Can anyone offer any advise please?

I am in the process of sending a complaint to the financial ombudsman however have read online that it can take 12-18 months for them to deal with complaints and to be honest this has been going on for years so I just want it sorted...... Basically although I know long winded this is the issue at the moment: I originally took a loan out with welcome finance on the 22/2/2007 for £2000 the agreed repayment rate was £105.97 a month for 36months. I made the following payments to this account: £105.97 - 31/03/2007 £105.97 - 01/05/2007 £105.97 - 01/06/2007 £105.97 - 30/06/2007 Total = £423.88 Due to the failure to make payment on the account although it wasunaffordable as I was already behind with payments I agreed for the loan to berefinanced on the 06/08/2007 to £4,102.24. The following payments were subsequently made towards this loan. £167.87 - 3/09/2007 £167.87 - 3/10/2007 £336.87 - 07/11/2007 Total= £672.61 Due to continuing financial difficulties I contacted Payplan in lateNovember 2007 requesting assistance to manage my out of control debts. Payplanfirst contacted welcome finance on the 19th November 2007 advising you that Iwas experiencing financial difficulty and they were assisting me with myfinances. Payplan requested confirmation of my then outstanding balance andwelcome finance responded on the 29th November 2007 confirming that thebalance outstanding was £5,579.45. Payplan sent welcome finance an offer of repayment on 13th December 2007of £31.50 a month and also made the following request: “In order for our client to best discharge their liability to yourcompany we request that you suspend any further interest charges on thisaccount. We would greatly appreciate, if you could confirm this in writing. If the debt is passed on to a Debt Collection Agency, please inform us atyour earliest convenience of the name, address and banking details of the Agency, for us to commence payments immediately. It iscrucial for the smooth running of this agreement that this information ispassed on to us” On the 20th December 2007 Welcome finance confirmed acceptance of theoffer. However later due to a change with my financial circumstances followingagreement with Welcome finance my payment in April 2008 was reduced to £10.07and however I was able to increase this in May 2008 to £25.89. My financial situation continued to improve and Payplan went on to makethe following payments to welcome finance. June 2008 - £63.10 July 2008 - £63.10 August 2008 - £63.10 September 2008 - £63.10 October 2008 - £63.10 November 2008 – £63.10 December 2008 - £63.10 January 2009 - £63.06 February 2009 - £70.56 March 2009 - £70.56 April 2009- Missed payment May 2009 - £70.56 June 3009 – £70.56 My Husband was then unfortunately made redundant which I explained toPayplan and as a result my monthly income was reduced significantly. They madeall my creditors aware of this and a reduced payment term was agreed, thefollowing payments were then made: July 2009 - £34.38 August 2009 - £34.48 September 2009 - £34.48 I was struggling to keep to the payment arrangement of £34.48 thereforediscussed the matter with Payplan who once again contacted my creditors andwith agreement the payments were once again reduced however as and when I wasable to pay more I always strived to do so. October 2009- £4.38 November 2009 - £56.69 December 2009 - £56.74 January 2010 - £56.74 February 2010 - £56.74 March 2010 - £56.74 April 2010 - £56.74 May 2010 – £14.91 June 2010 - £56.75 July 2010 - £56.75 August 2010 - £56.75 September 2010 - £56.75 October 2010 - £76.22 In November 2010 there was once again a significant change in mycircumstance and a previously I contacted Payplan who made an arrangement withmy creditors for me to pay a significantly reduced amount and the followingpayments were then made: November 2010- £1.00 December 2010- £1.00 January 2011 - £1.00 February 2011 - £1.00 March 2011 - £1.00 April 2011 - £1.00 May 2011 - £1.00 June 2011 - £1.00 July 2011 - £1.00 August 2011 - £1.00 I have always strived to keep Payplan updated on my financial situationand as soon as my surplus income improved my creditors were contacted, as aresult my payments to welcome finance were increased to £5 a month and to dateI have made an additional 26 payments at £5 a month. To date I have paid Welcome finance a total of £1,985.70 throughPayplan. In late 2012 I decided to review my credit file with Experian, I was alarmed at finding that welcome finance had recorded that I took a loan out onthe 21/12/2007 for £7,200.61 after them having agreed a paymentplan with paypal and for interest to be stopped on the existing loan on the 20th December 2007!!!. I contacted Welcome finance in March 2013 by telephone as I had no awareness ofthis loan for just over £7,000, I was advised that the loan had been refinancedto take into account the change in payment. I requested a copy of the creditagreement however I was advised that they do not have one and it was donefollowing payplans offer; at no time had I agreed for the loan to be increasedto £7,200.61 to take into account the change in payment. Following this on the 26th March 2013 I sent a formalcomplaint to Welcome Finance and received a response in April 2013 advisingthat they were investigating my concerns. However since this date I have madenumerous telephone calls to Welcome finance and they have been unable toprovide any sufficient reason as to why the loan was refinanced as well asincreased without my authorisation. Furthermore despite advising in April theyare yet to respond to my complaint in writing. The agreement that payplan had with Welcome finance was for the interestto be stopped and that I made the remaining payments of the outstanding balancewhich was with all the interest added £5,579.45 which although agreed theamount was disputed. I am extremely concerned as to how an original £2000 loan increased to£7,200.61 in a period of 10 months when I was clearly struggling financiallyand affordability was clearly an issue. I am aware that Welcome finance are ahigh interest lender and perhaps through my age and naivety at the time I didnot fully grasp this concept however having liaised with Payplan who in turncontacted Welcome finance I am concerned that a loan was refinanced onceagain in 2007 without my knowledge nor agreement. To date I have paid Welcome finance a total of £3,082.19 which clearly coversthe original amount borrowed. Welcome finances unfair practises over the yearshave caused a significant amount of stress and distress to myself. Although Iacknowledge that clearly initially I chose to take out the original loan I feelthat their practises since this date have been evidently irresponsible. Having recently reviewed by credit rating with Experian I have beenalarmed that since April 2013 when I advised them that until the matter wasresolved I would not make any further payments they have proceeded to demolishmy credit record by registering late payments since the date of my complaint. This is obviously having an impact upon my credit rating and over the years has caused a significant amount of stress, they are not taking me to court but can I take them to court?? after all they refinanced a loan without my permission and as such do not even have a credit agreement? Help please..... Thanks

