Had a good job, career, home, money, etc. Then had a prolonged period of inactivity, debts piled up, not opening letters, spiral of anxiety and stress. blah, blah. Now, for past year or so, been earning, and getting back on feet. Looking to start paying back, and deal with all my debts. Have done as much due diligence as I can, and need some pointers. I have a number of creditors, with debts totalling around 45K. Have been paying token payments of £1 to most, some more. Looking to get StepChange advice and help. But also need some idea of full and final offers to really motor down the debts. So, as a starter, here are some of my most pressing questions: 1: I am having difficulty filling in my Income and Expenditure, as my income fluctuates. (I am working freelance, as am probably too old to be employed by a company.) I am wary of entering payment schedule and failing. Prefer to keep paying token amounts, then offer surplus every 6 months or so. Would creditors go for this? 2: I understand the first step may be to get CCAs from my creditors. Are there any downsides to asking for CCAs? Would creditors sense that I am trying to wriggle out, and go for asking for more, or get heavy-handed? 3: Are CCAs only for debt companies, or even the Originating creditor? (some of my debts have been off-loaded to debt-companies.) 4: What is the purpose of SARs? How does that help me? I understand they might be for finding penalty fees, etc? I know I accrued a lot when I couldn't pay any amounts when I started my downhill slide. 5: When offering Full and Finals, do I go for the biggest first? 6: I have been sold from one debt-company to another on some debts, I dont know what I am paying for on some of the payments!! Can I just phone them up and ask where the original debt comes from? (I have signed up with noddle, and got my list of creditors and credit file, so I have a starting point. I have been reading this forum for a few days, and have built up some knowledge, and seen how helpful this site can be. I would like to ask for some help in taking the first steps for an eventual bright future. PS: would it be ok to list my debts (with some fudging to protect myself) as a starting point?

I made a CCA request to Barclaycard but the information I received was just some terms and conditions. I took some advice and made a Subject Access Request http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af319/Ukmark319/BarclaycardSARrequest.jpg I got a reply today under this request and all I got was a forwarding letter (Below) and a bunch of statements going back to 2003. http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af319/Ukmark319/barclaycardSARreply.jpg so there is no signed agreement or anything that resembles one just pages of statements. What should I do now Many thx Mark

Hi guys thanks for letting me join the site I am currently in quite a bit of debt, and have sailed through life instantly binning all letters or correspondence from debt collection agencies, due to various reasons (mostly illness and being out of my depth). I want to sort out my finances, repay debtors and start with a clean slate. It's going to take a long time, but it's the right thing to do. I've downloaded a free copy of my credit report and it's currently showing 6 separate accounts from Lowell financial totaling £1723. One of which is about to drop off my credit report and another is £290 for a £70 debt which is due to expire in September.. since I have zero paperwork, completely my own fault, I don't have account numbers, and the original debtor information is pretty sketchy. I understand I need to send an SAR to Lowell to obtain information, do I simply follow the templates I've seen online and leave off the details asking for the account number? Will I need to only send 1 postal order for £10 or will I need to send 5 (I intend to let the one about to expire, expire). I also have two CCJ's registered against me, 1 am currently setting up a payment plan with and another issued in 2009. I do not have the paperwork for the latter, do I contact the named court with the application number shown on the credit report and ask for a copy of the CCJ so that I can contact the original company, and is there any specific form or payments for this? Or will it simply go away in September? I've lived a really silly and reckless life, and really want to sort things out before it's too late. Sorry for all the questions, and thank you so much for all your help and advice in advance.

