Payday Loan Advice (Payday Express/Express Finance)

[mikemcr]

Hi,

 

I am new to this so I am unsure if this is the correct place to post this but here goes...

 

My mother took out a payday loan (in November) to help cover some unexpected bills from Payday Express. I didn't know at the time but was very annoyed afterwards as she could have got the money from me! She paid the first one off but then needed money again to help pay bills (a vicious circle!!) Unfortunately she was taken into hospital with Pnuemonia, she was in there or nearly 2 months and she is still bedrdden now. She had to give up her job due to this and now is unable to pay back what she owes.

 

She should have told me sooner but I only found out about 6 weeks ago and I have been trying to sort it our since. From day 1 she has had problems with them, taking more money out than they should on the correct day and telling her it's for late charges, sending emails with incorrect amounts and even when I phoned up it was 25 mins before they found the correct account.

 

First of all I emailed them from her email 6 weeks ago stating that she would be unable to pay to which I still haven't had a response. I have emailed them a further 15 times in the past 3 weeks (once a day) asking them or a repayment plan in each email and the only response I have had (same response twice) states that before they will consider any repayment plan she has to send them copies of her bank statements, a letter from her employer saying she no longer works there, proof from the Job Centre that she is now claiming benefits and also a letter from the Hospital stating that she has been there and what was wrong with her.

 

During all this time they have also been constantly ringing her phone, up to 25 times a day and sending text messages (17 today alone). They also tried to ring her phone at 8.17am on a Sunday morning, I installed an app on her phone which logs all calls and messages from them. I also sent them a Cease and Desist letter which was not responded to and the calls continue.

 

I called them today on her behalf because they sent an email she owes nearly double the amount what she borrowed and it's being passed on to the Debt Collectors. The manager I spoke to was very rude and was talking over me, wouldn't answer any of my questions and just repeated the same response I got in the email. He also told me that Payday Express weren't making all the phone calls, even though I have proof of it on her phone.

 

Never in my life have I heard so anything so rediculous.. I will not let her send all of this personal information to anyone (enough to steal her identity!), nevermind a company that is unprofessional, harassing, incompetant and untrustworthy. I have NO trust at all for this company and would rather give the Nigerian Lottery my sort code and account number!

 

Please give me some advice of what to do...

Do I legally have to send them all of this personal information?

Can they harass her this much even though I have sent them a letter?

What can I do if they are refusing to send a repayment plan without all this information?

Can they still add charges to it even though I emailed them before the payment was due to come out?

 

Thanks in advance

[citizenB]

I have moved your thread to the PDL forums where you will attract some help.

[mikemcr]

Thanks

[citizenB]

I am sorry to hear that your Mother has fallen into the hands of these legal loan sharks. If you have a read round the forums then you will see, sadly you Mother is not alone.

 

No, she does not have to send the information they are asking for - but I would suggest that she complete a budget sheet - I have popped one below for you.. just so you can both see where her priorities are and PDL are at the very bottom of the list.

 

I am sure someone with more experience with PDLs will be along soon to advise.

 

Ellens Budget Sheet.xls

 

If your Mother has a continueous payment authority or Direct Debit in place - then she should cancel them immediately. She should set up a standing order payment that way she has control over when it is paid and the PDL company will not be able to raid her account.

 

She is protected by the DD guarantee if that is the method of payment - so advise the bank, writing that it is to stop. If any payments are then taken, the bank is responsible for refunding under the DD guarantee.

 

If a Continuous payment authority, then again advise the bank, in writing that it is to cease. If they say the cannot stop this method of payment. you should make them aware of the following..

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/content.php?850-Continuous-Payment-Authorities-How-to-stop-them

 

HTH

[citizenB]

You might also like to know that the OFT have finally decided to launch an investigation into these companies..

 

http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2012/11-12

[toptrapper]

Mike,

Not sure where to start with this one apart from you have my sympathy for having to deal with these parasites. Try not to take it personally, you're not on your own and these tactics are not personal - they play like this with everyone. Don't be intimidated by faceless bullies, loads of good advice on here, have a good read through the forums.

