Mini credit, Swift Sterling, QuickQuid & payday express advice please!

[Bombaymix]

Lending stream is slightly different. I think they class them as installment loans. They lend you x amount and you pay back over 4,5,6 months? Some random amounts on different dates? For example, month 1 £40 month 2 £80 month 3 £100 etc?

 

I'd agree that it seems you've already paid a lot back even if it Is an installment loan.

 

Ok, so they've said that they will work with you to come up with an arrangement to pay? I think you need a breakdown from them of what the actual amount is. I'd say if it has been inflated with loads of ridiculous hefty charges and interest then you should embarrass them to remove them.

 

The method I use, and have recommended others to use is post about your expeience on their Facebook wall. They usually resolve the matter If you embarrass them on their own page.

 

They're very slow at responding to emails.

[Mizzdeelite]

Hi both,

 

Sorry for the delay .... yes it was an installment payday loan. The email from them is all a bit odd, i've been digging around to find previous correspondance as I was convinced I only owed one final installment of £96. Anyway, here is their email to me today:

 

Good Afternoon,

 

Thank you for your email and we apologize for the delayed response.

 

You have an existing loan account with the agreement number XXXXXX and the total outstanding balance on this loan as of today is £236.40. We can understand your situation and we are willing to work with you to clear the loan.

 

Please find the breakdown payment of your loan account as provided below :

Cycle No. Due Date Payment Type (£) Payment Amount (£) Paid Amount (£) 1 29/06/2012 Interest Capitalized 100.50 100.50 Principal Due 0 0 2 03/08/12 Interest Capitalized 100.50 100.50 Principal Due 67.00 67.00 2 04/08/12 Arrear Fee 12.00 12.00 3 31/08/2013 Interest Capitalized 100.50 100.50 Principal Due 67.00 67.00 4 10/01/12 Interest Capitalized 60.30 60.30 Principal Due 67.00 67.00 Payment Plan 14/12/2012 Temporary Arrangement 70.00 0 31/12/2012 Temporary Arrangement 70.00 0 14/01/2013 Temporary Arrangement 96.40 0

We can confirm that we have canceled the continuous payment authority as per your request.

 

Kindly contact our helpful team of payment negotiators at your earliest convenience on 0845 351 1482 to discuss the repayment options for the outstanding balance and avoid termination of your account to a third party collection agency.

 

Should you require further assistance, please email us at payments@lendingstream.co.uk.

 

We look forward to hear from you.

 

Regards,

 

Customer Care Team,

Lending Stream

Email: payments@lendingstream.co.uk Website: www.lendingstream.co.uk

 

 

 

As you can see the dates are all over the place and make little sense! I had a look at the original contract and the payments were originally set out for June 12 to Nov 12 as:

£100.50

£167.50

£147.40

£127.30

£107.20 and

£87.10

As far as I can see I made payment up to the 01/10/12. The final payment confirmed as recieved was for the £127.30

Which leave £194.30 outstanding I guess.

 

So confusing!

[Bombaymix]

Hmm so NOT really a great deal

More than what they claim is owed.

 

I can see at least one arrears fee on their breakdown of £12. Unenforceable!

 

I should imagine that they'd waive that though if you came to an arrangement with them. The other small amount is probably made up of interest.

 

I would ask for the arrears fee to be removed and work on coming to an affordable monthly payment plan. Simply tell them that due to financial difficulties that you can pay 12 x monthly payments of £18.70 or (if you can afford it comfortably) £37.40 x 6. Both made up of the amount they claim they owe minus the £12 arrears fee.

 

At least if you pay this one off over a longer period, you can concentrate on building some sort of a pot to distribute between the rest of the creditors.

[Mizzdeelite]

Thanks BM, I will get back to them with an repayment offer.

 

I have had a response from QQ confirming that they will accept a repayment plan based on £600, I just need to complete their income/expenditure form, which is very basic, so will do that now.

 

What shall I do about MiniCredit? Really stuck on that on!

 

Thanks, Bx

[Mizzdeelite]

Ok so have been into bank and had both letters stamped and dated and was assured that my request would be actioned! Hmmm seems a little too good to be true!

 

I have just got back to QQ with the hardship form and made a repayment offer over 18 months, as I have to all my creditors - if swift sterling accepted it then that's a good sign?

 

Still sweating over mini credit tho

[renegadeimp]

Keep that receipt. You are covered from the second you handed in that letter.

[Mizzdeelite]

Thanks for that Renegadeimp - I wondered if you had had a chance to think re an appropriate response that i could use for mini credit? Thanks

[Mizzdeelite]

Hi there ...

 

A rather long update I'm afraid - and lots of advice needed PLEASE!!!

 

To date most payment plans are now in place and ticking along nicely, most have been very helpful and supportive of my situation, some have been harder to persuade.

The four who I am having the biggest problems with are: MiniCredit, Pay Day Express, Lending Stream and 24/7 MoneyBox!

 

Despite frequent emails to 24/7 moneybox i have had absolutely no response at all - what do I do now?

 

Lending Stream - I had the following response (grammatical errors are not mine!):

 

"Thank you for your email and we apologize for the delayed response.

