Please help with Littlewoods/Very - Can't afford to pay required monthly amount!

[Max71]

Hi,

 

I'm new here today (thank you already to dx100uk for pointing me in the obvious direction to begin a new thread) I hope I've done it correctly - knoiwing me probably not Lol.

Anyway, here is my dilemma and please can someone give me some sound advice as its never as easy as it seems and I am losing a lot of sleep fretting.

 

I have got myself into a pickle and am drowning in repayments for various things.

 

My two main debs are Littlewoods

and Very £1700 in total.

 

I have written down my outgoings and can realistically afford to pay £10 a month to each one.

I have not gone into arrears yet - my next payment is due on 7th February and there is no way I can continue with the £175 a month malarky.

My husband has a poorly paid job on comission so cannot help in any way with these and my pay is rubbish.

 

What do I do by way of approaching this situation with the two catalogues before my payment due date

(Ive never been in arrears yet so this is a first for me...Do I write to them now?

Do I just leave it (not really in my nature to bury my head in the sand or ignore thigns but im open to all advice)..

 

I just don't know what do to and I know by reading threads on here that I will be whacked with interest and monthly fees and letters etc,

but im no pushover at the same time so dont get me wrong,

I can stand up to the best of them,

- I just want to make sure I am doin it correctly to cover myself and whether this will results in people coming for my husbands electrical goods (not from Littlewoods I hasten to add) Lol.

 

I opened the account online a year and a half ago so I can't claim no CCA as it is post 2007

and I know the rules have changed since then so they can enforce.

 

Your help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks so much

Edited January 31, 2012 by dx100uk

[citizenB]

I think you should perhaps have a read of the following and then perhaps telephone National Debtline so they can answer any questions you may have. Littlewoods are pretty awkward to deal with so by going the route below, which is recognised and has the backing of the OFT.. then your offer of £10.00 should be acceptable.

 

Please let us know how you get on.

 

The following has recently been brought to my attention and could prove very useful. Especially now the OFT guidance specifically states it's an Unfair practice to ignore a cashflow budget!

If you are experiencing difficulty in repaying your debts, CASHflow is a way for you to negotiate affordable repayments with your creditors. Before you can use CASHflow, you must have spoken to one of the free advice agencies licensed to offer CASHflow to their clients. The advice agency will start by talking to you about all of the options available, and can help you to decide if CASHflow is the right one for you.

 

If you decide to use CASHflow, you will be provided with all of the tools you need to be able to complete your own financial statement and negotiate offers of repayment with creditors yourself. This will enable you to stay in control of your situation, but still have support from an adviser at any stage if you need it.

 

You can contact a local advice agency to check if they offer CASHflow. You can find a list of free advice agencies that are near to you by searching for a money adviser in England or Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.

Alternatively, you can call National Debtline on 0808 808 4000

CASHflow: http://www.cashflow.uk.net/

National Debtline: http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

https://www.mymoneysteps.org/

xx

[dx100uk]

if you've got all your statements

just checkthey are not charging for things like PPI or that theyhave slipped any penalty fees in over the course of your account.

 

the only real thing you can do is to write to each of them

 

TELL them, don't offer

 

that due to XYZ [current economic status - not TOO much details

 

that sadly, you can for the time being, no longer afford to pay them the monthly amount owed.

 

to show my goodwil, i am going to pay £XX for XX mts

could you please as a reciprocatal goodwill guesture, refraining from levying any penalty charges & freeze the interest on my account.

 

i will update you in 6mts time or before, should my situation chance.

 

............................

 

as for anyone 'taking goods' etc etc

 

they nor any DCA have ANY LEGAL POWERS to take anything nor demand anything from you.

 

keep us informed.

 

dx

[Max71]

Fantastic, thanks so much for coming back to me so quickly.

I will write to them both (even though they are the same company) and I will write what you advised.

 

It's all I can do, and just a pity I didn't open the account before 2007!

 

Our Landlords have put the rent up and im drowning in my overdraft

- cannot see the wood for the tress but I don twant to mess up on that as its my current account wiht my bank,

so its living off the o/draft and all a big mess and struggle

- just like everyone else I know.

 

I will return with any updates which could also be of use to anyone else.

 

Thanks again, your time and help is much appreciated.

 

Max

[Max71]

Thank you very much citizenB - I will definately keep these options open and look into all avenues. Your help is much appreciated - thanks again. Max

[littleberry05]

But what about the interest? I'm sure they won't freeze them, when I will pay £10 per month the balance will increase anyway :/.

