You can't have a Debt Relief Order (DRO) if you own a car that is worth more than £4,000. But what happens if the car is on HP? A reader, Mrs T, asked: I am drowning in debts and only just under the total DRO debt limit. I have been advised that a DRO would be my best option. However I didn't tell the debt adviser that I have a car on HP which I still owe £7k as this would take me over the … [Read more...]
Section 13A – a little-known way to get Council Tax written off
Councils in England and Wales can reduce or write off your council tax under Section 13A (1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. This has been called "the best-kept secret in council tax law". These Section 13A write-offs can be used if your house is uninhabitable because of flooding or fire. But you can also get a write-off if you have no money to pay your council tax after paying for … [Read more...]
Car finance affordability – what you get if you win a complaint
Refunds for unaffordable credit are usually simple - you get a refund of interest paid and, if you still have the account, only have to repay what you borrowed with no added interest. And your credit record is cleaned. That is the basis for car finance affordability complaints too. But here there is an extra factor - what happens to the car? When you make a car finance payment, some of it is … [Read more...]
Were you sold a car on unaffordable finance?
Was your car finance unaffordable? The FCA, who regulates car finance lenders. and the Financial Ombudsman (FOS) say: a loan is only affordable if you can make the repayments on time, without hardship and still meeting your other commitments. That means you need to be able to pay all your other debts, your normal household bills and expenses as well as the new car loan payments. You may … [Read more...]
The Money Platform takes payments for loans already repaid
Some Money Platform customers had a payment taken from their bank account unexpectedly and incorrectly on 22 July 2022. This is what one customer said: Shocking from The Money Platform. They’ve made a massive cock up and taken money out of peoples accounts on Friday for loans they had already paid in March. She wasn't the only one. This morning there were over 25 people saying similar things … [Read more...]
Help with IVAs if you can’t pay because of the cost of living
Many people in an IVA are currently struggling because of the large rises in bills and prices in 2022. The Insolvency Service has now issued Guidance to support the IVA protocol. (That is confusingly laid out - look for the section headed 60) Guidance to support the IVA protocol for existing protocol compliant IVAs: 26 June 2022.) This sets out what extra help IVA firms should provide … [Read more...]
Provident is paying 4.2557p in the £
Quick overview Provident's Scheme of Arrangement is now in the final stages. The Scheme was proposed because Provident could not afford to carry on paying full refunds to customers winning affordability complaints. The Financial Ombudsman was upholding 75% of complaints against Provident. The FCA, Provident's regulator, said it did not approve of the Scheme. But as Provident has stopped … [Read more...]
Guarantor lender TFS Loans goes into administration
UPDATE: FCA fines TFS £880,000. On 10 June 2022, the FCA announced: TFS Loans Ltd (in administration) has been fined £811,900 by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in relation to deficient affordability checks on 3,150 guarantors in its consumer credit business. The FCA has also imposed a requirement on TFS to redress the guarantors that were harmed by the firm not conducting appropriate … [Read more...]
“A mystery CCJ on my credit record – I know nothing about it”
A reader, Ms J asked about a CCJ that suddenly appeared on her credit report. "I check my credit record a couple of times a year and there is now a CCJ on there. It looks like it was added 2 months ago at an address I left ages ago, possibly 8 years. I don't even know if this is real or some sort of error. It's only a few hundred but I don't want to pay it if I don't have to and I don't know … [Read more...]
Zable – a “credit builder” card to avoid [updated]
UPDATE - August 2023 - Zable hikes interest rates for some borrowers Some people have been told that Zable is increasing their interest rate from 38.9% to 48.9%. The customers were told the rate was being increased to reflect changes in Zable's assessment of their credit record. 48.9% is now the "representative rate" that Zable quotes - this makes it one of the most expensive credit … [Read more...]
Amigo’s new Scheme – approved by the Court
UPDATE the Scheme is now live After the court approved the Amigo scheme in May 2022, the Scheme is now live. The deadline for making claims has now passed. See Amigo’s Scheme – waiting for claims to be decided for details. UPDATE on the result of the voting Amigo announced on 13 May that c. 89% of people voting had voted in favour of the new Business Scheme. the next stage in the … [Read more...]
Vanguard, The IVA Adviser, QIS – all failed in 2022
Three large IVA firms failed in 2002: Vanguard Insolvency, which was wound up in May "in the public interest; The IVA Adviser, went into administration in August; QIS went into administration in November. Vanguard was closed after being investigated by the Insolvency Service On 13 May 2022, the Insolvency Service announced that Vanguard Insolvency had been wound up "in the public … [Read more...]
BNPL is now often on credit records, but it’s ignored in credit scores
Klarna details will start to be added to TransUnion and Experian records from June 2022. TransUnion says: Incorporating this data into credit reports will support consumers that are using this type of point-of-sale finance, whilst also ensuring lenders have a comprehensive picture of a borrower’s financial position. But this year TransUnion will not be using the BNPL information when it … [Read more...]
BrightHouse in administration – unlikely to be any money for refunds
UPDATE - in April 2022 the administrators said there was unlikely to be any money to pay any refunds to customers. See below. On 20 March 2020, BrightHouse went into administration. BrightHouse sold electrical appliances, furniture, computers and mobiles on hire purchase. Its customers made weekly payments, sometimes described as "rent-to-own". Some 172,000 people were buying an item from … [Read more...]
QuickQuid administration is paying 53.5p in the £
Payments - UPDATE - 25 April 2022 Administrators have started sending emails to everyone with an upheld claim telling them what they will be paid. "The Joint Administrators are now in a position to declare a first and final dividend of 53.5p in the £" The average claim value is c £1,700. Someone with that claim value will get a payout of about £910. The payout details are given in the … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- …
- 22
- Next Page »