Halifax, Blair Oliver and Scott and Wescot, advice please

[thriftyloz]

In Spetember 2012 the Halifax agreed to £1.00 a month payment for 6 months on my £6120 outstanding credit card balance, to be reviewed in March 2013. I have the letter from them that states this. I set up the £1.00 a month before they agreed and it has been going out monthly ever since.

 

Last week I received a letter from the Halifax to say they had passed my account onto Wescot for collection. I then received a letter from Wescot to say they were now collecting the debt.

 

I've tried to find out why my debt has been passed on to them as I have not broken the agreement. Blair Oliver said I should speak to Wescot to arrange payment. I asked to speak to Halifax, Blair Oliver said my account was no longer to do with Halifax. So I rang the Halifax anyway which was only possible by not putting in my account number on the automated system on the phone as if I did I was directed straight to Blair Oliver. Halifax said I should speak to Blair Oliver and Scott. I'm going round in circles and back to Wescot.

 

I know Wescot are only collecting the debt, the debt hasn't been sold to them. But I was wondering if this was standard practice, or should Wescot not be involved yet? Should I write to the Halifax? Any advice greatly received!

[ims21]

You may already know that Blair Oliver are Halifax.

 

If Westies are only collecting on behalf of Halifax I personally wouldn't entertain them and carry on paying the original creditor.

[Crocdoc]

It is common practice to pass defaulted accounts to outside agencies and you will find that the original contractual agreement confirms entitlement.

[ims21]

Oh and don't forget to reclaim any unlawful penalty charges and/or mis-sold PPI that may be on your account.

[thriftyloz]

Thanks for the quick replies! Luckily I did know Blair Oliver were Halifax, so didn't panic there. No PPI on this account and not many charges (probably only £60 worth, if that).

[Norbert Broadsword]

Keep paying the original agreed amount to Halifax and ignore Wescot. They cannot do anything to you but will try to put pressure on you to pay amounts that you cannot afford. They have no power, they have no right to come and visit you or any of the other superpowers that they claim to have. Just stick with the original arrangement and you'll be fine. When the time comes up for review and if your circumstances haven't changed then keep paying the £1 but do write to Halifax (not any of the other monkeys) and let them know that is what you are doing. Wescot may try to intimidate you with threats of this and that when the time comes but it'll come to nothing - their job is to play on people's fears and they use legal sounding guff but it as real as the medical sounding stuff you hear on Casualty every week and about as effective!