[Max71]

But what about the interest? I'm sure they won't freeze them, when I will pay £10 per month the balance will increase anyway :/.

 

 

I have no doubt they will whack on the interest but they will only get from me what I can afford and good luck to them trying to get any more - I will not be paying above the standard amount I owe regardless of what they add to it. Good Luck

[citizenB]

But what about the interest? I'm sure they won't freeze them, when I will pay £10 per month the balance will increase anyway :/.

 

 

Littleberry, it would be very unfair if they were to accept a reduced payment plan and then continue to add interest. Have a read of the Lending code - Section 9, I think is the relevant section I have attached the pdf below.

 

lendingcode[1].pdf

 

BTW, do you have your own thread? If not, I would suggest you start one, where you can get help for your specific situation.

[littleberry05]

Thank you CitizenB, yes I have my own thread, sorry about that but I have the same situation and I'm also going to pay them just £10. My letter to them is ready to go .

[Max71]

Thank you CitizenB, yes I have my own thread, sorry about that but I have the same situation and I'm also going to pay them just £10. My letter to them is ready to go .

 

Hi Littleberry

 

I really dont mind sharing my thread as we're in the same boat Lol. I hope you get on ok too with minimal stress - just do as we've been advised on here and dont speak with them over the hpone but only in writing and stick to our guns. Best of Luck.

[littleberry05]

Hi Max71

Thanks and good luck to you:-)

[Max71]

Would just like to ask anyone if they know which address I should send my letters to to inform Littlewoods etc that I can't pay their required monthly amount due to losing my job but I have decided to pay each account£5 per month. Does ayone know what address I need to send my letters to please for Littlewoods and Very?

Thanks

Max71

[silverfox1961]

Hi

As both companies fall under the Shop Direct brand, I would send one letter encompassing both accounts to:

FIRST FLOOR, SKYWAYS HOUSE

SPEKE ROAD

SPEKE

LIVERPOOL

L70 1AB

[littleberry05]

Hi Max

All my letters go to:

Shop Direct Finance Company Ltd

Sandringham House

Sandringham Avenue

Chelmsford

CM92 1LE

[silverfox1961]

So many addresses. Here is their registered address

Park Lane, Netherton, BOOTLE, Merseyside, L30 1SL, United Kingdom

[littleberry05]

Hi Silverfox

I know that by my own experience, I sent them some letters in the last few weeks and they write to me from the above address too so I think this is right

Edited February 8, 2012 by littleberry05

[Max71]

Hi Silverfox

I know that by my own experience, I sent them some letters in the last few weeks and they write to me from the above address too so I think this is right

 

Thanks hun, I will use this one as it kept popping up - just wanted to be sure as im paying for recorde dldievery and those postal orders for £1 lol Im about to send my fifrst letter to Littlewoods and VERY to tell them I can only pay £5 a month on each account.

I am absolutely dreading all the hassle I am about to endure but luckily I dont have a landline at home and will probably have to change my mobile number!

 

Do you think one address will be for both catalogues? I can't find one for VERY.co.uk

Thanks so much for your help. How did you get on when you wrote to them?

 

Max

[Max71]

ps) Forgot to ask who do I get the postal order made payable to for each catalogue? They are for the £1 for my CCA....

[dx100uk]

dont worry

leave them blank

 

dx

[littleberry05]

Max

Use this address for both catalogues just put different account names and numbers into your letters. I've sent them 3 letters with my offer of repayment, they've refused the first 2 offers of £40 per month and passed my account to Nationwide Debt Recovery. By following the information on this site I ignore these people. Then I've sent another letter to Very to inform them I am going to pay £10 per month and I am still waiting for their respond.

 

Dx

Can I send CCA request for account opened after 2007?

[dx100uk]

why are you desputing you owe the debt, it would have been online any how so no loopholes.

 

as for keep asking them to accept you offer,, YOU TELL THEM. - end off.

then pay by your internet banking site & get reclaiming!

 

dx

[littleberry05]

Dx

I'm not disputing just asking, sorry about this question, do you think I'm not gonna pay my debt? I'm not that kind of person, I always pay my debts (Very it's not my only debt).

 

btw

I've offered first as I didn't know I can just tell them but now I'm telling them and keep paying

 

Thanks for your help

[dx100uk]

well there is little reason to get a cca other than to despute the debt really.

no bother

you have look ed at reclaiming too?

 

dx

[littleberry05]

you have look ed at reclaiming too?

 

Not yet, I'm gonna do that this week, I have to find all of my statements.

[dx100uk]

hoope yo've got them

else its an sar that 40days atleast

 

dx