Debt Help Wescott - Aqua

DFWBNewbie

Looking for some help. Im in the middle of setting up a DMP myself. Going well with the advice of everyone so far but I'm a bit stuck on what to do with this one

Aqua balance 7800
Last payment January 2025 
Account passed to wescott to manage (Not debt brought) in May 2025

Aqua defult letter sent August 2025, not yet on my Experian account due to update from this creditor 13 September

Wescott still managing, asking to set up a plan which I'm happy to do but can I wait this long to check for a default? I dont want to run myself a risk of CCJ or bailiffs. 

The letter states from wescott that if I dont make contact, the debt will be returned to Aqua and likely sold to another company. 

Any advice greatly appreciated 

sourcrates

Defaulting on a credit agreement, and a default on your credit file, are two very separate events, but as per guidance, the latter should follow the former.

Its only been a few weeks, they may not have gotten around to registering the default yet, or it may not have updated.

Wescott are only managing the debt, let them return it to Aqua, it will take a good few months before anything else happens, any new owner will again go through their standard series of collection letters with you, so that`s another 6 months or so.

Forget about bailiffs, any potential legal action must follow civil procedure rules, so a letter before action will come first, a document that allows an agreement to be made without the need to progress to a claim, it has a 30 day return window and it will be clearly marked what it is.

So no need to worry or do anything in haste, debt collection is a very long process due to the very large number of debtors these companies have on their client list, nothing happens quickly.

Hopefully the default will show soon, and then you can make arrangements with whoever writes to you in the future.

fatbelly

My first thought was to wait till the default shows and then start paying

But if they are saying the debt is likely to be sold on if you do nothing then do nothing..

Knowing that the new owner has bought it for 10p in the £ gives you better options down the line

Rob5342

DFWBNewbie said:

The letter states from wescott that if I dont make contact, the debt will be returned to Aqua and likely sold to another company. 

The best outcome for you is for it to be sold on so I'd just keep waiting.

As mentioned above, nothing moves quickly in this game, when my Virgin card eventually defaulted it disappeared from my credit report for about three months before showing up again as Intrum when they bought it.

DFWBNewbie

Thank-you so much for your help! Will keep putting equivalent into emergency fund and keep waiting for further correspondence