Hi, not had to deal with any of my cc debts for over 2yrs (all either unenforceable or DN problems), but the only card i had managed to keep straight was a HSBC one that i now cannot keep up with. I have sent a DSAR and had confirmation, in writing after threatening to make a formal complaint to the ICO, that they DO NOT have a copy of the agreement (if there ever was one). Since it was over 2yrs ago that I researched and joined CAG, I am sure the info I had then may be out of date. Could someone please give a quick refresh of anything that has happened that may affect me putting the account into dispute and not paying? Yes, I know there is a search facility, but I am currently going through a divorce and having to defend that myself (debts seem easy!). Thanks in advance

Hi CAG, I recently sent a SAR request to Lloyds, I quoted a black horse account number on the SAR . Lloyds have stated that they have no info on me. They state that they note I have given a black horse reference number and have given me the black horse address. I thought that Lloyds owned black horse, and therefore would have the info? I also have an old Ulster bank account. Lloyds own Ulster bank also. So i hoped to get both sets of info from Lloyds. Is this correct? Should I just do as they say and send another Sar request to Black horse? Thanks.

hi, ive up repayment plans with pay day lenders twice over this past 3 years due to a gambling problem. Im currently doing pretty well with 5 months left - bar swift sterling, most of the lenders were reasonably sympathetic in faciliating the plan. Early Payday were one of the lenders with a very small loan of £250 which I was paying at £25 per month and have increased to £37.50 per month. I normally use equifax for my credit reports and noticed nothing adverse with any of the pay day lenders - however this morning I have just checked my experian credit file and credit score and see that Early Payday have put a default against my account. The default amount is for £175 which is 3 months into my payment plan I received no documentation from them on this and am I right in thinking they should not be marking me as a default if I've made an arrangement with them - I've noticed wonga have marked my status as Arrangement to Pay (AP)

I am looking into all previous credit cards and store finance, and want to see a list of charges for these. Do I have to send the £10 SAR fee if I only want to see a copy of charges to my account, rather than the endless statements? I have quite a few and don't want to pursue futile claims. please advise.

Hi I have finally received my SAR from Halifax regarding my credit card and send me all the statement from 2000 up to now. There is roughly over £1000 charges regarding a insurance they have charged me for payment protection from the date 2000 to 2005 and then it was stopped and no protection charges after that period . There was also CCA dated 2000 with my faded signature on it . please advise What I should do I will appreciate any suggestion or advise if possible

I sent a subject access request form to buy as you view last year, after discovering that I had been paying for the following insurances: All sorted EPS A viewing guarantee (£136 has since been refunded because I had never purchased a TV with BAYV). I thought that I had recieved all of the information that was requested. After numerous emails to the company I have found out that they had failed to produce a telephone call log from 2012 and also a recorded telephone conversation in which it is implied that I asked specificaly asked for these insurances for the hp goods. I did no such thing. They have since sent me the call log in which I discovered that they lied about what was said in the conversation and they even lied about the name of the person who I spoke to! They have also conveniently lost the call recordings. I was just wondering if its against the law to fail to produce information that was requested in the SAR as I believe that the reason why some of the information was missing is because it would prove that they are liars. Thanks for your help.

I previously had a Scottish Widows credit card in which I have located some old statements with insurance added in which at the time, I would have not needed. I also located the original pack with the insurance application still intact inside. The account was later taken over by Lloyds TSB and when I contacted them before christmas about the above, they advised that they had no details but would pass on accordingly ? I have today received an acknowledgement from HBOS Customer Services from a Leeds address. Sorry for a silly question but in order to try and obtain any missing details, would anybody know what current address that I would send a SAR to for the prior years that Lloyds advised they had no record of ? Appreciate any assistance. Cheers

Hi everyone , I hope someone can help me , ive done a few searches and not come up with an answer, I have a couple of defaults on my credit file from about 5 years ago when things got bad with a broken relationship I know i defaulted on them in june of 2008 as i checked my credit file back in 2012 s o if im right they should drop in june 2014 right ? Well they have since been sold to lovell dca and have changed the date to june 2009 so that means they will take another year , can they do this ? Also if they are not allowed to do this what should i do to change it back , i have had no contact with them and was wondering if i send them the SAR will they then take that as me contacting me and have me by the short and curly as they say , Any advice would be great , Thank you

