does a DCA want to know how much my partner earns?

AngryDog

As topic really. She isnt responsible for my debts, so why do they want to know?

Kate_fixing_it

IMO because they're nosey swines! Their job is to get as much as they can and as fast as they can and they see this as an opportunity to collect more.

Are you making payments? The general feeling is that if you accept that you owe the money then you tell them what you can pay - NOT them telling you what they are "prepared to accept". They cannot demand to be paid over priority bills (housing, council tax, food etc) the absolute worst they can do to you is apply for a CCJ from the court at which point you tell the judge what you can afford (supported by a SOA) and that's what they get.

I may be wrong but if the debt is in your single name then your partner's income is as relevant to your situation as mine...or their CEO's...or the Queen's!

Kate x

Tixy

I'm assuming you know you don't have to answer that question from them (and would be well advised not to).

Is it being asked as part of an income & expenditure form? or as a separate question.
In theory its to help them establish how much disposable income you can afford to pay towards your debts (and so if your partner earns similar to you then you probably are not paying the whole household costs but perhaps closer to half of them).

Basically though the more they know about you and your finances the better they like it.
I would guess it is possibly also used to see how much pressure it is worth putting on you to pay more. If you partner is a high earner then there is a greater chance that they will be likely to pay off the debt for you if they put enough pressure on you.

rizla_king

Dear DCA,

In reply to your request for my partner to disclose their income to you, their considered reply to that request is.

"Mind your own ****in business!"

Kind regards.

AngryDog

Thanks. She earns less than me anyway.

I don't currently live with her either.

They want it on the SOA. I want to make them an offer as I have been offered money to try and clear my debts, but they won't acknowledge this without a SOA

Tixy

If you do not live with your partner then I would simply put n/a in that section.

Have you sent them a written F&F settlement offer? and have they replied to say they won't accept it without a SoA?

AngryDog

Tixy wrote: »

If you do not live with your partner then I would simply put n/a in that section.

Have you sent them a written F&F settlement offer? and have they replied to say they won't accept it without a SoA?

I sent them a F&F letter, they rejected the offer and then asked for an SOA and how much I am prepared to pay each month.

fermi

Yes, if she doesn't live with you then just put n/a as Tixy says.

AngryDog

Thanks, I'll do that.

I'm going out of my wits end now with all this. I just want this all to stop.

fermi

Point is, the only relevance her income could have is if she lived with you and so shared bills etc. Then you could be expected to share those bills pro rata. i.e. if she happened to earn more than you than you, then it may be fair to expect her to pay a bigger share of the bills and you less.

But as she is not living with you, then her income is not in the slightest bit relevant. It's none of their business and does not belong on your SOA at all.

AngryDog

Excellent, I'll make sure not to include them then!

I am hoping that this nightmare will end soon.