You have an existing loan account with the agreement number **** and the total outstanding balance on this loan as of today is £236.40. This account was already set up for payment plan on 05/12/2012 but you have not made any payments from your end since continues payment authority was cancelled on your request. We are unable to reduced the outstanding due amount as the payment plan was set up for this due amount. However, we can understand your situation and we are willing to work with you to clear the loan.

To review your payment plan via email, we require some few information. Kindly send us your up to date monthly income and expenditure report along with a copy of your recent payslip in a non-editable format (e.g. pdf, jpg, jpeg files). For your convenience, we have attached the income and expenditure form in this email for you to fill in and send it back to us so that we can discuss and provide you suitable repayment options.

Should you require further assistance, email us at payments@lendingstream.co.uk.

We look forward to hear from you.

Customer Care Team,

Lending Stream"

 

I have responded by again requesting that they consider a reduced settlement amount. I am happy to send them a basic i&e but do not feel comfortable sending my payslip info - any advice?

 

And so to Pay Day Express:

I have sent numerous emails without response including requests to stop telephone harassment and to be contacted in writing only. The calls stopped for a while, then a few texts trickled in and now I have been repeatedly contacted by telephone (about 10 times over the last 48 hours, all from different numbers belonging to this flippin' company!). I have emailed them again, again stating my request to cease telephone contact. So far today I have not heard anything. Not sure what to do next though? I refuse to contact them by telephone.

 

Finally, MiniCredit

 

1.On the 24th of April they emailed to say that the balance due was now £1720.00 (on a £400 loan)

 

2. On the 2nd May, before I had responded they sent me an email saying:

"Dear *****

We have reviewed your hardship application. Your account will be sent to our DCA

partner. They will contact you.

Kind regards

MiniCredit Hardship Team"

 

3. On the 2nd May I emailed requesting confirmation of what was happening to my account.

 

4. On the 7th of May I got a long winded email which ended with the following:

"We are willing to accept the amount of £1072.00 as a full and final settlement repayable under a payment plan through our payments collection partner. The settlement balance consists of the original due date balance of £496.00, interest until the default date of £480.00 , the overdue penalties of £80.00 and the decreased failed debit attempt fees £16.00 until the first contact was made less by the payments in total of £20.00 that we have received from You. The contractual interest rate is 1% of the principal per day from the date of issuing until default date the 120th day overdue. The above described overdue charges and interest is in accordance with the Loan Agreement.

Your account has been forwarded to our payments collection partner Opos Limited who will contact You shortly to set up a mutually agreeable payment arrangement"

 

5. Then I received this on the 23rd of May from OPOS:

"Opos Ref: *********

Client Name: Mini Credit (https://www.minicredit.co.uk) ;

Client Ref: ********

Amount Due: �1,052.00

Dear *******,

FAILURE TO RESPOND

Unfortunately we have still not managed to resolve the outstanding balance of �1,052.00 with Mini Credit (https://www.minicredit.co.uk) despite several repeated attempts to contact you.

This is not a circular. Please contact our offices immediately 0141 375 7403, email us at general@oposlimited.com or make payment and manage your account by going to our website http://www.oposlimited.com (PIN***) and quote your reference ******.

Failure to do so will impact your credit rating. This may affect your ability to obtain further credit in the future, including other pay day lenders.

We are sure you want to resolve this matter and we look forward to speaking to you soon.

Thank you"

 

BTW: I had not had ANY correspondence from OPOS before this email!

 

6. On the 28th May I responded with:

[/i]Dear Sir/Madam

I write in regards to your latest correspondence to me dated 23/05/2013, the contents of which have been noted.

In order for me to continue corresponding with you in regards to the above account, i now require a full and complete breakdown of the debt, including what each amount you have added has been used for.

I require this information to be sent to me within 7 days of receipt of this email.

Should you fail to provide me with this breakdown, i will have no choice but to place this account into dispute and will no longer enter into any correspondence until my request is fulfilled.

May I also remind you that i hereby withdraw all permission under common law for you or your representatives to set foot on any part of my property(s). Should this order be broken, you will be committing trespass and further action will be taken including police attendance. I also wish to be contacted in writing only".

 

7. Then on the 6th of June I recieved this:

"REDUCED SETTLEMENT OFFER

Our records indicate that you have failed to date to resolve the overdue account with our client Mini Credit (https://www.minicredit.co.uk) with the recovery of the monies outstanding �1,052.00.

As an effort to resolve this matter in a timely manner our client has authorised us to offer as a full and final settlement �736.40 on or before 20/06/13. On receipt of this payment the remaining balance will be written off by our client, thus saving you money as well as benefitting your credit rating.

Please note, we recommend payment is made by debit or credit card by calling the office on 0141 237 1033. If you are paying by cash please pay at any branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland quoting your reference above; the details are as follows:

Bank RBS

Account Name: OPOS Ltd

Account Number: ******

Sort Code: *******

We are here to help and our experienced advisors are able to assist you with a manageable repayment schedule in the event you are unable to take advantage of the above saving by calling us on 0141 375 7403 .

