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How to reply to a Letter Before Claim about a debt

Have you had a Letter Before Claim about a debt?

A creditor has to send a Letter Before Claim before they take you to court for a debt in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This letter may be headed something like Letter Before Action or Notice of Pending Legal Action or even Letter of Claim. You can tell if you have been sent one of these as there will be various attachments including one headed Reply Form. This letter is part of the … [Read more...]

October 1, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: CCJ, debt collector

How to add a Notice of Correction to a credit record – and is it worth it?

Finding something negative on your credit record is bad enough - but it feels a lot worse if you think it is wrong or unreasonable. You have the legal right under the Consumer Credit Act to add a "Notice of Correction" to your credit report if you feel something is misleading or you want to provide an explanation. What is a Notice of Correction? A Notice of Correction is something you … [Read more...]

September 12, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings

Provident – home credit in crisis

Provident shares crash, graph from Bloomberg

On 22 August 2017, Provident Financial's share price dropped c 70% after a profits warning. For a FTSE 100 company such large price moves are extremely rare. The Daily Mail shrieked: Provident Financial goes into meltdown ... now 800,000 customers of its doorstep collection business are at risk.   Provident's doorstep lending re-organisation Provident's doorstep loans used to be … [Read more...]

August 24, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: High cost credit news/policy, Provident

Bailiffs – do you have to let them in? What you need to know.

Do you have to let a bailiff in?

A visit from bailiffs is a nightmare idea for many people. They have changed their name to enforcement agents but that doesn't make it any less scary. This article looks at what happens after a debt is sent to the bailiffs, the two key rules for dealing with bailiffs and what to do if things go wrong. There is a section at the end about good (and bad) places to get help. In 2021 the new Debt … [Read more...]

August 21, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Bailiffs

Inheriting money when in a DMP, DRO, IVA or bankruptcy

What happens if you inherit money when you are in a debt management plan or one of the three forms of insolvency: Debt Relief Order (DRO), bankruptcy or IVA? The answers are surprisingly different... Inheriting in a DMP This is the easiest case. Any money you inherit comes to you, not to your creditors or your DMP firm. And it doesn't matter if the person dies before your DMP started or … [Read more...]

July 5, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Bankruptcy, DMP, DRO, IVA

Can I get another car after VT or is part exchange better?

A reader asked: I want to terminate my PCP car finance. The car's fine, good condition, but we now need a bigger car. According to my contract I can hand it back. But I am going to need to get another car, so I am worried this will harm my good credit record. Would part exchange be better? Your right to end a PCP contract early Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is the most common way to buy … [Read more...]

June 1, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, cars, Credit ratings

I want to sell my house to end my IVA

Should I sell my house to end my IVA?

A reader asked: We are desperate to end our IVA. So difficult. The IVA firm that seemed helpful at the start now after two years doesn't care about our extra costs. We have decided to sell and downsize. My wife is hoping for a discount but I said they were more likely to charge us more to get out early! We need as much equity as possible for the next house.  This is a tricky situation. There … [Read more...]

May 5, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, IVA

PPI claims after your IVA has finished

PPI claims after an IVA has completed

In March 2017, the Court of Appeal decision in the Green v Wright case was published: Mr Wright's IVA firm was allowed to collect PPI after his IVA ended, even though he hadn't consented to this before his completion certificate was issued. As questions about this continue to arrive, I thought it would be useful to summarise the current situation: what is clear and what is less clear. The … [Read more...]

April 25, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Insolvency news & policy

Won your Financial Ombudsman case but worried you won’t be paid?

Financial Ombudsman decisions are legally binding on the firm. But if it's been a couple of weeks and you haven't been paid, you may be feeling worried... This article gives some information on how you can enforce a decision from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) through the courts. I'm doing this to re-assure you that it can be done, not to encourage you to rush out and do it! It is … [Read more...]

April 20, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: FOS

Can I spend backdated benefits money before going bankrupt?

A reader asked: I’ve just received a backdated Severe Disability Premium (ESA top up as on PIP too) and I am aiming to go bankrupt in May or June. I’ve been advised by a money advisor to use this money for essentials as I have just been given permanent accommodation having been homeless. No furniture came with the flat. I’ve been paying £1 a month to my creditors since last year. Should I … [Read more...]

March 31, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, Bankruptcy

The biggest IVA firms in 2014, 2015 & 2016 – league tables

Here are three League Tables for IVA firms, showing all firms that registered more than 500 IVAs in 2014, 2015 and 2016. This article is a complication of three previous articles. The comments on each year's figures were the comments I made at the time. The data came from the Insolvency Service, it was supplied to Louise Yates. As some of the notes to the League Tables and the comments below … [Read more...]

March 14, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Insolvency news & policy

How F&F settlements affect credit ratings

A reader has asked how Full & Final settlements (F&Fs) would affect her credit rating which is currently looking good as her debts were all defaulted and have dropped off her credit record. A full and final settlement happens when a creditor agrees to accept an amount which is less than the total owed to settle a debt and agrees that the borrower will not be pursued for the remainder.  … [Read more...]

February 24, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Credit ratings, Full & Final settlements

Which debts can you go to prison for not paying?

I don't think people should be sent to prison for not being able to pay a debt. It rarely happens, but it's important to know the sorts of debt where this is a possibility. About a hundred people a year are sent to prison for council tax arrears - here is a case where a mother was in prison for 40 days before being released. About 30 people a year go to prison for not having a TV licence - … [Read more...]

February 8, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Priority debts

Joint debts – what happens in an IVA / DRO / bankruptcy

A reader asked: I have received a letter saying we still owe £4,000 in council tax. The debt was included in my bankruptcy a few months ago but they are chasing my wife for the full amount, what should we do? This article looks at what happens to joint debts which are unsecured, not mortgages or secured loans. It covers all three forms of insolvency - bankruptcy, DROs and IVAs - because the … [Read more...]

January 25, 2017 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: Bankruptcy, DRO, IVA

What is the difference between “settled” and “satisfied” on a credit report?

A reader asked: My Credit Karma report shows some settled debts but one is shown as satisfied.  I am sure I paid them all off in full. Does it make a difference and should I ask for this to be changed?  … [Read more...]

December 8, 2016 Author: Sara Williams Tagged With: A reader asks, Credit ratings, Defaults

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