It`s almost exactly the same in the bus industry. Just check out Bloodbus to see what I mean, a driver writes a blog, First group get wind of it and threaten anyone who posts on the forum with the sack, but they have trouble tracking down the guy with the blog cos he conceals his identity. Same with the banks.

So. I`ve got around £15000 of debts, I live in rented accommodation and have no car (free bus travel, you see) I have no assets apart from a pension fund. I`m also on £21000 a year before tax. Trouble is, I also have arrears in council tax, bills, etc which is eating up a large part of my weekly wages, plus my rent is expensive, which leaves not very much really. I had to pay my rent in 3 parts this month. I reckon bankruptcy would solve it, and be little more than an inconvenience, or should I wait til the creditors write them off, as I`m paying £5 month through CCCS in a DMP, although they advised me that bankruptcy would be a realistic option.

A debt management company or charity is a qualified third party. I`ve got Allied International sending me stuff. I`ll send them a `Notification of debt management plan` from CCCS plus a £5 token payment. I`ll post anything that happens in a new thread if it starts getting fruity. Just posted in here as I`m doing pretty much what you`ve said regarding a DMP

You could try cointacting the CRAs direct and putting in a Notice of Correction with each

I`ve had that happen before, got on the train at one of several `chav halts` (I call them that cos chavs hang around there, damage all the ticket machines and generally cause trouble - that stretch of line is referred to as `Bomb Alley`) and went up to the guard who then went to issue the ticket and his ticket machine screwed up (it was one of those old square ones with all the buttons where you had to know all the station numbers) cos of the battery pack. On another occasion he`d run out of ticket roll and had no spare. Luckily he walked past while I was explaining to the ticket inspector so I could get a ticket. IMHO there`s no need for anyone to be a jobsworth if there`s a reaonable explanation (and proof) then there`s no reason not to be able to buy a ticket at the destination. They have ticket offices on the platforms or inside the barriers at Brighton and London for that reason. I don`t condone travelling with no ticket, but I still think going back to the old days when every station had ticket inspectors and your ticket would be clipped on every train and at the entrance and exit to every station would be better, along with the old type pink tickets and proper facilities at every station (but then, I`d favour a return to proper, loco hauled trains rather than the rubbish we have to put up with these days)

Could do, I could throw them from the window of my bus as I drive past... I was thinking more can of petrol and match type thing at 4am... Imagine their faces the next morning...

woodwork? Don`t you mean the swamp?

I know exactly where their collections centre is in Brighton, it`s on Queen`s Road which leads down from the station (if you`ve ever been to Brighton). It`s actually in two bits, the main building and the reception, behind which their in-house solicitors, Sechiari Clark and Mitchell (or [problem], as I like to call them) are. They are in the upper set of windows down the side opposite the quadrant seating area (that road is on a hill), level with the entrance. There is a lower set but I don`t know who`s in there. probably the monkeys on the phones. I hope LTSB collections buffoons monitor this site cos imagine their rage at me revealing their exact location...

A Cease and Desist order

This made me laugh: "PHILOSOPHY We aim to provide a professional and effective range of services to our client and seek to conform to the OFT Debt Collection Guidelines and Credit Services Code of Practice in all dealings with debtors. We understand a client's requirement for maximum collections, however, at all times operate to the highest ethical standards." Like chasing people for debts and doing everything wrong? Like hounding people who paid a debt direct to the creditor? Like still threatening court action even after the debt was paid? Not sure which OFT guidelines they use, but they aren`t the OFT`s ones...

Bloody hell that`s less than a mile from my house.

Well done. I now have to CCA BCW and get the account into dispute (I don`t acknowledge the debt as it`s made up entirely of bank charges). I shall do that later today.

