I'm sorry to say this but these new 'regulations' seem like nothing more to me than deckchairs on the Titanic. There are way too many of these legal loan sharks around charging interest rates that make a Provident loan look cheap by comparison. All this looks like is a limp attempt to ask them to 'play nice' with their victims (sorry customers). Nothing in this appears to address the obscene interest rates, the use of bailiffs to terrorise people who can't pay, essentially the profiteering on other people's misery and desperation. Not forgetting the chief slug of Wonga is 'nudging' government policy! I firmly believe these opportunists are part of the problem, not the solution.

Thank you for the clarification. I'm looking into the legality of the Guarantor form. It seems it was signed (I wasn't there at the time) by my wife in the presence of the LL and my stepdaughter, who I don't think counts as an impartial witness. Nor did anyone sign to authenticate the document.

The original AST was for twelve months. She left before the end of the first six months, having had 'friends' tell her she wouldn't be liable if she left. We didn't pay a bond as far as I know. I haven't been able to explain to my stepdaughter that she's dropped her mum in it by leaving/not paying the rent.

Incidentally we're not trying to duck our obligations. It is simply that this woman went from genial to threatening in a heartbeat. She came to the house today and kept insisting that she was going to take my wife to court and "get a county court against her", and "I'll win". I had to point out twice that we have made a reasonable offer to pay and that she was refusing to accept it at which point she did a u-turn and started to ask what we were proposing. She went away after insisting that she was under no obligation to pursue my stepdaughter for the rent and that as Guarantor my wife was fully responsible for the debt. She said my wife would then have to sue her daughter for the arrears of rent. I'm not sure this LL is in full possession of the facts regarding our responsibilities or hers for that matter. She is a thoroughly unpleasant person.

I've been chatting with my wife. The Guarantor form she signed was signed in the presence of the LL and my stepdaughter. So far the money she has paid back to the LL has gone to two different accounts, one of which was not in the LL's name, which seems a little odd. We don't have an address or contact number for the LL. When she first approached us regarding this debt, she turned up on the doorstep and brandished the Guarantor agreement, saying that she would sue us for the money if she had to but she 'really didn't want to'. As far as I know she has made no attempt to contact my stepdaughter regarding any arrears. My wife has said she is sure that my stepdaughter left before the initial six month period was over but she did not give formal notice she was leaving. It is my understanding that when my stepdaughter realised she wouldn't have the money to pay the next six months rent she 'did a runner'. My wife is adamant she will not furnish the LL with any contact details for her daughter. I don't think this is the first time this particular LL has done this. She has perfectly good student accommodation available, there is no shortage of students in Preston needing a room to rent and as far as I know the room has remained empty since my stepdaughter left. Incidentally we too are tenants, so I'm thinking that even if she was successful in taking my wife to court she couldn't attach our property as we don't have any?

Hello everybody. Firstly, many thanks for your replies and kind advice. I am confused about some of the acronyms you used though (I am unused to this forum I'm afraid!) Could you please tell me what SPT and AST mean? We are definitely going to tell her to go away today. A friend has advised that if she gets threatening we call the Police! Thanks again. I will post more information if and when I have it. Cheers! The LL has been very cagey about whether she has a new tenant. The shared house is student accommodation and we believe she has a number of properties in the area. In fact she withheld her number when she telephoned us!

Hello everybody. We are having a bit of a problem, my wife and I. About a year ago my wife signed as Guarantor for her daughter (my stepdaughter's) rent in a shared house. The rent was £1050 for six months, but my wife signed to guarantee the subsequent six months (the first six months was paid in full). My stepdaughter moved out of the accommodation at the end of the six months. A couple of days later the landlady contacted my wife and said she was liable for the next six months rent to the tune of £1050. Following some advice my wife offered to pay the amount in instalments direct to the landlady's bank account. We have thus far paid £500 of the outstanding amount. Unfortunately due to recent changes we haven't been able to continue paying the instalments. I am in receipt of Income Support with a disability premium (or whatever they are calling it now) and my wife receives DLA. Today the landlady telephoned my wife to say she is calling at our house tomorrow to collect the remaining balance of the rent, some £600 in cash. I'm not completely sure but I don't think we are obliged under law to pay this cash money, and in any case we simply don't have it. Please could someone advise us as to what our responsibilities and/or rights might be in this situation? This is a very stressful experience for both of us. Thank you in advance.

Hello everyone. I came across your forum when searching for advice on debt. My story is probably fairly typical, but basically I had a business which folded, I ended up with fairly huge debts, had a nervous breakdown, went on long-term medication and counselling and I'm still getting threatening letters about the debts, even though the people sending the letters have changed several times over the years! One thing they all seem to have in common though is some odd reluctance to take it all the way to court. After a few threatening letters and promises to send someone to the flat the debt seems to move to another company who commence the whole thing over again with a tedious inevitibility...