Please only read this if you can provide useful help. I am just a small cog, in a huge manufacturing plant that has its own site security who man the gates checking lorries leaving. This morning I had to leave night shift early due to a private hospital appointment. This was pre-planned, and accepted by my boss, and I also had the proof letter. There are 2 lanes to exit, with retractable bollards, and safety barriers that can also be raised. As there was a long que of lorries in the left hand lane, I chose to use the open right hand lane as the first set of bollards & barriers were open. This is something we always do when usually leaving after a shift. As I approached, the security lady waved her right arm backward and forwards as if to indicate me to move forwards. She then turned around and started shouting to my surprise. I was by now past the first lowered bollards, and in the 'security box'. Ahead the 2nd barriers were raised, but the 2nd bollards up. She shouted, " I told you to stop, you need to reverse and go to the back" I told her don't be stupid it is dark and raining, and would she open the barriers. She got the hump and made threats to 'report' me for calling her stupid. I said, do whatever you need to, but can I just get home now as I have permission for my appointment, and I am in my own time. She refused, and then took my name & reg, and asked for my company ID, which I gave her. I told her again I needed to go and moved the car an inch. She stood in front of my car and stopped me there while she shouted to the other guard to close the other barrier preventing my exit. She now has my reg, ID and name, and still is refusing to let me go home. I said, and I quote "Look, you have my details, lets just deal with this Monday" She said "You wont have a job on Monday" I said "Well we'll see won't we" ...she carried on the radio for a few minutes when I just told her "look, I have permission to leave this site for a medical reason for which I will hold you responsible" She lowered the bollard and I left. Now this was 5 mins of my time I won't get back, and I do not appreciate being threatened by a hitler security guard on my way out of a very physical job. There are 2 lanes to exit. I did not think it was unreasonable as the left hand lane was full of commercial lorries being checked, for me as an employee who works hard, to use the right hand lane which was open. I did not appreciate having my ID taken, and kept against my will. I did not commit a criminal offence. This is all on CCTV as she told me. Great, I would like to see that as everything I have said happened they will see. Can I SAR them for the footage of me by any chance? It is data, and do they have to comply? What I would also like help with please is if any, is what workplace offences she, or I may have committed, as my workplace uses a kangaroo court style justice system where they trump up charges to boost their own ego. I have been through a tribunal myself, which I won, and I know that there has to be proof of EVERYTHING for things to stick legally. They cannot take one side over the other, which is what they will do anyway, as they like to get one over us on the shop floor by 'doing someone' regularly to show their superiority. Also, was I falsely imprisoned, threatened unfairly etc.. It is now 7am, 2 hours after I left work, and I cannot sleep due to this stressing me out, and I have to be up for the hospital at 12pm. Thanks for reading.

What is the ACCOUNT /REF NUMBER all about on the SAR form? Bill

Hi all I am currently helping 2 friends sort out their debts with the CO-OP both have current accounts and credit cards. Both debts in default 2013/14 both pre 2007. Defaults in 2013/14 all debts currently showing on credit files. I am waiting for the monthly updates on the CRA files Last payments both were 2013/14 I sent a CCA to them 07/07/2014 no reply to either. Follow up letters sent still no replies to both. Both sent via RM and signed for receipted and still have the screen shots of the signatures date and time. So on 01/12/2014 I SAR them both. Via RM and signed for receipted and still have the screen shots of the signatures date and time. On the 19/12/2014 I receive a letter from the CO-OP saying the debts have now been sold to HOIST. Why would the CO-OP sell the debts in access of £20k? I know that the CCA's and SAR are still valid what would the next steps now be?

Hi All I was looking for the template SAR so I could send one to Capital One but after searching the site when I clicked the link I got an error saying I didn't have sufficient access - can anybody advise where I can get a template a user can access? Many thanks

