moorcroft letter only owe 26 pound

solar14

hiya

I promised moorcroft by phone last week that I would pay the final amount £26 off this week, I get a letter saying if it is not paid by 18th April that they will have no alternative but to instruct their solicitors to commence legal proceedings against me without further notice.

The actual debt is my old British Gas account that was 160.00 and so I have been up to date with payments apart from last few week. I get to working my money out this week, as I am on benefit and I do not have it to pay them, but I will next week. The council tax reminder needs to be paid before I pay them, and that is £30.

I am worried that moorcroft will slap on charges or go direct for court, I was bankrupt about three years ago, and so I do not know what to do. I dont want to phone Moorcroft as they are too demanding they do not listen. Any advice out there for me..?

RAS

They should not be askig you for more than you can afford and if you are on benefits then £26 is more than you can afford. I appreciate that you made a deal with them and you really need to stop promising to pay more than is reasonable.

if Moorcroft are awkward, then refer them to the the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidelines.

Full details of these guidelines can be viewed, and downloaded, here:

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/bus...dit/oft664.pdf

Then send them a token payment of £1 this week if you can and do not make promises to them in future. In fact, if they ring you again, tell them all comm musty be in writing in future.

If you come anywhere near "vunerable", then tell them this and they will have to wait.

solar14

hiya

Thanks for your reply. I will send a letter and small amount I can afford. Can you tell me by vulnerable do you mean health issues, stress, or council tax demands.

When I send this letter would they pursue court action or add extra charges on?

thanks

RAS

solar14 wrote: »

Can you tell me by vulnerable do you mean health issues, stress.

Yes

solar14 wrote: »

When I send this letter would they pursue court action or add extra charges on?

They are not supposed to add charges once the account is with a DCA.

I have no idea what they will do but can only apply some common sense.

If you consider the cost of taking you to court, at which they would only get £1 per month if you are on benefits and that is legally binding on you and on them, do you think they are going to bother?

Obviously, it is in your interest to sort this out as soon as you can, but you should not be paying more than you can sensibly afford.

Can i ask if you have changed supplier? Do you know about www.quidco.com etc? And have you heard of the Social Tarrifs that energy companies are supposed to provide to people on benefits?

Cleosmum

If you are on benefits do you qualify for council tax benefit?

solar14

hiya

I only have the British Gas debt due to me changing supplier, it was not intentional, just that because I went with another company I then was struggling to pay old gas and electric and new ones, so it doubled up on me.

I have not heard of the website www.quidco.com you provided. The situation now is I am with British Gas for my Gas and Npower for electric...the only debt remaining from BG is the £26 moorcroft.

I did try to get back with BG from Npower for electric but they will not let me go as I am owing to them. And it is most probably best because it would mean double bills again. I do not know about Social Tariffs...I am on Incapacity Benefit and live on my own, I am also hard of hearing. The thing is I live in a 3 bed council home so they go by the size of the house, radiators. The home was passed onto me when my mam died of cancer fourteen years ago. I am the secure tenant now.

How do I find out about the social tariffs?

Many thanks for this ...

solar14

hiya

I get council tax (includes living alone reduction) and housing benefit....'

Cleosmum

I know its only £26 now, but have you thought about applying for a grant to clear the debt? http://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/grants_to_individuals

I think NPower have a scheme too.

Just found the info http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/protect/grant-grabbing You need to be a customer of NPower and you have to email for details: spreading.warmth@npower.com

Cleosmum

solar14 wrote: »

hiya

I get council tax (includes living alone reduction) and housing benefit....'

Can you check your entitlement, normally CT benefit covers the whole amount, how much are you left to pay after the CTB is taken off?

solar14

hiya

I am not on income support..a friend of mine is on Incapacity but has income support with it, and really there is no difference. Just that she does not pay rent or council tax, and her weekly money is lower, whereas I pay it and my weekly money is higher to cover this.

I am in band A...£974.84 total charges. And amount I owe after benefit is £165.92 at £5 a week...

fatbelly

Hi

Some time ago (a long time ago!) someone posted about a small debt and I asked if it would be likely to be written off as the cost of phone calls/letters was likely to be more than the debt was worth. A (friendly) guy who worked for a DCA said that omly happened below £50.

If I can find the thread, I'll pm you