Provident/greenwoods help

[decz2004]

Hello i'm new to this site and really need help please! I have loans with both provident/greenwoods and my income has more the halved recently due to job loss! Plus my ex partner who used to pay maintenance for my kids has lost his job which was to no fault of his own either so now i have hardly anything Both provident and greenwoods are expecting to be paid about £60 per week between them and i don't even have that for myself and kids! I really dont know what to do! one agent comes monday the other tuesday! I am now in the process of claiming benefits still waiting to here from tax credits etc! So living of the very little i have put aside till everythings sorted out! Please help, Thankyou jen.

[teaboy2]

Hi Decz

 

Your benefits is the minimum amount that you are entitled to live off by law, therefore the Creditors can not make you pay more than you can afford, as you are on benefits and only receiving the minimum amount per week that the law says your entitled to live off, then you only need to make token payments of £1 per creditor until your circumstances improve.

[FORMISTER]

Hi welcome to the forum. Just to echo what Teaboy says above, you may like to read Sequences blog http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/entry.php?256-Sequenci-s-Debt-Diaries-Blog-Home

[buddie84]

if you stop paying provident after few letters they tend to forget abt you (experience from few years ago when i had account with provident its been 5/6 yrs and havent heard from them which is even funny last year i was accepted for greenwoods & vanquis card both owned by provident) greenwoods i not sure due i reduce my weekly pay to them from £30 a week to £10 a week and they seem happy with it but i got a job but since your on benefits offer £1-2 a week if they dont agree stuff them its their loss

[decz2004]

Oh thats great to know! I didn't know i could pay so little it would really help just now as we don't have much and all i can think about is my kids and if i continued paying both companies they would have to do without and that breaks me It was such a shock to lose my job i got no warning or anything hence why i'm so unprepared and don't know what to do! So will i send letters to them offering the payment?

[FORMISTER]

A lot of people don't realise their rights in regards to debt and debt collection. Since the early 90's recesssion the pendulum very much swung into the debtors direction. The law is quite clear in what they are allowed and not allowed to do and ask for.

People don't deliberately get themselves into situations like yours and as long as you demonstrate that you are trying to deal with it, then there is not much they can do. A judge will side with you and they know this, so they will be unlikely to take you to court.

 

I hope sequences guide has given you some insight and help

 

Good luck and keep your thread updated

[dx100uk]

oh and just to clarify

 

they have NO LEGAL POWERS and will go nowhere near a court, with the interest rates they charge, they'll be crucified by the judge.

 

do not put up with any threats of anything nasty etc etc

 

dx

[teaboy2]

Oh thats great to know! I didn't know i could pay so little it would really help just now as we don't have much and all i can think about is my kids and if i continued paying both companies they would have to do without and that breaks me It was such a shock to lose my job i got no warning or anything hence why i'm so unprepared and don't know what to do! So will i send letters to them offering the payment?

 

Yes write a letter to each creditor, explaining your situation and offering the £1 repayment until your circumstances improve. After that, just ingore any letter and just keep making payments of £1 to each, Might also be worth stating that they are not to call you be phone but in writing only as you will consider contact by phone to be in breach of section 40 of the administation of jusitce act and the protection against harassment act. That way they should also stop calling you, and if they do do not answer the security questions and just say put it in writing. So long as you keep paying the £1 payments to them a judge will be in your favour all the way if they did decide to take your to court, which as others here agree, it is very unlikely that they will take legal action.

 

On side note i would suggest you send a CCA request to both of them too.

[Tingy]

Really just to echo the above. Reduce your payments to just £1.00 and if they don't like it, tough! I don't know about Greenwoods as I had never heard of them, but Provident do not charge interest on late payment charges. They will be well used to people in your situation so don't worry about it - they know the risk when they take you on, that's why they charge such ridiculous interest rates.

[decz2004]

Hi i've done the letters i got it on the templates on here the one offering a reduced payment due to change of circumstances hope this is this the correct one? Also i've filled out a I&E to show them exactly what i now have coming in and what i'm left with! Will this be ok will i send recorded or will 1st class be ok? thankyou jen.