Hi All I am in the process of trying to claim back PPI paid on a HSBC card that we have had since 1998! we always thought that this was a condition of the card as we never took out PPI on anything due to either being self employed or we did have a spell running pubs as management couple but would of had to cover for each other or take on extra staff if we were ill so we know for a fact that we never took this out willingly. all this really only came to light last year as our card is paid automatically via direct debit each month but then we started getting calls from HSBC asking for additional payments. I told them that I could not understand how the account was going over the limit as they take the min payment each month and so this shouldn't happen. It was then that they explained that an insurance policy was being debited each month as an expense and it was this that was causing the account to go over each month! I then realised that it was in fact PPI that was being taken from the account and explained this to them and the fact that we would never of taken out PPI at all due to the reasons mentioned before. Then I heard all this stuff on the radio and so made the big mistake of contacting the company xxxxxxxxx who started to to reclaim it for me. After a few months they had a response from HSBC and said that my only other action was to go to the FOS. I told them to leave it and that I didn't want them to go any further. Now I have copied the letter that HSBC sent them below and I really don;t think they have a good enough reason for turning down the claim as they just say that we should of cancelled etc and also they don;t even have the original agreement to prove that we signed for it!!!!! I also wrote to HSBC on 27th Feb 2013 and a copy is below but they have not replied to my letter at all. Yesterday I filled in the FOS PPi complaints form and that has gone off to the FOS and I have also sent a SAR request to HSBC today so that I have all the figures charged etc since 1998. I think I have done everything I need to do and now assume I have to just wait for the FOS to get in touch? When I do some rough calculations with advice from other posts in regard to interest to claim etc this cold be a very large claim if I win it and I'm hoping it will then allow me to clear of numerous debts that I am struggling with at the money so me and my hubby can start again. If anyone can advise or are in a similar situation would love some encouragment as feel like I'm stepping into the unknown here. Thx

Hi I have just received statements of credit card held with RBS dating back to 2001 including a copy of a signed agreement from RBS showing my signature lacking any date. Would this stand up in court? I now have statements with late charges and the interest charged each month I was wondering am I now able to reclaim any of the charges between 2001 and now. This account has been with DMP since 2010 paying a nominal fee monthly. Thanks in Anticipation

Hi guys had a historic secured loan with welcome (1995-2001) loan is paid but loaded with PPI and plenty of charges. just need advice in sending for SAR and a up to date address for welcome Thanks in advance.

Hi hope someone can help. I had a CPP for the above in which I have been successful in reclaiming. The only thing is I have today received a statement and Barclaycard have deducted protection amount owed from balance, Tax amount and also the simple interest amount ? The card was suspended a couple of years ago (due to another barclaycard account that I had problems with) and I always make the regular minimum monthly payments that are due on this account. I have had no contact from them regarding what they have done or any further contact from Card Protection Plan Limited. Is this correct what they have done as I thought that any interest less tax should have been returned to me and not applied to the account ? Its not a large amount but its the principle of the matter that concerns me. Apologies if I have posted under wrong section.

Marlin acquired NR's loan portfolio last year. I am going to send requests into NR for copies of the original paperwork as I smell a rat. I took a personal loan (unsecured) in 2005 and defaulted on this and 3 credit cards in 2009 when I went DMP. The default wasn't recorded by NR, just an ATP until early 2013 when it dropped off of my credit history. I have 4 defaults from 2009 which expire next yr and I will make F&F on these are they are valid (I have CCA's them). I'm worried about the Marlin loan, I am desperate to avoid a CCJ or something I want a plan as to whether continue paying them £60 a month, F&F or test the validity.... Long rambling post (sorry) - my question is do I CCA/SAR or both? And to NR or Marlin?

Greetings all, Wonder if someone knowledgable enough could clarify if I need to pay for requesting a copy of my NHS records held by my GP SAR (electronic & paper)? I've read here post of NHS GP SAR Guide to Obtain a copy of or view your patient records - Updated (Costs can vary but the rules are £10 for electronically held records and up to £50 for anything held on paper. With NHS records if you still are a patient or have been within 30 days the fee is waved and it is free. You can also arrange to view you records for free and keep them updated by requesting copies of new letters as and when they are written etc.) unless I have misconstrued what is written, as an existing NHS patient access to this information is free of charge. My local GP practice manager has informed that a cost of £30 would be applicable, just wondering if and how I could challange this? Thanks in advance.

