Many thanks Dx

We have dumped them (thanks to you), but there was an issue with the bank debt in that PayPlan were reporting the debt as £1000 less than it was and they were only paying a minimum amount to them whereas I would have thought that the biggest debt and biggest interest would have had the bulk, of what he could pay, paid to that debt first or does it not work like that? By the way, I contacted PRA to ask if they were willing to totally remove an account from CRA files and they replied "We do need to report on the credit file for 6yr after the original default date. This will show as a balance of £0.00 for each account for the remainder of the 6yr." One of the accounts though only defaulted in February 2022, 4 or 5 months after PayPlan were engaged; did they cause the default because they missed a payment date or did the debt owner decide to sell it on at that point?

@dx100uk thanks for your previous advice, just a quick question on how PayPlan operates if I may? In my son's case, as outlined above, he had four debts, one with a bank and the others with DCAs, he could pay about £250 a month to PayPlan £200; how do they allocate the funds, is it a straight 25% each or can PayPlan negotiate a specific sum per debt owed? The reason I ask is that the main bulk of his debt were to the bank and I'm presuming that as PayPlan didn't really negotiate anything then they don't get a commission or backhander from them and therefore it isn't in their interest to pay more than they need to (until of course the bank sells the debt on); is that correct? Many thanks

@BazzaStheir previous letter (as others before it) didn't answer any of the specific questions (listed as bullet points) that I asked and then said that is the end of the matter as far as DVLA complaints go, seemingly forgetting their own complaints procedures which is the Chief executive, then and independent and then the ombudsman - I'm hoping it gets to the ombudsnman as I'm sure we have got grounds for compensation. I know my MP very well, but my son is in a different part of the country and not keen on speaking to people.

Thanks for that,. You've actually just reminded me about his medical records; he had a face to face with his GP over this and received an apology, plus a letter to DVLA correcting the error, and was told he'd get a copy of his medical records, but he's not got them so far. Funnily enough he received a letter from DVLA Complaints (not from the Chief Executive, still waiting for that one) and one thing they said, which is at odds with their website and other letters is that "..where alcohol misuse has been confirmed, a full term licence cannot be considered until the driver has achieved 5 years of controlled drinking". Even if it isn't new, you think they would have mentioned that in the last 5 years! I'm guessing his fight is going to be with the two GPs involved for wrongly reporting his medical and drinking in the past. Thanks for the advice so far, I'll get him to chase up his medical records and send a SAR to DVLA.

Makes more sense to me now to! We did think of going direct but we stupidly thought that going via PayPlan would have helped. I'm presuming by free money you mean the extra they would have got if PayPlan hadn't got it?

When you say "could have negotiated" does that mean it's now to late? Who do you negotiate with i.e. TransUnion - he uses Clearscore? I've just confirmed with him that Clydesdale is actually showing as "In Arrears" and the others (DCAs) all reported "In Default" with the amount in arrears/owed. He's had one letter from Clydesdale which says Notice of Sums in Arrears under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. He has never stopped paying them, just not the agreed total monthly amount and always the agreed interest amount. I've no idea what all this means so thanks for your help again.

Yes, it's his credit file which made him do some research as the ones which had been passed on were showing one thing (can't remember the term) the Clydesdale was showing as default since the DMP was started and reported as owing £1000 more than what PayPlan was telling him. At least that will now show as settled, as should the others.

Cheers. Thanks for the advice but I'm playing piggy in the middle between my son and creditors and it's giving me a headache so I'm going to bite the bullet and be done with it. He's going to be able to pay back what I've lent him in about 18 months which is way sooner than he'd ever hoped to achieve with PayPlan; like you've said they are useless and now I know they are a con!.