Alternatively you can manage your account by going to our website http://www.oposlimited.com (PIN****)) and quote your reference ********* .

We are sure you want to resolve this matter and we look forward to speaking to you soon.

Thank you".

 

8. This was shortly followed by an email from a 'Vicky Johnston' in response to my 'you have 7 days to respond' letter from the 28th May:

"Good Afternoon,

We are in receipt of your email below, before we disclose any details, for security can you please confirm your full name address any previous address your postcode and your date of birth?

Regards" - exactly like that, no OPOS information, and no signature information - just replying to my email - several days late!.

 

Sooooooo ... I'm sorry this is so so so so so long but I am utterly confused!

I cant believe how much the 'debt' has gone up and down - from £400 to £1700 then £1052 and now £736.40!!!

Unbelievable!

 

Please please please - any advice on any of this would be VERY gratefully received!

 

Thanks, M

[renegadeimp]

The charges are unlawful and unenforceable. They know it but they still try to blame you by giving you two 'discounts'

[Mizzdeelite]

The charges are unlawful and unenforceable. They know it but they still try to blame you by giving you two 'discounts'

 

Thanks for your quick reply! So I guess I just keep plugging away?

 

Just had email from pay day express telling me:

 

"Unfortunately we are unable to continue with your repayment plan application.

 

Our accepted criteria for a repayment plan is proof of one of the following:

 

· Significant Loss of income

· Unexpected change in personal circumstance, e.g. Long term sickness

· Severe Disability or illness (including close family members)

· Terminal illness or Mental illness (including close family members)

· Deceased (including close family members)

· Redundancy or Reduced hours (contractual hours reduced by company)

 

Our opening times are: Monday to Friday: 9am – 5.30pm

 

Although we are unable to accept your payment offer, please contact our Financial Difficulties Team on 0115 908 1163* so we can discuss alternatives in assisting you or you can contact us at collections@paydayexpress.co.uk.

 

This is hugely frustrating! No responses at all and then this!

[wiseajak]

Correct me if im wrong but they dont have any right to request any form of pay slips.

[renegadeimp]

They are not entitled to payslips, banks statements or even a comprehensive I&E. They are breaking multiple parts of OFT guidance, especially where they state that THEY choose the reason for repayment plans. The only reason for a repayment plan is because the debtor cant afford to repay as agreed. Thats it. It is NO concern of theirs why you cant meet repayments, as they are a low priority debt.

[Mizzdeelite]

Hi - sorry for the delayed response!

 

Thanks for your replies, I thought as much, so I can just send them a basic income and expenditure as I did with my other creditors?

 

Do i just keep asking for their bank details so that I can make an affordable payment each month? I really don't know how to respond to OPOS - do I send them my name and address by email?

Do I respond to Pay Day Express? Gah!

 

Now i'm having problems with Vanquis threatening to pass my file to Impact Collections - they have refused to freeze interest and charges on my card, and have only agreed to me making three small payments and then returning to the usual paying each statement! The Simply Be and Marisota catalogs have also been unhelpful, Reliable Collections that is, they wont freeze interest until I have made 6 monthly payments and then they 'might' consider 'helping me with the interest' - apparently they don't deal with individuals and debt management companies, only with CCS and CAB, and say they must have an official letter from CCS or CAB to say that I can only offer so much per month etc ..... talk about jumping through hoops!

 

Losing the will today .....

[renegadeimp]

Yep. SImple budget summary. Dont mention creditor names.

 

Just state something like :

 

Loan 1 -£xxxx

 

Loan 2

 

Credit card 1

 

 

Etc.

 

Sign it as a true statement of fact.

[Mizzdeelite]

Thanks so much!

[renegadeimp]

Just remember that they will try to get more info from you. They are a LOW PRIORITY lender and entitled to NOTHING more than a simplified summary. And even that is entirely your decision whether they get it or not.

[mindy1]

I need some advice about PD Express. I have looked through the forum but cant seem to find an answer to my specific question. Have PD express got any better for repayment plans over the last month or so since PD loan companies have been referred to fait Trade of competition (not sure if that's the correct authority). I only ask because I have 7 PD Loans. I managed to set up repayment plans for 6 of them, 3 of which will be paid in full by December. I didn't do this with PD Express as I heard such horror stories eg they bombard you with calls and contact you at work. Im currently paying £340 each month (I owe £1,044). It has come to the point whereby I cant afford it. It is leaving me so short that Im having to borrow money for petrol to get to work before my payday. If I did not have to pay all this I could manage my money. I know what I have to do, say my card has been lost etc. Have they become more sympathetic to repayment plans and what can I expect when I tell them I cant afford to pay £340 per month. The posts I have read on here about them feel me with dread. Its started to keep me awake at night. Thank you

[renegadeimp]

Secure your bank account and pay what you can afford, not what they say.

[mindy1]

Yes I will do that, I did that with the others. I just wondered if anyone had had any recent dealings with them. Wanted to find out if they just harass you and call you at work. Didn't know whether they were a bit more nicer about repayment plans due to the recent publicity and changes

[renegadeimp]

If they harass you, report them and keep the harassment as evidence.