hi just after a little advice please Lowell own 3 of my old catalogue accounts and I want to SAR to see what information they have now my question is can I put all 3 accounts on the one SAR if so do I still only pay £10 or do I pay £10 for each account? or do I have to send separate SAR request for each account? thanks for any help

hello everyone hope you can help Ive been a lurker for a while - and been following advice without needing to post anything - so far until now ( thank you to all as you guys are amazing at what you do, especially helping noobs like me ) Anyway I had a simply be account and got into some arrears - the original credit limit was £350 but with added charges I ended up paying back over £1200 - have just finished paying the amount back and wanted to claim back admin charges and insurance added on to the account. Sent away for a SAR with the fee - and have today received a large pack of documents with recordings. Thing is - the pack seems to literally be loads of screen shots from their system I imagine - and I cannot make heads or tails of it - I was expecting to see copies of collection letters or arrears letters - or statements even notices of defaults but nothing- literally nothing about going into arrears that I can tell is this the usual things they send out ? it is data on purchases etc How is someone who does not work there suppose to figure this out ? also the account was opened in 2011 and I have seen in the insurance section of the pack it says - insurance opted out 2012 does this mean that I only opted out of the insurance in 2012? thanks for your help in advanced vol

Hi, I have a debt with Lowells bought from HFC Bank, for approx £290 the last payment/acknowledgement was in March 2009. Lowells bought the debt and started sending me letters and calling as they usually do. However after first reading this site I sent them an SAR in March 2014. They have dragged their feet attempting to comply with my request until today (Sunday) I received an email from them the contents below. They sent statements and other fairly useless info to me but failed to send an original CCA signed by me. They have now stated they do not need to and instead sent me a copy of the agreement I may have signed way back in 2005. The copy has my details handwritten but no signature or anything else. Is there anything else I can do about this, as they say I now have 30 days to "arrange a repayment plan".... As you can see from the email this has been going on since March 2014. I also have a Barclaycard debt with them for which I am just starting the same process as on the original SAR they only complied partially with the HFC account and again have done nothing with the Barclaycard SAR or account since then - well over 7 months for them to get the info together which they presumably dont have!!! Contents of todays email copied below ---- Original Creditor: HFC Bank LTD I write further to our email dated 21 August 2014 and apologise for the delay in responding. Summary of your complaint You are unhappy with our contact in relation to the above former HFC Bank LTD account, as you believe we have failed to supply you with all the information you have requested under the Data Protection Act 1998. My Findings Please be aware that under Section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998, we are only required to provide you with the documents that we hold. We have no obligation to seek and obtain further documents that you request under this legislation. Our records show that we responded to your request for information under Section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 and provided you with the data you are entitled to under such a request on 5 March 2014. The Data Subject Access Request pack we provided complies with the requirements made under the request. I note that you have requested a copy of the signed original credit agreement for the above account. The documents required to be supplied in relation to any account governed by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 have been the subject of a lengthy legal test case of Carey v HSBC Bank PLC [2009] where it was held by the High Court that to comply with such a request:- 1. The original signed agreement need not be supplied, as a reconstituted copy of the agreement is sufficient provided it contains the name and address of the person as it was when the credit agreement was signed; and 2. If the terms and conditions of the credit agreement have been varied following the date it entered into, then a copy of the last varied terms should also be supplied. Given the above, please find attached a reconstituted copy of the agreement as supplied by the original creditor, HFC Bank LTD. I have also enclosed statements of the account which demonstrate the balance remains outstanding and due. I have placed your account on hold for 30 days to allow you the opportunity to review this information to contact us with your repayment proposals. If we do not hear from you within this time, collection activity will resume. I hope that this response concludes the matter to your satisfaction. If for any reason you are not satisfied with this response, please do not hesitate to contact me on telephone number 0800 5420 058 or reply to this email. Please refer to our email dated 21 August 2014 which gives you the right to refer this matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

It's generally accepted that a CCA doesn't have to be provided when creditors provide information under a SAR, but I've never quite got why that is. A friend recently sent a SAR to Barclaycard, who sent plenty of information up to exactly 10 years old. The one thing that they provided which was older was a copy of a signed application for a card. My friend had other cards with BC too but there were no CCAs or applications for them. Are we right to accept that a CCA doesn't have to be provided in response to a SAR, or are we being hoodwinked?