Yes, My solicitor advised me at the beginning of the week to submit it as she is winding down the file as I can no longer afford to pay the solicitor fees for this to be dealt with.

Hi all, This is along one sorry. This is a long story so I will start at the beginning. I began working for my fathers company in 2004, Due to problems in the company, wages owing and other debts owing etc he wound the company down and decided to retire and work more in the background. He offered me and my half sister the oppurtunity to open a new company and would help us set up contracts etc. I owned 49% shares in the company and my step-sister owned 51% of shares. I was employed by the company and had a contract of employment to oversee workers and manage the sites and was taking a salaried wage of £30,000 a year from the company. My step-sister was also employed by the company (although I dont know what salary she took) and dealt with the accounts and gaining contracts etc. Towards the end of 2007 my step-sister was informing me that there were cashflow problems in the company and a loan was required to fund the company. She informed me that the banks wanted some security and implied that we both would have to put our propertys as security. Due to my wife also owning the property and me not wanting the risks I refused to use my home as security. Things started to become really strained between me and my step-sister and she suggested I hand over my shares of the company and I would remain employed by the company on the same terms and conditions. At the time I beleived that the company was struggling financially and I was being paid my salary by irregular payments. So due to the issues surrounding the company and the deterioation of me and my step sisters relationship I signed over my shares for £1 on the understanding I would remain employed. My step sister was informing me that the company was in dire straights and there was periods that I was owed salary and would be paid late or not at all. I started to ask for my salary and it was then my step-sister wrote to me claiming that I infact owed the company money for 10 days extra annual leave which equated to £1,275 (Her calculation is differant from my diary records, and towards the end I was forced to take days off when she said there was no work for me) . That I was asked to 'deal' with a ford ranger in a timely manner that I was using and find something more cost effective for the company as it could not handle the costs and constant misuse (It took 4 months) .They calculated an extra cost of petrol, finance and insurance against that of a citreon belingo I owed them £2218.80. (The ford ranger was in fact registered to me following the wind down of my fathers company and was supposed to be in lieu of a part of the outstanding wages form that previous company . This also stopped the vehicle being taken as part of that old company's liquidation. Howver as a gesture of goodwill I co-operated in disposing of this vehicle to the company's benefit. Then hired a vehicle at my own expense for nearly a month. I was never re-paid for this expense) They stated my company phone bill was highest of all the operatives and I had called personal numbers that equated to £15 plus VAT That I had misused the petrol card on 4 occasions (I admit to this, I went two months without salary and my wife needed petrol however I sought permission first) Then on the 1st July 2008 I received a letter from her stating that the company had very little work and my employement would be terminated as of the 1st of July. At this point I was owed just over £6,000 in salary. Anyway it turned out that the company was not in such a bad financial position as first made out as my other brother is also employed by the company. I went to seek advice from an employement solicitor who looked into the case for me (Its cost me a fortune). She wrote to my step-sister in August 2008 requesting the salary owed to me and my solcitor received a letter from her solicitor acknowledging that the wages were owed but stating due to the financial difficulties the company faced they were unable to pay me. Then in August 2008 my solicitor received a without prejudice letter stating their client acknowledged my right to outstanding salary amounting to £6,538.10p and that their client asks that be paid to me by instalements of £500 a month. They then went on to say that their client would also release me from any counterclaim they may have against your client which they estimate to be in the region of £4,500. I didnt receive any payments. Since then it has been a constant too and throw between solicitors and promises of payment, then waiting for payments to start (but they never).... (There was also a period inbetween of my solicitor taking long term sick and being changed to another solicitor in the same firm, and a period where nothing happened due to my fathers death. Whilst all this has been going on in the last few years the company has grown from strengh to strengh (so I dont understand why she still refuses to pay it). I have had no contact with my step-sister or step mother and my father passed away a year ago. (we made peace before he died) My step-mother then called me and my other siblings out of the blue stating she needed to see us. It turns out that due to french law as inheritance we are all due to own a percentage of the house my father and her own in France. At the meeting she offered to make an offer to all my other siblings but said she would not negotiate with me unless I drop the claim against by step-sisters company. Prior to the meeting my solicitor said that she would be sending a letter before action and advised me to proceed with a claim for the monies owing. My solicitor received a response from her solicitor stating that they would give me £6,500 to settle the claim only if I signed my percentage of the house to her mother. As far as I am concerned my wages owed and the house in france are two seperate matters. I hope I havent confused you too much!!! Anyway today I have submitted the money claim online..... I hoped to just settle it and her pay up the wages owed as due to not being paid I incurred debts which I am still paying now.... I dont know if I have done the right thing or what my chances are but want a final resoultion to this as it has been going on for so long now. Opinions please This is my particulars of claim: The claimant was employed by the defendant xxx company number xxx up until the 1st July 2008 when hewas made redundant following no consultation process. The claimant is claiming thesum of £6,538.10 which represents moniesowed to him from unpaid wages up until he was made redundant. Since redundancythe claimant has made numerous attempts to recover the monies owed however nomonies have been paid to date despite the Defendant acknowledging that theclaimant had not received his salary on a regular basis and there were arrearsowing of £6,538.10.Theclaimant claims interest under section 69 of the County Courts Act 1984 at therate of 8% a year, from 01/07/2008 to 06/09/12 of £2185.04 and alsointerest at the same rate up to the date of judgment or earlier payment at adaily rate of £1.43