Hi and apologies for the long post, 8 years ago my son woke up on the floor and with a bruise on his face, paramedics called by landlady but said he was fine. 5 years ago he had a similar episode and this time went to the doctor who referred him to a consultant who subsequently cancelled as the time scale (between the GP and Consultant) ruled out any chance of a diagnosis and therefore there wasn't a formal diagnosis of what occurred (fit, epilepsy, unknown etc.) but his GP did report it to the DVLA (see next sentence). Just after, my son's mother died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage and he understandably took it hard and started drinking and sought help from his GP. By coincidence, the medical forms from DVLA arrived at his GP and, unbeknown to my son, the GP stated that he suffered day time fits and they were alcohol related, neither of which were true or proven (no medical diagnosis of his [2 in 8 years] episodes, no evidence that they were alcohol related [he started drinking after the second episode] and they were both nocturnal). The form which the GP had to complete is identical to the one the GP completed and there is a part which gives the impression that one has to send your licence back with the form; we now know this is not true as the DVLA have subsequently stated than the licence was voluntarily surrendered and without the proper form. Subsequent to the GP returning the form my son had his licence suspended (6 months I think) but then it became almost a witch hunt of annual DVLA medical tests, all of which were passed with a CDT of less than 0.6, followed by the issue of a 1-year licence and this has continued for the last 4, nearly 5, years. He only became aware that the GP had completed the form incorrectly about 12 months later but, despite issuing a corrected form, the DVLA continued with the annual medical testing/licence issue. We then found out that the form also stated that my son was binge drinking, which was probably correct at the time, but not only was the GP told that drinking had become limited to 4 cans of standard lager once a week which, by definition, is a) controlled and b) below the NHS accepted binge drinking limit; the DVLA has not taken notice of either of these. In addition, the GP suggested (not recommend) that my son seek help for his drinking which my son initially ignored but then, at my insistence, joined a local alcohol support group; 3 months later they said there was no point him attending any longer as he didn't have a alcohol problem; again DVLA ignored this fact. My son changed GP shortly after the amended medical form was sent to the DVLA and, despite having never seen his new GP, the DVLA still requested a completed medical form annually. in 2021 the DVLA requested yet another medical test, which again was passed, but we believe that this time the Dr conducting the test wrote a letter to the DVLA with her concerns as to why my son was having to undergo annual testing; surprisingly (or not) a few months letter my son receives a letter requesting that he take the test again; we try to find out why but they don't respond. A letter is then sent to the Chief Executives Office but they don't reply. In the meantime, DVLA tell my son that his licence has been revoked as he hasn't been for the re-test (they eventually told him that the previous blood sample had gone bad)! This letter contains a shock as it includes a copy of the form completed by my son's GP which states that my son is alcohol dependant! Firstly, my son has never been alcohol dependant, diagnosed or otherwise, and this GP has never seen him! We put a formal complaint in to the GP and he has admitted that he was wrong and has written to the DVLA stating his error. He told my son that the way DVLA write to GPs makes them complete the forms with a matter of urgency so they use the patients medical history file and there is no requirement to see the subject - common sense should apply here and a GP should not be compiling a report on someone they've never seen! We still have formal complaints in with both the DVLA Medical group and the Chief Executive's Office but they are taking around 12 weeks to respond. My message to anyone being asked to undertake a medical is to make sure you see your GP before they complete any DVLA forms and ask for a copy once they've sent them in. My question is, about compensation and advising a solicitor; does anyone know of a solicitor who specialises in this area? Can the DVLA be sued for incompetence? Should the GP be sued for providing false information - it effectively contributed to the requirement for annual blood tests, a record that says my son is alcohol dependent and a lot of stress, not to mention the deterioration of his car while he's not been able to drive. Thanks in advance

@dx100ukapoologies, I badly worded that about clearing his file; what I meant was that it will show on his credit file as being settled which gives him a better credit score albeit it will still be on record for 6 years - have I got that right? The amounts I paid to PayPlan are in the first post but for ease of reference: Credit Security - £2102.92 (Halifax CC) PRA Barclays - £1410.28 (Barclays CC) PRA Purchased Accounts - £455.09 (Halifax Overdraft) I think I understand why you are advising that I should try and get that money back, bin the agreement with PayPlan and then discuss settlements with Credit Security and PRA but I think I'm too late as PayPlan have already settled the debts with Credit Security and PRA and I'm not sure the bank would let me make chargeback anyway; what reason could I use? The reason I "lent" him the money to pay off the debts is mainly to get rid of the massive interest on the Clydesdale loan (PayPlan didn't help with Clydesdale at all and having read some posts on here now I know why - the loan is still with the bank and PayPlan aren't getting anything out of it!) - he is paying me back and it will be far quicker than using PayPlan. Clydesdale have just agreed to freeze the interest so I've asked my son to ask them how long for and can he go back to paying them directly (then I don't have to lend him the money). Luckily I've never been in debt so new to all this and still learning the terminology. Many thanks