 

Firstly, do not phone these people. Calls will be misinterpreted, and believe me from someone who knows - the calls will be conveniently (for them), lost further down the line. Everything in writing, well done on e-mailing them so many times asking for a response, keep a hold of what you have sent and when. If they've not responded to the cease and desist letter, this is their problem not yours. Get copies of everything (and it may take a while) to

 

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk for the Office of Fair Trading - who announced today they're investigating.

 

As for sending a I&E if there is a legal right that they can claim to be in rightful receipt of this information, i'd be amazed to hear it. Payday Express asked for one from myself in June 2010, I asked for rationale, they didn't provide it.

 

As mentioned earlier, there's stacks of advice on here about how to deal with these clowns - (and a big hello to all the staff of Payday Express who read the forums) - don't be bullied into backing down.

 

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

[asmilecostsnothing]

Why you should stick to your guns OP...

 

". I had to send them two months bank statements to show I had no income, meanwhile while awaiting ther decision and to my horror, (and I believe they used the bank statements to their benefit by being able to see what day every month my wifes DLA money went into the account) they actually used the debit card details I had given them when I took out the loan, waited for the the next Disability Living Allowance payment to reach our account and then within 10 minutes of that payment arriving, Payday Express lifted the lot. I was sick to the stomach, this company is the lowest of the low, not to mention the fact that they call every two hours and text every two hours to harrass you into paying... even when you have responded to them and spoke to them and emailed them the calls and texts still keep coming, they make you feel like you're being hunted down for the kill. This company's ethics border on sordid."

[toptrapper]

Top advice again from asmilecostsnothing,

 

With a story like yours, and whilst I can't recommend it one way or another, have you considered escalation to the media? Payday Loans are in the spotlight as below, public interest is at a peak?

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/feb/24/payday-loan-firms-investigated-oft

[Bombaymix]

Hi Mike,

 

First of all. So sorry to hear of your mothers illness. My mum also had pneumonia a while back and it knocked her about for months! The last thing your mum needs is harassment from these vermin.

 

You're doing more than enough with your daily emails. Hopefully eventually someone with an ounce of compassion will be the one to open your email and deal with your mums situation with a bit of respect.

 

A lot of us have different stories about PDE. I've yet to find a story that doesn't contain a mountain of harrasment.

 

As this poxy manager has displayed. Stay off the phone!! It'll get you nowhere and fast! It'll just wind you up. They like to bully and intimidate on the phone - something that they'd never dream of doing in writing!

 

All that personal info... Tell them to foxtrot Oscar. They had a basic I and E form out of me. Tried to show willing. It was still many weeks before I hit the jackpot and found somebody who was eventually willing to set up what I wanted!

 

I would definitely complain to the oft about their harassment. I believe contacting you on a Sunday is a definite NO NO!!

 

Has this been passed to a DCA yet? Or to their own debt recovery department (same office, few desks down towards the toilets)?

 

I'll try and dig out a couple of email addresses for them. A couple of them actually send me personal responses.

 

Keep us updated please.

 

Wishing your mum a speedy recovery and hopefully a speedy conclusion to the hassle she's getting from PDE!

 

Regards

 

BM

[mikemcr]

Hi guys, thanks for the info, some things to look into...

 

I've just been onto the online banking and found that they have taken 4x£15 from her account by Debit Card... The thing is, the card they have taken the money from is not in my mothers name, it's my dads card. Are they allowed to do this as the agreement is with my mum?

 

Sorry for all the hassle but your advice is appreciated!

[Bombaymix]

Your dad needs to report it as THEFT!!

 

No, they can't just dip into anybody's account without permission!!!!

 

I take it that card was used to pay an extension fee once?

[isthistheend]

Rather than using a pdl and having the debt spiral out of control you should get your mum to look into credit unions instead. A credit union provides very cheap credit to those who need it most and they are not a greedy organization like payday loan companies are. Also any money that they do make is put back into the community where it is based rather than the hands of the greed driven shareholders.The Government should pump more money into these organisations as there are more people than ever before than are in dire need of cheap credit.

Edited April 22, 2013 by ims21

[Bombaymix]

This thread is almost 14 months old isthistheend!

[renegadeimp]

He was advertising a PDL company Bombay. Looks like the post has since been edited.

[Bombaymix]

Lol! Adverts for PDL companies should come with a government health (or Wealth) warning

 

Wonder how op did get on with PDE :/

 

Hope they got it resolved more quickly and without the hassle that I got.

 

Regards