Lloyds have now passed a disputed debt to BCW. I reported LTSB`s behaviour to the FOS and they took it up. I WILL be following up the complaint with them, but I shall also have to CCA BCW. I shall also have to purchase some phone recording equipment. and put in a complaint with the OFT. Basically the `debt` they are trying to collect is bank charges, which I knew were coming, so I took all the money out of my account and diverted my wages, they then took two lots of £105 and interest means the balance is £364 overdrawn. I complained to the FOS when they defaulted me after I wrote to them letting them know I was disputing the amount. Now they are setting BCW after me so I shall look forward to this, especially if we win the test case... I shall therefore have a field day

They`ve got their solicitors from upstairs to demand payment now. I`ve reported them to the FOS for defaulting an account which is already in dispute. Just have to wait and see. Might try and have the money ready anyway but I have better things to pay with it

Update: Lloyds have now sent me a default notice. It`s dated 29th january. It`s after the letters were sent out on 24th January, so it must be retaliatory. I`m going to refer the letter plus the one I sent to Trading Standards tomorrow, plus call the credit agencies to get the default removed due to the account being in dispute when the default was registered. lloyds know it is so as far as I can tell they are just trying their luck. If I take them to court they have now effectively shot themselves in the foot

Just got a "contact us immediately" letter So I`m going to send this reminder: Is it worth using a digital signature or should I wait til they DCA it?

Celia Barlow (Hove) (Labour) Tim Loughton (Est Worthing and Shoreham) (Conservative)

Well, wherever it is, here we go. Hold on tight it`s going to be one interesting couple of weeks...

I get it too,I drive a bus and you get all sorts of people who a) don`t look at what route you`re on and where you`re going, and then ask you (true, in the case of the elderly they might have poor sight, but some are just plain lazy) b) have a go at you when they`ve just called the company and been told that nothing can move due to gridlock. Apparently I personally invited all those people into town just to spite the passengers... C) Don`t know how much the fare is when it`s in big letters on the driver`s cab door Basically same problems (within reason) different aspect of the service industry so I know exactly how you feel

happy new year to you too. Yes I`m expecting that sort of behaviour from them, they seem to use it as a retaliatory tactic, tit for tat sort of thing. I`ve actually got a folder in my strong-box ready for all correspondence in case of a claim,plus a sheet of paper to write as a contents page as I go along, basically a real-time court bundle if you like. I know they`ll mess about more than HSBC did (actually to HSBC`s credit they just paid up first time, no court action necessary) so I`m expecting a fight

Update. Email sent to collections@lloydstsb.co.uk scary thing is, I know where their collections centre is, it`s on Queen`s Road near Brighton station, next door to tate`s recruitment agency, so I`ll send the letters directly to there rather thn to the PO Box address I`ve been driving my bus past it the last few days. Obviously not yelling the word `****` each time but nearly doing so...

Ah cheers Elsinore. I`ve just done my schedule of charges, and they owe me £453.60, so I`ll get that emailed to them today. I`m going over to my mums later on so I`ll print off a hard copy there cos mine`s on the blink. Btw, do you think I should make that bit about the dispute in bold as it might draw their attention a bit better?

I`ll be doing that in the next couple of weeks, payday and all that. They haven`t sent me anything to say they`ve defaulted me, which iirc they have to notify you of, although i could be wrong.

OK cheers Elsinore. I`ll try and get my printer working, or go to the net caff later today...

It`s the accumulation of charges from some returned direct debits which were changed to go from my HSBC account Basically they took them out of the LTSB account, which was no longer used. They took £105 a month and after paying back £70 to avoid court a first time, I then refused to pay up. They then phoned saying they would take me to court, also denying the existence of the forthcoming OFT case when I said I would get it stayed til that was over. (strangely enough) so i just said that`s what would be happening. They then called and said it woud have to be payed and would have to be at £45 a month. I (reluctantly) agreed cos they were very aggressive. usually I just slam the phone down or tell them to go away and write, but I always tell them it`s being recorded. Now they have sent that letter and I just want to get my money back cos i can`t afford to pay, plus I don`t think I should have to pay cos it`s all charges anyway I might just have to put the account into dispute and sit tight while clocking up a few weeks overtime to cover it, just in case. The test case is only a couple of weeks away now iirc. I don`t want to have to pay costs which are either unfair or not legal etc. Might go to the GMB union of which I am a member and see if they can help (they have a thing which can get you legal help outside of work)