[buddie84]

from previous ecperience they will ingore ur letter as i have tried myself instead i just say to my agent who came each week thats all i could afford etc he said even if you only COULD AFFORD £1 a week they might complain but after few weeks they will give in and accept your offer - is ur agent ok cos i have heard few them are axxeholes i just lucky i got good one as i been with him few years also like the above post they will not take to court due to interest but you might get dca called wescots i think it is owned by provident so nothing to worry about hopefully some cag member can verify if wescot is owned by provident as i believe they own wisemans aswell notsure

[Ell-enn]

Always send letters to these companies by recorded delivery and keep a copy for yourself. You can then check on the royalmail website in a few days to print off the signed for receipts - you should keep them safe with the copies of the letters in case you need to prove they got them.

[sleepingdog]

Hi decz2004 , just to add to above posts that now you have found CAG you will find that the headache and worry that being in debt brings will soon vanish as you learn to take control of your debt away from creditors and DCAs.

sleepingdog

[Tingy]

Against my usual advice, I don't think I'd send this bunch your IE form. Just state you've had a change in circumstances, reduction in income, this is what I can now pay. Lots of love xxxxxxxxx

[decz2004]

I've already sent in the letter and IE form ah well they will see i can't afford the full amount anymore! I never answered the door to the agent yesterday and the other ones due today and again i'm just going to leave it! The letters should be received today! I've asked to pay them by standing order i hope i can do this as i don't really wont anyone coming to the door anymore!! As i've read that some agents can become quite aggressive when you cant or don't pay the full amount ! The last thing i want is someone constantly at the door, Alough my agents have been nice while i've been a customer but then again i've never missed any payments!

[FORMISTER]

In case you need them, this is the template letter to stop agents/collectors coming to your door http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?441-If-you-do-receive-a-doorstep-visit-we-give-these-suggestions-to-Members.

Your property is private and by invitation only, you have the right to withdraw anybodys right to step foot on your property (unless a court appoints them)

 

And here is the harrasment by telephone letter http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?493-Harassment-by-telephone-response-letter

[decz2004]

Hi i sent the letters on the 4th of april and they were recorded delivery both which were signed for on the 5th! I also sent the doorstep letter but the agents are still banging at my door! The greenwoods one has been at the door 3 times today and puts card through the door and constantly phones my mobile and text me saying i'm 2 weeks behind when will i be in for her to collect!! I have had no response from anyone about my reduced payments! I don't know what else to do will i send the letters again? I know it was just over a week ago but i thought the manager or someone would have been in touch by now. Thanks

[teaboy2]

Give a copy of each letter to the collector, and that will stop them coming to your door. It would appear the greenwood are ignoring it, so make a complaint to trading standards about them.

[decz2004]

ok thanks will do that! Hopefully will that stop them.

[teaboy2]

It should do as you will have then formally informed the collector that their actions in attempting to collect is a tort of trespass, and they texts and phones call's to you are deemed as harassment and therefore also unlawful.

 

If not let us know, as a more direct approach maybe called for

[FORMISTER]

Tell them you will phone the police if they come on to your property again, you withdrew their invitation to your property, now they are tresspassing. they have no legal right.

[Tingy]

Good advice from teaboy there!

[decz2004]

Hi greenwoods are totally ignoring me i have sent 2 letters now to them recorded, I know they are receiving the letters because they were signed for and i have also left a note for the agent but she is still coming to my door, phoning and texting saying i am weeks behind and i need to get my account up to date soon!! Is their anything else i can send? Thanks

[buddie84]

as i said while ago greenwords/provident will ingnore your letters all i would do is give a £1 or amount you can afford that way you wont get a default on your creditfile my mate gave them 50p a week in 2/5 pences lol they werent happy but he told that or nothing they took it lol

[dx100uk]

print off the letter

and GIVE it to the agent.

 

tell her if see contacts you again

you will be seeking legal advice

 

dx