Hi, im not sure if its too late to do anything or help, My friend had a loan with log book loans for about 1,500 and got behind with paymets, she made a payment arrangement to pay £70 a week and kept up with the payment most of the time however did miss 3 payments. Today log book loans have taken her car..... and said she needs to pay £1,200 by the 10th January to get it back... She doesnt have that type of money.... and is really defeated and said she will just let them have the car to stop the calls and she will be able to actually pay her mortgage and feed her kids for once without paying the £70 a week.... She has already previously put a complaint to the oft about them.. Is there anything that can be done to get the car back and pay a resonable amount each week??

Right I sent everthing I had off to them and included a letter from my husbands solicitor... I have today now received a letter from tax credits to say that they have on their system I was unemployed from 6th april - 20th april 2008........I have spoke to work and realised its my mistake as I was on a career break from aug 07-march 08 and must have been last telling them/got the dates wrong.... As well as this they have also asked for a breakdown of my husband working hours.... My husband was contracted 39 hours and paid the same salary despite the hours some weeks worked more some less.... payslips would always pay 39 hours..... We have always told tax credits he worked 39 hour week due to him being contracted this are we in the wrong. Lastly they have put on the letter we notice you have a standing order going out for £100 a month to xxxx please can you explain what this is and provide written evidence.... why would they need to know what we spend our money on..... we have never claim childcare in that tax year?? sorry for the questions.

Anyone about this morning who can help me.

I know its really late at night but does anyone have any ideas or am I worrying about nothing??

