Aggressive tactics of the Shop Direct group.

[bramblebuster]

Hello all.I'm a newbie to this forum and for my first post, would like to say that I too am suffering the aggressive tactics of the Shop Direct group.

Very brief outline of my tale of woe - A couple of years ago I got into financial trouble and defaulted on a balance of £498 with littlewoods. I buried my head in the sand and tried to avoid the calls and letters. Eventually though, I saw sense and started to pay the debt off after i took out an extended loan with shop direct.This allowed me to pay the debt by monthly payments plus the promise of no further charges or harrassing calls,but it also took the debt up to an extortionate £800. Anyhow,Shop D broke this agreement straight away as the charges just continued even though i was making payments and for the last 6 months or so, they've taken every opportunity to charge me. Now they're harrassing me with telephone calls ( 11 in the last 4 days! ) even though a payment isn't due for 6 days.

To cut a very long complicated story short, my original debt was £498, I've paid £290 of that off, but due to extended plans/charges/interest/whatever they feel like adding, I somehow still owe £668 - £170 more than the original debt!

I didn't intend to default- like most people i'm an honest person who's fallen on hard times.

I guess the golden rule is don't get into debt in the first place, but I do feel Littlewoods/Shop D need to be less aggressive.

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome, bramblebuster.

 

I've used your first post to start a new thread, please check your Notifications.

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[bramblebuster]

Hi all, just thought I'd update you on the me v SD situation. After writing to them for the nth time - yet again explaining my financial circumstances and yet again asking for them to correspond in writing only......what do I recieve in the post by return? A standard computer generated letter adding another charge to my account !

Cheeky bar stewards.

[bramblebuster]

Latest news with regard to Littlewoods/shop direct.

I've taken my case to the Financial Ombudsman, who are still investigating. In the meantime, Littlewoods/SD have started to give me 'courtesy calls' and have applied yet another charge to my account for non payment of arrears. I was under the impression that all charges and collection activity was to be suspended pending the investigation, but maybe i'm wrong...

[maroondevo52]

Hi,

 

I hope you get some joy with the FOS, most of these charges on your account are re-claimable, I think they only take any notice once you file at court, hopefully you won't need to go that far.

 

Regards.

 

Scott.

[bramblebuster]

Thanks Scott. It's actually quite comforting to have other people, albeit in cyberspace, empathise and offer advice.

[bramblebuster]

Dear Caggers,

 

Update for those interested....

 

Littlewoods/Shop Direct are starting to harrass me with the telephone calls again. So far, just the 3 calls in 24 hours.

Despite the fact that they have been given written notification of how I wish to be contacted ( writing only ) they recommence the telephone harrassment.

Despite the fact that the account is being investigated by the FOS, they persist with the harrassment( written form )

Despite the investigation, they persist with adding charges for non payment ( i'm not going to pay what I don't owe,especially as it's under investigation at the time! )

Despite them being aware that every telephone call distresses my disabled wife, they persist in the harrassment.

 

I can take the harrassment, but my disabled wife can't ( nor should she have to ). I want to come down on these morons like a tonne of bricks, but I know that my frustration and anger would come through and I'd end up behaving offensively and irrationally.

Does anyone know of any sensible course of action / legitimate legal threat I can make them to get them to back off whilst the FOS complete the investigation?

I thought about threatening them with the police ( as I would with any other person causing harrassment )

All advice and suggestions gratefully received!

Yours in annoyance and frustration

 

Bramblebuster

[bramblebuster]

14 calls in 72 hours. I've snapped!!

I've been forced to threaten Littlewoods with a visit from the Police ( telephone harassment ). If that doesn't stop them I'm in trouble!

[Surfer01]

Don't theaten them, contact the polcie and show the police the original letter sent to thm to tell them to stop harassing you. It is now a criminl offence.

[pastanutty]

Get yourself a whistle for when they do call again (they don't like it lol)

[watchinginvestigation2010]

If they ring again you could also tell a little porkie that worked till I got my real machine. Tell them all calls are recorded and you have a true call machine that logs times of unwanted calls and origin, worked for me with them, although they have now past it to a dca, but it still stopped the harassment. Ask them to put a note on the file that you have told them no calls contact and you will be gathering proof to make a harassment claim against them.

 

In meantime log the calls