Shop Direct - BIG MESS

[smj43]

I am currently trying to get my head around why my girlfriend 'owes' Shop Direct so much money. She opened 3 accounts with them just over a year ago. She fell behind on payments and didn't ask for my help until the debts had been sent to NDR for recovery.

 

I am trying to sort out this mess, but it makes no sense to me. I have paid them so much money and still owe more and I don't see how. My partner initially thought all 3 SD accounts had been merged into 1 debt with NDR, but we later discovered a second account and then a third (which by this time had been sent to Lowells). NDR promised no interest would be charged and agreed to £30 per month payments. On NDR website, when I make a payment, it says we are up to date with agreed payments, but yet they are still asking for payment in full and charging no end of £12 charges and interest and all sorts. We apparently owe Lowells over £500 which I don't see as possible since the original credit limit was only £300.

 

How can I figure out how much we actually owe these cowboys? (If anything, I feel they probably owe me!)

[smj43]

Just to add some further information, I have figured out the charges added on 2 of the accounts. Since the 3rd is with Lowells, there is no way for me to look and calculate charges on this account.

 

Additions:

 

3x Late Minimum Payment - £12

8x Missed Minimum Payment - £12

4x Debt Collection Letter - £12

 

So that is £180 total charges (not to mention interest charged at 49.9%)

 

Choice:

 

6x Missed Minimum Payment - £12

4x Late Minimum Payment - £12

2x Debt Collection Letter - £12

 

That's £144 in charges on this account.

 

I am also missing 2 statements each for these accounts so there are potentially more charges.

 

What can I do?

[sillygirl1]

Claim the chargesback,they are comletely unjustified, send the details to Trading Standards via ConsumerDirect and to the Office of Fair Trading, they are being obstructive and are not helping you get out of debt, they are prolonging the situation.

[smj43]

Thanks for your reply. What would be the best course of action to try and reclaim these charges?

 

Firstly, I need to get hold of the missing Choice/Additions statements and all of the Littlewoods (Lowell) statements. How can I get these without paying over the odds? I was told over the phone that I need to pay £5 per statement. I know this is rubbish, would a SAR get my statements?

 

Then, once I have all the statements together, I can calculate the charges. Do they charge interest on charges? If so, how do I calculate this also?

 

Finally, once I know what I'm claiming, do I just write to them threatening court/FOS action if they don't pay up? I don't know what my chances of getting them back would be because the total amount would more than clear the outstanding balance, they would owe me money.

[sillygirl1]

Yes, a SAR is the way to get these,don;t forget to list that what you specifically need, they should have sent a statement anyway when they took over the account.

 

Don't do anything about the interest yet, they may not have charged any, you will find this information on the statements.

 

Don;t go to the FOS yet, you need to do Trading Standards and the OFT first.

[smj43]

As stated earlier, I do have most of the statements for Choice and Additions (I am missing 2 per account). It's the Littlewoods/Lowell statements I really need.

 

I can see from the statement I do have that Additions have been adding interest (both before and after the account was sent to NDR). Additions was an interest bearing account and we knew this when the account was opened. My question is whether or not they would be charging interest on the charges? If so, I would also need to claim this back and would like to know how to work it out.

 

Also, both Choice and Additions should be cleared by Friday. Should I make these final payments to them? Or would it make it difficult to claim back the charges on a settled account?

[sillygirl1]

Yes,make the final payments to them and at the same time mention you would like a full final itemised statement for your own records.

 

As far as the interest goes, I am not an expert on this area. I believe there are some spreadsheets around which do this but couldnt help any further.

[dx100uk]

i would sar littlewoods

 

you should get everything then £10 in the green library tab uptop

 

then get reclaiming use:

 

http://www.egalegal.com/compoundWindow.html

 

 

they can charge int on unlawful fees but then so can YOU>

 

ps i would STOP paying these DCA fleecers!

pay littlewoods DIRECT via your internet banking portal

 

dx

 

 

dx

[themadcap]

smj,

see my post here as I have tackled these on behalf of others many times and they will not repay until you get serious,

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?306012-I-am-starting-a-mission-against-Shop-Direct-all-customers-please-read

Feel free to contact me as it is my intention to make these people suffer as much as they make others suffer

cheers