We have received a letter from the compliance team from tax credits... We have nothing to hide and think we have done everything correctly but im now in a bit of a panic. They are looking at our award from 2008-2009 (the messiest year of employment for my husband) we had 2 children from april-feb then a new baby in feb 2009... The story so far... My Husband and his step sister worked for their father in the family buisness in 2007 some time he decided to hand the company to them, My husband had shares in the company but I think thats as much input he had. In August 2007 the company slowly started to go down hill and contracts were not being paid. It got so bad that in early 2008 my husband was unwilling to put our house down as security for a buisness loan they needed and transferred his shares to his sister for £49... He continued to be employed by the company and was working a 40+ hour week (although not always getting paid for it) From April 2008-27th June 2008 he carried on being employed by the company although was given unpaid leave etc when work was not available. He basically worked on the promise of you will be paid when we get paid by contracts owed etc. On 27th June 2008 they sent him a letter of redundancy.... My husband was not paid between april 2008-July2008... However I think she was submitting payslips but not actually paying him the money if that makes sense. Anyway he went to a solicitor and is still in the process of claiming back money owed from 2007-2008 and april 2008- June 2008 total is about £9,000. This has been going on for well over a year now, we have letters where they admit they owe him £6,000 pounds wages but claim to have paid some of it (they havent) Court papers have been submitted but the solicitors have looked into their financial situation and it looks like they will possibly be going under anyway which will leave him with nothing.. I worked for the whole of 2008-2009 minus a about 4 weeks smp... 28th feb-31 march... I checked my p60 and infact earnt about £300 more than claimed.... My main concern is my husbands employment. When he was made redundant and having not been paid from april 2008- July 2008 we informed tax credits that he had worked that period but his salary was not paid. He than began a new job and earnt 13,000 When we submitted our final salarieS for the year we put his at 13,000 and mine at 22,000 (used my last payslip which turned out inaccurate due to SMP payments at the time and p60 actually shows 22,300) We do not pay any childcare....(grandparent look after the kids) My only concern is they have asked for 4 payslips from each employment (he wasnt given any from sister.... although she later provided the solicitor with some made up ones saying she had paid him by cash!!) A contract of employment (He didnt have one it was a family buisness although not so family now) and a P45 which he also didnt recieve. I am worried that I have done something wrong...... We are unlikely to ever get the £9,000 so we didnt declare it and now Im wondering if we should have... I have letters from his solicitor to prove he is in a employment dispute. I wouldnt be as worried its just my husband has recently decided to be the childrens full career so I can work (i earn more) and we really rely on the tax credits we recieve to live on once our bills are paid and dont know how we would cope if they go...

Hi, Im not sure if anyone will be able to help me, A couple of years ago a had a salesman come to my door about changing to southern electric, I was with british gas at the time so thought it was a good deal so swapped both my electic and gas over, The man checked the meters etc and I set a direct debit up... I have been paying £50 a month electric and £50 a month gas.... This has been going on for a couple of years (although I have missed a couple of direct debits here and there) I recently had a letter from southern electric about my electric as my direct debit didnt go through so I phoned to set a new one up, They told me I had an outstanding electric bill for £70 no big deal I can pay it at the end of the month.... Anyway I went on to ask them about my gas account and if she had my last meter reading she said they have never had a meter reading for my gas and they said oh your in credit by £1,200 I had a heart attack nearly!!! Anyway the lady on the phone went on to say do you want me to send you a cheque back..... I asked her how I had incurred so much and she said due to you being on a key meter!!!! I didnt dispute it on the phone and just hung up to ask my husband what to do...... Anyway Im really panicking now that they will say we owe them 2 years worth of gas which could be more than the amount we have in credit. Do I come clean now and say actually we have never been on a meter and you have messed up somewhere. Or keep quite until they cotton on. Im still paying the direct debit of £50 a month... Help please

Basically 6 months ago I was having difficulty paying my orange bills, I beleive they then totalled £300 odd pound. I spoke to orange about it and they agreed to put my account on hold for a period of 6 months. Anyway about a month later I recieved a letter from a DCA informing me that the debt had been passed to them and to pay it. I made full payment of the debt. Today I have recieved a letter from orange basically saying my six months are up and my sim will be reconnected. They have said that if I do not want it reconnected I will have to pay the disconnection costs etc which ammount to nearly another 12 months of bill payments. Any advice on what to do? I thought when it was sent to the dca that was for the whole contract?? if you get what I mean.... I cannot afford to pay any money to them at the moment.

think i found something..........The Data Controller Link Financial Limited 89 Albert Embankment London SE1 7TP is this the address others have used with success??

Sorry! just a quick one, I am trying to locate an address for Link financial that isn't a PO BOX address so that I can send recorded delivery.... doesn anyone know of one or where I can easily find it. Thanks

Ok thanks im going to print two subject access request forms tomorrow at work and get my husband to post them on Wednesday recorded delivery... Thanks guys... Am a bit nervous already... I know these things can take forever before you get a final conclusion not sure if my nerves will hold out though!! lol...

I thought so, God i feel so young now!! Do you think they would be stupid enough to put the date on a claim form if they take me to court??