New to this forum. Need some advice pls re; Barclaycard

claire_80_2

Hi there,

This is the only place that I can think to come where I might get some sensible answers as to what to do.

I was out of work last year until March, when I started a new job. As I hadn't been working I had an agreement with barclaycard that I would pay £30 a month. My credit limit with them is £1200 (hardly millions, but there we go) and my balance was about £1300 at that time. I started my new job and kept up my payments.

Then at the end of July it all went wrong and they brought in someone much, much cheaper than me to do my job (I looked into this legally, and as I was still in my probation period they could basically do what they liked) and I found myself without any work again. I wrote to BC and told them this, and believe I made my last payment in August.

I started a new position just before Christmas and wrote to them again saying that I would be able to make a payment very soon (Jan/Feb, depending on when I got paid)

Well, this morning I received a letter from 'Credit Solutions' - I don't know if this is a seperate company to BC, or a sub-dept of them if you see what I mean. It was a final demand for payment. I rang them right away and explained my situation, and that I was being paid on the 1st Feb.

The lady said that they would require either the full balance, or minimum £200 a month. I said that I could do neither, and that the most I could afford would be around £50 a month.

She said that she would accept that as a first payment, to come off of my Solo card on the 1st Feb, but that they would then 'look at my finances' to see what I could afford, and that I would need to send them my payslip and a list of all of my outgoings.

Now, I am not entering into an IVA with them, so do I really need to send them this information? I know that if I do this they will say I can afford more than £50 and I will basically have no money to live on until the debt is paid off.

I don't know what to do for the best, I have been in tears this morning as she mentioned being taken to court and it going on my credit file for 6 years - I thought things only stayed on your credit file for that long if you had an IVA or bankrupcy?

Can someone please help, I don't know what to do!!!!

Mozette

Try going on the Debt Free Wannabe board and posting - sounds like you need help with debt in general rather than a specific credit card problem.
Good luck

CLAPTON

as mozette says go over to the debt free wanabee board... read the 'sticky' for first timers and post up a full SOA (income, spending and full details of debts)... you'll get a lot of support and advice there.

claire_80_2

Thank you, I'll go and have a nosey over there in a sec.

The thing is I am working now and I will be able to pay this off - do I have to send them my payslip and full monthly outgoings? Can they honestly ask me to do this?

I cannot afford the £200 they want me to pay, and that is my main worry at the moment!

yorkie1980

hi clarie_80, no expert on this but it can sometimes be in your best interests to provide a financial statement to them, showing your incomings and outgoings. I've seen other posts on here (sorry don't know where) that show lists of what your outgoings could include and how to prioritise them.

Re: The 6 year bit. All records of credit facilities stay on your credit file for 6 years regardless of how good/bad they are managed. You can check your credit report online for free at www.experian.co.uk.

As everyone else says, you'll get much better support/advice on DFW board.

Best of luck

yorkie1980

hiya, just found the link to the Financial Statement thing
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=584376
Post #11, hope it comes in handy

claire_80_2

Thanks for that link Yorkie.

I am going to sit down tonight and write a letter to them offering them £50 a month, if they then write back to me saying that isn't good enough, then I will send in the list of my financial outgoings...

Do I have to provide EXACT amounts of money for these?

chappers

Credit Solutions are a debt collecting agency, I would phone Barclay card tell them that the person at Credit solutions was very un helpful and make an arrangement direct with them, I'm sure they will be most happy to do that as they won't have to pay CS their cut.

yorkie1980

I'm not sure about the amounts - I think the link I said is more specific. I'd have thought just round it up to the nearest £10. Another useful tip was to exaggerate your food shopping bills, as the impression I get is that anything other than "essential to live" is inadmissable as an expense.
I'd send them the offer first, then see where you are after that.
As chappers says - speak direct with BarclayCard. If they've passed it onto a Debt Collection agency, I'd strongly suggest you check your credit report for free and take a look at what BarclayCard have entered against you.

claire_80_2

Someone else has told me to cancel my debit card (Solo), that I shouldn't have given it to them and to send cheques in future as it's better for my records.

I am going to cancel my debit card, write to Barclaycard and cc the letter to Credit Solutions so they know I am in touch with BC directly. I will offer them £50 and enclose a cheque for that amount to be cashed when I am paid, I will say that due to my finances at the moment that is the maximum I can afford.

Do you think this is OK??

Are there any letter templates for this kind of thing? God I have such a headache

a11waysindebt

chappers wrote: »

Credit Solutions are a debt collecting agency, I would phone Barclay card tell them that the person at Credit solutions was very un helpful and make an arrangement direct with them, I'm sure they will be most happy to do that as they won't have to pay CS their cut.

Dealing direct with Barclays will not stop any interest or charges,having it with a collection agency will.Download a budget sheet from someone like debt line.

This will show what you have left to pay creditors.

Once in the agencies hands you will not be able to use the card,You might need to apply for another card quickly before you go ahead.

Do not be bullied into paying more than you can afford.