Thanks for the replies. He's been an agency worker for years but had a habit of binning a job if they start taking advantage or messing him about but he used to do it before he had another job to go to (doesn't anymore and now in full time employment). I don't know what he said on his application but he took it out for a new kitchen/bathroom (he'd ripped the old kitchen out 4 years previously when his mum died but being in a bad place he spent the money intended for the kitchen on other things). He also thought he could pay it off as he had a friend lodging with him after his marriage broke up but it wasn't long before he found someone new and moved out (my son should have realised it wouldn't have been long term but he saw it as a way out of living in a mess of a kitchen). Anyway, bank of Dad paid off the debts last week but through PayPlan (by BT) - with hindsight we probably should have contacted them directly and they may have taken a smaller sum. I was going to pay Clydesdale as well but wanted to hear what PayPlan had to say about the reporting discrepancy just in case he doesn't actually owe what Clydesdale have said (i.e. they maybe should have frozen the interest when the plan started); interest has only been frozen since my son contacted them directly. Should we just pay the amount Clydesdale say he owes now (directly and not through PayPlan) and hopefully get a partial refund if somebody has messed up (wishful thinking?) later or wait until PayPlan have reported back? Should he make a complaint to PayPlan about how this has been handled (lack of regular reports, no information about the rate/amount of interest being paid to Clydesdale, incorrect reporting of the amount owed) or is it not worth it? Now that Clydesdale have frozen the interest, I guess the only reason to pay it off now is to clear my son's debt and get his credit file clean sooner - is that correct? Thanks

I'm writing this for my son as he's not very good at putting things in words. He took out a £10000 loan a couple of years ago (not sure how as he 's an agency worker and his income fluctuates) but circumstances changed and he got into debt. He tried to sort it out himself and ended up with a Debt Management Plan with PayPlan which began in November 2021. He had four debts: Credit Security - £2102.92 PRA Barclays - £1410.28 (Overdraft I think) PRA Purchased Accounts - £455.09 Clydesdale - £4244.07 I only thought about asking on here today and probably should have asked last week as I have just settled the top three accounts for him - at the balances shown whereas I'm guesing had I asked first I would have been advised not to! The issues he has now is that PayPlan are advising him that he owes Clydesdale around £3100 whereas Clydesdale confirm that it is £4244.07 - why? He has also just discovered that CRAs are showing the account as defaulted but not sure whether that is because he has or if it's because PayPlan are only paying Clydesdale 7 days after the monthly payment is due. Although he was eventually told by PayPlan that they can't force banks to freeze the interest; Clydesdale didn't freeze the interest but he wasn't aware of the rate being applied or how that was effecting his payments only 2 weeks ago realised that he owed £4244.07 and not £3100 (Clydesdale gave PayPlan a statement in August of how much was owed but they were still telling him the lower figure) and that his monthly payment was effectively £65 interest and £35 debt meaning it would be quite a long while before being paid off! One, is there anything he can do and should he (we) still pay it off? Many thanks,

Good point, hadn't thought of that when the person at VOSA told me - guess I was in shock!! I think I will have to give them another call! Thanks for the reminder

Hi, I couldn't think of a better title but what I am about to state may astound you and applies to anyone going to buy a car: Due to a garage withholding an Advisory Notice issued with an MOT carried out 3-days before my partner bought the car I called VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) and what I was told was not something I expected - Apparently, whoever pays for the MOT OWNS the paperwork (the MOT (pass and/or Fail) Certificate and Advisory Notice) and is not legally required to supply any of it to the purchaser of the vehicle to which it relates. The VOSA also stated that as the MOT process is now electronic the buyer can get all they need from the web. How stupid is this? They basically stated taht the onus is on the buyer to go and check the paperwork on-line before buying the car; ok, it isn't that hard to do for people with access to a PC but to give a garage (or any seller) permission to withhold an important piece of information is ridiculous. I'll be raising this with my MP. Hope this helps anyone intending to buy a car - check the MOT history on-line before you buy - it's FREE.