Really Taormina, you are making the wild assumption that Mr Mound can read in the first place. From his apparent inability to actually respond to people who do write to him one must assume he that reading and understanding are not amongst his strong points - just as he thinks a 2nd class UK stamp will get a letter to Hanoi in a reasonable period of time. So go on Mound, prove us all wrong and respond to this thread - we know you read it and we know you want to (it doesnt matter if you have to get someone else to write your response for you)

Awwww - deep joy, another letter from Steve Mound, Chief Operating Officer, (Hello Mr Pound if you are reading this ) but it took 3 weeks to get here as he only put a 25p stamp on it. Now he wants, yet again, to "pass it to our international law practice". Wonder why his web site has no reference to any international law practice? I think I will send him the suggested letter above and "forget" to put the right stamp on it, as me thinks the UK Post Office will surcharge him. Look forward to hearing from you again Mr Mound

No, I am sure there never was a CCJ. Just this letter last week and another today telling me to pay or they will instruct their "International Law Practice". Is it worth even replying? Again, thank you

Apologies, last posting got tangled! Awwww, I thought I was priviledged to get a letter from Mr Pound with a 25p stamp Guess he hasnt got anything else to do. I have lived abroad for 8 years so think even the Statute of Limitations might apply but not sure - does anyone know? Thanks

Awwww, I thought I was priviledged to get a letter from Mr Pound with a 25p stamp Guess he hasnt got anything else to do. I have lived abroad for 8 years so think even the Statute of Limitations might apply but not sure - does anyone know? Thanks

APR of 170% would almost certainly be extortinate but the figure of £620 is about right - the APR relates to the reducing sum borrowed as payments are made over the year just like a mortgage. The first payment is practically all interest whilst the last is practically all capital. Hope that make sense. Would suggest contacting your local County Court to get their advice on how to dispute the interest rate.

Thanks Fred I tried entering new data but it didnt feed through to the chart. Is it something I am doing wrong?

Thanks Fred, that would be great - now just have to work out how to make it accessible for evryone to use so we can be sure we award the Pond Life 2007 to the right firm of DCAs !!

Hi Fred Do you think one of the moderators here can put your spreadsheet up, maybe in the section above the individual strands? I am not sure how to contact a moderator or the 'boss' of this site. Fingers crossed

So who gets the 2006-7 Pond Life award?

Or we could have an annual conference and award prizes?

Lawdy lawdy everyone seems to score ten! Maybe we should move the scale to marks out of 100 (but then maybe everyone will get 100) Or marks by category - telephone manner, letter writing, knowledge of the law, etc?

Seems we need to get a proper scoring system in place so they are all judged against the same criteria ! Wish I knew how to set that up on here.

Let me start the ball rolling then:(using 0 as beautiful people and 10 as pond life) Arrow Global 3/10 They have actually been polite, never threatened and complied with requests. TCM 9/10 Bunch of w****ers - threatening until advised of UK law thanks to this site! Optima Legal Services 7/10 Not threatening but pretend to know all the law and pretend to be real Solicitors (unless they really are!)

Well then we might need to be careful to just refer to Company names not individuals, as well as not revealing too much about us individually !

After a few months here it seems that the quality and service of DCAs varies wildy, though few seem to be flavour of the month! Would it be against the CAG rules to start a 'Top Ten' chart of the DCAs? Agencies could be scored from 0 to 10, 0 being actually quite fair and professional (wonder how many of those there are) and 10 could be 'they are so rude vile and revolting that if they were in front of me I'd smack them) I guess naming individuals would be out of order, but would firms be acceptable? And if it is acceptable, maybe someone more computer literate than I could set up the sort of chart and format that would allow members to input their experiences and add a few lines of comment? Mind you if the DCAs read this site they might input thier own comment and say how lovely and nice and friendly they are! Just a thought!

I think the point is that a creditor can appoint any firm of solicitors to act on their behalf in collecting the debt - in your case the fact the solicitors were 'in house' makes little difference as long as they are 'proper' solicitors (is there such a thing?)

I believe I have read on here that a signed application form is sufficient evidence of a credit agreement under the CCA - after all all credit cards are issued this way without additional documentation apart from their terms and conditions which form a separate document

Morning Danny Seems its just you and I on this thread! I was hoping to hear from other folks who have moved abroad and got into similar difficluties but maybe its me alone!

Yes I remember that thread too. I am going to contact the French DCA and ask for a copy of the original judgement and the EEO (which from your link seems quite complicated to get). Then, as I have never been advised of any court hearing, and the fact I dispite the amount, see if I can get this all into perspective

Thanks Danny I think I read somewhere that a claim cannot be made in a UK Court if the creditor has been abroad for more than 3 years. This also applies I believe to being made bankrupt. Your link does refer to a possible judgment being enetered if the creditor does not attend the hearing, but I suspect they need to show I was aware of any impending hearing, which I am certainly not aware of. Natwest did originally tell me no Court claim had been filed so it just remains to find out if a UK Comapny can raise a claim in another country for an agreement that was clearly executed under English Law. Think I will fire another shot across the bows of the French DCA and see how they respond. A bientot

Hi Danny A star as usual ! You enforce my understanding which seems to make the collection of debts from folk incurring them in the UK then moving abroad virtually impossible. Maybe I should ask what they paid for my debt and agree a settlement (sorry joking!)

Progress is slow but sure! I have received the CCA from the French DCA to gether with the Terms and Conditions that relate to the Natwest Credit card. An earlier post by someone suggested this was acceptable BUT Clause 10 (b) of the Terms and Conditions states " If your address is in Scotland , Scottish Law shall apply to this agreement. If you live elsewhere English Law applies to this agreement" Now, I live in France so me thinks that English Law applies. Would this not negate any attempt by the French DCA to pursue me for the alleged debt in a French Court? The alleged debt appears to have been properly assigned to Arrow Global but I cannot see any justification for this assignment to cancel the condition of English Law in favour of French Law for a firm of DCAs they appoint in France So if there is anyone here who can shed more light I would be grateful. If I am correct it may be that debts incurred in the UK under English Law cannot have the Court of Jurisdiction changed to a foreign country unless this is specifically provided for in the CCA agreement and associated Terms and Conditions. To add more confusion, as papers cannot be served on someone outside the UK for a UK matter, would all legal attempts to collect money from folk who have moved abroad be a waste of time. I await the brains on CGA to help me. Thanks (below is the link to the original thread) http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-collectors-debt-collection/69776-natwest-arrow-global.html

Here is the Arrow web site - yes they are American !! Arrow Global

Hello Diskman. Is it possible to find a link to these regulations as there may be other things there that they have failed to comply with. Many thanks