Debts whilst in prison

sams247

Hi.

My db has just gone to prison for 18 months. The family have been dealing with all his finances, including debts owed to three companies. Two companies are sorting out a reasonable payment scheme, the third - a catalogue company are being horrendous. Rude, hostile, threatening, now we've been told to get a solicitor as they are taking us to court. Its crazy. What can we do? They simply wont open a dialogue on a payment scheme.

Its hard enough on the family without this, so any help would be gratefully received.

[Deleted User]

\If the debts are in db name, then I would tell the family to stop negotiating any deal and get the companies to write to db in prison. I don't reckon they're going to get much joy there.

sourcrates

Hi,

They cant take "us" to court, unless the debts were in joint names with someone else.

And you dont need a solicitor either.

The catalogue company wont take action through the courts, it will first run through its standard range of threatening letters, then, after a while, they will get tired, and sell the debt on to a debt purchaser such as Lowell or Cabot.

Who ever buys it will be able to sort out a reasonable payment plan with him.

Catalogues, banks, original creditors, never usually go to court, they simply dont have the time or the manpower to do so, they sell their liability to a 3rd party company instead, even if it did end up in court as some stage, you/he does not have to attend in person, unless you are denying the claim completely, in which case a hearing would be scheduled at your local court, normally you admit the claim, enclose your offer of payment, and the judge just rubber stamps it, all done online and by post.

Who is the catalogue ? tell me the name and i`ll tell you exactly what action they will take.

poppellerant

Tell all three companies that he is in prison and offer his prisoner number and prison address if asked. Demand they note these details and let them know that you will be returning all mail back to them unopened.

From that point on, return all mail back to them - a simple line through the address window with "not at this address" will do.

fatbelly

Yep, those that can do the least hassle the most.

Catalogue companies are a case in point.

What sort of debt are the other two? How is he paying them?

sams247

Its Little woods

sams247

The other two dents are a card and a loan. They have accepted minimal payment which the family are paying on db behalf.

sourcrates

sams247 wrote: »

Its Little woods

Don't fret about these idiots, they will simply sell the account to Lowell.

Lowell are about the easiest of DCA's to make arrangements with.

I wouldn't lose sleep over this.

sams247

Appreciate all the comments, thank you